Story of Grace Gifford and Joseph Plunkett. Sung By: Jim Mc.Cann
When Grace Gifford, the sister-in-law of Tomas MacDonagh, picked Easter Sunday 1916 as the date on which she was to marry Joseph Plunkett she had obviously no idea of the tragic events ahead of them.
Days before the planned wedding Joseph Plunkett, who suffered his entire life under respiration troubles, was admitted to the hospital and underwent an emergency operation.
On Easter Monday 1916, the day after the postponed wedding, Plunkett manned his post in the General Post Office (GPO) in Dublin to take part in the Easter Rising.
After the surrender of the rebels Joseph Plunkett was arrested and imprisoned in Kilmainham Gaol. Just hours before his execution on 4 May 1916 he married Grace Gifford in the jail chapel with two prison guards as witnesses.
Grace Gifford remained involved in the republican movement, especially in Sinn Féin, while earning a living as commercial artist.
She voted against the Anglo-Irish Treaty, which divided Ireland in Saorstát Éireann, or Irish Free State, and Northern Ireland, and during the Civil War she was imprisoned in Kilmainham Gaol for three months.
After the Civil War Gifford became a respected member of Dublin's cultural society until she died on 13 December 1955. Grace Gifford was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery with full military honours.