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Easter Rising centenary to be celebrated in Welsh village of Frongoch

PREPARATIONS are underway in Wales to commemorate a small village’s connection with the 1916 Rising.

Next June will see a major centenary event take place in the village of Frongoch in North Wales where 1,800 Irishmen were imprisoned for their part in the Easter Rising of 1916.

Renowned Irish Independence figure Michael Collins was among those interred in the camp in the Gwynedd village.

“There are plans for a parade, a GAA match and of course a commemoration ceremony,” Welsh historian Paul Dickens told The Irish Post.

“We want it to be a full weekend of events when we have official plans in place.”

The planning committee met for the first time yesterday to set down these tentative ideas for the Frongoch celebrations, which will kick off on June 11, 2016 with the main commemoration ceremony.

Local councillor Elwyn Edwards was on hand to represent the Welsh Assembly and told the committee of 10 people that the 1916 commemorations will give Frongoch and Wales the chance to attract more visitors from Ireland.

The village already has a deep connection with its Irish roots - with a plaque dedicated to the 1,800 prisoners in the village.

Each year on Easter Monday, a small ceremony is held at the plaque.

The Frongoch internment camp was initially used during World War I to hold German prisoners of war until the Irish prisoners arrived after the Rising.

This period of Welsh and Irish heritage gives locals an opportunity to revisit their history, Caenarfon man Mr Dickins believes.

“This is important not only for the descendants of those imprisoned in Frongoch but also the locals who were employed in the camps,” he said.

“One local man, called Johnny Roberts, got to know Michael Collins quite well and taught him some Welsh.”

“He even gave him a dictionary of the Welsh language,” Mr Dickins added.

Local people in Wales who want to get involved with the Frongoch centenary celebrations can contact Paul Dickins at [email protected].