Easter Rising leader Thomas Ashe was described yesterday as “a man ahead of his time” by two young pupils from the school where he once taught.

The centenary of the Easter Rising leader Thomas Ashe’s death will be marked with a State commemoration in Dublin’s Glasnevin Cemetery next Friday.

Members of the Capuchin order had key roles in the Irish revolution, writes Niall Murray

Ashe Memorial Hall, Tralee, one of the first buildings to be constructed after Independence, has been rededicated to the memory of the patriot Thomas Ashe.

Statues and sculptures are to play a role in bringing Dublin’s hidden stories to life as part of a new tourist experience.

A key figure before the Rising, Thomas Hunter is hardly known outside his native north Cork, reports Niall Murray

The naval ship LÉ Aisling is in the bay, the Irish army will be on manoeuvres, and the strains of ‘Lonely Banna Strand’ are ringing out across Tralee Bay in one of the biggest State commemorations outside of Dublin of events associated with 1916.

British army records relating to the 1916 Rising and the War of Independence have been opened to the world in one of the most ambitious online projects for family researchers and historians.

Paul Maguire on the spectacular success of the fifth battalion of the Dublin Brigade against a large Royal Irish Constabulary force in Ashbourne, Co Meath

The tactics used by the Fingal battalion foreshadowed those used in the War of Independence, writes Paul Maguire

Seán MacDiarmada overcame polio to produce a masterplan for the 1916 Rising , writes historian Brian Feeney

Des O’Sullivan reports on the wealth of 1916 memorabilia coming up for auction prior to the centenary.

Ireland’s War of Independence captured on film will feature at Whyte’s auction of History and Literature in Dublin next Saturday (May 9) at 1pm.

Brian Barton

THE author of England’s Greatest Spy: Eamon de Valera was interviewed by John Green on Radio Kerry during the week. The 470-page book, by John J Turi, will not be published until the last day of November so it is not possible to comment on it.

TUESDAY evening before six o’clock and Kerry selector Eamon Fitzmaurice is pacing out and aligning training cones in Killarney with the precision of an engineer.

Michael Moynihan talks to Senator Joe O’Toole, a member of the GAA’s Management Committee and a director of the Croke Park stadium.

A 90-year-old letter written by Michael Collins to Thomas Ashe is expected to fetch around €50,000 at an auction tonight.

YOUR ‘Great Irish Speeches’ series (September 20/21) was wonderful.

MEMBERS of Republican Sinn Féin yesterday protested outside the Kerry County Museum in Tralee where an exhibition is being held on William Melville, founder of the British Secret Service.

REPUBLICANS have expressed disgust that a public hall, dedicated to a Kerry Fenian, is being used to celebrate the life and times of a MI5 founder.

IN fairness to US President George W Bush, he has shown more interest in Ireland than any of his predecessors with the sole exception of Bill Clinton.

BARRISTER Kerry Cox yesterday won most of her claims against a fellow barrister she said promised her property valued at more than stg£1 million when they were engaged.

THE death of screen legend Gregory Peck, this month voted the top movie hero of all time, was being mourned in Kerry last night where the star was remembered with fondness by many living relatives.