Patrick Egan- Remembers
ASITS member Frank Egan submitted this personal memoir written by his Father Patrick Egan.
THE BEGINNING
When quite a young lad, I knew the Count and Countess Markievicz. My sisters stayed with them on a few occasions while they lived in Raheny. In the year 1912, when the labour strike was at its height in Dublin, I was then only fourteen years. Nevertheless I witnessed during the strikes and the great lock-out, and was present in O’Connell Street when Jim Larkin addressed the crowds from the balcony of the Imperial Hotel and succeeded in getting away when the R.I.C and the D.M.P. charged and wildly batoned people. The fight of the workers in those days was much akin to that of the national struggle against the common enemy. Madame’s name featured much in the news during those years. So it was in 1913, with two ex-school companions- Charles O’Grady and Larry Riordan- I joined the boys of Na Fianna Eireann. This was also the year I started my apprenticeship to the gilding trade in my Fathers business establishment 26, lower Ormond Quay. Both my parents died prior to 1910, leaving us nine orphans. Such was the circumstances as I entered the national movement.
We joined the Fianna early in 1913 at 34, Lower Camden Street and were drilled by Con Colbert, Cremins and Barney Mellows. We had outings to Ticknock, Madame’s Cottage, and Mrs. Mulligans at Barnaculle. This I think was the first year I participated in the Wolfetone Celebrations at Bodenstown. Larry Riordan, who was an apprentice at tailoring, made me a large tricolour flag, which I unfurled on the roof of home 26 Ormond Quay that Sunday, this marked the house out for special attention three years hence.
It was in this same year 1913 ( I think it was a night in October)that this flag featured in an exciting incident in O’Connell Street that I shall never forget. It was the night of the annual inspection and parade of the Boys Brigade held in Fowlers Hall, Parnell Square. They were our opposite number, and it was always an occasion to stage a counter demonstration by the Fianna lads. O’Grady, Riordan, I and some of the lads assembled at Parnell Square. The parade started from Fowler Hall, with Union Jacks waving, a band playing British marching airs and the usual force of Police. The small Fianna group headed the procession, singing and shouting Patriotic slogans. On the way down O’Connell street, I hoisted my Tricolour, fastened to a stick. This was followed by an outburst of shouting and shots being fired from the procession behind us. On turning round, I saw several men rushing towards me. I cannot say whether they were detectives of the brigade supporters. Finding myself alone still holding up the flag, I ran towards Nelsons Pillar, more shots were fired behind me. On turning round at the Pillar, I saw one of the men on my heels. So I pulled out a small .22 Harrington-Richardson revolver I carried; I pointed at my pursuer, he went down sprawling on his face. (In the excitement at the time I didn’t see al that had happened.) I made for under the canopy of the G.P.O., where I was joined by the lads who advised me to get on home as I might be picked out during the night. At home I found my gun still intact and learned some days later that it was Louis Ridgeway, Barber, Parnell Street, standing at the Pillar, tripped my pursuer who was taken to hospital in an ambulance. The Fianna boys followed to the Diocesan school, Adelaide Road, after several baton charges – the Flag came safely through…
IRISH VOLUNTEERS
I was present at the Rotunda Rink, Parnell square, in November, 1913, at the meeting to inaugurate the Irish Volunteers. I remember being jammed in the huge crowds gathered outside the entrance and seeing the large folding doors being forced open by the weight of the people and broken glass panels being showered down on us as we surged into the hall. I cannot remember all the speakers – there were Eoin McNeill, Sir Roger Casement, P.H Pearse- nor can I remember now anything particular that as said during the meeting.
ASITS member Frank Egan submitted this personal memoir written by his Father Patrick Egan.
THE BEGINNING
When quite a young lad, I knew the Count and Countess Markievicz. My sisters stayed with them on a few occasions while they lived in Raheny. In the year 1912, when the labour strike was at its height in Dublin, I was then only fourteen years. Nevertheless I witnessed during the strikes and the great lock-out, and was present in O’Connell Street when Jim Larkin addressed the crowds from the balcony of the Imperial Hotel and succeeded in getting away when the R.I.C and the D.M.P. charged and wildly batoned people. The fight of the workers in those days was much akin to that of the national struggle against the common enemy. Madame’s name featured much in the news during those years. So it was in 1913, with two ex-school companions- Charles O’Grady and Larry Riordan- I joined the boys of Na Fianna Eireann. This was also the year I started my apprenticeship to the gilding trade in my Fathers business establishment 26, lower Ormond Quay. Both my parents died prior to 1910, leaving us nine orphans. Such was the circumstances as I entered the national movement.
We joined the Fianna early in 1913 at 34, Lower Camden Street and were drilled by Con Colbert, Cremins and Barney Mellows. We had outings to Ticknock, Madame’s Cottage, and Mrs. Mulligans at Barnaculle. This I think was the first year I participated in the Wolfetone Celebrations at Bodenstown. Larry Riordan, who was an apprentice at tailoring, made me a large tricolour flag, which I unfurled on the roof of home 26 Ormond Quay that Sunday, this marked the house out for special attention three years hence.
It was in this same year 1913 ( I think it was a night in October)that this flag featured in an exciting incident in O’Connell Street that I shall never forget. It was the night of the annual inspection and parade of the Boys Brigade held in Fowlers Hall, Parnell Square. They were our opposite number, and it was always an occasion to stage a counter demonstration by the Fianna lads. O’Grady, Riordan, I and some of the lads assembled at Parnell Square. The parade started from Fowler Hall, with Union Jacks waving, a band playing British marching airs and the usual force of Police. The small Fianna group headed the procession, singing and shouting Patriotic slogans. On the way down O’Connell street, I hoisted my Tricolour, fastened to a stick. This was followed by an outburst of shouting and shots being fired from the procession behind us. On turning round, I saw several men rushing towards me. I cannot say whether they were detectives of the brigade supporters. Finding myself alone still holding up the flag, I ran towards Nelsons Pillar, more shots were fired behind me. On turning round at the Pillar, I saw one of the men on my heels. So I pulled out a small .22 Harrington-Richardson revolver I carried; I pointed at my pursuer, he went down sprawling on his face. (In the excitement at the time I didn’t see al that had happened.) I made for under the canopy of the G.P.O., where I was joined by the lads who advised me to get on home as I might be picked out during the night. At home I found my gun still intact and learned some days later that it was Louis Ridgeway, Barber, Parnell Street, standing at the Pillar, tripped my pursuer who was taken to hospital in an ambulance. The Fianna boys followed to the Diocesan school, Adelaide Road, after several baton charges – the Flag came safely through…
IRISH VOLUNTEERS
I was present at the Rotunda Rink, Parnell square, in November, 1913, at the meeting to inaugurate the Irish Volunteers. I remember being jammed in the huge crowds gathered outside the entrance and seeing the large folding doors being forced open by the weight of the people and broken glass panels being showered down on us as we surged into the hall. I cannot remember all the speakers – there were Eoin McNeill, Sir Roger Casement, P.H Pearse- nor can I remember now anything particular that as said during the meeting.
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