1916 Easter rising commemoration

CROWDS thronged the streets and guns and tanks abounded but Dublin was a far quieter place than it was 90 years ago - mainly because the public address system didn’t work.

The thousands who failed to squeeze into O’Connell Street and lined Westmoreland Street instead found themselves watching a silent big screen and trying to fudge the answer to the question: “Daddy, what’s the man saying?” when Captain Tom Ryan read out the Proclamation.

“I can’t believe we came all the way in to watch it on the telly - with no sound,” said one disgruntled onlooker. “C’mere and we’ll find a pub,” said one less disgruntled individual.