What a wonderful Easter Monday with the sun shining and Dublin’s O’Connell Street transformed into to Sackville Street 1915 with no traffic and a vintage carousel, tram, cars, and a steam-engine!
Hundreds of actors dressed in period costume set the scene as thousands of us Dubliners thronged the crowded street, enjoying the demonstrations of millinery, hairstyling, men’s outfitting, baking and barrel making. Choirs and musicians from two open air stages sang songs of the period as we enjoyed a day of living history. There were guided tours, and a whole host of talks that were absolutely packed out in the Gresham Hotel, Wynn’s Hotel, Liberty Hall, the Abbey Theatre and the GPO, such is the interest in our history and the past.
As my new book is set during the period it really did help me to imagine those times and I attended a wonderful talk by family members of The Volunteers and one that gave us amazing detail about life for both the rich and the poor during that period.
I have never seen such a massive crowd on the street and the atmosphere was wonderful and friendly. So, congratulations to RTE and everyone involved in organising such a major public event that we will all remember.
A perfect two days was rounded off by seeing Paul Simon and Sting perform at the Three Arena. It was an absolute privilege to be in the audience and hear songs that are so special to so many of us. An unforgettable performance by two incredible musicians!
It was great to join the party at Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin, where I met so many old friends from the book world. I still find it hard to believe that it is almost 25 years since they published my very first children’s book 
From archive film of Flanders, Gallipoli and the Trenches, photographic montages of the young soldiers and their homes in Greystones, to letters, telegrams, death certificates and parents’ letters to Lord Kitchener, these all added to the poignancy of this very moving event.
