The Week of the Rising : Sunday 30 April 1916

"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.

MORE ON THIS EXHIBITION

The Week of the Rising : Saturday 1916

War and Conflict

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