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- Herausgeber: Liberties Press
- Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014
This thought-provoking book retells the 1916 Rising story through previously unavailable first-hand accounts from the protagonists. Illustrated with unpublished and rare photographs, this book also features an introduction by well-known historian and author Dr Margaret Mac Curtain. Witnesses: Inside the Easter Rising is the first book to draw on official witness statements taken over several years from the late 1940s onwards by the government of the time and only released to the public by the Bureau of Military History in 2003. In its judicious use of the statements given by the foot-soldiers and second-line participants in the Rising, the book provides a unique perspective on the events of Easter 1916. From the volunteers walking the Royal canal from Kildare to fight in Dublin (of which the author's father was one) , to the women fighting, smuggling guns and cooking for the insurgents in the GPO, Witnesses transports the reader alongside those taking part in this pivotal event in modern Irish history. Insights into controversial matters such as the decision to countermand the order for the Rising on its eve, the so-called Castle document , as well as the personal affections and jealousies of those involved, are all discussed in detail. There are also previously unpublished photos taken inside the GPO during Easter week.
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WITNESSES
INSIDE THE EASTER RISING
ANNIE RYAN
CONTENTS
In memory of my father
AUTHOR’S ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Grateful thanks to the following: Dr Margaret Mac Curtain and Prof. Donal McCartney, whose help was invaluable; Colette O’Daly of the National Library, whose resources, both personal and professional, were always available; Prof. Risteárd Mulcahy, for granting permission to quote from his his book Richard Mulcahy: A Family Memoir; my brother Michael, who read, discussed and informed. My husband Brendan was as ever an unfailing support. I am especially indebted to the staff at the National Archives, and to the custodians of the Military Archives in Cathal Brugha Barracks. A special word of thanks to my publishers, who are truly amazing.
PUBLISHERS’ NOTE
All quotations from the Bureau of Military History 1913–21 witness statements are reproduced courtesy of Military Archives, Cathal Brugha Barracks, Rathmines, Dublin 6. Extracts from the witness statements have been reproduced verbatim, with the exception of minor editorial amendments, given in square brackets, and occasional stylistic changes, which have been made silently. (Editorial insertions on the part of those who compiled the archive appear in round brackets.) The publishers would like to thank Military Archives, the UCD Archive Department and the Independent Newspaper Group for granting permission to use photographs from their collections, and Commandant Victor Laing, Commandant Pat Brennan and the staff of the Military Archives, and Seamus Helferty and Orna Somerville of the UCD Archive Department, for their assistance. The extract, used in the Foreword, from Derek Mahon’s poem ‘A Disused Shed in Co. Wexford’, from his Collected Poems, is reproduced by permission of The Gallery Press, Loughcrew, Oldcastle, County Meath. Finally, the publishers would like to thank Daibhí Mac Domhnaill for the map that appears on page 9.
MAP OF DUBLIN LOCATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE RISING
GLOSSARY OF ORGANISATIONS
The 1916 Rising had its roots in the ‘new nationalism’ which emerged in Ireland from the 1890s onwards. Some of the new movements which emerged in this period were mainly cultural, like the GAELIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION, founded in 1884 primarily to promote the Gaelic games of football, hurling and handball, and the GAELIC LEAGUE, established by Douglas Hyde and Eoin MacNeill in 1893 to save the Irish language, which at that point was close to extinction. Others were more overtly political. Most of them were infiltrated by the IRISH REPUBLICAN BROTHERHOOD, a small revolutionary body which planned and directed the insurrection of 1916. The revival of this old secret separatist society, which had been active fifty years before, was the most important development in the years immediately preceding the Rising. There follow brief descriptions of some of the most important organisations active around the time of the Rising:
CITIZEN ARMY The Citizen Army, of which Countess Markievicz was a member, was, like the Irish Volunteers, founded in 1913. It was organised and directed by James Connolly and had its origins in the protest rallies of Dublin workers led by James Larkin, founder of the Irish Transport and General Workers Union.
CUMANN NA MBAN Cumann na mBan, a women’s league associated with the Irish Volunteers, was founded by Countess Markieviez in association with Agnes O’Farrelly, Jennie Wyse-Power and Louise Gavan Duffy. It had the same aims as the Irish Volunteers but was a separate organisation. As well as learning first aid, the members drilled and learned how to load, unload and clean guns.
