otteranplace

A group of Redmondite volunteer Non Commissioned Officers in full regalia! I don't think I've seen anything like this before. All patriotic and well meaning and caught out by the Rising in 1916 and the decision of their leaders to support Britain in WW1 in the hope of gaining Home Rule by peaceful means. Many of them joined the war effort in Europe and lost their lives and many more changed over and took an active part in the war of independence. They are surprisingly well equipped with rifles, those are Lee-Enfield Mark II riflles the standard issue to the British Army at that time though they are sporting Boer War bandoliers.

Swordscookie Thanks, Sean, for condensing 10 turbulent years of Irish history into a few lines, and for the techie information. I've tagged from what you've said. You say "surprisingly well equipped". The rifles may have been up to date, but I wonder how many of those rifles the Volunteers had - not just those that would be displayed for PR reasons in a photo like this?

Swordscookie Pigsticker = Bayonet??

National Library of Ireland on The Commons Of course. The chap near the pointy end better not move in a hurry or he'll be bleeding like a stuck pig!

Swordscookie Thank you for that eloquent and evocative descripion! :)

Very interesting!!!

Nice one. I see that the Sergeants had their stripes on the cuffs of their sleeves? The Inspector has a similar uniform but with a badge of some sort on his sleeve and carried a walking stick. Not sure where the Courthouse was but the Waterford Garda Station was on Adelphi Quay up until relatively recently.

Swordscookie Have a look on our Flickr Map. It's on the corner of Otteran Place and Catherine Street - the front is awfully imposing with pillars, etc. so this must have been taken at a side entrance...

Thanks for adding your pictures to 'Garda Síochána'. Great additions!

Neil 02 You're more than welcome!

The lady behind him also has a bit of a smile, and the one on the left looks to be struggling to express a smirk. I wonder when it became obligatory to force a smile for photographs. I once read that the grim expressions in old portraits were the result of long exposures - it's easier to maintain a neutral expression for a few seconds than a smile. Anyway, I'm glad the gent at the back is maintaining a bit of decorum with his grim expression.

Funny because we've been talking about wristwatches on another Flickr Commons photo: Miss Fitzgerald's watch doesn't look very different from Miss (Dr?) Crossley's...

pennylrichardsca (now at ipernity) Lovely that Kathleen May Crossley was identified, and by her great niece! Yes, these early watches look very large and "masculine" compared to later 20th century women's styles with teeny faces - on the watches, not on the women ;)

National Library of Ireland on The Commons Happy New Year Carol and to all the staff there. Stuart.

Stuart And to you and yours, Stuart! Looking forward to your comments and feedback in 2012... :)

Is it possible to run in a skirt like that?

La Belle Province Aha! Wondering if anyone else would ponder that, but if you look closely, there's a (buttoned?) seam up the middle of each skirt. I'm assuming that they increased mobility by judicious unbuttoning...

So risque! But they were called hobble skirts for a reason...

Just want you to know how much I enjoy your - what should I call it? - commentary on the photographs. The pictures are a wonderful keepsake, but your wit is what brings me back. Thank you.

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigezbear] You are too kind - but thank you, really appreciate it! :)