Kilmainham Gaol
Kilmainham, Dublin 8
The jail was the execution place for most of the leaders of the 1916 Rising. These executions, from May 3rd to 12th, carried out under the orders of Gen Sir John Maxwell, Britain’s “military governor” in Dublin, helped convince many people to turn against the British and seek full independence. Although just 1,500 rebels took part in the Rising, Maxwell had more than 3,400 people arrested in its aftermath. Some 183 civilians were tried by secret courts martial, 90 of whom were sentenced to death. Fifteen were executed. Of these, 14 met their end at Kilmainham Gaol, including the seven signatories to the Proclamation. Those executed included an ailing Joseph Mary Plunkett, who married his fiancée, Grace Gifford, in the jail chapel before being shot, and James Connolly, so badly injured that he had to be strapped to a chair before the firing squad.
16 Moore Street
Moore Street, Dublin 1
On Saturday morning, five days after the Rising had begun, it was decided that, in the interests of safety, the leadership should move to this house, away from a possible attack. They settled in a back room on the first floor. This was to be the final headquarters of the GPO garrison and the last meeting place of five of the signatories to the Proclamation. Patrick Pearse – and his brother Willie - Tom Clarke, Joseph Plunkett and Seán Mac Diarmada gathered at James Connolly’s bedside to determine the course of negotiation. Seán McLoughlin, who had fought in the GPO and was familiar with where the British soldiers had posts, made a case for escape towards Henry Street and on to the Four Courts. Before this plan was put into effect McLoughlin was questioned at length by Pearse as to the likely loss of civilian life in the planned retreat to the Four Courts as this would involve passing through populous districts. This is believed to have greatly influenced Pearse in his decision to end the fight. Pearse eventually approached British forces to declare the surrender.
The GPO
O’Connell St Lower, Dublin 1
Opened in 1818, the General Post Office was 200ft long and 150ft wide, with a height of 50ft in three storeys. Patrick Pearse read the Proclamation of the Irish Republic in front of the GPO at 12.45pm on Monday, April 24th, 1916. The Irish Times reported that “his audience became progressively bored . . . On a rumour that [Clerys was going to be breached for looting] his audience moved over to the shop windows and left the speaker finishing his peroration with no one to listen to him but his guard.”
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Liberty Hall
Eden Quay, Dublin 1
On April 23rd, the Proclamation of the Irish Republic was printed in Liberty Hall print shop. The printers were able to obtain only about half the type needed for the job so the Proclamation was printed in two parts. On April 26th, Liberty Hall was fired upon by the HMY Helga (24 rounds). The present-day Liberty Hall is the headquarters of Siptu, the Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union.
Dublin Castle
Dame St, Dublin 2
When the Rising began the castle was nearly empty of British troops; it was a bank holiday and many had gone to the Fairyhouse races. As the Rising continued, the castle filled up with troops and was not attacked by the rebels. Many have contended that it was never the intention of the Volunteers and the Irish Citizen Army to seize the castle as they did not believe it would be easy to capture, and it would be very difficult (if not impossible) to hold. A sniper in the castle’s Bermingham Tower was responsible for 53 rebel casualties before he was killed on the final day of the Rising.
St. Stephen’s Green
Dublin 2
Members of the Irish Citizen Army under the command of Major Michael Mallin occupied the green, one of the first areas occupied. As the week wore on the strength of the garrison rose to about 140 men and women. When it was taken, Constable Michael Lahiff, of the College Street Dublin Metropolitan Police station, was on duty; he was shot for “refusing to leave his post”. It is often said that Countess Markievicz – Mallin’s deputy – shot Lahiff. No fewer than 11 streets led into the green. This was both a boon and a bane for the garrison as it provided a key position for the Citizen Army but also gave the British several access routes. The green was abandoned on Tuesday when it came under machine-gun fire from British forces. Mallin and Markievicz withdrew to the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. They surrendered on Sunday, April 30th. The College of Surgeons suffered little structural damage, although the pockmarked columns are evidence of the bullets that hit them.
Boland’s Bakery
Grand Canal Street, Dublin 4
This was an important strategic stronghold because it covered the railway line out of the Westland Row terminus. Éamon de Valera’s HQ was in a small dispensary next door, at the corner of Grand Canal Street and Great Clarence Street (now Macken Street). On Thursday afternoon, shelling from a one-pounder gun taken from HMY Helga began from the corner of Percy Lane. De Valera ordered Capt Michael Cullen to raise a flag on top of a tall disused water tower of the abandoned Ringsend Distillery, and this attracted the shelling. The tower was hit, but the British had been fooled, and this saved Boland’s. Late on Friday, de Valera ordered the bakery to be evacuated, but there was nowhere for the volunteers to go so they reoccupied it and remained in their positions until their surrender on Sunday. Photographed is the nearby Boland’s Mill, also occupied by de Valera’s battalion.
Mount Street Bridge
Mount St Crescent, Dublin 4
Some of the heaviest fighting during the Rising took place on Wednesday, April 26th. Among the first British troops called to Ireland were the Sherwood Foresters. The Sherwoods marched from Kingstown (Dún Laoghaire) to Northumberland Road. At about 12.25pm the leading platoon came under fire. The inexperienced troops and officers struggled to pinpoint the enemy positions, and the soldiers fell back. Although the British ultimately prevailed, they suffered their greatest casualties of the Rising. As a “reward” for their gallantry, the Sherwood Foresters were chosen to form the firing squads which conducted the executions of the leaders of the Rising.