A Terrible Beauty is Born

Dublin City

24th April 1916

This time of year is a time of remembrance, a time of reflection, a time to remember the fallen of the rising of nineteen hundred and sixteen, the men who fought and died for Irish freedom. While England fought the Germans, she recruited Irishmen to fight in her armies, the cause was to free European states from the tyranny of the Hun, while at the same time denying that same freedom to the Irish, to the men who fought valiantly in the British armies in Europe. Change was coming, and on the twenty fourth of April nineteen hundred and sixteen men and women from the Irish Republican brotherhood, The Irish Citizens Army, and other factions struck out for freedom. Although it was an ill fated expedition, and was not initially backed by the general public in Ireland, it did lay the foundations for a future, and successful insurrection, as I’ve said, the general public in Ireland did not support the rebellion, but the act of executing the leaders led to a massive change of public opinion, these men went from rebels to martyrs almost overnight.

At around midday on Monday the 24th the rebel army numbering around 1,000 men and women took control of key buildings in Dublin city centre, one of these buildings was the G.P.O. The rebels raised their flags, and issued a proclamation of independence from this very building. In the beginning the rebels outnumbered the army by some 1,000 men and women, to around 400 British soldiers and Irish police, but by Friday the 28th when the rebels surrendered they were out numbered by around 18,000-20,000 British troops and police, to around 1600 rebels, both sides receiving reinforcements throughout the week, from early on in the battle it was noted that the British were not fighting a rag tag army but a well disciplined force, who were fighting on their own soil. By the end of the week the rebels surrendered unconditionally and the cost of the battle was counted, the battle had claimed 450 lives, of which 250 were civilians, 132 British soldiers and Irish police, and 64 rebels, there were 2614 people wounded, and 10 missing. Along with the causalities there was wide spread destruction in Dublin city centre.

After the surrender, the ringleaders were court martialled and sentenced to death,

Roll of Honour

Wednesday May 3rd 1916, executed by firing squad were

• Pardraic Pearse
• Thomas MacDonagh
• Thomas Clarke

Thursday May 4th 1916 executed by firing squad were

• Joseph Plunkett
• Willie Pearse
• Edward Daly
• Michael O’ Hanrahan
• Joseph Plunkett was allowed to marry his sweetheart Grace Gifford shortly before the execution.

Friday May 5th 1916 executed by firing squad was

• John McBride

Monday may 8th 1916 executed by firing squad were

• Sean Heuston
• Michael Mallin
• Cornelious Colbert
• Eamonn Ceannt

Friday May 12th executed by firing squad were

• Sean MacDiarmada
• James Connolly
• James Connolly was wounded in the battle, note how he was the last to be executed, The English allowed him to suffer from his wounds for two weeks, and he was so weakened that he had to be tied in a chair to face his executioners.
•  Eamon De Valera was also sentenced to death, but because of his American nationality he was spared, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, he was eventually released in June 1917.

Easter 1916 (Poem)

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