This is an order-of-battle
for all the Irish republican forces which came out for the Easter Rising of
1916 all across the island, whether or not they faced hard combat. It includes all of them, the Irish
Volunteers, the Irish Citizen Army, the Cumann na mBan, the Hibernian Rifles, the
Fianna Eireann, the Clan na Gael Girl Guides, and the Irish Citizen Scouts.
Organized thus in the aftermath of the split with from the
Redmondites. The parent organization of
both, the “Irish National Volunteer Force”, was founded in 1913 as a reaction
to Carson’s Ulster Volunteer Force in the North. The Irish Parliamentary Party leader John
Redmond began using it for his personal political agenda. With the outbreak of the war, Redmond and his
“National Volunteers” supported the British effort on the Continent, to the
point enlisiting in nad recruiting for the British Army, and wanted to settle
for Home Rule while those who founded the “Irish Volunteers” wanted
independence and nothing to do with England’s colonial wars.
Everyone on this list was also a member of the IRB (MacNeill
and DeValera only nominally). With the
exception of MacNeill, Hobson, and O’Connell, the members performed these same
functions listed here during the Rising in addition to their other duties.
Eoin MacNeill, Chief of Staff
Padraig Pearse, Director of Military Organization
Joseph Plunkett, Director of Military Operations
Thomas MacDonagh, Director of Training
Michael O’Rahilly, Director of Arms
Bulmer Hobson, Quartermaster General
Eamonn Ceannt, Director of Communications
J.J. “Ginger” O’Connell, Chief of Inspection
Edward Daly, OC, 1st Battalion, Dublin Brigade
Thomas MacDonough, Commandant, Dublin Brigade, OC, 2nd Battalion
Eamon de Valera, OC, 3rd Battalion, Dublin Brigade
Eamonn Ceannt, OC, 4th Battalion, Dublin Brigade
Military Committee, Irish Republican Brotherhood, 1916
The men who planned the Easter Rising and formed the
Provisional Government, of which Padraig Pearse was the President. Perhaps stress should be placed on Provisional in the case of Pearse's presidency, since the constitution of the IRB, of which all of these men were members, provided that when the Irish Republic was established, its own president would be President of the Irish Republic, in which case that would be Tom Clarke. The names are in the order of which they signed the Proclamation of the Irish Republic on Easter 1916.
Thomas Clarke
Sean MacDermott
Padraig Pearse
Joseph Plunkett
Thomas MacDonagh
Eamonn Ceannt
James Connolly
Active forces, Army of the Irish Republic, Easter Week 1916
Organized by the merger, temporary and superficial as it
turned out, of the Irish Volunteer Force (IVF), the Irish Citizen Army (ICA),
the Cumann na mBan (CMD), the Fianna Eireann (NFE), and the Hibernian Rifles (HR) under one
umbrella specifically for the Rising.
Because of the confusion over O’Neill’s cancellation notice
on Easter Sunday followed by his subsequent countermanding of that order, many IVF
units did not come out. The ones that
did and their commandants are listed here.
CITY OF DUBLIN
The major center of fighting, and often the only action
considered in accounts of the Rising.
The Rising in Dublin began with a march at noon Easter Monday, and ended
Saturday afternoon with the delivery of Commander-in-Chief’s Pearse’s
unconditional surrender to the British forces by Cumman na mBan member Elizabeth
O’Farrell from GHQ. The other garrisons
around the city held out until O’Farrell herself had visited each with Pearse’s
order to cease fire and stand down.
