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Blood Upon the Rose

Hunt, Gerry

The O’Brien P

2009

Blood Upon the Rose

Plot Summary

Depicting twelve days in 1916, from April 23rd to May 3rd, Blood Upon the Rose illustrates the events of the Easter Rising from perspective of the key Irish organizers and military commanders. The action all takes place in Dublin, with one brief insert noting news of the Rising travelling across the Atlantic Ocean to New York City. The novel opens with Joseph Mary Plunkett’s marriage to Grace Gifford in Kilmainham Gaol and Plunkett is the organizing principle in the narrative. While covering familiar historical moments from the days of the Rising to the execution of its leaders, Blood Upon the Rose is remarkable for being the only graphic novel published about Easter 1916.

Main Characters

  • Joseph Mary Plunkett

  • James Connolly

  • Padraig Pearse

Significant Minor Characters

  • Grace Gifford

  • Thomas MacDonagh

  • Ned Daly

  • Éamonn Ceannt

  • Michael Malin

  • Séan Heuston

  • Muriel MacDonagh

  • Colonel MacOnchy

Publication History

Blood Upon the Rose was first published in paperback in 2009, reprinted in 2010 and became the centrepiece of an exhibit at Kilmainham Gaol in 2011.

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