Transition Year Lesson Plan
1. Lesson Title: Introduction to the 1916 letters
a. Lesson Aims / Objectives:
i. Interaction with primary sources
ii. Basic understanding of background information on the 1916 Rising
iii. Ability to transcribe a letter
b. Core Events:
i. Explain / contextualise 1916
ii. Explain the importance of letters as historical documents
iii. Demonstrate transcription
iv. Register on the website
v. Choose a letter
vi. Student pairs to transcribe a letter
vii. (OPTIONAL ACTIVITY: how to decipher handwriting - sample material from
The National Archives, UK)
2. Lesson Title: Uploading a Letter
a. Lesson Aims/Objectives
i. Students will be able to research metadata (brief guide to metadata for
teachers)
ii. Students will be able to interact with relevant search engines / resources
iii. Students will be able to upload a letter
iv. Students are interacting with historical documents/ research skills
(finding/locating specific information and cross checking facts)
b. Core Events:
i. Show the template for uploading process (on letters1916.ie or as a google
form)
ii. Explain each aspect (e.g. naming, description)
iii. Walkthrough example of an upload
iv. Go through research process
1. e.g. using the census, wikipedia
v. Hand the students or direct them to an uploading template
vi. Have the students research/fill in/upload the template
1. If computers are not available a printout version of both the
uploading template and letter could be provided
vii. Ask students about the letter they worked with
viii. Could use 5 letters for a group of 25 to get different student perspectives.
3. Lesson Title: Comprehension Work
a. Lesson Aims/Objectives:
i. Students to engage with the documents
ii. Students will be able to extract relevant information
iii. Increased understanding of events/time period
b. Core Events:
i. Hand out the question sheet and relevant letters
ii. Students work on hand-outs
iii. Run through answers
4. Lesson Title: Profile Creation (Sample Profile)
a. Lesson Aims/Objectives:
i. Students will be able to research additional information (Metadata)
concerning a key personality
ii. Students will be able to use relevant search engines / resources
b. Core Events:
i. Divide the students into groups
ii. Give students letters from one personality to serve as an example
iii. Students should work in groups of 4 or 5 with one letter for each student in
the group
iv. Students extract information on that personality from their letters
v. Students give group feedback
vi. Teacher does extra research on that personality as an example to class
vii. Teacher does an example of profile creation on that personality
viii. Assign student groups a different personality
ix. Students research their personality (Can be continued for homework)
5. Lesson Title: Presentation of profile
a. Core Events:
i. Student groups present the information they gathered together in previous
lesson
6. Lesson Title: Comparison
a. Lesson Aims/Objects:
i. Students can critically analyse multiple documents
ii. Students can detect bias
b. Core Events:
i. Give students two letters/ documents representing opposing viewpoints
ii. Can be done half and half or as a collective
iii. Discuss each document in relation to who wrote it, why, where, when, who
was it written to, etc.
iv. Discuss differences of the documents
v. Students do written exercise
1. Series of comprehension questions followed by standard
comparative questions
7. Lesson Title: Comparison (OPTIONAL lesson if required)
a. Lesson Aims/Objects:
i. Students can critically analyse multiple documents
ii. Students can detect bias
b. Core Events:
i. Give students two documents representing opposing viewpoints
ii. Can be done half and half or as a collective
iii. Discuss each document in relation to who wrote it, why, where, when, who
was it written to, etc.
iv. Discuss differences of the documents
v. Students do written exercise
1. Series of comprehension questions followed by standard
comparative questions
8. Lesson Title: Essay Issue
a. Lesson Aims/Objectives:
i. Students will be able to write an essay
ii. Students can analyse an essay and extract the relevant facts to support their
arguments
1. Could alternatively be done in a debate format
a. e.g. Pearse viewed rising as a success vs. someone who
viewed the rising as a failure
b. Core Events:
i. Set essay question (Teacher chooses topic)
ii. General discussion on the topic based on previous work
iii. Point students in the direction of specific letters (Teacher chooses) which
would prove helpful
iv. Also required to use a certain amount of other letters
v. Students write essay, teacher supervises.
