On this page, you will find a history of Ireland, glossary of Gaelic Irish terms, scavenger hunt questions, and reading comprehension questions.
For additional educational resources, please visit our website at www.bicycle-comics.com .
From about 1200 to 1917, all of Ireland was part of the United Kingdom. The Irish had a variety of opinions about this arrangement: some Irish liked being part of a big, powerful country. Some Irish resented British control of Irish culture. By 1900, a growing movement in Ireland was pushing for independence. Sometimes this movement was peaceful: protests, marches, demonstrations. Sometimes it turned violent: riots, bombings, and kidnappings. In 1917, a civil war erupted. Eventually, Britain agreed to “give back” most of the island of Ireland, but keep six counties in Northern Ireland. A low-level civil war continued in Northern Ireland up until 1996.
Today, when people refer to "Ireland" as a country, they usually mean the Republic of Ireland. The Republic of Ireland is a fully-independent country. It has its own prime minister, its own laws and courts, its own flag, its own Olympic team, and so on. Northern Ireland is a “mini-country” that is part of the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland has a small parliament and some local laws, but it shares a common currency (the British Pound Sterling), legal system, and Olympic team with the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom is a “super-country” that comprises England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
The play “The Rising of the Moon” is set in Ireland around 1905. At this time, remember, all parts of Ireland belonged to the United Kingdom of Great Britain. And while many Irish people accepted this arrangement, a growing number did not.
assize n. a traveling or circuit court that held hearings in smaller towns.
gaol n. a jail or prison
Granuaile n. also known as Grace O'Malley, a 16th Century Irish chieftain. As the "Sea Queen of Connacht" she was the subject of both history and legend. In 1593, in his letter to Queen Elizabeth protesting O'Malley's claims against him, Richard Bingham claimed that Granuaile was "nurse to all rebellions in the province for this forty years." Pronounced "Granny-Ale."
quay: a stone or metal platform alongside a river or canal, used for loading ships. Pronounced "key."
shamrock: the Irish word for clover, a small grasslike plant with three distinct leaves, used as the national symbol of Ireland.
shilling: a British unit of money, equal to 1/20th of one pound.
The Bicycle Comics Scavenger Hunt™ uses game mechanics and paraphrasing to boost reading comprehension and help readers engage with older English, slang, and archaic constructions.
For example, if the paraphrased quote was: "Should we hang a poster here?", you would look through the play, and on the first page you would find the answer:
Policeman B: Will this be a good place for a placard?
The following sentences paraphrase sentences or lines in the play. Read all three sentences before you read the play, and then find the actual lines that best correspond to them. You may find it helpful to write all three down on a notecard so that you can refer to them as you read.
1. Our community and family will be mad at us for catching him, even though that's our job.
2. I shouldn't claim a reward, because it helps my job if people think of me as poor.
3. Someday, people like me will be running this country, not you.
Your teacher can obtain the answers from Bicycle Comics.
Your teacher can obtain the answers from Bicycle Comics.
1. Nobody in this play has a name. What's up with that?
2. What names would you give the characters if you had the option? Why?
3. The specific crime the fugitive has been gaoled for is never stated in the play. What do you think he did? Why do you think so?
4. Why does the Sergeant allow the Ragged Man to escape?
Playwright's Notes from Lady Gregory
Glossary of Irish Gaelic Terms
Educational Materials