THE final resting place of one of the children killed during the Easter Rising will be marked with a headstone for the first time.

A headstone memorial will be unveiled on March 23 at Goldenbridge Cemetery, Inchicore, Dublin, carrying the name of eight-year-old Eugene Lynch. The boy, shot dead, was one 40 children killed during the Rising but their deaths had, according to RTÉ's Joe Duffy, been "long forgotten by history."

Duffy, the author of 'Children of the Rising', traced the details of Eugene's death on April 28, 1916. Burial records from Goldenbridge showed Eugene died from the "effects of a bullet wound", Duffy said.

"I have found very little information on the life of young Eugene, but the details of his burial are starkly clear," he told the Irish Independent. "On Friday, April 28, Eugene was playing near the front of Richmond Barracks, beside his home. Locals tell me the story in the area is that Eugene and his pals were kicking a football when a soldier on sentry duty discharged his rifle. The bullet hit Eugene and he was carried to his grandmother's public house, McGrath's, nearby.

"He died on a table in the pub and was buried two days later, on Sunday at 11am. The interment cost £2."

Eugene's family lived across the road from the cemetery at 4 Vincent Street, Inchicore.

Duffy found the burial record for Eugene with the help of the late historian Shane McThomais.

A makeshift memorial was erected with the help of schoolchildren from the area.

Now, with the assistance of the Glasnevin Trust, a full headstone and memorial to Eugene will be erected, along with the names of others buried there.

"Eugene, like most of the children, was never named," Duffy said.

Members of Eugene's family, including his grandniece Irene Lynch, will be in attendance.

Irish Independent