"During the week with the guns in our hands there had been a great feeling of freedom, a most unique feeling of being in a free Ireland"
On Sunday 30 April the Rising was finally over. After six days fighting Dublin city lay in ruins. The veterans of the other garrisons recall what it was like when they heard the news of the surrender order that morning.
Liam O Brian, 'F' Company 1st Battalion talks of his shock when he was told by his Commanding Officer that they were to surrender.
It had never come into my head this idea of surrendering.
He describes how the men and women were gathered together in the main hall in the College of Surgeons.
Paddy Buttner, Irish Citizen Army Boy Scout explains just exactly why Michael Mallin did not occupy the buildings surrounding Stephen's Green Park in response to criticism that was made against his Commanding Officer.
You'd want about two or three hundred men to occupy the Shelbourne Hotel, we hadn't got them.
Seamus Gough, Irish Citizen Army remembers how many of his comrades in the College of Surgeons at first refused to obey the order the surrender.
Michael Charlton, a member of the Irish Citizen Army describes the journey up to Richmond Barracks after the College of Surgeons garrison surrendered. He was deported to England later that night.
Volunteer Michael Hayes, remembers that when Elizabeth O'Farrell delivered the surrender order to the garrison in Jacob's Biscuit Factory Commandant Thomas MacDonagh refused to comply until he personally met with General Lowe.
MacDonagh maintained that he couldn't take orders from a prisoner.
Captain Simon Donnelly, 3rd Battalion, Irish Volunteers recalls that the garrison in Boland's Bakery were initially hostile when they were told of Pearse's order. No one was willing to carry the white flag of truce ahead of the garrison.
The City Hall garrison were held in Ship Street Barracks until Sunday evening and brought up to Richmond Barracks. Emily Hanratty recalls that while they being marched up to the barracks they were jeered on by the crowds. She and her female comrades, including her sister Annie were taken the next day to Kilmainham Gaol.
Mattie Connolly who had also fought with the City Hall garrison describes the treatment he received when he was taken prisoner to Kilmainham Gaol.
We were beaten there, there was a couple of soldiers in the tunnel as we entered the gate and each one of them had a crack as we passed through.
John O'Connor, 'F' Company, 1st Battalion remembers that when he woke on Sunday morning, the Rotunda was completely surrounded by British Officers, and detectives from Dublin Castle.
They were treating some of our fellows very badly, particularly poor 'oul Tom Clarke.
Peter Carpenter, Citizen Army recalls how the men were scrutinised by the detectives while being held in Richmond Barracks.
Desmond Ryan was one of thousands of men who were deported to prison in England and he remembers how they were marched past the ruins of the city as they made their way down to the North Wall.
Jim Ryan, 'B' Company, 1st Battalion describes seeing British soldiers trying without success to remove the Tricolour flag which was flying from the roof of the GPO.
Roddy Connolly, son of James was also taken to Richmond Barracks. He had been told to give a false name if asked by the authorities. Quite a number of boys under sixteen had taken part in the Rising, Roddy Connolly among them and he recalls that they were all called together by an officer who,
Admonished us for having been so foolish and told us on account of our age we would be released.
Title: |
The Week of the Rising : Sunday 30 April |
Clip Duration: |
00.29.19 |
Clip Title: |
"During The Week With The Guns In Our Hands There Had Been A Great Feeling Of Freedom, A Most Unique Feeling Of Being In A Free Ireland" |
Series Title: |
The Week of the Rising |
Information: |
Using interviews with many men and women who had participated in the Easter Rising, the radio series 'The Week of the Rising' chronicled the events of that week in April 1916. It was one of many programmes produced to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Easter Rising. The series was broadcast over eight consecutive nights, each episode being a day by day account of the events beginning with Easter Sunday and Eoin MacNeill's countermanding order right through to the surrender on Sunday 30 April. As presenter Proinsias Mac Aonghusa the series "Is not a definitive history of the Rising. We make no judgements, we do not claim to tell the full story. We present for a new generation the story of what happened as the men and women made history that Easter Week describe it themselves." The interviews of at least twenty-five veterans were used in the production of this series including Nora Connolly, Simon Donnelly, Paddy Buttner, Emily Hanratty, Michael Hayes, Cormac Turner, John O'Connor and Margaret Skinnider to name a few. 'The Week of the Rising' was presented by Proinsias Mac Aonghusa and was broadcast from 10 April until 17 April 1966. |
Local Keywords: |
1916, 1916 Rising, Easter, Easter 1916, O Briain, O'Farrell, Surrender, Mallin, Éamonn Ceannt, MacDonagh, De Valera, Buttner, Seamus Gough, Michael Charlton, Hayes, Donnelly, Dublin Castle, Tom Clarke, Richmond Barracks, Kilmainham Gaol, Connolly, Plunkett, MacDiarmada, Ryan. |
Coverage: |
Ireland |
Topic: |
Wars and Conflict |
Contributor(s): |
Proinsias Mac Aonghusa |
Publisher: |
RTÉ |
First Broadcast Channel: |
Radio Éireann |
Broadcast Date: |
17/04/1966 |
Production Year: |
1966 |
Country of Production: |
Ireland |
Original Identifier: |
LQD0170A |
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 |
Sound: |
Mono |
Language: |
English (eng) |