Lord Mayor Paul Mc Auliffe launched a new installation set in the beautiful gardens at Richmond Barracks, Inchicore on the 30th September 2019 at 12.30pm. The installation “A Walk” designed by artist Joanne Byrne, commemorates the walk of destiny taken by the Leaders of the 1916 Rising to their courts-martial.
Richmond Barracks officially opened on the 2nd May 2016 to mark the centenary of the 1916 courts-martial. Over 3,000 rebels of the Easter Rising, including the leaders, were held in the barracks awaiting their courts martial and fate. 90 death sentences were handed out over the first 2 weeks of May 1916, and 14 executions were carried out in Kilmainham Gaol, including the seven signatories of the proclamation.
Speaking at the launch the Lord Mayor said: “It is fitting that we commemorate this important site in our nation’s history. I want to congratulate artist Joanne Byrne for her very evocative installation “A Walk” which I am pleased to launch. “A Walk” traces the steps taken by the 1916 leaders of the Easter Rising across the former Officers’ Square of Richmond Barracks to their courts martial”.
A Walk, was designed by artist Joanne Byrne and fabricated from corten steel by A.D.Design. Byrne was inspired by an 1892 diary entry by Countess Markievicz during her Lissadell years when she wrote, “Nature should provide me with something to live for, something to die for.”
This phrase proved to be prophetic in years to come.
Joanne Byrne is a freelance graphic designer and artist. She is a part-time lecturer in Visual Communication Design at IADT in Dun Laoghaire. www.joannebyrne.ie
Posted 03 October 2019
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