JOHN Macbride and MICHAEL O'hanrahan

PROFILES JOHN MacBRIDE AND MICHAEL O’HANRAHAN SNAPSHOT MICHAEL O’HANRAHAN Born: 17 March 1877, New Ross, Co Wexford Educated: CBS Carlow, Carlow College Academy Affiliation: Irish Volunteers, IRB Career: Proof reader, journalist, novelist O’Hanrahan: ‘We may go under and have to suffer the penalty, but in my Died: 4 May 1916, Kilmainham Jail opinion Ireland is saved’ ICHAEL O’HANRAHAN’S role in the Rising can be The easily overlooked given the Jacob’s Mfact that he was not engaged Factory in any actual fighting. However, he did in 1916. play a crucial role in preparing for the GETTY insurrection. A member of the IRB and IMAGES founding member of the Irish Volunteers, he was secretary of the Second Battalion of the Dublin Brigade commanded by his close friend Thomas MacDonagh. Like The MacDonagh, O’Hanrahan was a writer and an Irish language enthusiast. He also contributed to a number of nationalist publications under the pseudonyms ‘Art’ and ‘Irish Reader’. His keen eye for detail and trustworthy Jacob’s boys character made O’Hanrahan an invaluable member of the clerical staff at the Volunteer headquarters at No 2, Dawson Street. He was responsible for managing the receipt of large amounts Frank Bouchier-Hayes profiles John MacBride, while Catherine Wilsdon of money and gold from the US and for setting up an insurance fund to assist those who lost their jobs due to considers the life of Michael O’Hanrahan, both of whom were executed their involvement with the Volunteers. Assisted by Michael Staines, he was in after supporting Thomas MacDonagh in the Jacob’s biscuit factory in 1916 charge of the supply and distribution of weapons and provisions in the months FTER briefly studying SNAPSHOT Unsurprisingly, given his previous before the Rising. Volunteers from medicine, John MacBride military experience, MacBride is said across the country visited his home at 67 worked as a draper’s assistant JOHN MacBRIDE to have shown more initiative and Connaught Street to procure weapons in Castlerea, Co Roscommon Born: 7 May decisiveness than MacDonagh that and during the insurrection his sister A before moving to Dublin week. When a shotgun blast went Eily aided the distribution of equipment. 1868, Westport, where he worked as a clerk. Co Mayo through a ceiling where he was O’Hanrahan was second-in-command He became involved in the GAA and helping others to seize the Jacob’s of the 2nd Battalion under MacDonagh as a teenager was sworn into the IRB, an Educated: CBS factory, MacBride calmly attended to until Major John MacBride joined at oath-bound secret society dedicated to Westport; his unexpectedly powdered moustache Stephen’s Green on the first morning overthrowing British rule in Ireland, by St Malachy’s, and “casually warned the boys to be more of the revolt. The more experienced his brother Anthony. In his mid-twenties Belfast careful”. He also confessed his sins to a MacBride assumed a leading role as they he was re-sworn into the organisation in Affiliation: IRB, Irish Volunteers Capuchin priest during the occupation occupied Jacob’s Factory and strategic London by Dr Mark Ryan. of the factory building. Later while outposts over the week. While searching MacBride left Ireland in 1896 to travel Career: Clerk, shop assistant, a prisoner at Richmond Barracks, he the building for provisions, O’Hanrahan to South Africa and persuaded Arthur soldier emptied his pockets and asked another fell down a stairway and, suffering from Griffith to join him there. As well as Died: 5 May 1916, Kilmainham Jail Capuchin to donate the money to the poor concussion, was unable to fight. To avoid working in goldmines, the two men and that his rosary be given to his mother. being sent to hospital, he neglected to and others organised a 1798 centenary When the surrender order came inform MacDonagh or MacBride about commemoration in Johannesburg that MacBride returned to Ireland where he through on Sunday April 30, MacBride the incident. rivalled the event held in Dublin. When was greeted with a mixture of admiration encouraged the men to escape that they Upon MacDonagh’s order to surrender, the Second Boer War broke out in 1899, for his war effort and disdain due to might live to fight another day but to never Michael calmly reasoned with those who MacBride established an ‘Irish Brigade’ to the break-up of his marriage. Advanced again allow themselves to be trapped in protested that continued fighting would fight with the Boers against the British. nationalists treated him warily due to his a building. He himself made no effort to only serve to hasten the destruction While nominating John Blake, a former US alcoholism. Indeed, WB Yeats would later escape. of the factory including surrounding cavalry officer, as commander, MacBride describe him as “a drunken, vainglorious Following the court-martial at which he civilian residences. For his part in the became second-in-command with the rank lout” in his poem ‘Easter 1916’. was sentenced to death, General Blackader rebellion, O’Hanrahan was tried and of Major. MacBride spoke at a number of confided to WE Wylie, chief prosecution sentenced to death. Before his execution, He became a citizen of the ill-fated nationalist gatherings. In a speech at counsel, that while he had despised O’Hanrahan expressed his conviction Transvaal Republic and, after the brigade Bodenstown in 1905, MacBride argued that MacBride for his activities during the Boer that the Rising would lead to freedom commander deserted, MacBride took over had the money wasted on parliamentary War, “damn it! I’ll never think of him now telling his brother: “We may go under from June 1900 until its disbandment reform been spent on guns, then they without taking my hat off to a brave man”. and have to suffer the penalty, but in my that September. He then travelled to would now be “in a position to add another The condemned prisoner unsuccessfully opinion Ireland is saved.” Paris where he associated with a group of Republic to the Republics of the world”. requested not to be blindfolded or have his Catherine Wilsdon is Irish nationalist expatriates led by Maud On Easter Monday while waiting to hands bound prior to being shot by firing a Research Associate Gonne. Following a suggestion made lunch with his brother, Anthony, two days squad at 3.47am on May 5, 1916. at UCD Humanities by Arthur Griffith, he embarked on an prior to his elder sibling’s wedding where Frank Bouchier-Hayes is Institute and co- American lecture tour that also involved he was to act as best man, MacBride saw a librarian at UCD and director of the Irish Maud Gonne. Despite advice from family a group of Irish Volunteers at St Stephen’s has written for Revival Network. and friends, MacBride married Gonne in Green. Dressed in a blue suit and spats, and History Ireland She recently Paris in 1903. Although a son, Seán, was carrying a Malacca cane, he immediately and many completed a PhD on JM Synge born in 1904, their marriage was not a offered his services to Thomas MacDonagh other national at UCD School of English, success and a French court finally granted who appointed him his second-in- publications. Drama & Film. a separation in 1906. command. 14 | Irish Independent 1916 Collection Irish Independent I 21 January 2016.

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