From
forgotten individuals to organisations the numbers of those who contributed
greatly to the island's long and interesting past are forgotten. Of those
remembered are people like Admiral William Brown of Foxford, County Mayo, often credited as the ‘father of the
Argentine navy’ who fought in the Cisplatine War, better known as the Argentine
War of Independence and County Wexford's John Barry who was the first
commissioned officer in the Continental Navy in 1775 during the US
Revolutionary War 1775-1783.
Both these men are rightly remembered by the
twenty-six-county government as are many other individuals and organisations
who have contributed to Ireland's and other countries' bygone days. It is those
who are not remembered or given minimum credibility usually due to ideological,
perhaps anti-bourgeois tendencies, or because of their gender and others who
just do not for whatever reason fit the bill so to speak. There are many of
these unsung heroes of Ireland's long history dating back centuries. For our
purpose, 1916 is the period under discussion beginning with the formation of the
Irish Citizen Army.
On 12th November 1913
a meeting of the Industrial Peace Committee took place in the rooms of the
Reverend R.M Gwynn at 40 Trinity College. Here the idea of a worker’s defence
force was discussed, having being ruled out of order at a previous meeting, and
arrangements were made for a drilling scheme for the locked-out workers and a
fund opened to buy boots and staves, with Professor David Houston of the Royal
College of science as treasurer - A Descriptive History of the Irish Citizen
Army: Kevin Morley P. 7).
This force would become the Irish Citizen Army and would take part along with the Irish Volunteers in the Easter Rising 1916. This trade union workers' defence force became what many have described as ‘the first Red Army in Europe’ predating Leon Trotsky albeit larger model by four years. Despite the part the ICA played in the events of Easter Week they do not get the recognition or anywhere near it as that afforded the middle-class led Irish Volunteers.
Arguably but for the ICA, then led by James Connolly who had already planned an uprising against British rule involving the organised labour of the working-class and the ICA, the heroic events of Easter Week may well not have taken place, certainly not at the time they did. Connolly commanded the combined Irish forces, Irish Citizen Army and Irish Volunteers, in Dublin that week and but for his presence and signature on the Proclamation the Irish Citizen Army may have been airbrushed out of Irish history by the bourgeoisie and their governments. Recognition to Marxist led organisations in the fight for freedom appears not the preference of the middle-class exploiters of labour.
On 2nd April 1914 at Wynns Hotel in Dublin the Cumann na mBan was formed. The aims were to advance Irish liberty, organise Irishwomen, and assist in arming and equipping Irishmen for national defence. The organisation initially operated as an independent group serving as an auxiliary to the Irish Volunteers and later their roles would expand. The Cumann na mBan gave sterling service during Easter Week and it was Elizabeth O’Farrell of Cumann na mBan who delivered Pearse’s surrender to Brigadier General Lowe ending hostilities. Cumann na mBan took the anti-Treaty side in the Irish Civil War and probably due to their gender and anti-Treaty leanings they, like the ICA, have not received the credit they deserve for the part they played in 1916. So here are two prominent organisations which took part in the Easter Rising which have received very little credit or recognition for their roles. That then leaves the Irish Volunteers, for the purpose of length I will include Na Fianna Eireann who were the youth wing of the Volunteers, and even here we see double standards by the Dublin Government when it comes to recognising the efforts of some volunteers and, once again, women.
A major point of double standards by the twenty-six-county administration concerns a group of volunteers in County Laois. The descendants of Eamon Fleming (Officer in Charge), Michael Gray, a dedicated volunteer who joined the IRB before the rising, Michael Walsh, and John (Sean) Peter McGuire are now campaigning for formal recognition from the state and awards of 1916 commemorative medals to their relatives. These men who helped sabotage the Portlaoise railway line during the Easter Rising are among those who have been denied recognition, the forgotten heroes. The ‘Colt Wood Sabotage Group’ on the direct orders of Padraig Pearse dismantled the railway lines, derailed a train, cut vital telegraph communication wires at Colt Wood. Such actions would have been worthy of the Special Operations Executive for the allies during World War Two behind enemy lines.
Along with those aforementioned were Patrick J. Ramsbottom (Vice O/C), Lorcan (Laurence) O’ Bradaigh (Brady), Thomas F. Brady, Patrick Muldowney, John Muldowney, Colum Holohan, and Michael J. Sheridan. Local women also played an invaluable part in the mobilisation, dispatching messages, and supporting the operations. Key women of note were Noreen Brady, Kathleen Brady, Mrs May Conroy (nee Brady), and Breda Conroy (also nee Brady). While some participants in this operation did receive acknowledgement, descendants like Pat Flemming whose grandfather led the campaign, and Owen Kirby, grandson of Michael Gray, state many active volunteers have been overlooked (which may include those not mentioned here) and their past applications for 1916 medals were rejected. The women involved have been virtually airbrushed out of history which is shameful. The outcome of their actions in Laois was the successful derailment of a British military train thus slowing down the British advance considerably. They also disrupted communication lines causing the enemy untold problems.
According to state criteria for a medal a person must have ‘rendered recognized military service during the specific week of 23rd April to 29th April 1916’. The reason given many County Laois and other provincial families have come across difficulties and rejections over the decades comes down to how active service was ‘legally interpreted by early State Assessors’. How is it then, if this red tape is accepted, some of the volunteers, rightly so, have been awarded the medal and pension while others have not? Surely, they were all on the same mission, they were all acting under the direct orders of Commander in Chief and President of the Provisional Government, Padraig Pearse, so therefore all should have received their entitlements, shouldn’t they? So far it appears not and the question is, and never mind the state bullshit, why not? The operations carried out by the men and women of County Laois in 1916 were equal to those taking place in Dublin so why the discrepancies? Could it be County Laois was out of the way, therefore not considered as important as the theatre of war in Dublin? This could be the case because of all the executed men after the rising the two men executed outside Dublin, Thomas Kent and Roger Casement, appear to receive the least acknowledgements.
Whatever the reasons for the omissions from honours to the men and women of County Laois for their actions during Easter Week they need redressing and medals issued to their descendants now. An apology from the state should be forthcoming, particularly to the descendants of the women of Cumann na mBan. Medals need issuing to the families of all the neglected volunteers right now with no more hesitation or skirting round the issue.
The twenty-six-county administration seem to have developed a habit of selectively not recognising individuals and organisations who fought an empire for a week at Easter 1916. Stop these double standards and stop them now, they are not becoming even of this state. The trade union movement honour the Irish Citizen Army and it was those who erected a statue to James Connolly opposite Liberty Hall in Dublin. Cumann na mBan hold their own commemorations along with other republican groups with very little state recognition.
1916 was and remains one of Irelands finest hours and should still act as a beacon for oppressed and occupied peoples across the globe. The Dublin government, irrespective of party holding that position, must acknowledge all those volunteers through the descendants of the men and women of Easter Week 1916.
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| Caoimhin O’Muraile is Independent Socialist Republican and Marxist. |
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