10. Knocksedan Bridge, Swords 17. After the confusion caused by the Around 70 Volunteers mobilised “ has contributed more than its share.” countermanding order on Easter Sunday, on Easter Sunday and, after some confusion (Éamon de Valera, on the death of Richard Coleman) Knocksedan Bridge was chosen as the rally caused by Eoin MacNeill’s countermanding point for the Volunteers who turned out on order, they marched in the direction of Fingal played a unique role in the 1916 Rising. Men and women from across 5. Easter Monday, 24th . An estimated through Slane and Dunboyne. They took over the county were members of the , the Irish Citizen Army and A unit of the Irish Citizen Army from Baldoyle had 50 - 70 men turned out, much fewer than had Tyrrelstown House near and Cumann na mBan and played important roles in these organisations. These members who were based in locations around the city been anticipated. occupied it for several days, from where they could hear the sound of the fighting in Dublin. men and women contributed to events as they unfolded in Dublin city and in during the Rising. This was the only Irish Citizen Army 11. Swords Once news of the surrender filtered through north . unit in north County Dublin. Many of the men from the the Volunteers dispersed and headed back unit served in St Stephen’s Green under . Swords RIC barracks was attacked on Wednesday, 26th April 1916, by three columns home. One of the Baldoyle unit, James McCormack, was killed They instigated the event that became known as the Battle of Ashbourne – of Volunteers. They overpowered the small the largest engagement anywhere outside Dublin city during Easter Week during the Rising. number of RIC men, seized a quantity of 18. Dublin 1916. Their story and the story of Fingal and the 1916 Rising is told here, with weapons and ammunition, and put the Many Volunteers from Fingal served in Dublin telegraph machine in Swords post office out of city during the Rising. Some of the sites where important locations where actions took place, or that are associated with the action. they were positioned are listed but this is not events of 1916, indicated on the accompanying map. Action Sites an exhaustive list of all the places where they Sites of mobilisation of volunteers or troops, engagements 12. were posted: with the RIC, attacks on communication lines The RIC barracks was attacked on Thursday, Mendicity Institute 6. Ashbourne 27th April 1916. One Constable was wounded and a small number of rifles was seized. Located on Usher’s Island on the South Quays, On Friday 28th April, the 5th Battalion Irish this was the base of the 1st Battalion of Irish Volunteers attacked the RIC barracks at Volunteers. Men from the 5th Battalion (Fingal Kilmoon, Ashbourne. The RIC defended 13. Rogerstown, Rush Brigade), led by Captain Richard Coleman Irish Volunteers it for a period of time but the men inside Almost immediately upon being called out from Swords, fought in the Mendicity Institute There were four companies that formed the 5th Battalion (Fingal Brigade) of the Irish Volunteers: surrendered when the Volunteers threw on Easter Monday, 24th April 1916, a small after asked for Lusk, Skerries, Swords, St. Margaret’s. bombs at the building. As the surrender was group of Volunteers attempted to destroy support. The men served here under Sean taking place a large force of RIC arrived from Rogerstown Railway Bridge with explosives. Heuston. The building was surrounded and Slane to reinforce their colleagues and fighting The bridge was only damaged. Another infiltrated by Wednesday 26th April 1916 and 1. Skerries began again. The Battle of Ashbourne, as it unsuccessful attempt was made the following Peter Wilson from Swords was killed when Skerries Company of the Irish Volunteers was formed on 24 became known, was the biggest engagement 7. Wednesday, 26th April 1916. the building was finally stormed. The garrison May 1914. It was led by Joseph McGuinness initially and later outside Dublin city during Easter Week and The RIC barracks was attacked late on Easter surrendered shortly afterwards. Fingal and the Joseph Thornton. the only battle won by the Volunteers in the Wednesday, 26th April 1916. The barracks was 14. Rising. It demonstrated the advantages of empty as the RIC had evacuated to . A key event leading up to the 1916 Rising General Post Office 2. Lusk guerrilla warfare because even though the The communications equipment in the local was the landing of hundreds of German Men from Fingal were in the GPO, including Lusk Company of the Irish Volunteers was established on 19 Volunteers were outnumbered they managed post office was put out of action. rifles and ammunition at Howth on 26th July some of the men sent by Thomas Ashe into the May 1914 and had 40 members under Edward Rooney. The to successfully take on the larger RIC force. 