FIANNA ÉIREANN Fianna Éireann was founded in 1909 by Countess Markievicz and Bulmer Hobson. Its main aim was to inculcate nationalist principles and to promote the Irish language and Irish culture amongst young men and boys.
HIBERNIAN RIFLES This was a small section of the Ancient Order of Hibernians which was organised by Joseph Scollan in 1911. It was armed and ready for action in 1916. A hundred and fifty Hibernians paraded at the funeral of the Fenian leader O’Donovan Rossa.
INGHINIDHE NA HÉIREANN Inghinidhe na hÉireann was founded in 1900 by Maud Gonne and other women who were active in cultural and political circles. Its aim was ‘to combat in every way English influence’, which, its members claimed, was ‘doing so much injury to artistic taste’ in Ireland.
IRISH PARLIAMENTARY PARTY The Irish Parliamentary Party was the dominant force in nationalist politics in Ireland since long before many of the protagonists of the 1916 Rising were born. The party’s aspirations towards Home Rule were finally overtaken and sidelined, firstly by the outbreak of the Great War and secondly by the Easter Rising.
IRISH TRANSPORT AND GENERAL WORKERS’ UNION The ITGWU was founded in Dublin in 1911 by James Larkin. The union featured in the epic struggle between Dublin workers and employers known as the 1913 Lockout. The ITGWU and other unions was subsumed into SIPTU in recent years.
IRISH VOLUNTEERS This organisation was founded in Dublin in 1913 ‘to secure the rights and liberties common to all the people of Ireland’. Almost all IRB members were members of the Irish Volunteers as well.
MNA NAHÉIREANN Mna na hÉireann was an early feminist organisation associated with Helena Molony, who consistently advocated equal rights for women.
ROYAL IRISH CONSTABULARY Under British rule, the RIC policed all Ireland. In Dublin, the Dublin Metropolitan Police carried out this function.
SINN FÉIN The foundation of Sinn Féin dates back to 1905. The organisation was an amalgamation of several groups under the influence of Arthur Griffith. It aimed to create ‘a prosperous, virile and independent nation’. Griffith advocated a policy of abstention from the Westminster Parliament. Sinn Féin was not directly involved in the Rising.
ULSTER VOLUNTEER FORCE In January 1913, Sir Edward Carson and James Craig set up the Ulster Volunteer Force with the intention of defending Ulster against Home Rule.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
ROGER CASEMENT (1864–1916) was born in County Dublin. In 1892, he joined the British consular service. He joined the Gaelic League in 1904. He became well know internationally when he exposed the scandalous treatment of indigenous peoples in South America and Africa. In 1911, he was knighted. In 1913, he joined the Irish Volunteers, and he devoted the rest of his life to promoting the movement for Irish independence. In 1916, on landing in Kerry in the Aud, he was captured before he could contact the Volunteers and persuade them not to proceed with the Rising. He was hanged on 3 August 1916. He might have escaped the death penalty, had it not been for the fact that the British government had the ‘Black Diaries’, revealing his homosexuality, circulated.
ÉAMONN CEANNT (1881–1916) Éamonn Ceannt was born in County Galway, the son of an RIC officer. He was a clerk of the Dublin Corporation. He joined the Gaelic League in 1900 and became a member of its governing body, and he was a founder member of the Irish Volunteers. In 1913, he became a member of the IRB; he subsequently became a member of its Supreme Council and Military Council. He was a signatory of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic and a member of the Provisional Government. Ceannt was stationed at the South Dublin Union during the Rising and was executed on 8 May 1916
THOMAS J. CLARKE (1857–1916) Thomas Clarke was born on the Isle of Wight. His mother was from Tipperary, his father from Leitrim; the couple settled in Dungannon, County Tyrone. Clarke emigrated to America and worked in the construction industry in Staten Island. When he was eighteen years of age, he joined the IRB. Shortly afterwards, this organisation sent him to London, where he was captured carrying a case of explosives. He was sentenced to jail and served fifteen years at Pentonville Prison. On his release, he married Kathleen Daly, a niece of John Daly, the mayor of Limerick, who had shared a cell with him at Pentonville. Thomas and Kathleen returned to Ireland, where they set up a small shop in Parnell Street. He later met Sean McDermott, and the two set about reviving the physical-force movement. Clarke’s name heads the list of signatories of the Proclamation. He was executed on 3 May 1916.
