As the 90th anniversary of the 1916 Rebellion approaches and the reintroduction of the Easter Military Parade, my thoughts turn to the many connections that our part of Dublin had with the Rising.

Outposts had been set up by the volunteers at a few places on or near Northumberland Road. At the Haddington Road corner No 25 was occupied by Michael Malone and three others.

Further up, St Stephen’s School and Parochial Hall were also acquired and across the canal bridge in Clanwilliam House, George Reynolds took charge.

These four outposts were controlled to some degree by Eamon DeValera, who had his headquarter in Boland’s Bakery. This ensured that Beggar’s Bush Barracks, the railway and two important roads into Dublin were made difficult for any military wishing to move towards the city centre.

The British set up cordons around the city, preventing the ordinary citizen going about his lawful business. Despite the dangers, people kept venturing out, often under gunfire from both volunteers and military.

One woman making her way to Bolands for bread was shot down on Ringsend Road near the canal bridge. During that week four people from the district were killed: Mr P Whelan of 25 Pembroke Cottages, John Doyle of Ringsend Road, William Gregg of 2 Simpson’s Lane, Irishtown and an 11 year old girl Bridget Stewart, 3 Pembroke Place Ballsbridge.

On South Lotts Road, the Pembroke Power Station kept supplying electricity to the urban district, thanks to the staff staying at their posts for the duration of the Rising. One of those commended for his diligence was Jack Geoghegan of Thorncastle Street. He was later to become my father in law!

Jack had previously been a student at the Pembroke Technical School (now Ringsend Technical Institute) and it was from there on May 1st 1916 that the caretaker Mr Clarke had phoned the clerk of the Pembroke Council Mr J.C. Manly saying that there was and had been for several days and nights serious firing there– he thought from Ringsend Park– and that people at the north side of the river Liffey informed him they were under the impression the firing was coming from the school.

“This he strongly denied and wished me to understand that there was no truth in the accusation. He also informed me that he had telephoned the military authorities at Ballsbridge (the RDS) and at the north side of the river as he was afraid that unless they understood that firing was not from the school the building might be shelled. I told him he had done quite correctly to telephone the military authorities.”

The school was later occupied and much correspondence took place with the military authorities seeking compensation for the period of closure. Permits to travel at this time were necessary and one used by JR Evans, Motor Engineering Instructor in the Tech is still extant.

After the surrender, DeValera was placed under guard in the Weights and Measures Office in the Town Hall, Ballsbridge. The Instrument of Surrender signed by Patrick Pearse is dated 29th of April 1916 and in the five days the Rebellion lasted 1300 men, women, and children were killed or wounded.

There are few signs today of those stirring times, here a few bullet holes, there a wall plaque but the Rebellion that started that sunny Easter Monday led to the War of Independence and in that conflict many Ringsenders went on to play their part.

Above: The burnt-out GPO.
(Sources: Sinn Fein Rebellion Handbook 1916, The Easter Rebellion by Max Caulfield, Pembroke Technical Schools History 1981 by Jim Cooke)