1914 from Erskine Childers’ yacht the Asgard. city with Richard Coleman. Lusk Company Irish Volunteers trained in Donabate at the After a number of hours of fighting the RIC 8. Skerries The Skerries, Swords and Lusk Volunteer 1916 Rising surrendered, as they believed the Volunteer home of the McAllister family, leading local nationalists, where On Easter Monday 24th April 1916, the same Companies were among those which helped to Jameson’s Distillery force to be greater than it was. There were they also stored weapons. day as the Rising began, there was a large unload and distribute the weapons. Captain Séamus Murphy and Captain Con injuries and fatalities on both sides and Dr recruiting rally held in Skerries, seeking recruits Colbert were in charge of the men from 3. Swords Richard Hayes attended the wounded. Eight for the British forces. Later in the week, the 4th Battalion in Jameson’s Distillery on RIC men were killed, including the County Marrowbone Lane, some of whom were from Swords Company of the Irish Volunteers was established in rumours of a possible Volunteer attack on the 15. Howth the Fingal area. April 1914. Richard Coleman was appointed Captain. Inspector, Alexander Gray, and the District wireless station resulted in the dispatch of 200 During the Rising the authorities feared an Inspector, Harry Smyth. Two Volunteers died British troops to the town, as well as two naval attack on the Howth Head communications - John (Jack) Crenigan and Thomas Rafferty. vessels. An attack never took place. cable, which would have hampered Boland’s Mills 4. St Margaret’s Three civilians were also killed. Molly Adrien, communications with Britain. 20 British The 3rd Battalion under Éamon De Valera St Margarets Company of the Irish Volunteers was formed in Monica (Dot) Fleming and Eveleen Lawless soldiers were dispatched to guard the area, but occupied Boland’s Bakery and Mills. Several early 1914. James Vincent Lawless was the captain of the St. took part in the battle as messengers and 9. Rathbeale Crossroads, Swords no attack ever materialised. men from Fingal were posted here. Margaret’s Company. On Easter Sunday, 23rd April 1916, 120 also attending the wounded. Ashbourne was members of the 5th Battalion were mobilised a major victory for the Volunteers and they St. Stephen’s Green at Rathbeale Crossroads, before being were shocked when news came through of 16. Men from the Baldoyle unit of the Irish Citizen informed that the Rising was off, following Eoin On Tuesday, 25th April 1916, the Volunteers the surrender of the 1916 leaders in Dublin Army served under Commandant Michael MacNeill’s countermanding order. made abortive attempts to destroy the railway city with the orders for them to lay down their Mallin at St. Stephen’s Green lines at Blanchardstown and Cabra. arms.

commanding officer of the 5th Battalion (Fingal and the loss of the German guns, MacNeill 32. Carpenterstown, 33. Brigade) of the Irish Volunteers, directing the countermanded the order for the rebellion and A number of Irish Volunteers from the William Evelyn Wylie of Clonsilla House was Camps Places with 1916 Link activities that took place in north County Dublin this reduced the number of Irish Volunteers Blanchardstown, Castleknock, Clonsilla appointed a Kings Counsel in 1914 and was during Easter Week, including the Battle of that were subsequently mobilised. He did and surrounding areas were members of a member of the Officers Training Corps that These are the sites where men from the 5th Battalion had billets or camps during Easter Week Locations with connections to certain events or people linked to 1916 Ashbourne. Ashe was an avid supporter of not take part in the Rising but was arrested battalions that were active within Dublin City defended Trinity College during the Rising. as they kept on the move. the and Irish culture. He was a and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was during Easter Week. Thomas Carty from He was unexpectedly appointed a Crown 24. Oldtown and was killed in an accident in 1922. member of the Gaelic League and founded the released in 1916, elected as a Sinn Fein MP in Carpenterstown was one such man. He was prosecuting officer during the courts martial Mary (Molly) Adrien was born in Co. Meath Black Raven Pipe Band and the Round Towers 1918 and took his seat in the First Dáil. He held a member of the 4th Battalion of the Irish of the 1916 leaders. He famously described and her family moved to Balbriggan when she GAA club in Lusk. Ashe was among the leaders a number of ministerial posts but lost his Dáil Volunteers and served in Jameson’s Distillery Éamon de Valera as an unimportant school- was young. She lived in Oldtown for most of sentenced to death after the Rising but this seat in 1927. He died in 1945 and is buried in with . He was imprisoned in master thus saving de Valera from the firing her adult life. She joined the Ard Craobh of was commuted to life imprisonment. He was Cemetery. Knutsford after the Rising. He re-joined the squad. Cumann na mBan in late 1915 and founded sent to Prison but was released as part Irish Volunteers after 1916 and fought in the a branch at Lusk. Molly played a key role in of an amnesty in June 1917. He was rearrested 30. Howth Junction IRA during the War of Independence. the success of the 5th Battalion as she carried that August on a charge of sedition and was born in Waterford in dispatches daily between the 5th Battalion and imprisoned in Mountjoy. He died on hunger 1886. He was in college in Dublin when he the GPO and so was instrumental in keeping strike in September 1917. His body lay in state joined the Irish Volunteers in November 1913 the lines of communication open between the in Dublin City Hall and Michael Collins gave the and was appointed 2nd lieutenant in the 3rd two groups. She gave evidence that during the graveside oration. He is buried in Dublin Battalion. On Easter Monday 24th April time she spent in the GPO she worked with Cemetery. 