MICHAEL COLLINS (1890–1922) Michael Collins was born in County Cork. He worked as a clerk in London, where he joined the IRB and the GAA. He returned to Ireland in 1915 and was close to the men of the ‘Kimmage Garrison’ (see JOSEPH PLUNKETT below) and the Plunkett family. He fought in the GPO and was interned after the defeat of the insurgents. He took a prominent part in the War of Independence and supported the Treaty. He was killed in action in the Civil War on 22 August 1922.
JAMES CONNOLLY (1868–1916) James Connolly was born in Edinburgh to Irish parents. From an early age, he was obliged to work. At the age of fourteen, he joined the British army; he was stationed in Cork for the next seven years. In 1889, he founded the Irish Republican Party, and the Workers’ Republic. After going on a lecture tour in America, he accepted a job in Belfast organising the ITGWU, Jim Larkin’s newly founded union. Connolly was involved in the 1913 Lockout, and he was instrumental in founding the Irish Citizen Army. With the outbreak of war in 1914, he determined to lead the labour movement in a fight for Ireland’s independence. He was brought into secret talks with the IRB. He decided to join forces with the IRB and was co-opted onto its Military Council. Connolly was a signatory of the Proclamation. He was Commander General of the Dublin Division during the Rising and was stationed at the GPO. He was executed at Kilmainham Jail on 12 May 1916.
ÉAMON DE VALERA (1882–1975) Éamon de Valera was born in New York. At the age of two, he was sent to live with his grandmother in County Limerick. He graduated in mathematics from the Royal University in 1904. He joined the Gaelic League in 1908 and the Irish Volunteers in 1913. In 1916, de Valera commanded the garrison at Bolands Mills. He later took a significant part in the Irish independence movement. He was president of Sinn Féin from 1917 to 1926 and was made President of the First Dáil in 1919 and President of the Irish Republic in 1921. He opposed the Treaty and resigned when the Dáil ratified it. In 1927, he established the Fianna Fáil party and in 1932 led the party into government. In 1932, the Fianna Fáil government put the Constitution, largely the work of de Valera, to a referendum. He was Taoiseach and Minister for External Affairs from 1937 to 1948 and again from 1951 to 1954 and from 1957 to 1959. He was President from 1959 to 1973. His political aim remained a thirty-two-county Gaelic republic.
ARTHUR GRIFFITH (1871–1922) Arthur Griffith was born in Dublin in 1871. He was apprenticed as a printer. From 1893 to 1910, he was active in the Gaelic League and the IRB. In South Africa, he fought for the Boers. In 1904, he wrote The Resurrection of Hungary: A Parallel for Ireland, which promoted economic self-sufficiency and self-government for Ireland. In 1906, he founded Sinn Féin. He joined the Irish Volunteers in 1913 but took no part in the 1916 Rising. He was imprisoned and released in 1917. He led the Irish delegates in the Treaty negotiations in late 1921. In 1922, he died from a cerebral haemorrhage.
JAMES LARKIN (1876–1947) James Larkin was born in Liverpool in 1876. His parents were Irish and he was reared in County Down. On returning to: Liverpool, he worked on the docks and became involved in the trade-union movement. He organised the dock labourers in Liverpool, Belfast and Dublin. In 1908, he founded the ITGWU. In 1911, he became president of the Irish Congress of Trades Unions. He led the workers in the 1913 Lockout and was imprisoned from 1913 to 1914. On his release, he left for America, where he continued his work as a trade unionist. He was imprisoned again in 1920. He returned to Ireland in 1923 and was expelled from the ITGWU, probably for ideological reasons. He founded the Irish Workers’ Union in 1923. He was elected to the Dáil in 1926 and held his seat intermittently until 1944. He died in 1947.
