On my recent walking tour of radical Dublin, one of the places I brought people was to the site of the Irish Farm Produce Company restaurant and shop on Henry Street. It was there that the 1916 Proclamation was signed, and indeed the premises was the ‘radical cafe’ of its time. Interestingly, most of the people on the tour had not noticed the plaque marking the location of the premises before. It truly is an unusual Dublin plaque.
The plaque to Captain Thomas Weafar on the corner of Lower Abbey Street is another prime example of a plaque many Dubliners are unaware of.
Captain Thomas Weafer ( The plaque reads Wafer, however as you will see below Weafer is more commonly found when discussing him) was shot and killed on Wednesday April 26 1916 while occupying the Hibernian Bank on the corner of Lower Abbey Street and Sackville Street. The strategic importance of the building is clear. It allowed Weafer and his men to control access to the street from Amiens Street Station for example, and members of the the GPO Garrison were occupying a number of buildings on each side of Sackville Street.
Meda Ryan wrote about the experiences of Leslie Price (who went on to marry Tom Barry), in her study of the famous Cork rebel leader entitled Tom Barry: IRA Freedom Fighter.
Receiving no orders, like many Cumann na mBan activists, Leslie headed for the G.P.O
Initially they cooked meals and helped the men in the Hibernian Bank. On Tuesday forenoon the building came under attack from British troops. Leslie was standing beside Capt. Tom Weafer, OC of the Hibernian Garrison, when a bullet whizzed past her and into his stomach. As she was about to attend to him another bullet lodged in the chest of the man who had gone to Capt. Weafer’s aid. She had just time to say a prayer in Weafer’s ear when he died.
From tropicalisland.de, the building on the corner of Lower Abbey Street and O' Connell Street is the old Hibernian Bank premises
The Rebellion Handbook published in 1916 by The Irish Times gives the following listing for Weafer:
Weafer, Thomas, was a captain in the Irish Republican Army, and belonged to Enniscorthy, where he was born twenty-six years ago. He was killed in the Hibernian Bank at the corner of Sackville Street and Lower Abbey Street, on Wednesday 26th April.
Weafer is refered to as Thomas Wafer in an entertaining piece from ‘Sceilg’, the pen name of choice for John Joseph O’Kelly. In his piece The GPO, now widely available within the recently republished Dublin’s Fighting Story, he wrote that
At the Hibernian Bank, Lower Abbey Street, Captain Thomas Wafer of Enniscorthy died of terrible wounds, at the age of twenty-six, the place in which he fell being soon shrouded in flames
The body of Thomas Weafer was never recovered, lost to the fire that destroyed the premises . Some idea of the ferocity of the fires that broke out on Sackville Street during the insurrection can be obtained from the Bureau of Military History Witness Statement of Oscar Traynor (W.S 340) who remarked that
Some time on Thursday a barricade which stretched from the Royal Hibernian Academy to a cycle shop- I think the name of it was Keating’s, on the opposite side of the street, took fire as a result of a direct shell hit. It was the firing of this barricade that caused the fire which wiped out the east side of O’ Connell St. I saw that happen myself. I saw the barricade being hit, I saw the fire consuming it and I saw Keating’s going up. Then Hoyt’s caught fire, and when Hoyt’s caught fire the whole block up to Earl St. became involved. Hoyt’s had a lot of turpentine and other inflammable stuff, and I saw the fire spread from there to Clery’s. Clery’s and the Imperial Hotel were one and the same building, and this building was ignited from the fire which consumed Hoyt’s (…..) I had the extraordinary experience of seeing the huge plate-glass windows of Clery’s stores run molten into the channel from the terrific heat.
The National Graves Association unveiled a plaque to Captain Thomas Weafer on Easter Sunday 1936. Notice the Weafer spelling is used on the contemporary site, while the plaque reads Wafer.
Weafer was a married man who was living in North Dublin at the time of the insurrection. Today, a street in his hometown of Enniscorthy is named after him (Weafer Street) and the plaque to his memory remains. While partially obstructed by a newspaper stall, this plaque remains readable to the passing public. It is, like the earlier linked-to plaque marking the spot of the Irish Farm Produce Company premises, an important site of the 1916 Rising marked.
