“He is a man of lofty character and of high ideals, and evokes in men of the most diverse opinion a common admiration of his chivalry and honour” Irish Literature-Volume 7 (1904), taken from the entry on John O’ Leary
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Recently, we posted a series of images and audio recordings from the launch of a plaque to the memory of the Connolly siblings of the Irish Citizen Army. That plaque was put in place by the excellent North Inner City Folklore Project.
Yesterday, another most welcome plaque was unveiled north of the Liffey, this time in Palmerston Place. The plaque marks the home of Tipperary born Fenian leader John O’ Leary, and acknowledges his role as editor of The Irish People newspaper.
“…O Donovan Rossa, O’ Leary, Luby and others long associated with separatism and republicanism were regularly to be found in or around the Irish People office. And the paper always made the most of the fact that the Fenian Brotherhood in the United States was not a secret organisation…”
- Taken from The Green Flag by Robert Kee
Plaque to mark the home and business premises of Jennie Wyse Power at 21 Henry Street, put in place in 1991 by the 1916-21 Club.
Jennie Wyse Power operated a restaurant and shop (The Irish Farm Produce Company) at 21 Henry Street. She lived above it. She was a veteran of the nationalist movement, having been involved with the Ladies Land League from 1881, when she was elected a committee member of that organisation. Jennie contested elected office and was a Poor Law Guardian for North Dublin in 1903. She was later involved in the foundation of Sinn Féin.
Her shop became a frequent meeting place for revolutionaries in Dublin. It was here, just prior to the Easter Rising, that the proclamation was signed. Jennie was a close friend of Countess de Markievicz , who frequently wrote to her while imprisoned. In one example, the Countess wrote to her that “I’ve such heaps of money nowadays. Jail is so economical!”
Jennie Wyse Power took the Pro-Treaty side, extremely uncommon within Cumann na mBan, and Cumann na Saoirse became the Pro-Treaty womens movement. It is noted in Cal McCarthy’s account of Cumann na mBan, Cumann na mBan and the Irish Revoltion, that in February 1923 the IRA attempted to burn down the restaurant on Henry Street, angered by the actions of Cumann na Saoirse (Or ‘Cumann na Searchers’ as members of the Anti-Treaty Cumann na mBan termed then). McCarthy notes that by February 1923 they boasted branches in every electoral constituency.
Cumann na mBan was the first national organisation to reject the Anglo Irish Treaty. A resolution, put forward by Mary MacSwiney( sister of Terence MacSwiney, the Cork Lord Mayor who had died on hunger strike) explicity stated that it called on… “The Women of Ireland to support at the forthcoming elections only those candidates who stood through to the existing Republic proclaimed Easter Week, 1916” This resolution was passed by 419 votes to 63. The feeling of the movement was clear.
Jennie Wyse Power became a Senator to the first Seanad of the Irish Free State. She pushed womens issues to the fore in this capacity. Upon her death in January 1941, she was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery following a Mass at University Church, St. Stephen’s Green.
Works consulted: Anne Marreco- The Rebel Countess
Margaret Ward- Unmanageable Revolutionaries
Cal McCarthy- Cumann na mBan and the Irish Revolution
Sinead McCoole- No Ordinary Women
The Irish Times Online Archive
I’ve had the image below for quite a well now, a fantastic old press snap of two Gardaí inside Connolly House (located on Great Strand Street) after the attack on the premises in March 1933 by an anti-communist mob. Accounts of the night are always chaotic, for example in Pat Feeley’s wonderful article “The Siege of 64 Great Strand Street” (Old Limerick Journal,Vol. 9, Winter 1981) it is noted that:
“As the house filled with smoke and the mob began to occupy it, the defenders were making their escape across the rooftops. The fire brigade tried to rescue two women who were in difficulties on the slates but they were prevented by the crowd who slashed their water hose”
The fact a Webley and Colt. 45 Revolver were found by the Gardai behind the shop counter perhaps best indicates the political tension and state of fear at the time.
Feeley’s article also mentions a meeting held a number of days later where Maud Gonne McBride condemned those behind the scenes at Connolly House, to which a voice in the crowd responded that those involved were Catholics. When she continued to speak, and condemned the broader attacks of the street mobs:
Again the voice repeated, “It was Catholics”. To which this time she replied, “They were hooligans”
Bob Doyle, one of the men who was in the mob that attacked Connolly House, would go on to join the International Brigade forces opposing fascism in Spain. In his memoirs Brigadista, he wrote that:
“I had attended the evening mission on Monday 27 March 1933 at the Pro-Cathedral, during the period of Lent where the preacher was a Jesuit. The cathedral was full. He was standing in the pulpit talking about the state of the country, I remember him saying – which scared me – “Here in this holy Catholic city of Dublin, these voile creatures of Communism are within our midst.” Immediately after the sermon everybody then began leaving singing and gathered in a crowd outside, we must have been a thousand singing “To Jesus Heart All Burning” and “Faith of our Fathers, Holy Faith”. We marched down towards Great Strand Street, to the headquarters of the socialist and anti-Fascist groups in Connolly House. I was inspired, of you could use that expression, by the message of the Jesuit. There was no attempt by the police to stop us”
This, and other insightful accounts, can be read on the fantastic ‘Ireland and the Spanish Civil War’ website located here.
