The story of the Irish rebellion in Dublin during the first world war in which a few men of distinction, blinded by fine ideals and resolute patriotism, seized the GPO in a misguided attempt to free Ireland from English rule, only to watch the coup dissolve around them into a humiliating fiasco - all to the apparant indifference of their fellow countrymen. A bloody sarifice was deemed necessary, a view not held by all the insurgents at the time. Out of defeat came victory, out of chaos came order and out of a bomed to bits city came the the capital of an Irish Republic. As Yeats put it, "A terrible beauty was born".

1916 was first produced by the Elephant Theatre at the Kings Head, Islington in Mar/Apr 2001 directed by Syd Golder. The play was based on Thomas Coffey's Agony at Easter (Pelican 1969) for which many thanks.