"Take The Post Office"
Fergus O'Kelly first came into contact with the Plunkett family while he was studying engineering in the National University. At the same time, George Plunkett was studying architecture and through their mutual friend Colm O'Lochlainn they struck up a friendship. O'Kelly soon met Joseph Plunkett who shared his interest in wireless telegraphy and radio and he remembered that Joseph had
A very good appreciation of the importance of radio work in anything that might happen by way of rebellion.
O'Kelly had joined the Irish Volunteers in 1913 but became a member of the IRB by accident. While on a visit to St Enda's school, Rathfarnham he discovered a chest full of home made bombs. This was relayed to Joseph Plunkett who asked O'Kelly to come see him. There was the possibility that O'Kelly would be taken into custody by the IRB, but instead Plunkett invited him to join the IRB and two months before the Rising he was sworn into the organisation in the Plunkett home in Larkfield, Kimmage.
Describing Plunkett O'Kelly recalls that
He liked to show off a bit...He always struck me as being dedicated to the work he was doing for the coming rebellion in Ireland.
At the time of the Rising O'Kelly was a member of the Signalling Company, 2nd Battalion, Irish Volunteers attached to Joseph Plunkett's staff. Describing the events of Easter Monday he states that he arrived at Liberty Hall where he saw George Plunkett who was in charge of the Kimmage garrison. The company marched off to O'Connell Street, followed by O'Kelly and Jack Plunkett who were on motorcycles at the time. On reaching the GPO
George gave the order 'Halt' The company left turned and stood to attention and George shouted 'Charge' The men seemed to hesitate and George shouted 'Take the Post Office.'
O'Kelly was ordered by Joseph Plunkett to take six men and occupy the Wireless School opposite the GPO and get the wireless set working so they could broadcast that the Rising had begun. Not only had they to try to get the machine working, they also had to erect the aerial on the roof. While doing this they came under attack from British snipers.
They managed to complete their task and on Tuesday evening they began transmitting and continued to do this until they were forced to evacuate the building on Thursday.
O'Kelly recalls the bombardment of the GPO on Friday and how they were forced to evacuate. Describing the evacuation he remembers that they had to leave the building under cover of darkness.
Fergus O'Kelly was from Dublin. He joined the Irish Volunteers on their formation in 1913 and was a member of the Signalling Company, 2nd Battalion, Irish Volunteers. He was a member of the IRB and was sworn into the organisation by Joseph Plunkett in February 1916. At the time of the Rising he was appointed to the staff of Joseph Plunkett holding the rank of Lieutenant.
He was arrested after the surrender and was imprisoned in Richmond Barracks, Stafford Prison, England and finally Frongoch Internment Camp in Wales.
Fergus O'Kelly was interviewed for the RTÉ Television project 'Portraits 1916' on 12 December 1965.
| Title: | Portraits 1916 Fergus O'Kelly |
| Clip Duration: | 00:38:38 |
| Material Type: | Video |
| Clip Title: | "Take The Post Office" |
| Series Title: | Portraits 1916 |
| Information: | Portraits 1916 is a collection of interviews made for television recording the personal memories of women and men who took part in the Easter Rising. In the early 1960s Telefís Éireann (RTÉ Television) began to record interviews with people who had taken part in the Easter Rising and the War of Independence. Individuals were interviewed under a working title of 'The Survivors'. The first of these interviews were organised by Jack White and recorded at the television studios in Donnybrook on 31 August 1964. Further recordings were organised by James Plunkett with the same working title of 'The Survivors' although none of these interviews were broadcast as full programmes. In 1965 meetings were held to discuss what Telefís Éireann should do to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising. Veterans continued to be interviewed despite the fact that no decision had been made as to what type of programme, if any they could be used in. James Plunkett did not see 'The Survivors' recordings working as individual programmes. In April 1965 producer Aindras O Gallchoir took over the project continuing to organise recordings with the initial intention of using the interviews to create one programme. By September Aindras O Gallchoir decided to produce seven thirty minute documentaries on the leaders of the Rising but many more people needed to be interviewed. This new project had the working titles of 'Portraits 1916' and 'Seven Signatories'. With very little time over thirty people were interviewed for this series. The interviews took place mainly in studio between October 1965 and January 1966, with the exception of Kathleen Clarke and Leslie Bean de Barra. These interviews would eventually form the basis for the series 'On Behalf of the Provisional Government' which was first broadcast in 1966. The interviews recorded form an extensive record of the events and the people involved in the Easter Rising, and were never broadcast in their entirety. Presented here under the title of 'Portraits 1916' are the personal recollections of men and women who took part in or witnessed the events of the Easter Rising. |
| Local Keywords: | 1916, Easter 1916, Easter Rising, Joseph Plunkett, Larkfield, IRB, GPO, Wireless School, Pearse, Surrender, |
| Coverage: | Ireland |
| Genre: | Factual |
| Topic: | Wars and Conflict |
| Provider: | RTÉ |
| Contributor(s): | Aindrias O Gallchoir (Producer) |
| Publisher: | RTÉ |
| First Broadcast Channel: | RTÉ |
| Production Year: | 1965 |
| Country of Production: | Ireland |
| Original Identifier: | 94D00026 |
| 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) |