DR KATHLEEN LYNN (1874–1955) Kathleen Lynn was born in County Mayo, the daughter of a Church of Ireland rector and a relative of Countess Markievicz. She qualified as a doctor in 1899 and in 1904 set up in practice in Rathmines. In 1913 she became a supporter of the labour movement. She subsequently joined the Irish Citizen Army and took part in the 1916 Rising, serving in the garrison at City Hall. After the Rising, she was imprisoned and forced into exile in England. When she returned to Ireland, no hospital would employ her. She practised as a doctor during the War of Independence and in 1919 established the first infant hospital in Ireland.
SEAN MCDERMOTT (1884–1916) Sean McDermott was born in County Leitrim. In his youth he worked as a tram conductor in Belfast – where he was sworn into the IRB. In 1908, he was transferred to Dublin, where he became a close friend of Thomas Clarke. From this time on, he devoted all his time to the Brotherhood, travelling throughout Ireland organising the movement. He became its best-known and most popular leader. In 1913, he was one of the founding members of the Irish Volunteers. McDermott was secretary of the Supreme Council and the Military Council of the IRB. He was a signatory of the Proclamation and a member of the Provisional Government. He was executed on 12 May 1916.
THOMAS MACDONAGH (1878–1916) Thomas MacDonagh was born in Cloughjordan, County Tipperary, and educated at Rockwell College and University College Dublin. He joined the Gaelic League in 1901 and helped Patrick Pearse found St Enda’s School in Ranelagh, Dublin, in 1908. In 1911, he became a university lecturer, and he co-founded the Irish Review. He was a founder member of the Irish Volunteers in 1913 and became a member of the IRB in 1915. He was co-opted onto the Military Council of the IRB only a few weeks before the Rising. He was a signatory of the Proclamation and was execured on 3 May 1916.
EOIN MACNEILL (1867–1945) Eoin MacNeill was born in County Antrim. He was the first vice-president of the Gaelic League and the first professor of early and medieval Irish history at University College Dublin. He was the founder of the Feis Ceoil and was Chief of Staff of the Irish Volunteers. In 1916, he countermanded the orders of the IRB Military Council for manoeuvres on Easter Sunday when he found out that they were a cover for the Rising – with which he disagreed. He later supported the Treaty.
COUNTESS MARKIEVICZ (1868–1927) Constance Gore-Booth (Countess Markievicz) was a member of the Anglo-Irish Gore-Booth family of Lissadell, County Sligo. In her late twenties she became interested in nationalism and social issues, and she joined Inghinidhe ne hÉireann. She later joined Cumann na mBan and was a founder member of the Fianna. During the 1913 Lockout, she served in the soup kitchens in support of the workers. She joined the Citizen Army and fought in the Rising. She was sentenced to death for her part in the Rising but the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. In 1918, she was elected to the House of Commons but did not take her seat. Countess Markievicz opposed the Treaty. She joined the Fianna Fáil Party in 1926. She was elected to the Dáil in 1927 but died later that year.
HELENA MOLONY (1884–1967) At nineteen years of age, Helena Molony joined Inghinidhe na hÉireann. In 1909, she helped found the Fianna. She subsequently became an actress in the Abbey Theatre. In 1913, Molony joined the labour movement. She did secretarial work for James Connolly and became a member of the Irish Citizen Army. In the 1916 Rising, she was part of the garrison at City Hall; afterwards, she was imprisoned in both Irish and English jails. In the ensuing War of Independence, Molony acted as a courier for Michael Collins and Liam Mellows. In the 1930s and 1940s, she continued to be active on behalf of women workers. She became a member of Mna na hÉireann, seeking equal rights and opportunities for women.
PATRICK PEARSE (1879–1916) Patrick Pearse’s father was from England and his mother was from County Meath. He was educated at the Christian Brothers School at Westland Row in Dublin and at the Royal University. He was called to the Bar but did not practise. His interest in the Irish language led him to join the Gaelic League, and he became editor of its newspaper, An Claideamh Soluis. Pearse at first supported Home Rule but later became convinced that physical force was necessary if independence was to be achieved. Pearse was recruited into the IRB in 1912 and later became a member of its Military Council. He was head of the Provisional Government of the Irish Republic and delivered the Proclamation of Independence on Easter Monday 1916. On 29 April, Pearse surrendered, and he was executed on 3 May 1916.
