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Documentary on One: Battle at the Bridge

A Checkpoint on Mount Street Bridge after the battle Image Name: A Checkpoint on Mount Street Bridge after the battle

The Battle of Mount Street Bridge was, militarily, the most successful rebel engagement in Dublin during the 1916 Easter Rising. A small core of Irish rebels held up some 1,750 British soldiers who had come to quell the rebellion. For several hours on Wednesday 26th April 1916, a mighty battle ensued.

Almost 100 years on, the exact details of the battle are still unknown – that is until now. ‘Contested Memories: The Battle Of Mount Street Bridge’ is a new digital project which leads to a modern reimagining of this infamous battle.

A joint project between the digital humanities people in Trinity College Dublin and NUI Maynooth, together with military historians, the main aim is to investigate and examine ‘The Battle Of Mount Street Bridge’ by way of a digital reconstruction using computer technology, regimental histories and witness statements. In addition, ballistic testing by armaments experts, architectural drawings, photographs from the time and other sources are all being used to create a 3D virtual re-enactment of the Battle.

This documentary tells the story of the battle – and this new digital project – and in doing so examines how we look at history from the perspective of hindsight. Will the project challenge the conventional narrative of the ‘The Battle Of Mount Street Bridge’ as a heroic stand by a handful of brave young volunteers – or a disaster by the British military in 1916 Dublin?