Dia libh a laochradh Gaedheal

The artwork Dia libh a laochradh Gaedheal was made in response to the Archives of Us: Cork 1918-1922 History and Archives Workshops held at Cork City & County Archives, October 2019. It takes the form of a frieze of ten photographs taken at four locations in County Cork, namely Cork City Council Chambers and the ambush sites at Clonmult, Beál na Blá and Kilmichael. By taking a circuitous route to site documentation the artwork attempts to communicate the resonances and latent drama ingrained in these significant sites, when experienced alone and in silence.

The sizing and confined arrangement of the framed images references the illustrated panels of Early Medieval high crosses, from which many commemorative monuments have drawn inspiration.

The title Dia libh a laochradh Gaedheal / ‘God be with you o heroes of the Gael’ is taken from the first line of a poem from the late 16th century by Aonghus Mac Daighre Ui Dhalaigh. The first stanza of the poem is featured on the façade of the Clonmult Ambush Monument in the graveyard of St. Lawrence’s Roman Catholic Church, Clonmult:

“Dia libh a laochradh Gaedheal, Nior cluineadh claoitheacht oraibh, Riamh nior thuill sibh masla, In am catha na cogaidh / God be with you o heroes of the Gael, Neither weakness nor exhaustion will ever be associated with you, You were never worthy of insult, In time of battle or war.” Aonghus Mac Daighre Ui Dhalaigh, poet (c.1580). Translation by Gabriel Doherty, Department History, University College Cork.