Revisiting Wicklow’s Remarkable Revolutionary

Robert Barton, Margaret C. Osgood
(grandmother to President Childers), Molly Childers, family dog, Dulcibella Barton and Erskine Childers, Scarr, Wicklow 1912

atest press release from the Greystones Archaeological & Historical Society, issued on Monday, May 4th 2026…

We invite everyone to our next talk which will take place on Wednesday, 20th May in the Family Centre at Holy Rosary church, beginning at 7.30pm, with the speaker being Dr. Chris Lawlor.

He will give a talk entitled The Life and Times of Robert Childers Barton.

Robert Barton was one of the most enigmatic figures to emerge from the Irish Revolution and the lecture will chart his political journey from a Unionist background to Home Rule and Republicanism. Although he was central to the birth of the nation, Barton – was was born March 14th 1881 in Drummin and died August 10th 1975 in Annamoe – remains understudied and neglected.

Dr. Chris Lawlor is a former head of the history department of Meánscoil Ignáid Ris in Naas, county Kildare. He has won many prizes for his work in historical research and has contributed numerous articles to many journals.

He has published thirteen books including The Little Book of Wicklow, The Little Book of Kildare and The Little History of Wicklow.

Arthur Griffith, Robert Barton, Eamon de Valera, Count Plunkett and Lord Mayor Laurence O’Neill leaving Dun Laoghaire for Downing Street July 1921

We give forward notice too of our summer outing to the wonderful Emo House in County Laois which will take place on Sunday, 7th June. As places are limited, early booking is advised.

For May 20th, there will be a small charge of €3 per member and €5 per non-member to defray the costs of the venue, and we hope to see many of you on the night.

You can find out more about the GAHS gang right here, visit their website here, follow on Facebook here, check out mediocre 2026 interview with big cheese Cormac here, and get in touch online here.