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Sam
[...] Here to Me! with another lovely post on Dublin history that may have passed you by… or that you may pass by. This time on the man to whom a little plaque on O’Connell [...]
Spotted this on The Story, nice little tale. Pissing rain today and I was on the far side of the street, but tomorrow I’ll check this one out. might be worth asking the guy to move the newspaper stall?
I stumbled upon this article and am interested in Thomas as he may be my great grandfather. Does anyone know who his was wife or kids were?
I believe my father Francis Wafer (who died in 1971in Sussex England) was related. An Enniscorthy man himself who did not reveal anything about family or his background. After being fed by the British press while I was growing up I looked on my father & the IRA as the bad guys.After visiting Wexford/ Enniscorthy as an adult I wanted to see the other side of the “argument”& can totally understand why the British are hated so much.
My father was a good man who broached the subject on how they were “kept down ” but never gave me a one eyed version!
I know now if I had been living in Ireland during my teens I would have been in the thick of it.
I hope that the Irish get what they want as they derserve it for all their sacrifices.
Too be honest I’m ashamed to be British
Hello Sean,
My fathers family originated in Wexford but moved to Dublin. I understand what you mean about the history, it is all very sad.
My mum was from Enniscorthy (her name was Ann Wafer (people called her NAN). I don’t know too much about her family and background. If somebody reads this and knows of my mother’s family I would love to hear from them.
I am her youngest daughter – I have 3 sisters and 1 brother (all living in England). Mum has been dead now for 13 years (this November 13th). She was a kind and gentle soul and I believe she missed “home” very much throughout her life in England.
There’s not a day goes by that I don’t think about her.
Thank you.
Ann
My da was from ringsend n all his bros n sis 2 thomas weafer was my das uncle but sadly my da has passed on but my das bro was named after thomas weafer my uncle thomas lives in bath ave n all the weafers wer called wafers at one stage
hi sean thomas weafer here my grandad lived in gorey . id love to know about the klan . there were “men” good ones . thanks. TOM
We have done some tracing of the Weafer family and on a visit to Enniscorthy – actually parked on Weafer street by coincidence! Also found the memorial section to Captain Thomas Weafer in museum.
Hi Karen
I am a great great grandaughter of Captain Weafer and would love to hear from you, a lot of family still around the wexford area.
Excellent post! A friend told me about that plaque several years ago and I photographed it. Last year I posted the pics on the Famous Wexford Natives page on Facebook, and now I’ve added a link to this post. Great to get some more information about him.
There is actually a second plaque in Irish hidden behind the left end of the newspaper stall.
My Wafer great grandfather, George Alexander, emigrated from Ballycogley in South Wexford to Bermondsey in London around 1878. His father John was from “Queens County” now Co. Laois. So I don’t know whether our branch is directly related to the Enniscorthy Wafers. Given the rarity of the name there is probably a distant connection somewhere.
Wafer and Weafer appear to be just two alternative spellings without any great significance. The plaque says Wafer, and the community centre in Springvalley Enniscorthy named after him seems to be officially spelt Captain Wafer Hall (I would like to see a photo to confirm this), even though the Street in the town is Weafer St.
Do any you know if Thomas Weafer received a 1916 arm band?They were issued to survivors of the 1916 Rising in 1935.
Rosefrances
I do not anything about his children but I am related to him through my grandfather Thomas Weafer he was born in Enniscarthy but then lived in Dublin. He emigrated to America in about 1922
He is my mother’s cousin, my mother is Elizabeth (Monica) Askins, from Enniscorthy
HI Rosefrances here. To find out if Thomas Weafer or his decendents received a 1916 arm band the family need to contact the Army Commeration Committee at Renmore Barracks in Galway. They will only give out information to immediate relatives.
My Grandmother was Margaret Wafer/Weafer lived and died in the Shannon buried in Enniscorthy cemetary
Married Michael Askins my grandfather. His father and mother were William Askins and Catherine Murphy.
