Cormac Turner recalls coming to Dublin in January 1916, life in Larkfield camp, Kimmage and fighting in Hopkins and Hopkins during the Easter Rising.
Cormac Turner joined the Irish Volunteers on their formation in Dublin in November 1913. He was a member of the 3rd Battalion, Dublin Brigade but when he moved to Glasgow in search of work the following year he joined the local Volunteer company.
In this interview Turner recalls his early days in the Volunteers and being sworn into the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) in 1915. Turner knew what he was getting involved in when he became a member,
"I understood it was a militant organisation... and it was more or less controlling the Volunteers".
In January 1916, Turner together with Volunteers Seamus Reader and Frank Scollan were chosen to go to Ireland after they had succeeded in raiding a colliery for explosives which were to be used in the Rising. Turner describes the raid and their journey to Ireland. They had to get the boat to Belfast and then travel to Dublin, as Turner recalls their trip was not without adventure.
Turner then became a member of the 'Kimmage Garrison', a company mainly made up of Volunteers from London, Glasgow, Liverpool and Manchester. They were based in Larkfield, Kimmage, the home of Joseph Plunkett. Describing the camp Turner says it was
"Properly organised on military lines, we did our spell of training".
During the Easter Rising Cormac Turner fought in Hopkins and Hopkins, a jewellers located on the corner of O'Connell Street and Eden Quay, overlooking O'Connell Bridge. Turner regularly had to go back and forth to the GPO to get supplies and remembers that on his return from one such visit a civilian was killed by a British sniper opposite Hopkins and Hopkins. His intended victim was Turner.
Cormac Turner was interviewed on 29 March 1965.
Title: |
The Survivors Cormac Turner |
Clip Duration: |
00:29:36 |
Material Type: |
Audio |
Clip Title: |
"Plans Were Afoot For A Rising" |
Series Title: |
The Survivors |
Information: |
In the early 1960s Telefís Éireann (RTÉ Television) began to record interviews with individuals who had taken part in the Easter Rising and the War of Independence. These interviews were recorded under the working title of 'The Survivors' under 'a special projects' label. The Survivors interviews were never broadcast as a series in themselves. Early in 1965 a group was established to plan how RTÉ would commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising. A decision was taken not to broadcast the Survivors interviews as a series. Around 14 individuals were interviewed under the Survivors title. The first Survivors interviews were organised by Jack White and recorded at the television studios in Donnybrook on 31 August 1964. Desmond Ryan, Cathal O'Shannon and M.W. O'Reilly were interviewed by Brian Farrell. |
Local Keywords: |
1916, Irish Volunteers, IRB, Glasgow, Kimmage, Easter Rising, Hopkins and Hopkins |
Coverage: |
Ireland |
Topic: |
Wars and Conflict |
Contributor(s): |
Brian Farrell (Presenter) |
Publisher: |
RTÉ |
Production Year: |
1965 |
Country of Production: |
Ireland |
Original Identifier: |
94d00042 |
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: |
whole |
Colour: |
Black and White |
Sound: |
Mono |
Aspect Ratio: |
4:3 |
Language: |
English (eng) |
