1916 was a hugely significant year in Irish history with the Easter Rising in Dublin and tens of thousands from the island of Ireland fighting and dying at the Battle of the Somme. In the Dublin Rising in April 1916 approximately 485 died with the majority being Civilians. A few months later on 1st July over 2,000 Soldiers, from all parts of Ireland North and South, were killed in the first few hours of the Battle of the Somme. The 36th Ulster Division lost 5,500 killed, wounded or missing over the first 2 days. In total during the First World War upwards of 50,000 Irishmen were killed. 100 years later join us to commemorate all those that died and to retrace the steps of our ancestors by taking on the Entwined Histories Challenge in support of Co-operation Ireland and the IRFU Charitable Trust. Our walking in the footsteps of history will help to understand our shared history in a spirit of respect and friendship. CYCLE /WALK ITINERARY - PART 1 DUBLIN RISING Mon 23 May Cycle Day 1 Cycle 100 miles from Belfast to Dublin Start & Finish Venue and Route TBC Overnight Dublin Hilton Kilmainham Hotel 1The Royal Barracks (Collins Barracks) Tue 24 May Join with walkers Dublin Walk Day 2 (approx. 20km) National Museum Collins Barracks (formerly the Royal Barracks of Dublin Fusiliers) Introduction and briefing for the days walk. Tour of Collins Barracks Museum 1916 and WW1 Somme exhibits Arbour Hill Military Cemetery 1916 Volunteer Burial Plot and memorial Kilmainham Gaol location of 1916 leader executions Guided Tour. 2 Arbour Hill Memorial Kilmainham Hospital / Dr Steevens Hospital Their role in caring for injured and dying of 1916 visit to British and Volunteers Grave visit. 3 Islandbridge WW1 Memorial gardens
Islandbridge Memorial Gardens laying of wreath at Memorial Cross and viewing of casualty Rolls. Grangegorman Cemetery British Army dead from Rising and grave visits. Glasnevin Cemetery. Conduct general briefing for 1916 WWI Memorial, Cross of Sacrifice, & Neilan family Plot,Chaplains Fr Francis Gleeson Royal Munster Fusiliers, Fr Francis Browne Irish Guards. Michael Collins Grave. Evening Reception details TBC 4 Glanevin Cemetery 5 Kilmainham Gaol CYCLE TINERARY : PART 2 FLANDERS AND THE SOMME Wed 25 May - Cycle day 2 Flight from Dublin to Brussels. Flight depart Dublin 06:30 arr Brussels 09:30 Coach transfer to hotel in Ypres (Novotel, Ypres Centrum) 12.00 Hotel Check-in and Lunch 13.30 Bike Collection and afternoon bike ride to Essex Farm, Francis Ledwidge Memorial & Grave, Langemark, Tyne Cot, Hill 60, 16:00 Refreshments 18:15 Back to hotel to change 19:10 Leave hotel for 150m walk to the Menin Gate 6 Tyne Cott Cemetery 20:00 Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate Overnight Novotel Ypres Centrum Thur 26 May Cycle day 3 8:10 Cyclists will leave from Ypres to Arras (approx. 100 km) 7 Menin gate Ceremony
En route visit Messines Ridge, Plugstreet Wood, Armentieres, Fromelles ( 1 st pause & refreshments), Aubers Ridge, Vermelles, Loos Memorial (R Kipling), Lens LUNCH at Lens stadium near the railway station : Scene where Ireland Lost to Argentina in RWC 1999!! Vimy Ridge Canadian Memorial & trenches ( pause & refreshments). Ride to Arras = down hill 16 km Cyclists Overnight Arras 8 WW1 Trenches Vimy Ridge Fri 27 May Cycle Day 4 8:30 Cyclists will leave from hotel and ride the Circuit of Remembrance Morning : Visits to Wailly, Ransart, Monchy, Foncquevillers, Gommecourt, Serre, Beaumont- Hamel trenches ( 1 st pause & refreshments) Visit to Ulster Tower and brief on the Ulster 36 th Division. LUNCH Approx. 13.00 hr (Ulster tower ) Afternoon : Visit Thiepval Wood for interpretation, Thiepval Memorial, Miraumont, Achiet, Courcelles,Moyenneville, ( 2 nd pause & refreshments) Boisleux, Mercatel, Arras 9Thiepval Memorial Overnight Hotel Mercure or Holiday Inn Express, Arras Sat 28 May Cycle day 5 8:30 Cyclists will leave from hotel and ride the Circuit of Remembrance Morning Arras to Mercatel, Boisleux, Hamelincourt, Gomiécourt, Achiet-le-Grand, Bihucourt, Grévillers, Ligny-Thilloy, Le Barque, Martinpuich, Contalmaison, Fricourt 11:15 ( 1 st pause & refreshments), Meet Walkers at Fricourt German Cemetery Interpretation 16 th Division assault on Guillemont Ride : via Mametz Wood, Montauban, Bazentin, Longueval LUNCH Longueval, South African Memorial -Delville 10 Ulster Tower 36th Ulster Division memorial Afternoon visit Guillemont: Interpretation at the Celtic Cross (16 th Irish Division memorial) & Church
15:00 Ride to N-Z Memorial, Flers, Bapaume( 2 nd pause & refreshments), Favreuil, Mory, St-Léger, Croisilles, Héninel, Wancourt, Monchy-le-Preux, Fampoux, St-Laurent Blagny, Arras Evening Final night Dinner Overnight at Hotel Mercure or Holiday Inn Express, Arras Sun 29 May After Breakfast Check out Hotel Depart by coach to Thiepval Memorial for Memorial Service After memorial service timer specific cemetary visits for walk participant relatives (all requests for visit must be received prior to end of April) Alternative excursion to Vimy Ridge and Circle of Remembrance 11 Mother Canada Monument Vimy Ridge Onwards by Coach to Beauvais Airport for 22:25 departure Flight to Dublin END OF ENTWINED HISTIES CHALLENGE