JOSEPH MARY PLUNKETT (1887–1916) Joseph Plunkett was born in Dublin, the son of George Noble, Count Plunkett. Joseph Plunkett had close ties with literary Dublin and was editor of the Irish Review. He joined the IRB and the Irish Volunteers. He helped Roger Casement in his efforts to secure German help for the Rising. The Plunkett estate in Kimmage was used as a training camp for the returned emigrants who were to take part in the Rising; it was known as the Kimmage Garrison. Plunkett was a member of the Military Council of the IRB and was a signatory of the Proclamation. He married Grace Gifford in Kilmainham Jail on the eve of his execution, 4 May 1916.
JOHN REDMOND (1856–1918) John Redmond was born in County Wexford. He was elected an MP in 1881. He became leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party after the death of Parnell, of whom he was an ardent supporter. He was responsible for the introduction of the 1912 Home Rule Bill and believed that Ireland’s support for the war in 1914 would secure Home Rule.
CHRONOLOGY
1914: 4 August
War declared. Home Rule for Ireland shelved for the duration of the War. 20 September John Redmond, leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party, urges the Irish Volunteers to enlist in the British army. This causes a split in the Volunteers: 170,000 leave the organisation and follow John Redmond, forming the National Volunteers. Only 11,000 remain in the Irish Volunteers under Eoin MacNeill. Many of Redmond’s followers enlist in the British army, joining those Irish already serving there. The bulk of Irish recruits come from among the urban working class. For the next four years, the war between the two great imperial powers Britain and Germany rages, mainly on the continent of Europe. Thousands of Irishmen fight in the war.
1915: May
The IRB Executive appoints a Military Council to make detailed plans for the Rising. The Council appoints Patrick Pearse, Joseph Plunkett and Éamonn Ceannt as leaders of the Rising. These men liaise with Tom Clarke and Sean McDermott, long-time members of the IRB who are fully committed to the need for a Rising.
1916: January
James Connolly is persuaded to join forces with this inner group. He is voted on to the Military Council, ensuring that the Citizen Army will be involved in the Rising. Thomas MacDonagh is elected to the Council a few weeks before the Rising.
Sunday 9 April
Following intensive representations in Germany by Sir Roger Casement, the Aud (formerly the Libeau) sets out from Germany carrying 20,000 rifles. Three days later, Casement boards a German submarine for a planned rendezvous with the Aud in Kerry.
Wednesday 19 April
The Aud arrives in Tralee Bay. It is unable to land the arms because there is no signal from the shore.
Friday 21 April
Casement, along with Robert Monteith and David Bailey, go ashore. Casement is captured a few hours later. The Aud is taken by the British navy.
Saturday 22 April
The Captain of the Aud scuttles the ship and the arms are lost. Eoin MacNeill, Chief of Staff of the Irish Volunteers, issues an order countermanding the order for manoeuvres to be held on Sunday 23 April – a cover for the Rising, which was planned for that day. Couriers are sent out all over the country with the new order. MacNeill also has a notice of the cancellation of manoeuvres published in the Sunday Independent.
Sunday 23 April
The Military Council meets in Liberty Hall to discuss the situation and to revise its plans. The Rising is postponed until Monday 24 April. Patrick Pearse is elected President and Commander General of the Irish Republic. James Connolly is to be Vice-President and Commander-General of the Dublin Division, thus fusing the two wings of the republican army.
