"They stand for the honour of Ireland, As their sisters in days that are gone - They, the soldiers of the Cumann na mBan!" #loyal #sisters

Cumann na mBan, formed in Dublin on 2 April 1914, with the mission to: "assist in arming a body of Irish men for the defence of #Ireland".

Young members of Cumann na mBan prepare to march to Wolfe Tone's grave for a commemoration at Bodenstown, #Kildare 1921.

"The destiny of small nations always finally depends on their #women".

Cumann na mBan on the supreme role of women in upraising leaders.

Cumann na mBan were vital to the Irish war-effort: As postmistresses they intercepted Crown messages & formed an ambulance / intel corp.

One of the ways in which a 'well read' Cumann na mBan gun-runner girl secreted a handgun for transport.

#EasterRising #Ireland

Constance Markievicz - 'the Rebel Countess' - her advice to female patriots thinking of taking up arms on Easter, 1916:

#IrishWomenWarriors

Art MacMurrough was the most formidable of later kings of #Leinster. He restored his family's power & dominated the Anglo-Norman invaders.

By using irregular warfare MacMurrough †1417 turned his kingdom into a death trap for Crown forces. Armies led by Richard II were liquidated.

On the great spars between King Richard II & Art MacMurrough, who:

"..would not cease from war & the defense of his country til his death".

The Arms of the #MacMurrough-Kavanagh of Leinster. They would redeem their family name by martial prowess & subjugation of the English.

Medieval historian Jean Froissart's impression of king Art MacMurrough as he descended the hills to parley after defeating Richard II:

Negotiating with the English earls to end the war, MacMurrough declared:

"[Ireland] shall have no terms but peace, or no compact at all!"

The memorial stone to Art MacMurrough - King-defender & hero of Ireland.

Mausoleum of the MacMurrough family at St Mullins, #Carlow.

Ceiling of St Patrick's Hall in the State Apartments, Dublin Castle.

#Dublin

The Irish motherland painting in the State Apartments at Dublin Castle - Ériu our glorious queen!

#Dublin

Interior of St. Augustine and St. John Church in Dublin, Ireland.

Ériu, the Irish name for Ireland, is thought to derive from the Proto-Irish 'iwo', meaning Yew, making Ireland the 'Land of the #Yew tree'.

A tribe of Gauls known as the Iverni settled the #Munster region of Ireland circa 500BC. Iverni (in Irish: Érainn) means 'sons of the Yew'.

Unlike in most of Europe, the yew grows extensively in Irish woodlands. The Iverni may have taken their tribal name as a matter of prestige.

Hore Abbey, near the Rock of Cashel, Tipperary. Hore comes from 'iubhair' - yew tree. It was perhaps once the site of a sacred tree.

#Tipperary