Frongoch internment camp facts for kids

Marker stone and plaque at Frongoch on the side of the A4212 road

The Frongoch internment camp was a special prison in Frongoch, Wales. It was used during the First World War and the 1916 Easter Rising. Many people from Ireland were held there.

A Camp in Wales

Frongoch prisoners of war from the Easter Rising of Ireland

The Frongoch camp was first used to hold German prisoners of war. It was built from an old yellow distillery and some simple huts.

Irish Prisoners Arrive

After the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin, Ireland, the German prisoners were moved. Then, about 1,800 Irish people were sent to Frongoch. They were held as prisoners of war.

Some famous people were held at Frongoch. These included Michael Collins, who became a very important Irish leader. The future Hollywood actor Arthur Shields was also there. So was the sportsman and referee Tom Burke. It is a common mistake that Éamon de Valera was also held at Frongoch.

The "University of Revolution"

The Irish prisoners at Frongoch were allowed to choose their own leaders. This helped them to organize themselves. The camp became a special place for Irish rebels. People like Michael Collins gave lessons on how to fight as a small group. Because of this, the camp became known as ollscoil na réabhlóide. This means the "University of Revolution".

Controlling Information

After the Rising in 1916, Lord Decies was in charge of checking what the newspapers printed in Ireland. He told the press to be careful about what they published. One newspaper, the Cork Free Press, was stopped from printing. Its editor, Frank Gallagher, had said that the British government was not telling the truth about how the prisoners were treated at Frongoch.

Camp Closes

The Frongoch camp was emptied in late December 1916. This happened when David Lloyd George became the new Prime Minister. He took over from H. H. Asquith.

Remembering Frongoch

Today, a local Welsh school called Ysgol Bro Tryweryn stands where the camp used to be. But there is a special plaque nearby. It has words written in Irish, Welsh, and English.

100-Year Anniversary

In 2016, it was 100 years since the Irish prisoners were held at Frongoch. The local community held many events to remember this. The story of the camp was told widely.

That same year, there was also an exhibition at the National Museum of Ireland. They showed items from the camp. These included a Gaelic football made from a rugby ball, which was used for games. There were also puttees (strips of cloth wrapped around the leg) made by Patrick Keegan.

Notable Prisoners of the Easter Rising

Here is a list of some of the well-known people who were held at Frongoch: