Another very warm, close day. Some trench mortars were put in to our line between 4.00 a.m. and 5.00 a.m. No casualties, but one landed in a trench and turned it up. I got the Hows. [howitzers] on, which silenced it. It was lovely out at that time. Rumour says many people from the North who went to Fairyhouse, all missing. They seem to have at last settled for Nat. Service. A somewhat lively artillery day on both sides; no damage to us any way, so far.

Footnotes

1. Fairyhouse in County Meath was the scene of the Irish Grand National on Easter Monday, 24 April 1916, when the rebellion began in Dublin. The race had attracted nearly 25,000 spectators from all over the island, including a significant number of military officers from Dublin. When news of the rebellion arrived at Fairyhouse transport was commandeered to get the military personnel back to Dublin, stranding many of the spectators. 

2. The Military Service Act 1916, introducing conscription, came into force on 2 March 1916. Married men became subject to the Act in May 1916. The Act in this form did not apply in Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man.