“Wicklow – Rising from the Garden”

James MacSweeney(1) states that “following a meeting in the Rotunda Gardens, Dublin, in November 1913, to organise the Irish Volunteers where addresses were delivered by leaders, notably P. H. Pearse, the first company of this organisation was formed in Bray”. The Howth and Kilcoole gun running of summer 2014 increased interest and numbers in the movement. A split in the Irish Volunteers in November 1914, depleted numbers loyal to the original Volunteers. 

The cancellation of the Rising, originally set for Easter Sunday, led to some confusion. As a result, the Bray Company took no official part in the rising, other than cutting telephone lines in the town. Two of its members did, however, take part in the fight – Stephen (Steenie) Mulvey and Tom Sutton. The former managed to get to the GPO and fought there from Tuesday to its surrender.

Desmond Fitzgerald gives a detailed, first hand account(2) of his involvement with the Irish Volunteers. In early 1915, Fitzgerald was sent from Kerry to north east county Wicklow, with responsibility of enrolling and training Irish Volunteer recruits from that area. He states “Wicklow county from Bray, to within twenty miles of Arklow post office was open to me”.  Fitzgerald, on moving to Bray, recounts his direct dealings with Arthur Griffith, The O’Rahilly, Cathal Brugha, and Eoin MacNeill. He recalls: “ As we approached the post office, we saw the Flag being hoisted over the roof, and Mr. Pearse standing on the street outside. It seemed almost impossible that this should really have happened. I said to my wife “this is worth being wiped out for”. .. As my wife and I hurried forward, Pearse saw me and came towards me with a welcome. He looked rather graver than usual. I felt that while he had something of elation there was also a heavy sense of responsibility. He told me that O’Rahilly was in the post office, that he was in charge of one side of the top part, and he appointed me O’Rahilly’s adjutant”.