The Men & Women of 1916: The Executed

Thomas Clarke
One of the seven signatories of the Proclamation, he was executed by firing squad in Kilmainham Gaol on 3 May 1916. View his profile page here.

Thomas MacDonagh
One of the seven signatories of the Proclamation, he was executed by firing squad in Kilmainham Gaol on 3 May 1916. View his profile page here.

Patrick Pearse
One of the seven signatories of the Proclamation, he was executed by firing squad in Kilmainham Gaol on 3 May 1916. View his profile page here.

Joseph Plunkett
One of the seven signatories of the Proclamation, he was executed by firing squad in Kilmainham Gaol on 4 May 1916. View his profile page here.

Edward Daly
Daly was born in Limerick in 1891 into a strongly nationalist family. He was Tom Clarke’s brother in law and lived with him in Fairview, Dublin. Daly was a member of the IRB and the Irish Volunteers in which he held the rank of Commandant of the 1st Battalion. During Easter week Daly led his battalion in the Four Courts area which witnessed some of the most intense fighting of the week. After his arrest he was sentenced to death by the court-martial and executed by firing squad at Kilmainham Gaol on 4 May 1916.

Michael O’Hanrahan
O’Hanrahan was born in New Ross in 1877 and educated in Carlow. He was active in the Gaelic League from 1898, and that organisation would lead him to Dublin where he worked as a proof reader and journalist. He joined Sinn Féin shortly after its establishment by Arthur Griffith, and in 1913 joined the Irish Volunteers. He was Vice-Commandant of the 2nd Battalion of the Irish Volunteers under Thomas MacDonagh. During Easter week he was stationed at Jacob’s Factory. Arrested after the Rising he was sentenced to death by court-martial. He was executed by firing squad at Kilmainham Gaol on 4 May 1916.

William Pearse
Pearse was born in Dublin in 1881 and trained as a sculptor under his father. He studied art in London and Paris, and his career was progressing well until he decided to go and work with his brother Patrick at St Enda’s. He joined the Irish Volunteers in 1913, and during Easter Week he was alongside his brother in the General Post Office. He was sentenced to death by court-martial in the wake of the rising, and executed by firing squad at Kilmainham Gaol on 4 May 1916.

John MacBride
MacBride was a native of Mayo and active in the cultural revival. He was a prominent nationalist and member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood for whom he went to the United States in 1896. He then went to South Africa where he fought against the British in the Boer War. He lived in Paris from 1903 to 1905, where he married Maud Gonne. In 1905 he returned to Ireland and settled in Dublin. He was unaware of plans for the Rising, and only became involved when he saw the Irish Volunteers taking control of the city on Easter Monday. He joined the 2nd Battalion of the Irish Volunteers at Jacob’s Factory. He was arrested at the end of the rising and sentenced to death by court-martial on 4 May. He was executed by firing squad at Kilmainham Gaol on 5 May 1916.

Éamonn Ceannt
One of the seven signatories of the Proclamation, he was executed by firing squad in Kilmainham Gaol on 8 May 1916. View his profile page here.

Con Colbert
Colbert was born in County Limerick in 1888, and moved to Dublin with his family when he was 13. After leaving school he worked as a clerk in a bakers. He embraced the cultural revival and was an advocate of the Irish language. In 1909 he attended the inaugural meeting of Fianna Éireann and became a captain in the Dublin city branch. A member of the IRB, he joined the Irish Volunteers at their inception in 1913. During Easter week he was stationed first at Watkin’s Brewery, and later at Marrowbone Lane as part of F Company, 4th Battalion of the Irish Volunteers. After the surrender he was arrested and held at Richmond Barracks where his court-martial took place. Sentenced to death he was transferred to Kilmainham Gaol, and executed by firing squad on 8 May 1916.

Sean Heuston
Heuston was born in Dublin in 1891 but later moved to Limerick where he worked as a railway clerk. He was active in Fianna Éireann and was a main driving force for the organisation in the city. In 1913 he returned to Dublin and joined the Irish Volunteers. In Easter week he was sent with a small detail of men to the Mendicity Institution. He was ordered by James Connolly to hold the building for a few hours and delay any British troops moving into the city. In the event, and under constant attack the Institution was held by Heuston and his men for two days. Completely outnumbered, and in order to save the lives of his men, Heuston surrendered on the Wednesday. He was held prisoner at the Royal Barracks and Richmond Barracks. He was sentenced to death and executed by firing squad at Kilmainham Gaol on 8 May 1916.

Michael Mallin
Mallin was born in Dublin in 1874. His early career was as a soldier in the British Army in India and Afghanistan. On returning to Dublin he became a trade union official. In 1913 he was active in the lockout, and was appointed second in command when the Irish Citizen Army was founded. During Easter week he was the commanding officer of the ICA at St Stephen’s Green, and spent the majority of the week at the Royal College of Surgeons. Following his arrest he was sentenced to death by court-martial. He was executed by firing squad at Kilmainham Gaol on 8 May 1916.

Thomas Kent
Kent was a Cork based nationalist and member of the Irish Volunteers. During Easter week, and due to the countermanding order, no rebellion took place in Cork. Following the Rising British authorities began arresting known nationalists across the country. When members of the Royal Irish Constabulary arrived at the Kent home at Castlelyons, County Cork, a gun battle began between the Kents and the RIC ensued. During the shooting Head Constable William Rowe was killed. After his arrest, Kent was tried by court-martial and sentenced to death. He was executed by firing squad at Collins Barracks, Cork, on 9 May 1916. Read more about Thomas Kent here.

James Connolly
One of the seven signatories of the Proclamation, he was executed by firing squad in Kilmainham Gaol on 12 May 1916. View his profile here.

Seán Mac Diarmada
One of the seven signatories of the Proclamation, he was executed by firing squad in Kilmainham Gaol on 12 May 1916. View his profile here.

Roger Casement
A native of Sandycove, Dublin, Roger Casement originally won acclaim as a member of the British Consular service, for whom he compiled reports on atrocities committed against colonial subjects in the Congo and South America. Despite his high standing within the British establishment, and being conferred with a knighthood in 1905, Casement had always held a strong sympathy with Irish nationalism and joined the Irish Volunteers’ provisional committee upon its formation. He was a central figure in organising the Howth gun-running of July 1914, and later travelled to America in order to raise funds and support for the nationalist cause. After establishing contact with the German embassy in Washington, he travelled to Germany in October 1914. He attempted to secure German military support for an Irish rebellion and to recruit Irish soldiers from the Prisoner of War camps. He was largely unsuccessful in his efforts, yet upon learning of the imminent Rising, Casement secured a small shipment of arms and ammunition to be sent to Ireland from the German government. Along with Robert Monteith and Daniel Bailey, he travelled to Ireland aboard the U-19 submarine, intending to rendezvous with the arms shipment but also to warn against the Rising, which he felt was doomed to failure. Both aspects of his plan failed, and he was captured within hours of arriving on Banna Strand on Good Friday morning. He was transported to London and, after a four day trial, was found guilty of treason and sentenced to death. He was hanged at Pentonville Prison on 3 August 1916.