merrion street

A new exhibition documenting the 300 women who took part in the 1916 Rising opened today at Dublin Castle. 

Women of 1916, curated by author and historian Sinéad McCoole, brings together previously unseen material from private and public collections.

The exhibition was officially opened by Arts Minister Heather Humphreys. 

It draws on a treasure trove of material including:

• Digitised material from the Military Archives
• Online source material including censuses, birth, deaths and marriage and other church records
• Extensive records of the National Cultural Institutions, in particular the National Library and National Museum of Ireland, which have contributed objects, images and documentation which have been brought together in for the first time. 

While there is a special focus on women who took part in the Rising, the exhibition also seeks to give a fuller understanding of the complex history of Ireland at this time.

Speaking at the opening of the exhibition, Minister Humphreys said: 

We know that many of the women who participated in the events of 1916 were forgotten over the last 100 years and I am delighted that they are now re-emerging from the shadows and taking their place alongside the more well-known names associated with the Rising.

The exhibition runs for three weeks at Dublin Castle's Coach House, before going on a nationwide tour.

For more information read the press release here.