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WHYTESS I N C E 1 7 8 3
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1916 (28 April - 2 May). The Rising in Enniscorthy - Unique and
important documents including ceasefire order.
This remarkable collection of three documents comprise: (1) typescript
“COMMANDEERING ORDER For Gen Staff” for shaving brush and stick,
thought to have been issued by the Enniscorthy Volunteers, stamped
with date of 28 April 1916; (2) typescript single page “I.R. Headquarters.
To the Officers in Command. An armstice [sic] having been declared
between our forces and those of the enemy you are to hold your
position place piquets and cease active hostilities till further orders.
SIGNED SEUMAS DOYLE for General Staff.” Initialled “R.B.” (Brigade
Commandant Robert Brennan) and dated in manuscript “30 April”; (3) a
manuscript letter on paper embossed “G.R.” (Georgius Rex) “To Lady
Wicklow - Lord Wicklow is in Enniscorthy and wishes to know how you
are? Send me a note and I will convey it by telephone to him - (no
private telegrams can be accepted until further notice) S.E. Mulligan
(Postmaster) 2/5/1916”
These fascinating documents were found in Countess Wicklow’s papers
and show that the Seventh Earl, a reserve officer, possibly stationed in
Wicklow, was apparently sent to Enniscorthy to assist Colonel G.A.
French and his force of 1,000 men sent to quell the rising in
Enniscorthy. The Volunteers, under the command of Robert Brennan,
assisted by Seamus Doyle and Sean Etchingham, had, under James
Connolly’s orders, taken over the town, surrounded the RIC Barracks,
blocked the railway from Rosslare, and all main roads. When the British
forces arrived on 29 April the Volunteers refused to believe their
assertion that there was a general surrender in Dublin, and insisted on
receiving orders from Pádraig Pearse. The British under the command of
local officers French and Howard (Earl of Wicklow) - who would have
probably personally known many of the Volunteers - relented and
arranged for Seamus Doyle and Sean Etchingham to be brought to
Dublin to see Pearse on Sunday 30 April. On their return the same day
the order in this archive was presumably given, and the next day, 1 May,
the IV garrison surrendered. 270 were arrested, and the leaders,
including Robert Brennan, Seamus Doyle, Sean Etchingham, James
Rafter, RF King, Paul Galligan (whose forces occupied Ferns), and
Michael de Lacy, were all sentenced to death but had their sentences
commuted. This is only the second ceasefire order from the 1916 Rising
recorded in private hands and as such is of immense importance and
value. The ceasefire order from Pearse to the Enniscorthy garrison is in
the Wexford Museum.
Provenance:
Lieutenant Colonel Francis Howard, 7th Earl of Wicklow, reserve officer,
South Irish Horse; thence by descent
€5,000-€7,000 (£4,167-£5,833 approx)
Mount Jerome Cemetery. An extremely interesting pair of medals with
potential for much further research.
Provenance:
Vincent Poole City Hall and GPO Garrison Irish Citizen Army; thence by
descent
€1,200-€1,500 (£1,000-£1,250 approx)
237
1916-1921: 1916 Medal, War of Independence Medal and 1971
Medal to Patrick Connolly of Galway
1916 medal, 1919-21 War of Independence Service Medal with Comrac
bar and 1971 50th Anniversary of the Truce Medal . (3 items)
Awarded to Patrick Connolly, a farmer from Tysaxon, Athenry, Galway
who was born in 1888. His exact role and details of service during the
Rebellion are not clear however it is known that he was imprisoned in
Richmond Barracks at the end of the Rising and on 19 May was sent to
Woking Detention Barracks. He died in January 1978. An interesting
group to a Galway volunteer.
Provenance:
Patrick Connolly, Irish Volunteers; thence by descent
€2,500-€3,500 (£2,083-£2,917 approx)
238
1935: 1916 Veterans’ cloth armband
1916 armband made by Bergins. Issued in 1935 to 1916 veterans and
worn at official events and parades prior to the institution of the 1916
Medal.
€200- €300 (£167-£250 approx)
239
1916 Rising: St. John’s Ambulance Association Dublin War Service
Badge
Inscribed to Mr E.A. Stone, Royal College of Surgeons Division, badge
no. 10702, in original inscribed box of issue. Also a Royal Dublin Society
Member’s Badge to the same person.
The St. John’s Ambulance Association were very active in the 1916
Rising Their main role was in the treatment of the many casualties on
both sides, but they also assisted in the feeding and caring of the
evacuees.
€100-€150 (£83-£125 approx)
240
20th Century: St. John Ambulance Brigade of Ireland Service Medal
Obverse with the St. John’s Cross encircled by the words “St. John
Ambulance Brigade of Ireland”, reverse with the words “For Service”
within a laurel wreath
€80- €100 (£67-£83 approx)
241
circa 1913: Irish Volunteers enamel badge
A good example of an Irish Volunteers buttonhole enamel badge. With
maker’s name ‘Quinn & Co. Belfast’ on reverse.
€100-€150 (£83-£125 approx)
242
20th Century: Collection of Irish military and civilian harp badges
A collection of 5 good quality silver and white metal crownless Maid of
Erin and harp badges. Four with pin reverses, one with lugs. Two
hallmarked Dublin.
€300- €400 (£250-£333 approx)
236
1916 and War of Independence medals awarded to Vincent Poole,
G.P.O. Garrison
1916 medal (with replacement suspender) engraved on reverse “V.
Poole” and 1919-21 War of Independence Service Medal with Comrac
bar crudely marked on reverse “V. Poole”. (2 items)
Vincent Poole was born in Dublin in 1881 and came from a strong
Republican background. His brother Joseph Poole, who was executed in
1883 was a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood and friend of
Tom Clarke. Working as a labourer and living in the centre of Dublin
Vincent Poole joined the Irish Citizen Army and served with Sean
Connolly as part of the company that occupied City Hall on Easter
Monday 1916. Later that evening, however, he was sent from City Hall
to the G.P.O. where he served until the end of the Rebellion. For his
involvement in the rising Vincent Poole was sentenced to death, which
was later commuted to five years imprisonment. He served this time in
England and was one of the instigators of the Lewes Jail hunger strike.
Later in the War of Independence Poole served with the 2nd Battalion,
Dublin Brigade, I.R.A. and took the anti-treaty side during the Civil War
fighting at the Four Courts. In 1949 a photograph of Poole along with
Jimmy Mallon and Liam Daly in front of the G.P.O. appeared on the
cover of the Irish Times Pictorial magazine, described as one of the men
who made “it possible for a Republic to be declared this weekend.” He
died in 1955 in Dublin and was buried, with full military honours, in