Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-05-05
many STORMY PERIODS
IN HISTORY OF DUBLIN
Recent Revolt Recalls Legendary
Episodes and the Stories
of Conflict.
"Black Monday" Of the Year 1909
Feature in Narrative Published
by Geographic Society.

Dublin Is the subject of todays war
geography bulletin issued by the Ma
tional Geographic Society from its
headquarters in Washington, which
says:
The revolt in Dublin recalls many
stormy episodes in the history of the
! Irish capital on the shores of the Irish
sea, S34 miles northeast of London and
! less than seventy miles from Holyhead,
/ the nearest English port. Even its leg
endary history. going back to the third
century of the Christian era, is filled
, with stories OF conflict, one of the
earliest being a narrative of the defeat
of the people of the surrounding prov
ince by the inhabitants of the town in
2e1
"One of the most tragic events of
Dublin's early history is an echo of
this hatred of the people of the coun-
try districts for those of the city. The
occurrence Is commemorated in Irish
chronicles as the Black Monday of
1909. 1t was during the Easter holidays
of that year, strangely parallelinE the
time of the present revolt. that the
Irish of the surrounding mountains
rushed down into the valley of the
Liffey river, on whose banks Dublin is
situated. and while the inhabitants
were celebrating the religious holiday
800 of their number were killed.
Known as Bloody Fields"
The place of the massacre is still
known as Bloody Fields, and for many
years. in order to keep alive the sense
of outrage against the hill people,
the citizens on each anniversary of
Black Monday would march to the
scene OF the massacre bearing banners
inscribed with the legend A terror to
the native Irish
Even in the early days the vigor
with which the people of Dublin waged
their fnternecine strife did not lessen
the impetuosity with which they en-
tered upon any conflict with a foreign
invader. They tore down their churches
to secure stones for their walls when
preparing for the defense of their city
against Edward Bruce, in 1915. and
when the Irish governor. who had
yielded TO the enemy. fell into the
hands Of the defenders he was brought
to Dublin and starved to death.
"One of the most spectacular out
breaks of the sixteenth century was
that led by Siiken Thomas (Sir Thorn
as Fitzgerald). a daring young noble
man who. upon hearing that his father
had been beheaded in the Tower of
London. raised large army and
marched 10 the gates of Dublin. where
he was admitted by the intimida ted
citizens. Shortly afterward. however
when he endeavored to leave the city
he found the gates locked. He made
his escape. carrying with him some of
the children of the city. and with these
as hostages he managed to secure the
release of all his followers. Suisse
auently this rebellion was Quelled and
the leaders were executd at Tyburn in
1886.
1T was more than a hundred years
after the death of Sir Thomas that
conspiracy to seize Dublin Castle was
revealed by Owen Connolly on the day
before the attempt was TO have been
made. This was during the rebellion
of 1641. and it was Connolly's informa-
ton which saved Dublin for the king
Cromwell. James II and William III in
turn visited Dublin with armed forces.