AFTER THE RISING

‘CarrCountess Markievicz arrives at LibertyyHall inyoDublin markingursethe return of Irish Republicanlfprisonersasfrom England insoldiers’June 1917. UCD ARCHIVES PETER PAUL GALLIGAN PAPERS

OU are soldiers, and bear Prison in England under the Defence of the yourself as such. Hold Emma Lyons on the fate Realm Act (DORA) “on the ground that she your heads up and march is of hostile association and is reasonably as smartly as if you were suspected of having favoured, promoted on parade — taking no that met the female rebels or assisted an armed insurrection against ‘Y notice of anyone, and his majesty”. Countess Plunkett and Dr looking neither to right or left”. Lynn were also deported to England under These words of advice were offered after the surrender in 1916 DORA, and were to reside at specific by Michael Mallin, commandant of the addresses at Oxford and Bath respectively, garrison occupying St Stephen’s Green, to opposite was very much the case. Helena during their internment, the execution of to be agreed with authorities. the Irish Citizen Army women attached to Molony’s friends joked that her relatively the leaders of the Rising greatly affected Following an announcement by the the garrison, having received the order to brief imprisonment had been “specially them, as they could hear the shots from Home Secretary, Herbert Samuel, in which surrender. As they left the Royal College hard on her” as she had “looked forward to their cells. recalled that he stated that it was likely that many of of Surgeons, they received “great ovation” it all her life”. early on the morning of May 3 she was: those who had taken part in the Rising from the crowd who had gathered. Those arrested as a result of their “awakened by the sound of firing and, in “were kept in ignorance by their leaders Their comrades, members of the activities in the Rising maintained that the after stillness, a low clear voice gives and thought they were being called up for Inghinidhe na hÉireann branch of they were prisoners of war, not convicts, the order to quick march. They must be a route march on Easter Monday”, Foley Cumann na mBan stationed at the and therefore not like ordinary criminals. below our cell window … My heart sinks, and Perolz, along with 860 men, were distillery at Marrowbone Lane with Senia Paseta has argued that the women’s for I know the first of the executions has released in July 1916. Carney, Molony and Éamonn Ceannt’s battalion, also marched social background may have contributed begun … but for many mornings to come O’Ryan were not released, instead being alongside the Volunteer soldiers. However, to, what she has termed, “their sense of we shall awake to that close noise of rifle transferred to Aylesbury Prison. Countess the 22 women under their officer in their own elevated status”. firing and the crisp voice of the officer in Markievicz was subsequently transferred charge, Rose McNamara, chose to One such example was Brigid Lyons, command”. to the same location from Mountjoy on surrender alongside the men, the only who “refused to share a cell with an In an effort to keep up their spirit, the August 7. O’Ryan was released on October group of women who did so. ‘undesirable person’”(a prostitute) and was women sang songs, including ‘Die Wacht 17 and Carney and Moloney on December McNamara “presented herself to the subsequently moved to a room of her own, am Rhein’ and ‘Deutschland über Alles’, 23, in a general release of female prisoners. British officer in charge, announcing thus suggesting that the gaolers likewise and danced Irish dances during exercise Countess Markievicz was not released they were part of the garrison and were “endorsed the existence of in the yard, which was at that point due to her life sentence, her therefore surrendering with the others”, social segregation within soon banned by the prison death sentence having been commuted on thus ensuring that they would be arrested. the prison”. authorities. account of her being a woman. The last The women were held at Similarly, Dr Kathleen “ The majority of the 77 female prisoner, she was released in June The women did not view for a week and comprised the majority Lynn maintained that women arrested during 1917. of the 77 women arrested and detained when she and three their arrest as shameful... the Rising were released following the Rising. others were transported within a week; 56 were ’s friends Dr Emma Lyons (UCD School of Nell Gifford explained the thinking of to Mountjoy, they were released on May 8, with a History) was a researcher for the many of the women who were arrested: “hailed rather with joy by joked that her relatively further seven released by World War I Ireland: Exploring “The Republic promised us equality the wardesses because we May 10. On June 26, five brief imprisonment had the Irish Experience exhibition without sex distinction, so we were all were interesting prisoners. women — Winifred Carney, currently running at the adjudged soldiers, women and men, We were not like ordinary been ‘specially hard on , Helena National Library of Ireland, whether we worked as dispatch carriers criminals”. Molony, Ellen O’Ryan her’ as she had ‘looked where she also held the Research or Red Cross units”. The women did not While the majority of the and Maria Perolz — were Studentship in Irish History view their arrest as shameful. Indeed, the women were treated well forward to it all her life’ transported to Lewes

16 | Irish Independent 1916 Collection Irish Independent I Thursday 3 March 2016