9. Lesson Title: Newspaper
a. Newspaper could include:
i. Letter to the editor
ii. Advertisements
iii. Pictures
iv. Main article
v. Second article
vi. Headline
vii. Biography
viii. Cartoons
b. Students could use the following for research:
i. British Pathé (http://www.britishpathe.com/)
ii. Bureau of Military History (http://www.bureauofmilitaryhistory.ie/)
iii. Letters1916 (http://dh.tcd.ie/letters1916/)
iv. Google
v. UK National Archives (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/)
vi. Trove (http://trove.nla.gov.au/)
1. Useful for contemporary advertisements
c. Lesson Aims/Objectives:
i. Students will have to carry out research using contemporary sources
ii. Students will have to select appropriate photographs/cartoons
iii. Students will have to write articles
d. Core Events:
i. Students (in pairs) have to choose a headline for their newspaper
ii. Students have to write articles
iii. Students have to research contemporary advertisements for their
newspapers
iv. Students should look for appropriate pictures to correspond with their
articles
1. Sample templates are available at:
https://docs.google.com/templates?type=docs&q=newspaper&sort
=user&view=public
Leaving Certificate Lesson Plan
1. Lesson Title: Comparison
a. Lesson Aims/Objects:
i. Students can critically analyse multiple documents
ii. Students can detect bias
b. Core Events:
i. Give students two letters/ documents representing opposing viewpoints
ii. Can be done half and half or as a collective
iii. Discuss each document in relation to who wrote it, why, where, when, who
was it written to, etc.
iv. Discuss differences of the documents
v. Students do written exercise
1. Series of comprehension questions followed by standard
comparative questions
2. Lesson Title: Comparison (OPTIONAL lesson if required)
a. Lesson Aims/Objects:
i. Students can critically analyse multiple documents
ii. Students can detect bias
b. Core Events:
i. Give students two documents representing opposing viewpoints
ii. Can be done half and half or as a collective
iii. Discuss each document in relation to who wrote it, why, where, when, who
was it written to, etc.
iv. Discuss differences of the documents
v. Students do written exercise
1. Series of comprehension questions followed by standard
comparative questions
3. Lesson Title: Essay Issue
a. Lesson Aims/Objectives:
i. Students will be able to write an essay
ii. Students can analyse an essay and extract the relevant facts to support their
arguments
1. Could alternatively be done in a debate format
a. e.g. Pearse viewed rising as a success vs. someone who
viewed the rising as a failure
b. Core Events:
i. Set essay question (Teacher chooses topic)
ii. General discussion on the topic based on previous work
iii. Point students in the direction of specific letters (Teacher chooses) which
would prove helpful
iv. Also required to use a certain amount of other letters
v. Students write essay, teacher supervises.
Brief guide to metadata for teachers
Explanation of Metadata
Metadata is additional information about a digital
object. Take the example of a digital image of
penguins taken with a digital camera or your phone.
When you upload this image to your computer,
certain properties such as:
 date the image was taken,
 the size of the file,
 the type of file
are included.
This is metadata.
If you would like more information about metadata,
this is a useful YouTube video
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96ncNPpohjo)
Letters of 1916 metadata
In the Letters of 1916 project, we record certain information (metadata) about each letter. The
information we record helps to describe the letter. It also helps when you search online.
We record as much of the following information as we have available on this upload form:
 Title / Caption
 Date the letter was written:
 Author of letter
 Author’s gender
 Theme
 Place the letter was sent from
 Place the letter was sent to
 Year of death of the author
 Source of the letter
Below is a screenshot of the upload form from the Letters of 1916 website.
Free Online Databases/Resources
 1901/1911 Census (http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search/)
 The 1901 and 1911 censuses are the only surviving full censuses of Ireland open to
the public. The 1901 census was taken on 31st March 1901. The 1911 census was
taken on 2 April 1911. This search engine allows you to search for people living in
Ireland on these specific dates. The return forms provide information regarding
name, age, residence, gender, occupation, religion and literacy.