GHQ Staff
Padraig Pearse, Commander-in-Chief, Army of the Irish
Republic
James Connolly, 1st Commandant-General, Commandant, Dublin
Division, and Commandant, GHQ, Army of the Irish Republic
Winifred
Carney, Aide-de-Camp
Sean McLoughlin, 2nd Commandant-General (after Connolly was
wounded)
Joseph Plunkett, Commandant-General
Michael
Collins, Aide-de-Camp
William Pearse, Acting Chief-of-Staff
Michael O’Hanrahan, Quartermaster General
Dublin Brigade, IVF
Thomas MacDonough, Commandant
Eamon de Valera, Adjutant
Michael Staines, Quartermaster
First Battalion, Dublin Brigade, IVF
Edward (Ned)
Daly, Commandant
Pearse
Beaslai, Adjutant
Company
A: Denis O’Callaghan, acting Captain
Company
B: Tom Byrne, Captain
Company
C: Frank Fahy, Captain
Company
D: Sean Heuston, Captain
Company
F: Fionan Lynch, Captain
Company
G: Nicolas Laffan, acting Captain
Second Battalion, Dublin Brigade, IVF
Thomas Hunter,
Acting Commandant
Michael
O’Hanrahan, Vice-Commandant
John
MacBride, Adjutant
Company B: Paddy Daly, Captain
Company C: Eamon Price, Captain
Company
D: Patrick Moran, Captain
Company E: Thomas Weafer, Captain
Company F: Frank Henderson, Captain
Third Battalion, Dublin Brigade, IVF
Eamon de
Valera, Commandant
Joseph
O’Connor, Vice-Commandant
Company
A: Joseph O’Connor, Captain
Company
B: Sean MacMahon, Captain
Company
C: Simon Donnelly, Captain
Company
D: Joseph O’Byrne, Acting Captain
Company
E: Liam Tannam, Captain
Fourth Battalion, Dublin Brigade, IVF
Eamonn
Ceannt, Commandant
Cathal
Brugha, Vice-Commandant
Company A: Seamus Murphy, Captain
Company B: Thomas McCarthy, Captain
Company C: Thomas
McCarthy, Captain
Company
D: French Mullen, Captain
Company E: Padraig Pearse, honorary Captain
Michael
Boland, 1st Lt. in charge
Company
F: Con Colbert, Captain
Kimmage Garrison, Dublin Brigade, IVF (GPO)
George Plunkett, Captain
OTR Section
Scottish Section
English Section
Cumann na mBan, Dublin Brigade
Jennie Wyse Power, Commandant
Inghinidhe Branch: Eileen Walsh, Commandant
Rose McNamara,
Vice-Commandant
Central Branch Branch: Kathleen Clarke, Commandant
Fairview Branch: Molly Reynolds, Commandant
Colmcille Branch: Sarah Neary, Commandant
GPO detachment: Elizabeth O’Farrell, OC
Jameson’s Distillery CMB detachment: Rose McNamara, OC
Jacob’s Factory CMB detachment: Mary Elizabeth Walker, OC
(Out of at
least 90 women—some say more than 200—who served during the week, 60 were CMB
Volunteers, half from the Inghidhe Branch, the only one to turn out intact.)
Fianna Eireann, Dublin Battalion
Eamonn Martin, Captain
Company No. 1: Philip Cassidy, Lieutenant
Company No. 2: Barney Mellows, Lieutenant
Company No. 3: Ernie Murray, Lieutenant
Company No. 4: Niall MacNeill, Lieutenant
Company No. 5: Garry Holohan, Lieutenant
Company No. 6: Sean Heuston, Lieutenant
Company No. 7: Sean McLoughlin, Lieutenant
Company No. 8: Leo Henderson, Lieutenant
Company No. 9: Padraig O’Dalaigh, Lieutenant
Fianna Commando: Sean McLoughlin, Lieutenant
Clan na Gael Girl Guides
May Kelly, Captain
Irish Citizen Army
Michael
Mallin, Commandant
Constance
Markievicz, Lieutenant-Commandant
Christopher
(Kit) Poole, Captain, Adjutant
Kathleen Lynn, Captain, Chief
Medical Officer
Jim O’Neill, Captain, Quartermaster
Seamus McGowan, Sergeant, Assistant Quartermaster
Section Commanders:
Dick McCormack, Captain
Jim O’Neill, Captain
Sean Connolly, Captain
William Partridge,
Captain
Mick Kelly, Lieutenant
Martin Kelly, Lieutenant
Peter Jackson,
Lieutenant
Joseph Doyle, Sergeant
James Kelly, Sergeant
Thomas O’Donohoe,
Sergeant
Frank Robbins, Sergeant
Madelaine
Ffrench-Mullen, Sergeant
Irish Citizen Scouts
Walter
Carpenter, Captain
Charlie O’Darcy,
1st Lieutenant
Paddy
Carroll, 2nd Lieutenant
Hibernian Rifles
(GPO)
John J.
Scollan, Commandant
J. J.
Walsh, Vice-Commandant
Company No.
1: Thomas Breslin, Captain
Company No. 2: J. Garret, Captain
Company No. 3: Sean Millroy, Captain
Dublin City Major Garrisons
General Post Office Garrison (GHQ)
James Connolly, OC
Boland’s Mills Garrison
Edmund De Valera, OC
Cabra Bridge Garrison
Jim O’Sullivan, OC
City Hall Garrison
Sean Connolly, 1st OC
John Reilly, 2nd OC
Elizabeth Lynn, 3rd
OC
Four Courts Garrison
Ned Daly, OC
Jacob’s Factory Garrison
Thomas MacDonagh, OC
Watkins’ Brewery Garrison
Con Colbert, OC
Jameson’s Distillery Garrison
Seamus Murphy, OC
Mendicity Institute Garrison
Sean Heuston, OC
Roe’s Distillery Garrison
Thomas McCarthy, OC
Saint Stephen’s Green Garrison
Mike Mallin, OC
South Dublin Union Garrison
Eamonn Ceantt, OC
Clanwilliam House
Michael Malone, OC
FINGAL, CO. DUBLIN and ASHBOURNE, CO. MEATH
Rather than
traditional infantry war which they knew would be doomed to failure, Ashe and
Mulcahy adopted the guerrilla tactics and organization (in the latter case,
switching to “sections” instead of “companies”) which were successful in the
War of Independence, leading to the capture of Royal Irish Constabulary posts
at Swords, Donabate, Garristown, and Ashbourne (Co. Meath), the last being the
only large-scale battle fought outside Dublin.
