On the Town: Cast your minds back and imagine it, urged Brendan O'Donoghue, director of the National Library. "Robert Emmet and his band of some 200 followers emerged into Thomas Street and set out towards Dublin Castle, on Saturday night 200 years ago at about 9.30 p.m," he said.
Those gathered at the National Library for the launch of Remembering Emmet: Images of the Life and Legacy of Robert Emmet, published by Wordwell, could almost hear the men's weapons rattling.
This was the third book published this week to commemorate the bicentenary of Emmet's rising. Emmet "was the first Irish republican to challenge the Act of Union and Ireland's status within the United Kingdom", said Ruán O'Donnell, author of the three books, which also include Robert Emmet and the Rebellion of 1798 and Robert Emmet and the Rising of 1803 (both published by Irish Academic Press and launched in Kilmainham Gaol on Monday).
"Emmet was more influential than people realise," added O'Donnell. "He was determined, he was pragmatic and also an idealist - but he was not romantic. Sarah Curran was important for his reputation after his death - it made him a sympathetic figure for people who did not necessarily agree with his politics - but it has nothing to do with the real underpinnings of his status in Irish history."
Diarmuid Coogan, honorary secretary of the Robert Emmet Association, said the Anne Devlin Hedge School will take place this weekend at Pearse Museum in St Enda's Park, Rathfarnham, as part of the bicentennial commemoration.
Many noted the resemblance of Philip Emmet from Kilpedder, Co Wicklow to Robert Emmet. As a sixth-generation descendant, he said: "The look of the family has remained very strong. I'm very proud of him and pleased too that he is not regarded as just a simple romantic figure but that he had a real plan of government. People are looking at his proclamation and reassessing him and putting him in his proper context".
Among those at the National Library on Wednesday were former Workers' Party leader Tomás Mac Giolla, Tony Gregory TD, Joe Costello TD, the Knight of Glin, Desmond FitzGerald, and writer Eibhlís Ní Dhuibhne.
After the speeches, many carried on to St Catherine's Church on Thomas Street for a further commemorative ceremony.
For more information on this weekend's Anne Devlin Hedge School, e-mail annedevlinrc@tinet.ie