Monday 24 April
Almost 1,600 insurgents assemble at various locations for the Rising. The small number is the result of the confusion caused by the sudden changes in instructions and the secrecy imposed by the Military Council. At noon, the Rising begins, with the occupation of the GPO, which had been chosen as the headquarters for the insurrection. Pearse is joined by James Connolly, Tom Clarke, Sean McDermott and Joseph Plunkett. Other key buildings in central Dublin are taken and held by the insurgents. These include, on the north side of the city, the Four Courts, under the command of Ned Daly, and on the south side the Mendicity Institute, with Sean Heuston in command., and the South Dublin Union, under the command of Éamonn Ceannt. Thomas MacDonagh heads the garrison at the Jacob’s factory (now the National Archives). St Stephen’s Green and, later, the College of Surgeons are occupied by a section of the Citizen Army under Commandant Michael Mallin and Countess Markievicz. The men at Bolands Mills fight under Éamon de Valera. From these bases, the insurgents fan out in an effort to hold the British and prevent the recapture of strategic buildings for as long as possible. The Proclamation of the creation of the Irish Republic is posted up outside the GPO. By afternoon, the insurgents hold most of the city centre. A small contingent of the Citizen Army attacks Dublin Castle: a policeman is killed; the attackers fail to take Dublin Castle. They withdrew to City Hall, where their leader, Sean Connolly, is shot by a sniper in the Castle. Sean Heuston begins his long defence of the Mendicity Institute, with just twenty men. The Lancers try to retake the GPO. As they withdraw, they leave the dead horse which makes such an impression on some of the witnesses.
Tuesday 25 April
Before daylight, the British have machine-guns at the Shelbourne Hotel, the United Services Club and Trinity College, and field guns are on their way from Athlone. Early in the morning, the Irish positions come under sustained fire. More Volunteers, from Kildare and other places, begin to arrive at the GPO. A small detachment of these, with some of the Hibernian Rifles, are sent to fend off the British, who have by this time retaken City Hall. A thousand British troops arrive from the Curragh at 3.45 PM. Others come from Belfast. By the end of the day, 6,627 British officers and men are in Dublin. The St Stephen’s Green Garrison withdraws to the College of Surgeons. The Broadstone Railway Station is recaptured by the British. That evening, martial law is declared.
Wednesday 26 April
The shelling of Liberty Hall begins in the morning. (The building had been abandoned by the Citizen Army and was empty.) Later, the gunboat Helga joins in the bombardment. At about 9 AM, Lieutenant Malone of de Valera’s battalion receives a despatch telling him that more than 2,000 British reinforcements are advancing towards his position at Mount Street from Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire). He is to hold them off for as long as possible. The ensuing engagement lasts all day. Malone and his band of nine men hold up the advance of two full British battalions, inflicting 234 casualties. At the end of the engagement, Malone is killed by a hail of bullets in a house which he had himself defended for five hours with the aid of just one companion. Incendiary shells start fires in Sackville Street (now O’Connell Street). The fires rage through large parts of Dublin for the next four days. In London, the government decides to send over General Maxwell to quash what remains of the Rising.
Thursday 27 April
At the GPO, James Connolly is wounded twice, once in the arm and once by a ricocheting bullet in the ankle. The British hold the city in a firm grip. The struggle to hold the South Dublin Union, which has been going on for four days, continues. The British make one more attack, at 3 PM. The fighting lasts for the next six hours. Cathal Brugha, who has held the British back for more than two hours, is wounded more than twenty-five times. All the buildings around the GPO are in flames. Ned Daly’s positions round the Four Courts are attacked. It takes the North and South Staffordshire Regiments two days to capture North King Street, with fighting going house by house and yard by yard. They lose five officers and forty-two men. Later that evening, members of the 2nd Battalion South Staffordshires run amok: in all, fifteen men and boys who had no connection with the Rising are killed in North King Street.
Friday 28 April
By 6 PM, it is clear that the garrison at the GPO will have to either break out or surrender. At 8 PM, they decide to break out, hoping to link up with the garrison at the Four Courts. The O’Rahilly is killed in the attempt. Eventually, the main body of Volunteers gets into some houses in Moore Street and tunnels its way through to O’Hanlon’s Fish Market. On Friday too, the Battle of Ashbourne takes place. Thomas Ashe and his secondin-command, Richard Mulcahy, take more than ninety prisoners, capture four police barracks and decisively defeat a detachment of RIC.
Saturday 29 April
At noon, Pearse and his colleagues decide to surrender. Elizabeth O’Farrell, one of the few members of Cumann na mBan to have stayed with the Volunteer garrison in its dash from the GPO to Moore Street, carries the white flag of surrender towards the British barricade. Brigadier Lowe, the Commander of the British Forces in Ireland, insists on unconditional surrender, to which the Volunteers agree. Before marching out from 16 Moore Street, the garrison kneels and says the Rosary. James Connolly, who has been brought to the military hospital at Dublin Castle, also agrees to unconditional surrender for the men under his command.