Captain Thomas and Paddy both in the 1916 Easter Rising were her brothers. After Paddy’s release from jail (how he got there and when released I don’t know) he was sent by Michael Collins to America (after the War of Independence 1916) to organise gun running between the U.S. Hamburg and Ireland he remained there until 1922.
My Grandmother’s parents were Thomas Weafer (1833-1911) married Elizabeth Fallon lived at Tomnalosset, had large family. Thomas died in the Shannon buried in Enniscorthy.
Patrick Wafer, my grandmother’s brother, (a local councillor) married Dorah Keegan daughter of George and Catherine Keegan another Republican family. They are shown in the 1901 census as living in the Shannon with their children Thomas , Mary, George, Patrick and John.
Later John lived in Westport
George in New York
Her (Dorah Keegan’s) brother George was local Head Centre of the IRB before his untimely death at 41.
Another brother Thomas was a Fenian and was arrested in Enniscorthy in 1916 aged 76 and deported to Stafford jail.
The Keegans had been prominent in the struggle for independence for many generations. One being hanged aged 19 at Carnew in 1798. A grandson Patrick Keegan was Commandant of North Wexford Brigade I.R.A. Patrick was one of the leaders of the Rising in Wexford. it was at the Keegan home in Irish Street Enniscorthy that the Volunteer leaders of the County gathered during the Easter Week to discuss plans and it was from the same house they marched on the Thursday of Easter week to seie the town and hold it until the surrender.
The families Roche and Deady were related by marriage.
UPDATE – a second cousin of Captain Thomas – a judge Tom Travers also a republican was tragically shot by the IRA in 1986, in spite of 6 direct hits, he survived and died Boxing Day 2010. His daughter Mary aged 21 was shot and killed by the same person. When you see what the family had sacrificed for the “cause” over so many years, its a sorry tragedy that this should have happened. The perpretrator was never brought to justice for this heinous crime in spite of being identified by Tom’s wife.
Hi Ina.
My name is Thomas Weafer. I am the grandson of Captain Thomas Weafer’s brother Patrick “Paddy” Weafer. His son Patrick…my father…was born in New York City in 1925. I was born in Montclair, New Jersey in 1954. My father named me in honor of Captain Thomas Weafer.
Tom Weafer
Tom,
I have done a study of Captain Thomas Wafer that you may be interested in (August 2012). I would be delighted to share it with you should you arrange to send me your email address.
Ina,
Thanks for your note today. There was not a reply icon opposite it so I am replying to your initial note above. You obviously have a lot of family information and I was particularly interested in your Update. I would be very happy to forward what I have to you and would only ask that you send it forward to any family member you wish. I presume you can ask the owners of this blog to send your email address to me. Any feed back on my study would be welcome.
Regards,
Mark
Mark,
Thank you for your e mail.. you can email to me on ina644@btinternet.com. All the information by the way comes from my mother Elizabeth Askins (Jones) who is not that confident on the internet so I am passing on information for her.. she is thrilled with any news, so thank you. We will definately pass on feedback.
Hi to you Ina,
My mother was a Deady and a niece of Captain Tom Weafer (Wafer). can we make cdontact? I’d love to get some mre information if possible about the family
Hi Sean & Ina,
I am John Weafer’s daughter and Tom’s niece. I would like to get in touch to discuss family history if we can. Look forward to hearing from you.
Catherine
Catherine,
I just want to let you know I have completed a short study of Captain Thomas Wafer (August 2012). I would like to share it with his relations. I am sure it will be of great interest to family. I can forward it by email to you and you can share it with whoever you wish. Maybe you could send me your email address through this website.
Regards, Mark
Mark,
I have just seen your note to Catherine Weafer, I know you say you only want to share your study with close family members but we are very keen to piece together all we can.
Regadrs
Ina
Mark I would love to read your study of my uncle Tom and share it with my family. My sister Dora has done some research into the family so it would be interesting to follow up on this. I am sending you my email address.