 Family Search (https://familysearch.org/search)
 Family Search allows you to look for someone through based on certain criteria
ranging from name and residence to birth or death records. Their records span
across hundreds of collections including birth, marriage, death, probate, land and
military.
 Manuscript Collection Lists (http://www.nli.ie/en/ManuscriptListResult.aspx)
 The Manuscript Collection Lists provide detailed listings of the contents of
manuscript collections held in the National Library of Ireland. Each catalogue begins
with a brief biography relating to the subject of the papers.
 The Diary of Mary Martin (http://dh.tcd.ie/martindiary/)
 A Family at War: Mary Martin’s Diary, 1 January – 25 May 1916 is an online
exhibition of the Diary of Mary Martin, a widow and mother of twelve children,
living in the affluent Dublin suburb of Monkstown.
 Soldiers’ Wills (http://soldierswills.nationalarchives.ie)
 The National Archives of Ireland holds a collection of the wills of Irish soldiers who
died while serving in the British Army. Most of these date from World War I but
there is a small number from the late 19th Century and from the period of the South
African War, 1899-1902. The documents have been digitised by the National
Archives and are now available free online.
 Bureau of Military History (http://www.bureauofmilitaryhistory.ie/)
 This collection is a joint initiative of the Military Archives and the National Archives
which allows you to search for the Bureau of Military History free of charge. Their
records include 36,000 pages of witness statements, an index of witnesses, press
cuttings from 1916 and an image gallery with audio recordings.
 United Kingdom Census (http://www.ukcensusonline.com/index.php)
 On this website, you will find some practical information about the UK census and
how to use it to research your family history, including full name, exact age,
relationship to head of household, sex, occupation, parish and county of birth,
medical disabilities and employment status. Basic information is free for further
information a subscription fee is required.

Alternative site that contains the same information

(http://www.1911census.co.uk/search/tnaform.aspx)
 Irish Geneology (http://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/)
 This website holds a large searchable volume of pre 20th Century Church records of
Baptism, Marriage and Burial that in many instances pre-date the Civil Registration.
 Commonwealth War Graves Commission (http://www.cwgc.org/)
 We commemorate the 1,700,000 men and women of the Commonwealth forces
who died in the two world wars. Our cemeteries, burial plots and memorials are a
lasting tribute to those who died in some 153 countries across the world. Our
Register records details of Commonwealth war dead so that graves or names on
memorials can be located.
 Google (https://www.google.ie/)
 Sometimes google can lead you to obscure websites, such as google books,
wikipedia and the Australian Dictionary of Biography, which can contain relevant
information so it’s usually worth a try. Google is also useful for figuring out obscure
names by typing in different options and seeing if any seemingly accurate results
come up, or for trying out different spellings of places to figure out an address.

Try using Advanced search operators and search operators
 British Pathé (http://www.britishpathe.com/)
 This isn’t really a database for research for specific people but provides additional
information as to contemporary viewpoints through interviews and videos.
Data Form
(*) Title / Caption
For example, letter from Joseph MacDonagh to his sister Mary MacDonagh, 4 May 1916. Or letter from
Jennifer to her friend Ellen Martin [January 1916].
Additional Information:
Please give as detailed description of the item as possible, such as background information.
Theme
Choose any of the themes that describe your letter, e.g. The Easter Rising or World War I
(*) Date the letter was written:
Letter from:
Author's gender
Letter to:
Recipient of letter, such as Mary MacDonagh
(*) Language the letter is written in
Is your letter part of a correspondence (you have both sides of the correspondence) or a single letter
(*) Source
This may be a public institution, such as the National Library of Ireland, or it may be a private collection, such
as the MacDonagh Family Collection
Place (letter sent to):
e.g. Paris, France
Place (letter sent from):
e.g. Dublin, Ireland
Letters 1916 Comprehension Questions
Marie Martin (Letters 7 & 24 - 26)
