One year, two seismic events that shaped Ireland.

A century on from the events of 1916, BBC Northern Ireland revisits the testimony of those who were witness to history and looks at how people's lives were affected by the Easter Rising and the Battle of the Somme.

These are not the stories of the history text books. Ordinary people lived through these tumultuous times and Voices 16 aims to bring their experiences to life. Discover personal perspectives from those who experienced the events of 1916, as well as some of the social context during a pivotal year in Ireland's history.

Voices 16 will build throughout the coming months, with two landmark BBC Northern Ireland films airing on BBC One later in the year featuring characters found throughout these pages and @BBCVoices16.

Voices 16 on Twitter

Follow Voices 16 on Twitter for daily updates on life in Ireland 100 years ago, which will continue throughout the year. Newspaper reports and personal accounts mix to provide a rich picture of how people lived and what was reported back then.

Voices 16 characters

Get under the skin of the characters who provide the voices behind the projectwith biography pages that will continue to grow to reflect the progression of our character's lives as the events of 1916 unfold.

Voices 16 objects

Watch historical objects come to life with short films that explore the history and importance of such artefacts as the Proclamation of the Irish Republic and the flag of the 36th Ulster Division at the Somme.