Catherine,
When I get your email I would be delighted to send you a copy. I hope you will find it interesting. Obviously if you have any additional information to add to the story please let me know.
Mark
Hello to relatives of Thomas Wafer, Before I knew of this blog I had commenced looking at Thomas’s short life. I have finished my short study and believe it would be of some interest to family members. For instance I do know he and his wife, Margaret, had a daughter in 1913 who was called Mary Elya. I am satisfied that she was their only child. Did Mary marry and if so would Karen who wrote in 2011 recognise Margaret and her daughter Mary in her family tree ? If Mary did marry then it would be in the mid 1930′s onwards so any children would be now in the aged bracket from about 80 or younger and grandchildren maybe in mid 50′s etc. I would like to share my short study with a close family member in the first instance. I decided a few months ago to prepare the study for a friend of mine who lives in Enniscorthy and has an involvement with the Thomas Wafer Hall. As I write I have not as yet given the study to my friend but I showed him my first draft. Thomas Wafer was indeed a formidable man who packed a lot into his 26 years of life.
Many Thanks
Mark
Hello, my name is Nova and my gran was Patricia Wafer, daughter of Aiden Wafer, Thomas’s brother who I believe had a smallholding in Enniscorthy. I’ve recently returned from Enniscorthy visiting my dad who lives nearby. He and his brother and sister used to spend their holidays as children visiting their maternal relatives in Enniscorthy. I live in Scotland and have two younger brothers. My middle name is Patricia after my gran and my youngest brothers middle name is Thomas as is his baby son. I’m reading all of your posts with great interest! Thankyou.
Nova.
This note is for Catherine Smyth who posted a comment on 11 December 2012. I await your email address so I can send you the document I prepared on Thomas Wafer. I am unsure how I can receive your email address via this blog except that you provide it in your reply. I have already sent a copy to Ina Jones who did this earlier. If there is another method that would be fine with me.
Mark
Hi Mark
My email is katetsmyth@eircom.net. I am looking forward to receiving the information you have on Thomas Wafer
Many thanks
Catherine
Hi All,
I think Paddy was my grandfather’s brother, they used to call him “Pa” and I believe my father was named after Tommy. My father had a lot of stories from his father, Four Courts, Easter Rising and all the mayhem that came before and after. He said they would rob banks, know most of the customer’s in the line, shake hands and chat them up during the robbery (I imagine people may have believed Joyce had been making up the absurdities and comic irony in Irish daily life but those who lived through it know better.) My grandfather was a cell leader and moved guns to Collins and would take my dad out as cover (just out for a walk with my son). Decades after, my grandfather noticed a crease formed in the plaster in the living room ceiling and decided to repair it. As it turns out, it was the weight of 20 German rifles (Mauser’s I believe) that caused the dent in the ceiling that he had walled in and totally forgotten about (this was 40 years after). They would buy guns anywhere, of any type as long as they fired. Most of these guys would have rather not bothered or gotten involved if it weren’t for the Black and Tans. My father grew up in Maynooth and then Dun Laoghaire (O’Rourke’s Park) . My parents emigrated to Canada in 59′.
“Pa” seemed to be a central character and was a high profile fugitive whom the family regularly hid out in the hills. My grandfather had stories of bringing him food and arguments they would get into (usually about the food he brought or didn’t bring). My grandfather walked away in 22′ and a warrant was issued immediately by the new home government. (The warrant stayed in force until the 50′s when he was arrested in front of a prison showing my uncle where he had been taken in 1916. The guard at the gate was Old IRA and recognized my grandfather(Frank). He asked Devilera to intervene and the warrant was rescinded.)
My name is Lance Thomas, my great grandfather was orphaned in St. Louis Missouri, in 1874. His name was John Joseph Wafer, born in 1863 in St. Louis and died in 1934 in Denver. I think that his dad was born in Ireland and was named Patrick Wafer and married Nell. This is all that we know. If anyone has information on the ancestry of John Joseph Wafer or his ancestors I would be appreciative in having the information. Blessings, and thank you Lance Thomas. drlancethomastcc@aol.com