Their actions were largely in support of the Dublin Brigade to block
reinforcements from the north. Until the
surrender Saturday, they were undefeated.
Fifth (Fingal) Battalion, Dublin Brigade,
IVF (North Co. Dublin)
Thomas
Ashe, Commandant
Richard
Mulcahy, Vice-Commandant and Adjutant
Section No.
1: Charlie Weston, Captain
Section No.
2: Edward (Ned) Rooney, Captain
Section No.
3: Jim Lawless, Captain
Section No.
4: Joe Lawless, Captain
Fingal Branch, CMB
Molly
Adrian, Commandant
(At least 20 CMB volunteers
did mobile service with the 5th Battlation)
COUNTY LOUTH and COUNTY MEATH
Intended as a blocking force, the Dundalk Volunteers were
supposed to rendevous with other units in the area at Tara on Easter Monday,
but received word after they arrived that the Rising was called off. Upon learning it was back on Tuesday, the
Volunteers re-formed and proceeded south, hoping to eventually link up with the
Fingal Battalion. At Castlebellingham,
they encountered a force of RIC men, resulting in a skirmish that resulted in
one RIC man dead and several injured with 15 taken prisoner.
After linking up with Dunboyne Company in Co. Meath, the
column continued into North Co. Dublin, where they halted at Tyrellstown House
near Mulhuddart. From there, they
dispatched men to contact the Fingal Brigade and the forces in Dublin. By the time they were able to contact either,
the Rising was over. Still, they
remained “out” until Easter Wednesday.
Dundalk Battalion,
IVF
Paddy
Hughes, Commandant
James Toal,
Vice-Commandant
Donal
Hannigan, Adjutant
Company
A: Paddy Duffy
Company
B: James Toal, Captain
Company
C: Joseph Berrill, Captain
Company
D. Sean McEntee, Captain
Dunboyne Company, IVF
Sean
Boylan, Captain
Other officers in Dundalk Battalion included: Felix McQuillan, Frank Necy, Thomas Hearty,
Hugh Kearney, and Peadar Murphy.
ENNISCORTHY, CO. WEXFORD
On Thursday morning, forces of the Wexford Brigade (IVF),
primarily from the Enniscorthy Battalion, seized the town of Enniscorthy to cut
the rail and block reinforcements.
Setting up headquarters in the Athenaeum in the center of town, they
sabotaged tracks, a bridge, and communications lines to Dublin. They also occupied Vinegar Hill, one of the
major sites of the Rising of 1798 by the United Irishmen. On Saturday day, they captured the town of
Ferns. The forces in Wexford and Ferns,
up to one thousand strong, only surrendered Low Sunday afternoon after
receiving confirmation of Pearse’s order.
Wexford Brigade, IVF
Robert
Brennan, Acting Commandant
Paul
Galligan, Vice-Commandant
Seamus
Rafter, Brigade Adjutant
Enniscorthy Battalion
Seamus
Doyle, Commandant
Enniscorthy
(A) Company: James Cullen, Captain
Shannon (B)
Company: Alex Doyle, Captain
Gorey (C) Company: Sean Etchingham, Captain
Ferns
Company: Patrick Ronan, acting Captain
New Ross
Company: Sean Kennedy, Captain
Enniscorthy Garrison
Seamus Rafter,
OC
Michael de
Lacy, Civil Minister
Ferns Garrison
Paul
Galligan, OC
Enniscorthy Branch,
CMB
Mary White,
Commandant
(Up to 90 CMB volunteers
did service during the week)
Enniscorthy Sluagh,
NFE
Michael
Kehoe, Captain
ATHENRY, CO. GALWAY
Though small parties mustered earlier in the week, most
demobilized when no orders came, and the major rising in Co. Galway began on
Tuesday. Between 700 and 1,000
volunteers answered calls to muster on Tuesday, but armed with only 25 long
arms, 60 pistols, several homemade grenades, and pikes (yes, pikes). Volunteers attacked RIC barracks at Killeeneen,
Oranmore, and Clarinbridge. Attacks
against the barracks at Ardrahan and Peterswell did not take place because
those had been abandoned. There was a skirmish
with RIC constables at Carnmore crossroads (1 constable dead, several prisoner),
after which the Volunteers occupied the town of Athenry, with the Agricultural
School, known locally as the “Farmyard”, as their headquarters.
