14 December 2016
The Chief Minister, Senator Ian Gorst, and the Assistant Chief Minister, Senator Paul Routier, will travel to Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin on 11 December 2016 to witness Islander David Blake officially repatriate a historic remnant of the Irish flag dating back to the 1916 Easter Uprising.
The remnant of the flag, which was flown over the former Jacob’s Biscuit Factory in Dublin during the 1916 Uprising, was discovered by Mr Blake among the possessions of his late grandfather, John Le Prévost. Mr Le Prévost had been a Bugler in the Jersey Contingent, which was assigned to Irish regiments in 1916 before being dispatched to the Western Front. The flag in question was seized and divided up as a spoil of war, and now Mr Blake has decided that he would like to repatriate this historic artefact to Ireland, in honour of his grandfather’s participation in the Uprising.
Senator Gorst said "It is an honour to be involved in this ceremony, which will commemorate not just the brave and historic actions of the Jersey Contingent but also the long-standing ties that exist between the people of Jersey and Ireland. Our ongoing participation in the British Irish Council has allowed this relationship to continue to prosper and, at times like these, it is valuable to remember that we share a history as well as a vision for the future."
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