The Welsh prison where the British allowed defeated 1916 Rising rebels to plot a new Irish state features in a new documentary.
Frongoch internment camp housed 1,800 revolutionaries, including Michael Collins and 30 future Dail TDs. It was dubbed the "University of Revolution" because the seeds were sown between June and December 1916 for the later War of Independence and the new Irish state.
Director of a new TG4 documentary, Rosie Ni Cionnaith, said it was ironic that the British unwittingly helped scores of volunteers to regroup after the bungled Rising and concoct plans for Irish freedom.
She said: "Following the Easter Rising, Dublin lay in ruins, and the rebels' hopes had been dashed. "The newly-declared Irish republic had been crushed by the might of the British Empire after only six days.
"However within five and a half years, the Irish had succeeded in wresting control of most of their country from one of the most powerful empires in the world. "Ironically, the British brought together the cream of a generation of revolutionary nationalists and allowed them, while in the camp, to map out the tactics of the future."
The documentary, to be screened on TG4 on Wednesday at 9.30pm, used the diaries and letters of prisoners to tell the story in their own words. Frongoch — University Of Revolution focuses on three men: Collins, his spy Seamus O Maoileoin, and Joe Stanley, who printed bulletins during the Easter Rising.
"Through them we see the prisoners' struggles with the camp authorities over prisoner of war status, and their carefully orchestrated propaganda campaign to shame the British government. "We also see the beginnings of mass hunger strikes, which were actually pioneered in Frongoch," said Ms Ni Cionnaith.
Also being shown on two Welsh channels, the film was shot at three locations in Ireland during early February. Frongoch scenes were filmed in Locke's Distillery in Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath, and at the Mill in Slane in Co Meath. London prison scenes were shot at Wicklow Jail.
Collins, who first came to prominence as a camp leader in Frongoch, is played by actor Nick Lee. O Maoileoin, played by Stephen Darcy, was a teacher of Irish and would later become a successful spy.
Stanley, from Dublin, known as the "Printer to the Easter Rising", was responsible for printing the war bulletins during Easter week.
He kept detailed accounts of his time in Frongoch, even noting Collins' 100 yards race time in a Frongoch sports event. Stanley is played by his own great-grandson, Trevor Stanley.