Charles Kavanagh was only 15 when he died from a bullet wound during the 1916 Rising. Like most children that grew up at this time he lived in a tenement building, the conditions were hard, so most children used the streets of Dublin as their playground. He lived with his Father Denis, Mother Mary and two of his five siblings Elizabeth and Bridget in 4 North King Street. His other siblings had moved away before the 1911 census. Charles was laid to rest in an egg crate as there were no coffins available. He was buried in St. Paul?s, Glasnevin Cemetery in May 1916.
The piece that I have created to remember Charles Kavanagh consist of a number of buildings significant for a 15 year old boy of that time. An outer cityscape is mirrored inside in colour representations of the same buildings. The duality of the situation is echoed throughout this piece. I am sure that a 15 year old boy being in the middle of the devastation and danger was also most likely to have been part of some devilment.
Lawrences, a toyshop, was looted and the fireworks were set off on Sackville Street, perhaps Charles witnessed this? Would he have heard about the sweet shop, Nobletts one of the first emptied of its goodies? and finally the GPO. Rumours were rife during the rising, animals believed to have escaped from Dublin Zoo and a submarine spotted in the Liffey. This must have been a frightening time mixed with wonder and excitement of teenage kicks.
