General Seán MacMahon was born in Cork Street, in Dublin in 1893. He was the eldest of seven children. He joined the Volunteers at their inception in 1913 and was enrolled as a member of ‘B’ Company, Third Battalion, Dublin City Brigade.

In 1914 he became First Lieutenant under The O’Rahilly with promotion to Captain in 1915. The headquarters of ‘B’ Company, Third Battalion was based at 144 Pearse Street.

During Easter Week 1916 he fought as Captain of ‘B’ Company, Third Battalion, under Eamon De Valera in Boland’s Mills. He was responsible for Westland Row train station and its area, ensuring that any reinforcements landing at Dun Laoghaire (then called Kingstown) would have to march to Dublin.

When one of his own was seriously wounded, the problem arose as to how to get the man to hospital. Captain MacMahon provided a solution by taking the man to St Vincent’s Hospital himself while in uniform and under fire from enemy troops.

The reaction by the locals on the Boland’s Mills surrender was unlike most other areas. They were friendly and sympathetic and the volunteers received an ovation in Grand Canal Street with offers of refuge.

In May 1916 Seán MacMahon was deported and imprisoned first in Wakefield then Frongoch and finally Wormwood Scrubs. On his return to Dublin he joined the staff of the ‘Nationality’. He resumed his association with the Volunteers, becoming Vice-Commandant of the Third Battalion. He was held in the highest esteem by the founder and editor of the paper President Arthur Griffith.

In 1919 he became QMG of the Irish Republican Army and he married Lucinda Fitzgerald on 27th November 1919 in the Church of Saint Andrew, Westland Row, the same church that he had helped save from being destroyed by fire three years earlier.

General McMahon took part in several engagements during the Black and Tan war and was present during the night of 13th to 14th March 1921 when his brother in law, Leo Fitzgerald was killed in an ambush in Great Brunswick Street.

On the formation of the Regular National Army in February 1922 he continued as QMG.

In September 1922 he succeeded General Mulcahy as Chief of the General Staff. They were difficult times for the Army. However in Gormanstown that same month General Richard Mulcahy boasted of the great progress of the Army by indicating the newly-appointed Chief of Staff as “the Army’s first real Chief of Staff”.

Seán MacMahon was a professional soldier. Self-taught in military matters, well-read and experienced in organisation, motivation and tactics, he believed passionately in democracy. He saw a future beyond Ireland’s boundaries at the time. He saw a duty beyond his personal needs and had already foreseen the necessity to transform the National Army into a modern professional organisation and servant of the elected government.

As Chief of General Staff and head of the Irish Defence Forces, General Seán MacMahon in July 1923 led an official visit to France during which he laid a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. He was well-received by the French military and gained great insight into the running of a professional army.

His reports home showed that, like Collins he saw a strong economic and independent future for the country and the reports detail his observations and the benefits and need of trade.

He retired due to ill-health in 1927. Asked to go into politics he declined, leaving that, he felt, to those more suited. He had served his country in the best way he knew and in the constant company of many great people. His duty however now done, he handed over the baton and others took their turn on the front line.

Above: Seán MacMahon.