Margaret Becker

My print illustrates the recorded event which took place every day during the assault by the volunteers on the British who were occupying the Shelbourne Hotel. At a given hour all warfare ceased in order that the ducks might be fed.

Inspired by an account of the event read in “Noontide Blazing” by John Cowell. (Title taken from a Michael Collins’ poem)

The night shall brighten to a noontide blazing

Over hill and glen

And the days to come on Freedom’s fullness gazing

Shall recall the men

Who though weary soul’d with war and dreams proved hollow

Met the foe with scorn

Keeping the old flag flying that their sons might follow

On the road to Morn.

When Cumann na mBan were feeding the Volunteers in one of the 11 posts around Dublin City, they made endless sandwiches and cups of tea and people brought them food from where ever they could get it, a leg of mutton arrived one day and not a knife was around to carve it, so one member of Cumann na mBan, a medical student in fact, seized a bayonet from a bewildered Volunteer and proceeded to carve the meat and make sandwiches, the Volunteers were very well fed thanks to Cumann na mBan.

'No Need to Sharpen, 2', Etching

Works in Stained Glass and Printmaking. Founded the Leinster Print Studio 1998. Works to commission for stained glass both ecclesiastical and domestic from her studio in Clane Co.Kildare.