Connolly House, the headquarters in Dublin of the Irish Revolutionary Workers Group was set on fire after an attack made on the building by several hundred young men. Twenty were injured in the disturbances.
Photo shows:- Police officers on guard in one of the rooms after the attacks. Note the tin of petrol left by the raisers.
Grif March 31st 1933 PN.
Two stamps on the back of the photograph point to News Media companies in both London and New York.
ACME, Newspictures, Inc.
220 East 42nd St. New York City
‘THIS PICTURE IS SOLD TO YOU FOR YOUR PUBLICATION ONLY AND MUST
NOT BE LOANED OR, SYNDICATED OR USED FOR ADVERTISING PURPOSES
WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM US.
The Communist Party of Ireland site notes, in its biography to Charlotte Despard (an unlikely rebel, owing to her brother being none other than Lord Lieutenant of Ireland John French) that:
“On the 29th the mob attacked Charlotte Despard’s house at 63 Eccles Street, also home to the Irish Workers’ College and Friends of Soviet Russia, but a defence had been prepared in the form of a large crowd of workers, and it escaped with broken windows. Also attacked were the offices of the Workers’ Union of Ireland in Marlborough Street and the Irish Unemployed Workers’ Movement in North Great George’s Street.”
On a lighter note, notice the can of petrol left behind by the mob is ‘BP’, or British Petroleum. You couldn’t make it up.
Dublin Fire Brigade Piper Bernard Mulhall at Liberty Hall
“O branch that withered without age!
Would we could see you where you’re missed
Step airy on the Abbey stage
Play there ‘The Revolutionist’
Or fill with laughter pit and stalls
With Bartley Fallon’s croak and cry
What led you to those castle walls?
We mourn you Sean Connolly”
Lady Gregory.
Another plaque in place, another important part of working class Dublin history marked.
The home of the Connolly siblings, at 58/59 Sean McDermott Street Lower, now boasts a new plaque from the North Inner City Folklore Project. Captain Sean Connolly and his siblings Katie, Joseph, George, Eddie and Mattie all fought with the Irish Citizen Army during the Easter rebellion. The plaque also pays tribute to young Molly O’ Reilly, who raised the green flag over Liberty Hall in 1916.
Among the crowd were historians, trade unionists, activists,relatives of members of the City Hall Garrison and members of the local community. The Dublin Fire Brigade were represented too, due to Joseph and George Connolly serving within its ranks. Joseph was a firefighter at the time of the insurrection. The Fire Brigade can therefore boast something very few others in the city can, in the form of a real connection to the Easter Rising.
Conor McCabe at Dublin Opinion has some more images worth a look over at their blog.
Speeches and audio
James Connolly Heron speaks at the site of the plaque. His speech covers not alone Sean Connolly and his siblings, but the campaign to save 16 Moore Street.
Las Fallon, of the Dublin Fire Brigade Museum, speaks of Joseph and George Connolly.
Dublin Fire Brigade piper plays outside 58/59 Sean McDermott Street Lower.
Wind, coughing, and all the other things nature/people can whip up when you’re trying to record something, but still….
Images
Dublin Fire Brigade members at Liberty Hall
Fittingly, a relative of James Connolly presents a relative of Molly O' Reilly with the green flag to raise.
The raising of the flag
The flag is raised.
Dublin Fire Brigade colour party
Citizen Army uniforms today, spot on right down to the red hand!
Dublin Brigade- Irish Republican Army
Las Fallon, Dublin Fire Brigade, speaks of George and Joseph Connolly.
Banner marking the role of women in the revolutionary years
A poem is read prior to the unveiling
A small selection of the fantastic collection of images from the period on display afterwards
The Starry Plough blows in the wind with the new plaque behind it.
Dublin Fire Brigade trade unionists pay respect. Firefighter Russ McCobb laid this on behalf of Impact workers.
Another snap of the brief talk on the Connolly connection to the Dublin Fire Brigade
The plaque itself
After the ceremony, we decided to visit Glasnevin Cemetery. There, we thought it only fitting to undertake a search for a particular grave with the day that was in it.
The grave was that of Captain Sean Connolly, Irish Citizen Army.
Taken from the July 12th 1922 edition of Punch, or the London Charivari, it shows the ‘Spirit of the Law’ in discussion with a menacing looking republican figure, with the smouldering remains of the Four Courts in the background.
OUT OF THE ASHES. Spirit of Law (To Irish Rebel): “You may have destroyed my courts and my records, but you have not destroyed me!”
At least two thirds of Come Here To Me will be at this, feel free to say hello.
Here is that poster one more time, as posted by jaycarax