1. What nationality was Jenkins?
___________________________________________________________________________
2. What was Marie inoculating against?
___________________________________________________________________________
3. What was happening on the night of 26 June 1916?
___________________________________________________________________________
4. What does Marie want collars and cuffs for?
___________________________________________________________________________
5. Why was Marie’s week busier than anticipated?
___________________________________________________________________________
6. Who is Marie sorry to hear is wounded?
___________________________________________________________________________
7. What was her mother ill with?
___________________________________________________________________________
8. Who does Marie think is not very strong?
___________________________________________________________________________
George Gavan Duffy (Letters 27 - 30)
1. What did Roger Casement’s family request regarding his body?
___________________________________________________________________________
2. What is Alex’s opinion of the execution of the leaders of the 1916 Rising?
___________________________________________________________________________
3. Which famous newspaper published notes about Roger Casement?
___________________________________________________________________________
4. What did Kuno Meyer threaten to do?
___________________________________________________________________________
5. What views does the writer have on the private life of Roger Casement?
___________________________________________________________________________
6. What books did Roger Casement leave in Brixton prison?
___________________________________________________________________________
7. Who does Roger Casement feels has wronged him?
___________________________________________________________________________
8. What is Roger Casement’s last wish?
___________________________________________________________________________
Lady Clonbrock (Letters 8 & 31-33)
1. Where were the Connaught Rangers?
___________________________________________________________________________
2. What day did the parcels arrive?
___________________________________________________________________________
3. What anniversary were Lady Clonbrock and her husband celebrating?
___________________________________________________________________________
4. What did they order for their Jubilee?
___________________________________________________________________________
5. Who did Lady Clonbrock send the parcels through?
___________________________________________________________________________
6. What size boots is Thomas Furey looking for?
___________________________________________________________________________
7. What type of moss was essential for collection?
___________________________________________________________________________
8. Who has consented to act as secretary?
___________________________________________________________________________
Éamonn Ceannt (Letters 34-37)
1. Who does Éamonn Ceannt want to leave his gold watch to?
___________________________________________________________________________
2. What advice does Ceannt give other revolutionaries?
___________________________________________________________________________
3. What are Ceannt’s opinions of those he fought against during Easter Week 1916?
___________________________________________________________________________
4. How do we know that Éamonn Ceannt had strong religious views?
___________________________________________________________________________
5. Why has a private collection and delivery of Volunteer letters been arranged?
___________________________________________________________________________
6. List 3 places where letters/dispatches could be handed in.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
7. What are the delivery times?
___________________________________________________________________________
8. How does Éamonn Ceannt feel about his execution?
___________________________________________________________________________
General John Maxwell (Letters 38 – 41)
1. Why does Maxwell think that Lord French should postpone his visit?
___________________________________________________________________________
2. What does the Prime Minister insist?
___________________________________________________________________________
3. How does Maxwell believe the troops behaved?
___________________________________________________________________________
4. Who would the French call ‘un facon de parler’?
___________________________________________________________________________
5. What stance does John Dillon take on the executions of the leaders of the 1916 Rising?
___________________________________________________________________________
6. What happened on Friday 28th April?
___________________________________________________________________________
7. Why were they searching Francis Sheehy Skeffington’s house?
___________________________________________________________________________
8. What personal problems is Maxwell struggling with at this time?
___________________________________________________________________________
Letters 1916 Comprehension Answer Sheet
Marie Martin
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Australian
Paratyphoid
A big bombardment
Her mess dress
She had to open and work after 56 stitches and gas poisoning case
Jack Leonard
Mumps
Jack
George Gavan Duffy
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
They requested that it be allowed to be buried outside the prison
That they have stupidly made martyrs
New York Times
Kuno Meyer has threatened to show John Quinn up and prove the falsity of that statement
His private life had nothing to do with his public acts
The life of Columban and John Bull’s Other Island
Crown Witnesses
To write a letter to the lady who wrote to Roger Casement in the Tower
Lady Clonbrock
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Mesopotamia
12th of July
50th
A little remembrance
Irish Womens Association
9
Sphagnum Moss
Lady Mahon
Éamonn Ceannt
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Burgess
Never to treat with the enemy, never to surrender to his mercy but to fight to a finish
He did not bear any ill will towards them, he found them humane and companionable
He hopes to see the face of God
Because there was a delay in dealing with letters addressed in Irish and for the purpose of
facilitating intercommunication between volunteers in Dublin.
