I was sitting in my bed and beside me lay my medals for various overseas peacekeeping missions, length of service etc and I quickly thought why aren't the on my uniform. Then I remembered I recently received a new medal the Easter rising centenary medal which I have not mounted yet so I thought I'd do a little piece on the medal itself.
When it was awarded
The medal first began to be awarded toward the end of 2016 after the cenenary of the 1916 rising was over. The medal is being awarded to all members of the defence forces in active service in 2016.
What it represents
In 1916 the volunteers of the irish republican brotherhood fought for the freedom of the Irish nation against the oppressing British rule. Organised by the 7 leaders of the military council it was the first armed uprising of the revolution. Lasting 6 days a small irish force fought against overwhelming british ruling forces, eventually resulting in an unconditional surrender and the majority of the leaders being executed. 1250 irish rebels fought 16,000 british troops, artillery and gunboats and held out for 6 days. This uprising resulted in the major movement to free ireland from british rule.
Commemorating the Heroes
This medal remembers the heroes that began a movement that created the Irish republic 100 years later. That medal is bronze and designed in the shape of the Irish Defence Forces emblem on the front, on the back is the 2016, 1916 design used in the commemoration celebration of the uprising and is decorated with the colours of the Irish flag within the ribbon.
Freedom
This medal represents freedom from british rule and celebrates an event in the history of the Irish nation that will never be forgotten, the start of the nations road to freedom from oppression.