1916, Mulcahy went from the city centre to the Cumann na mBan members based there, Howth Junction to cut the communications and was there when the Linen Hall was blown 28. Lusk cable to and and was to report up and when James Connolly was brought in Dr Richard F Hayes was born in Bruree, Co. back to the GPO afterwards. He was unable to wounded. Her home became the place where . He studied medicine and became the return to the city and joined up with Thomas relatives could get messages and clothing to dispensary doctor at Lusk House. He joined Ashe and the 5th Battalion at their camp in the Volunteers. She was present at the Battle the Irish Volunteers in 1913 and was the first . Ashe immediately made him second- of Ashbourne, where she assisted Dr Richard commanding officer of the 5th Fingal Battalion. in-command. He was present at the raids on Hayes in treating the wounded Volunteers and He handed command over to Thomas Ashe just Swords and Donabate RIC barracks, and was 19. Finglas 22. Borranstown RIC men. After the Rising, she continued to before the Rising broke out. He was present key in persuading Ashe to engage the RIC at This was the first area where the 5th Battalion The Volunteers made camp in the Borranstown serve the republican cause and opposed the at the battle of Ashbourne and treated the Ashbourne, rather than withdraw. After the Treaty. She died in July 1949. 26. Swords made camp during Easter Week. On Tuesday area following the Battle of Ashbourne on Richard Coleman was born in Swords in wounded on both sides. He was imprisoned surrender, Mulcahy was interned in Frongoch 25th April 1916, Ashe sent 20 men into the city Friday 28th April 1916. 1890. He joined the Irish Volunteers and at Lewes after the Rising and released in July and was released in December 1916. He was following a request from James Connolly. Most 25. Saucerstown, Swords was captain of the Swords Company of the 1917. He was rearrested in 1918 and sent to in charge of the ceremonial aspects of Thomas of these men were eventually posted to the 23. Newbarn The Lawless family was one of the most 5th Battalion. Coleman led the men sent by Reading Gaol, from where he was elected Sinn Ashe’s funeral, following Ashe’s death on Mendicity Institute. The remaining Volunteers were camped at important nationalist families in Fingal during Thomas Ashe into Dublin city on foot of a Fein MP for Limerick East. He supported the . In March 1918 Mulcahy was Newbarn, near Kilsallaghan, when orders the revolutionary period. The family farm request from James Connolly for more men. Treaty and retired from politics in 1924. He made the first Chief of Staff of the Irish Army 20. Kileek arrived from Pearse to surrender on 30th April at Saucerstown was used as a weapons and A few of the group remained in the GPO but died in 1958. and held the post until January 1922 when The 5th Battalion moved from Finglas to Kileek 1916. Richard Mulcahy was allowed to travel explosives store by the Volunteers. Their most, including Coleman, were posted to the he became the first Minister of Defence of late on Tuesday 25th April from where several into the city to confirm this before they were all 1911 census return, completed entirely in Mendicity Institute to help reinforce it. After 29. Hazelbrook, Portmarknock the Provisional Government. At the outbreak attacks were launched. arrested and taken into custody. Irish, shows Frank and Cáit Lawless living the Rising he was sentenced to death but this Eoin MacNeill, Commander-in-Chief of the of the Civil War in June 1922 he again took with their ten surviving children. Frank was was commuted. He was imprisoned in Lewes Irish Volunteers, lived in Hazelbrook House over as Chief of Staff until the end of the Civil Quartermaster of the 5th Fingal Battalion and War. He had a long career in politics after the 21. Baldwinstown and released under the amnesty in June 1917. in until 1908. He was born in played a key role in arming the Volunteers. He campaigned for Éamon De Valera in the Antrim in 1867. He helped found the Gaelic revolutionary period, holding a number of The camp moved from Killeek to Baldwinstown His sons Joseph and Colm were also deeply ministerial posts and serving as leader of Fine near Garristown and it was from here that the Clare by-election in 1918. He was arrested, League with in 1893 and was involved in the Volunteers and later the IRA and imprisoned in and went on hunger appointed Professor of Early Irish History at Gael from 1944 to 1959. He died in 1971. attacks on Garristown RIC Barracks and Post Free State army. All three took part in the 1916 Office and on Ashbourne were launched. strike. He was released but re-arrested soon University College Dublin in 1908. An article he Rising. His daughters Kathleen and Eveleen afterwards. He was sent to Usk prison, Wales wrote advocating the formation of a national 31. Mulhuddart were prominent members of Cumann na mBan where he in died in December 1918 from volunteer force led to the creation of the Irish Private Michael Carr of the 3rd Battalion and were also active during Easter Week 1916 pneumonia. Volunteers in 1913 and he was made Chief Royal Irish Regiment was the only known carrying dispatches and supplies, tending the of Staff. After the Irish Volunteers split in Irish member of the British army with Fingal wounded after the Battle of Ashbourne and 27. , Lusk late 1914 MacNeill became their leader. He connections killed during the Rising. His recovering the rifles hidden at Newbarn after only learned of the planned armed rebellion birthplace is unknown, but he resided at the surrender. Frank Lawless took his seat in Thomas Ashe was born in Kerry in 1885. He © , 2016 took the teaching post of principal at Corduff for Easter Week a few days beforehand. On Mulhuddart and was killed in Dublin on 24th Compiled by: Helena Bergin, Conservation Officer; Bernard Kelly, Historian; Gerry Clabby, Heritage Officer the First Dáil for Dublin North in 1919, and was hearing of the capture of April 1916. elected again in 1921. He supported the Treaty National School near Lusk in 1908. He was the Design and Illustration: Laughing Lion Design