Republican plot
Encyclopedia
In Ireland
, a republican plot is a cemetery
plot where combatants or members of various Irish republican
organisations are buried in a common grave, as opposed to being buried with family members. These plots may often also hold the bodies of casualties of earlier 19th and 20th-century campaigns by organisations such as the Fenians or the Old IRA
. This is mostly with the approval of the family, although in some cases such as that of Frank Stagg
, here was a dispute between family members, who wished to have the body buried in a family plot, and members of the IRA and other republican organisations.
Most republican plots are owned and maintained by a group known as the National Graves Organisation. Notable Republican plots include those at Glasnevin Cemetery
in Dublin and Milltown Cemetery
in Belfast
, where the hunger-strikers Bobby Sands
and Joe McDonnell are buried, and which was the site of an attack on a Republican funeral
in 1988 by a loyalist
paramilitary, Michael Stone
.
Republican plots are often the focus of annual commemorations by Republican groups or political parties such as Fianna Fáil
, the Workers' Party
or the various offshoots of Sinn Féin
. (Each group will commemorate its 'own' fallen, e.g. Fianna Fáil commemorations would focus exclusively on members of the 'Old IRA'.) The commemorations will take place on specific dates such as Easter Monday
(to commemorate the Easter Rising
), or on the anniversaries of the death of people buried in the relevant plot.
Annual commemorations also take place at the grave of Theobald Wolfe Tone
at Bodenstown in County Kildare
and at the burial site of the leaders of the Easter Rising at Arbour Hill Prison
in Dublin, but these are not considered to be Republican plots in the sense used above.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, a republican plot is a cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
plot where combatants or members of various Irish republican
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
organisations are buried in a common grave, as opposed to being buried with family members. These plots may often also hold the bodies of casualties of earlier 19th and 20th-century campaigns by organisations such as the Fenians or the Old IRA
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
. This is mostly with the approval of the family, although in some cases such as that of Frank Stagg
Frank Stagg
Frank Stagg -Background:Stagg was the seventh child in a family of thirteen children, born at Hollymount near Ballinrobe, County Mayo,...
, here was a dispute between family members, who wished to have the body buried in a family plot, and members of the IRA and other republican organisations.
Most republican plots are owned and maintained by a group known as the National Graves Organisation. Notable Republican plots include those at Glasnevin Cemetery
Glasnevin Cemetery
Glasnevin Cemetery , officially known as Prospect Cemetery, is the largest non-denominational cemetery in Ireland with an estimated 1.5 million burials...
in Dublin and Milltown Cemetery
Milltown Cemetery
Milltown Cemetery is a large cemetery in west Belfast, Northern Ireland.It lies within the townland of Ballymurphy, between Falls Road and the M1 motorway. Milltown Cemetery opened in 1869 and there are now approximately 200,000 of Belfast's citizens buried there. Most of those buried there are...
in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, where the hunger-strikers Bobby Sands
Bobby Sands
Robert Gerard "Bobby" Sands was an Irish volunteer of the Provisional Irish Republican Army and member of the United Kingdom Parliament who died on hunger strike while imprisoned in HM Prison Maze....
and Joe McDonnell are buried, and which was the site of an attack on a Republican funeral
Milltown Cemetery attack
The Milltown Cemetery attack The Milltown Cemetery attack The Milltown Cemetery attack (also known as the Milltown Cemetery killings or Milltown Massacre took place on 16 March 1988 in Belfast's Milltown Cemetery...
in 1988 by a loyalist
Ulster loyalism
Ulster loyalism is an ideology that is opposed to a united Ireland. It can mean either support for upholding Northern Ireland's status as a constituent part of the United Kingdom , support for Northern Ireland independence, or support for loyalist paramilitaries...
paramilitary, Michael Stone
Michael Stone (loyalist paramilitary)
Michael Stone is a Northern Irish loyalist who was a volunteer in the Ulster Defence Association . Stone was born in England but raised in the Braniel estate in East Belfast, Northern Ireland. Convicted of killing three people and injuring more than sixty in an attack on mourners at Milltown...
.
Republican plots are often the focus of annual commemorations by Republican groups or political parties such as Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
, the Workers' Party
Workers' Party of Ireland
The Workers' Party is a left-wing republican political party in Ireland. Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970 after a split within the party, adopting its current name in 1982....
or the various offshoots of Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
. (Each group will commemorate its 'own' fallen, e.g. Fianna Fáil commemorations would focus exclusively on members of the 'Old IRA'.) The commemorations will take place on specific dates such as Easter Monday
Easter Monday
Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday and is celebrated as a holiday in some largely Christian cultures, especially Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox cultures...
(to commemorate the Easter Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
), or on the anniversaries of the death of people buried in the relevant plot.
Annual commemorations also take place at the grave of Theobald Wolfe Tone
Theobald Wolfe Tone
Theobald Wolfe Tone or Wolfe Tone , was a leading Irish revolutionary figure and one of the founding members of the United Irishmen and is regarded as the father of Irish Republicanism. He was captured by British forces at Lough Swilly in Donegal and taken prisoner...
at Bodenstown in County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
and at the burial site of the leaders of the Easter Rising at Arbour Hill Prison
Arbour Hill Prison
Arbour Hill Prison is a prison and military cemetery located in the Arbour Hill area near Heuston Station in the centre of Dublin, Ireland. The prison is the national centre for male sex offenders.-Architecture:...
in Dublin, but these are not considered to be Republican plots in the sense used above.