Katarinna's Essay

Katarinna Springman

Grade 11

Kilmainham Gaol’s Role In The Rebellion of Ireland 1916

Kilmainham gaol (jail) played a huge role in fanning the flames of the Irish Rebellion of 1916, also known as the Easter Uprising due to its beginning on Easter. Kilmainham gaol is where many of the politicians and Military Council members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood were held during the rebellion, and where 14 of them were executed by firing squad.

Kilmainham gaol was first built in 1796 and was originally called the “New Goal” to distinguish it from the old gaol it was intended to replace. Originally, public hangings were held in front of the gaol. After 1820, however, very few hangings took place at Kilmainham. There was no segregation in the gaol. There were usually up to five prisoners in a cell with only a candle for both light and heat. The cells were roughly 28 square meters in area.

Kilmainham gaol is most famously known today for the housing and execution of the 14 political members of the rebellion of Ireland. With the uprising going on, the British were determined to make a statement to the people about what happens to those who go against the rule of Britain. They originally arrested and planned to execute all 92 of the members of the Irish Republic rebellion, but soon found that was better said than done. Not to be thwarted, however, they were able to execute 14 men before realizing that the consequences were worse than they expected. On May 3, 1916, Patrick Pearse, Thomas James Clarke, and Thomas MacDonagh were executed by firing squad. This was a shock to the community as Pearse and MacDonagh were only teachers, and Clarke a soldier who had fought for England. The next day, Joseph Mary Plunkett, Edward Daly, Michael O’Hanrahan, and William Pearse were executed. These executions brought an even bigger outcry from the community, as it was well known that Joseph Plunkett was married eight hours before his execution, leaving his wife as a widow for life. The British, however, did not stop there. On May 5th, 8th, and 12th, John MacBride, Con Colbert, Eamonn Ceannt, Michael Mallin, Sean Heuston, Sean MacDiarmada, and James Connolly were all executed. What stopped the executions was the horrible execution of James Connolly. Connolly was shot in the ankle and shoulder during his capture, and was originally sent to the hospital. The judge, however, gave Connolly a death sentence and had an ambulance transport him to the gaol. Driving into the side gate, they brought Connolly to a chair and strapped him in a sitting position. This was necessary due to his weak condition. He was executed by a firing squad while strapped to a chair. The public was outraged at this execution.

All these deaths brought on a bout of anger from the public that even England couldn’t handle. With such injustice, the rebellion was powered on, and soon the English grew tired of the whole thing. A treaty was struck that proclaimed that most of Ireland would be free, but the rest (Northern Ireland) would still be ruled under England. It was accepted bringing what we now know today as Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland.

Kilmainham is memorialized today, as are the 14 men that gave their lives for the fight for freedom. They live on not only through their deaths, but also through the original graffiti that still marks the halls of Kilmainham. The most famous piece of graffiti was written by Patrick Pearse. It reads as follows: “Beware of the risen people that have harried and held ye that have bullied and bribed.” Beware indeed.

All information was gathered while on tour of the Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin, Ireland.