Sunday 30 April
All Saturday afternoon and most of Sunday, Elizabeth O’Farrell goes to the various Irish commands, carrying the order to surrender. She is accompanied by Captain de Courcey Wheeler, aide-de-camp to Brigadier Lowe.
FOREWORD
On 11 March 2003, the Bureau of Military History was formally opened to the public. Situated in the Military Archives at Cathal Brugha Barracks in Rathmines, Dublin, the Bureau was established in January 1947 after protracted discussions lasting well over a decade. Its stated aim was ‘to assemble and co-ordinate material to form the basis for the compilation of the history of the movement for independence from the formation of the Irish Volunteers on 25 November 1913 to 11 July 1921.’ The bulk of the documents that comprise the Bureau of Military History consists of statements tendered to the appointed members of the Bureau by witnesses of the events between those two dates – in all, 1,770 statements.
When the Bureau members had completed their task, they oversaw the placing of the witness statements into 83 steel boxes, together with 66 annexes to witness statements, 54 collections of records of people who did not contribute statements, 178 collections of press cuttings, 12 voice recordings, 246 photographs and 322 bundles of original documents. In March 1959, this major archive was locked in the strongroom in Government Buildings, not to be released to researchers and the general public until after the death of the last recipient of the military-service pension who had testified to the Bureau.
On that spring evening in March 2003, there was a buzz of excited chatter in the hall in Cathal Brugha Barracks; the buzz died down as An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern TD and Minister for Defence Michael Smith TD took their places on the platform. A former Taoiseach, Liam Cosgrave, whose father, William T. Cosgrave, had led the first Free State government, was also present, as were numerous children and grandchildren of witnesses. Chief of Staff Lieutenant General C. Mangan, uniformed officers and soldiers of the Irish army were in attendance. Elderly historians, hardly believing that they finally would have access to the contents of the Bureau archive, had an air of contented expectancy. Almost forty years previously, on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the 1916 Rising, Professor F. X. Martin had glumly described the inaccessible Bureau of Military History as being cut off from the public by an ‘official iron curtain’. Present also were young historians, aware that their generation would benefit from the opening of the archives. Diarmaid Ferriter, whose comprehensive history of Ireland, The Transformation of Ireland, 1900–2000, was published in 2004, drew on material from the records, and in an essay he wrote for Dublin Review 12 on the Bureau of Military History he stated: ‘The definitive history of the 1916 Rising has yet to be written; these statements will be indispensable for those who seek to write it.’
Annie Ryan is the first writer to exploit the full range of witness material in the Bureau of Military History that deals with the 1916 Rising. Daughter of Tom Harris, a former TD for Kildare, she was well placed to take on the daunting challenge of revealing the scope and complexity of the revolutionary experience. Her father, a Volunteer, was caught up in the Easter Rising in Dublin. On Spy Wednesday, he was summoned from his home in Prosperous, County Kildare, to Newbridge by his area leader, Tom Byrne, who informed him that the Rising would take place shortly. Still awaiting orders on Easter Sunday, Harris’s superior officer in the Volunteers, Lieutenant O’Kelly, contacted him about Eoin MacNeill’s countermanding order, which had been published that morning in the Sunday Independent. Later that afternoon, Patrick Pearse’s dispatch, announcing that the Rising was to start at noon on Easter Monday, arrived. After considerable confusion, Harris, O’Kelly and Byrne joined the Maynooth Volunteers and set out on foot for Dublin. What happened subsequently to the Kildare men is threaded throughout Ryan’s narrative. For Tom Harris, the events of Easter Week and the time he spent in the General Post Office were ‘like one long day’:
I have no recollection of sleeping. On the first night I was at one of the windows, for another period I was on the roof. I remember being in the Instrument Room where it was first noticed that the Post Office was on fire. The ceilings were arched. You could hear the guns going and I saw a little hole, just a circle, which came in the plaster, about the circumference of a teacup, and I could see this growing. It was evidently caused by an incendiary bomb.
