"Fusiliers Arch, St. Stephens Green, Dublin"

The Fusiliers Arch stands at the entrance to St. Stephens Green in the very heart of Dublin City. It was erected in 1907 to commemorate the Irish soldiers who fought and died for the British army in South Africa during the Boer War. The names of every soldier is inscribed in the ceiling of the arch, along with the date of their passing.

During the Irish war of independence it also became known as "Traitors Gate", a derogatory name created to take aim at the Irish men who fought for the British, but the very sad fact of life was that they were not "traitors", Dublin of the early 1900's was a difficult place to live, with the highest infant mortality and poverty rates in all Europe. Nearly all of these men had no other way to provide for their families, as did many of the Irish men who joined and fought in WW1 after the Great Lockout of 1913/14.

(The Great Lockout happened  when newly formed Irish Transport and General Workers Union, founded by James Larkin and James Connolly, striked for better pay and conditions. In retaliation, the employers union locked every factory, transport depot and shipping dock in Dublin, in order to break the strike and in doing so condemned thousands to dire poverty and in some cases starvation. James Connolly was later executed for his role in the Irish Rising of 1916).

In recent times, thankfully, all these soldiers have been recognised for their sacrifices and valued for their contribution toward freedom and independence.

Available Framed or Unframed in various sizes.