On Wednesday, the HMS Laburnum shelled the county from Loch
Lurgan (Galway Bay), and the Volunteers moved to nearby Moyode Castle. Patrols had to contend with counter patrols
by RIC accompanied by Special Constables who were mostly from the Redmondite
National Volunteer Force (NVF). On
Friday, after the HMS Gloucester shelled the area near the rebels and landed
200 Royal Marines, the Republican forces shifted to Limepark House and its
grounds, finally dispersing early Saturday morning.
The units below are those mentioned as coming out by at
least one or two sources. Some fifty
members of Cumann na mBan also mustered and did active service. Of particular note is the Caughwell Company
of the NVF, the only unit of the Redmondite NVF in the country to come out in
support of the Rising.
The Galway Brigade had only recently been divided into
battalions, of which there were five (Athenry or Mid Galway; Loughrea or East
Galway; Gort or South Galway; Galway or West Galway; Tuam or North Galway), so
the companies which were out operated directly under the brigade command.
Western Division, IVF
Liam
Mellows, Commandant
Galway Brigade, IVF
Larry
Lardner, Commandant
Eamonn
Corbett, Vice-Commandant
Alf
Monaghan, Vice-Commandant
Mattie
Niland, Adjutant
Sean
Broderick, Quartermaster
Athenry
Company: Frank Hynes, Captain
Rockfield
Company: Gilbert Morrisey, Captain
Clarenbridge
Company: Eamon Corbett, Captain
Oranmore
Company: Martin Costello, Captain
Maree
Company: Michael Athy, Captain
Castlegar
Company: Brian Molloy, Captain
Kilcolgan
Company, Martin Niland, Captain
Kinvara
Company: John Burke, Captain
Kilcolgan
Company, Martin Niland, Captain
Ardradan
Company: Peter Howley, Captain
Kilconieron
Company: John Hannify, Captain
Claregalway
Company: Tom Ruane, Captain
Newcastle
Company
Kilcronin
Company
Killtullagh
Company
Kilmoredaly
Company
Cussaun
Company
Derrydonnell
Company
Cregmore
Company
Killeeneen
Company
Kiltartan
Company
Ballindereen Company
Craughwell Company,
NVF
(The only unit of the National
Volunteers to come out in support of the Rising)
Galway Branch, CMB
Julia Mary Morrisey,
Commandant
(Some 50 members
reportedly came out during the week.)
CORK CITY, CO. CORK
In Cork City, and other battlions in the brigade area, the
confusion in the conflicting orders on Easter Sunday left Commandant MacCurtain
unsure of how to proceed. On Easter
Monday, MacCurtain, MacSwiney, O’Sullivan, and a large contingent of Volunteers
set about fortifying Volunteer Hall and setting lookouts at bridges and
military barracks. Though there was no
actual fighting due to the intervention of Lord Mayor Butterfield and Bishop
Cohalan, the Volunteers lived under a state of siege until Monday after Low
Sunday, when they surrendered their arms to the military and stood down.
Cork Brigade,
IVF:
Tomas
MacCurtain, Commandant
Thomas
MacSwiney, Vice-Commandant
Cork City Battalion,
Cork Brigade, IVF
Sean
O’Sullivan, Commandant
Sean
Murphy, Vice-Commandant
Company
A: Sean Scanlan, Captain
Company
B: Donald Barret, Captain
Company
C: Patrick Cotter, Captain
Company
D: Christopher O’Gorman, Captain
Cobh
Company: Michael Leahy, Captain
Dungourney
Company: Maurice Ahern, Captain
Cork Branch, CMB
Mary McSwiney, Commandant
3 comments:
Captain Christopher Poole was second in command in St Stephens Green 1916 and 3rd in command of the Irish citizen army ,not countess Markievicz as was thought first , Irish military archive and witness statements.Markievicz was a liutenant !
First, ranks did not matter as much in the ICA and the IVF. Second, yes, in pouring over the better part of everything the Irish Republic has online of primary records, Markievicz was indeed originally appointed as a Lieutenant. However, when Connolly became Commanding General of the entire Army of the Irish Republic, officers were shifted to different billets. That's why Markievicz has the rank of "Lieutenant-Commandant" instead of "Vice-Commandant". The ICA had preferred to dispense with ranks altogether and only acceded to using them due to the more uptight among the IVF. In some of the dispatches and orders from the Rising, Markievicz is referred to as "Lieutenant-Commandant". Besides, she was the most capable military mind of the whole ICA.
First sentence should read: "...as much in the ICA as in the IVF".
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