THIS Easter Ireland marks the centenary of the 1916 Rising, a rebellion inspired by the ideals of freedom, community, sharing, justice, equality and the power of artistic expression.
With so much emphasis on looking back at the sacrifices made by the 1916 generation it could be easy to overlook the ideals that inspired them and the volunteering lessons that we can all learn, even in our modern world.
As well as universal suffrage (votes for women), a phenomenon limited at the time to only a handful of countries, the 1916 proclamation read outside the GPO on the morning of Easter Monday 1916 also guaranteed:” religious and civil liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities to all its citizens”.
It declared “its resolve to pursue the happiness and prosperity of the whole nation and of all its parts, cherishing all the children of the nation equally”.
In his Christmas message this year President Michael D Higgins urged people to be inspired by the 1916 rebellion. He expressed a hope that their ideals would “inspire each and every one of us on our shared journey where each step made by each citizen, in every generation, matters; a journey that we all make together, never alone.”
Active citizenship and volunteering was a way of life for many of those involved in 1916. The idealistic vision of a better Ireland inspired thousands of volunteers around Ireland at that time, no where more passionately than here in Kerry, where hundreds of volunteers were willing to risk everything for what they believed.
Among the names synonymous with 1916 in Kerry is Austin Stack, the leader of the volunteers in Kerry who was arrested on the afternoon of Good Friday following the arrest locally of Roger Casement and the scuttling of the ‘Aud’, a Norwegian merchant ship carrying 20,000 rifles and ammunition sent by the German Government to arm volunteers in the planned rising.
Other Kerry volunteers of this time included Billy Mullins, who delivered a message from the imprisoned Casement to the headquarters of the IRB in Dublin, warning of the limited assistance that Germany could offer. Billy returned to Tralee from Dublin on Easter Sunday and joined with over 300 other volunteers from across Kerry willing to fight. Billy was among a number of volunteers arrested and transferred first to Richmond Prison and then to Brixton.
It wasn’t only men involved in the fight however. One of the most notable contributions to the cause in Kerry during 1916 came from Rosalie Rice, who filed a vital telegram from the post office in Kenmare announcing the Rising to the world.
The coded message reading: “Mother operated on successfully today- Kathleen” was sent on Easter Monday to the Clan na nGael Leader in New York by brothers Tim and Eugene Ring at the Valentia Island Cable Station. All three were jailed for their involvement.
Among those present at the fighting in Dublin was Caherciveen native Fionán Lynch, who played a major role in the preparations for the Rising and fought in North King Street. After surrendering in the Four Courts days later, Fionán Lynch was first sentenced to death in Kilmainham Jail and later had it commuted to ten years hard labour.
But other Kerry people made the ultimate sacrifice to the cause. In fact some of the first casualties of the 1916 Rising were in Kerry where three men, including Con Keating from Reenard, drowned a Ballykissane Pier. The group were travelling from Dublin to Cahersiveen to help establish contact with the ‘Aud’ when they apparently lost their way in poor visibility and went into the water.
The 1916 Rising had few military successes, and arguably the most impressive was that of Commandant Tomás Ashe from Lispole who won a major victory at Ashbourne in Meath and was among the last to surrender. Tomás Ashe survived the Rising but died on hunger strike in Kilmainham jail in the autumn of 1917.
A number of Kerry man also lost their lives in the military action in Dublin, including Patrick O’Connor, Rathmore; Michael Mulvihill, Ballyduff and Pat Shortis, Ballybunion.
All three worked in the British Civil Service and worked in London before returning to Ireland to take part in the Rising. They shared a passion for their county and fought together alongside Michael Joseph O’Rahilly ‘The O’Rahilly’ from Ballylongford in the Rising headquarters in the GPO.
All four died while retreating towards Moore Street. It is well documented that the O’Rahilly crawled to a doorway to write a final note to his wife Hannah in his dying moments.
The volunteers of 1916 were willing to offer the ultimate sacrifice in a call to arms but in 2016 you don’t need to give up your life to volunteering. It is about sacrificing time and energy for your community.
Volunteering is still as strong in the county today as it was in 1916. It’s important 100 years on to remember that the Kerry volunteers were just fighting for national self-determination but for ideals like freedom and justice.
The motivations of community, equality and caring are as needed as much in today’s society as they were a century ago. Equally their belief in the importance and power of Irish culture, language, art and music still hold true.
100 years why not take mantle passed by the brave volunteers in 1916, and make 2016 the year you stand up for what you believe in- the year you make a difference to the world YOU live in.
Thanks to Maurice and Jane O’Keefe of Kerry Life and Lore for the use of these beautiful photographs from their 1916 collections. The full collection is available on at www.irishlifeandlore.com.
Written by Mary Murphy.
