The 1916 Rising Oral History Collection | Ep 94: Laurence O'Neill & May Gibney
Video compiled from audio clips & images. The images in the video and the info in this description were copied from a document supplied with the audio clips. Pretty much all of the images had to be expanded to fit the video size so apologies for the poor resolution.
Pictured - Left to Right: Laurence O'Neill. May Gibney, Con O'Neill
Subject: O’Neill, Laurence and Gibney, May (Interviewee’s parents) Interviewee: Con O’Neill (b. 1936) Interview location: The National Library of Ireland, Dublin Recorded by: Maurice O’Keeffe – Irish Life and Lore Recording date: 2013
(This is an exact copy from the documentation, apologies for any inconsistencies in the track numbering/description) Track 1: The Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, background of the O’Neill family, Laurence O’Neill’s apprenticeship as a coach-builder there, his joining of the Irish Volunteers in 1913, and his activities prior to Easter Week 1916, are all discussed by Con O’Neill. The Gibney family of Co. Meath, Con’s maternal grandfather’s service with the RIC in Tralee, and the family’s move to Temple Street in Dublin following his death, are also discussed. Con describes his mother’s walk from Temple Street to the nearby GPO at the beginning of Easter Week 1916, where she remained until the surrender. Track 2: Contains a description by Con O’Neill of his father, Laurence O’Neill, in Carlow during the War of Independence and the Civil War, including details of his shooting and wounding during a fire fight with a combined British Army and Black and Tan force. His father’s incarceration in Mountjoy Jail and then in Dartmoor is also described. Track 3: Con O’Neill recalls his mother, May Gibney, her part in the work of Cumann na mBan in the years following the 1916 Rising and her incarceration in Kilmainham Jail. Also described is the meeting of his parents in Carlow, and their subsequent marriage. Track 4: The disappointment felt by his parents at the outcome of the Treaty, and the loss of the Six Counties, is discussed by Con O’Neill. He recalls the 1966 Commemorations and the pride he felt at the awarding of the Commemorative Medal to his mother at that time. He also discusses the great efforts of his mother, May Gibney, in the Cumann na mBan Benevolent Society, as she worked, for very many years, for the welfare of her comrades after the 1916-1923 period. He recounts how his father, Laurence O’Neill, joined the Irish Army at the outbreak of WWII.
Released: 1978 - 1989
I had this entire series up on my last YouTube channel, also called Irish History Documentaries. The channel unfortunately got deleted off of YouTube completely (twice), with all the roughly 240 videos being taken down in the process.
This series was created and filmed by David Shaw-Smith and his wife Sally. On my last channel, I got the consent of their son to have these uploads stay up on YouTube, which was greatly appreciated as this is more than likely my favourite documentary series ever made.
Please do consider buying the box set of the entire series, ZOG are probably gonna ban the internet for the unvaxxed or some bullshit anyway, link below.
Link to entire box set:
https://hands.ie/product/complete-hands-series-box-set/
Link to buy single episode DVDs:
https://hands.ie/hands-series/
More info about series creators, David and Sally Shaw-Smith:
https://hands.ie/about/
Recorded: 1914–1917
South: Sir Ernest Shackleton's Glorious Epic of the Antarctic - The Imperial Trans-Antarctic expedition of 1914–1917
This would be more so part of British history rather than Irish but seen as the expedition included Irishmen and Gaels such as Tom Crean, Frank Hurley, Timothy McCarthy, Thomas McLeod and Harry McNish I said I'd throw it up. Shackleton himself came from an Anglo-Irish family. Tis interesting stuff anyway.