Maura O'Neill recalls how she ended up serving in the GPO during Easter Week and what it was like in the building during the bombardment and her subsequent arrest by the British military.
Maura O’Neill, née May Gibney, was not a member of Cumann na mBan at the time of the Easter Rising. Maura had a friend who was a member of the Volunteers. She was aware that something big was going to happen but like most people she did not know when or where. On Easter Monday she was strolling along Great Denmark Street, near her home when a party of Volunteers marched passed her. Sensing that 'this was it' Maura followed the Volunteers. As she simple says, 'I went where they were going'.
The Volunteers made their way to the GPO. Maura watched from across the street and saw the Volunteers inside the building barricading the windows. Maura recalls that after a while,
I just walked straight over to that side door and I knocked there and a Volunteer in uniform opened the door and I asked could I speak to Mr Pearse.
Maura knew her friend would be out and wanted to find out where he was posted. On telling Pearse he informed her that he was most likely in Jacob's Biscuit Factory with Thomas MacDonagh. Instead of leaving Maura asked Pearse could she stay and help in the GPO.
He asked me what could I do, I said "I'd do anything".
Maura was allowed to stay. One of her main duties was to feed the prisoners who were held in the basement of the building. Despite the fact that as the week wore on the GPO was being bombarded by the British military, Maura recalls that the atmosphere in the GPO was one of excitement, 'There was no fear'.
Maura became close friends with Kathleen Murphy. Murphy was a member of the Liverpool Branch, Cumann na mBan. She and a number of women had come over from Liverpool shortly before the Rising pretending they were on holiday. Despite the fact that the building was being targeted very heavily Maura and Kathleen, exhausted, managed to fall asleep.
J.J. Walsh came over later on and he put coats over us.
Maura O’Neill remained in the GPO until Friday when the women were ordered by Patrick Pearse to evacuate the wounded to the nearby Jervis Street Hospital. However when they reached the hospital the women were refused shelter and were forced to try to make their way home through the gun battles that were raging all around the city. When the got to Capel Street they met the military and were taken prisoner. The women were marched to Broadstone Railway Station and questioned. The authorities, unsure of what to with the women released them after a few hours.
Maura O'Neill joined the Central Branch, Cumann na mBan in September 1916. During the War of Independence she carried out intelligence work for Michael Collins and Dick McKee, O/C Dublin Brigade, IRA. Her home in Temple Street was used as an arms dump for the IRA and she carried out any other duties that were asked of her. Maura fought with the anti-Treaty forces during the Civil War and was imprisoned for her activities. Maura O'Neill died in 1984, she was ninety years old.
Maura O'Neill was interviewed for the television series 'Ireland A Television History' in 1979.
Title: |
Ireland A Television History Maura O'Neill |
Clip Duration: |
00:08:59 |
Material Type: |
Video |
Clip Title: |
“May We’re Going To Heaven Together” |
Series Title: |
Ireland A Television History Interviews |
Information: |
Ireland A Television History was a 13 part series written and presented by Robert Kee looking at the complexities of Irish history. The series chronicles Ireland's development from pre-Christian times to the 1980s, with a specific emphasis on the creation of the modern independent Republic and the roots of the Troubles. 'Ireland a Television History', a BBC production was broadcast on RTÉ and BBC at the same time. In an article for the RTÉ Guide, Kee was asked is the series aimed at a British audience? He replied, "No it's aimed at those (mainly in Britain) who are less familiar with the subject than they ought to be; and at those (in Ireland, North and South) who think they know but don't". |
Local Keywords: |
Easter Rising, Easter 1916, 1916, Rising, Patrick Pearse, GPO, Helga |
Coverage: |
Ireland, Dublin |
Topic: |
Wars and Conflict |
Contributor(s): |
Robert Kee (Interviewer) |
Publisher: |
RTÉ |
Production Year: |
1979 |
Country of Production: |
Ireland |
Original Identifier: |
PXD/204903 |
IPR Restrictions: |
Rights Reserved - Free Access |
Rights, Terms and Conditions: |
Copyright RTÉ. This material may not be replicated in any form or manner without the prior express permission of RTÉ. Any form of reproduction in print, television, video, multimedia, web site or other electronic media or any form of dissemination for commercial or non-commercial use must be licensed by the RTÉ Archives.
If you wish to licence video or audio clips, still images or text, or would like further guidance please contact us. RTÉ Archives are committed to respecting the copyright of others and have attempted to source and credit the copyright owners of all material used here. RTÉ would like to hear from any copyright owners who are not properly identified here so that the necessary corrections can be made. If you feel your copyright has not been respected please contact us. |
Item Type: |
part/extract |
Colour: |
Colour |
Sound: |
Mono |
Aspect Ratio: |
4:3 |
Language: |
English (eng) |
