Visitor centre opens at Dublin barracks

MICHELLINE SHEEHY-Skeffington has never been able to bring herself to visit the site where her grandfather was executed in 1916.

Journalist Francis Sheehy-Skeffington was shot with fellow journalists Patrick McIntyre and Thomas Dickson, in the yard of the guardhouse of the then Portobello Barracks in Rathmines on April 26th, 1916.

Ms Sheehy-Skeffington was speaking yesterday at the opening of a visitor centre at the barracks – now Cathal Brugha Barracks – dedicated to the three men.

“No I’ve never been here before,” she said. “I couldn’t bring myself to. It was too overwhelming.”

The centre – which has exhibits and memorabilia on the three men, as well as on Cathal Brugha, chief of staff of the IRA and minister for defence until his assassination in 1922, and Gen Richard Mulcahy who succeeded Brugha as minister – was opened yesterday by Minister for Justice and Defence Alan Shatter.

The three men executed were pacifists and had no connection to the Rising taking place at the time. Their execution without being charged or tried caused an enormous outcry at the time.

Yesterday, Fr Richard Sheehy, cousin of Ms Sheehy-Skeffington, blessed the small yard at the back of the guardhouse – site of their execution.

“Above all we are here to remember the three men, and let us pray also for the men who were responsible for their deaths, for whatever misguided reason,” he said.

The Last Post was played, a moment which Risteárd Mulcahy (89), son of Gen Mulcahy, described as “very moving and very evocative”.

Though there are museums at other barracks in the State, the Cathal Brugha Barracks visitor centre is the first of its kind for the Defence Forces.

It is open to the public by appointment.