6. Any 3 places
7. Collection at 8 p.m. and delivery at 8 a.m.
8. He accepts his fate like a man
General John Maxwell
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
To give the troops and the situation time to settle down.
The Skeffington case being tried in court.
With commendable moderation
J.G. Maxwell
He is opposed to them and believes they are causing mischief
Francis Sheehy Skeffington’s house in Dublin was searched
It was being searched for arms
Serious domestic trouble
Personal Profile
Surname:
Forename(s):
Address:
Date of birth:
Date of death:
Occupation:
Religion:
Who were they?
Pastimes/Interests:
Family:
Colleagues/Associates:
Additional Information:
Interrogating the Document
Interrogating The Document
Source



Writer
Recipient
Provenance
Context



When written?
Where?
Circumstances?
Purpose
1. Public/Private
2. Personal/Business
3. Official Letter
Perspective



Subjective/Objective
Reliability
Bias
Additional Comments
Doc A
Doc B
Document Based Questions: The Easter Rising
The questions below are based on Documents 5 and 6
1. General Questions
a. How reliable is the letter as an historical source?
b. Does the letter present a subjective account of the Easter Rising?
c. Who is the target audience of the letter?
d. How does the letter illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of a letter as a
historical source?
2. Comprehension
a. Who did the Chamber of Commerce hold responsible for the Rising?
b. Why is Kathleen Hogan writing to Nancy O’Rahilly?
3. Comparison
a. Which document displays a more sympathetic view towards the Rising?
b. How does the reaction to the Rising differ in each?
c. Why do you think Edward Andrews chose to send this letter to the king’s private
secretary?
4. Criticism
a. How do letters 1 and 2 illustrate strengths and weaknesses of letters as sources for
historical evidence? Refer to both documents in your answer.
b. Do you agree with Kathleen Hogans statement that Michael Joseph O'Rahilly’s
“memory is honoured and loved by his countrymen and women.” Give a reason for
your answer.
Document Based Questions: The Great War
The questions below are based on Documents 10 and 11
1. General Questions
a. How reliable is the letter as an historical source?
b. Does the letter present a subjective account of the Easter Rising?
c. Who is the target audience of the letter?
d. How does the letter illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of a letter as a historical
source?
2. Comprehension
a.
What does Denis O’Driscoll’s letter tell us about his role in the war?
b.
What information does Denis’s letter provide about the impact of the rebellion?
c.
What does William Ahearn tell Lady Clonbrock about his sons?
d.
What evidence is there in William Ahearn’s letter that his attitude to the war has
changed?
3. Comparison
a. Compare the overall purpose of the 2 letters.
b. Compare the different attitudes of the 2 writers to the 1916 rebels.
4. Criticism
a. How useful would Denis O’Driscoll’s letter be to historians in providing information
about events and attitudes to the war and the Rising? Use evidence from the letter to
support your answer.
b. Do you think that William Ahearn’s letter is persuasive? Use evidence from the letter to
support your answer.
Document Based Questions: Ordinary Life
The questions below are based on Documents 12 and 13
1.
General Questions
a. How reliable is the letter as an historical source?
b. Does the letter present a subjective account of the Easter Rising?
c. Who is the target audience of the letter?
d. How does the letter illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of a letter as a historical
source?
2.
Comprehension
a. In document A how is James Finn portrayed?
b. In document B what is the purpose Peter McGinn’s letter?
2.
Comparison
a. Which document would be more useful to an historian writing about ordinary life in
Ireland at this time? Give reasons for your answer based on both documents.
b. From the evidence of the documents would you agree that there are conflicting
viewpoints of events in Ireland? Give reasons for your answer based on both
documents.
3.
Criticism
a. How do letters 1 and 2 illustrate strengths and weaknesses of letters as sources for
historical evidence? Refer to both documents in your answer.
b. Which document 1 or 2 is the more objective source? Explain your answer, referring
to both documents.