The Conspirators

It’s early morning on Easter Monday 1916. In the hall of Dublin City Library, the statues of Parnell, Robert Emmett, Wolfe Tone, Lord Edward Fitzgerald and John Mitchell stand proud. There is one empty plinth for the statue of Dan O’Connell which has been removed for cleaning. The remaining figures are dusted and the floors are scrubbed by old Mrs Galgoogley with whom the ‘Conspirators’ often have lively conversations. On this morning, they tell her that fighting will soon break out and that her son Oweneen is a volunteer. Soon firing is heard and Oweneen staggers in mortally wounded. Cursing the statues, she places her son’s body tenderly on the empty plinth for the Conspirators to guard over their new companion.