Magazine Fort


So far we have identified 13 people who fought at the Magazine Fort during Easter Week.

  • 10 served during the War of Independence
  • 1 whose service in unknown after the 1916 Rising
  • 2 took no part in the War of Independence

The Civil War

  • 6 were Anti-Treaty
  • 4 were Pro-Treaty
  • 2 were Neutral  

Begley Daniel Joseph. Volunteer, E Company, 2nd Battalion, Dublin Brigade, Irish Volunteers. Born in 1888 died on the 21st of September 1940, aged about 28 years old at the time of the Rising. Fought at the Magazine Fort in the Phoenix Park and in the area of the Four Courts. He was deported after the surrender and sent first to Knutsford Jail and then Frongoch, he was released at the end of August 1916.  He was suspended from all activities in connection with the Irish Volunteers from May 1919 onwards by Dick McKee, following a special report made to British Intelligence by Det. Sergeant McCabe of the Dublin Metropolitan Police. He joined the National Army on the 4th of March 1922 and served up to retirement at the rank of Captain on the 4th of November 1938.

Boland Patrick James. Volunteer, A Company, 1st Battalion Dublin Brigade Irish Volunteers. After the Magazine Fort he joined the fighting in Church Street. He was born on the 17th of February 1880 and died on the 3rd of March 1969, he was 36 years of age at the time of the Rising. He joined the Volunteers in 1913 he was also a member of the I.R.B. He was deported after the surrender and sent first to Stafford Jail and transferred to Frongoch sometime in June, he was released from Frongoch on the 24th of December 1916. He re-joined the Volunteers after his release and served up to 1919 when he ceased activities, he did not take part in the War of Independence or Civil War.

Gilligan Robert (Bob). “F” Company, 2nd Battalion, Dublin Brigade, Irish Volunteers. Died on the 24thof May 1941. 

Holohan Gerard. (Garry, Ó hUallacháin Gearóid). 1st Battalion, General Headquarters, Dublin Brigade, Fianna Éireann. Died on the 1st of January 1967. Fought at the Magazine Fort in the Phoenix Park, Broadstone Railway Station on Constitution Hill in Phibsborough, Linenhall Barracks on Lisburn Street, Red Cow Lane and Church Street. He joined the Fianna in 1910 and was involved in the Howth and Kilcoole Gun-Running in 1914. He was deported after the surrender and detained at Frongoch, he was released on the 24th of December 1916. He served throughout the War of Independence and took the Anti-Treaty side in the Civil War.

Holohan is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery Dublin.

Holahan Patrick Hugh. (Houlihan, Holohan). Lieutenant, Fianna Éireann. Born in 1897 died on the 3rd of July 1946, aged about 19 years old at the time of the Rising. Fought at the Magazine Fort in the Phoenix Park, North Brunswick Street, Church Street and Broadstone Railway Station on Constitution Hill in Phibsborough. He was deported after the surrender and was interned at Knutsford Jail, he was released about the end of August 1916. He joined the Fianna in 1910 and was involved in the Howth Gun-Running. He served throughout the War of Independence and took the Anti-Treaty side in the Civil War.

Marié Louis Volunteer, B Company, 3rd Battalion, Dublin Brigade, Irish Volunteers. Born in 1900 died on the 1st of September 1957, aged about 16 years old at the time of the Rising. Fought at the Magazine Fort in the Phoenix Park, Liberty Hall, the G.P.O., Annesley Bridge and Moore Street.  He was deported after the surrender being released in June 1916. In 1918 he went to England as acted as a currier between Liverpool England and the U.S.A. In March 1920 he was conscripted into the French Army he was released from the French Army in December 1921 and joined the National Army at Beggars Bush in March 1922, he served with the National Army until the 26th of January 1929. He re-joined the Irish Defence forces in 1940 and served up to 1952.

Martin Christopher. (Christy). Fianna Éireann. Born in 1898 died on the 25th of August 1974, aged about 18 years old at the time of the Rising. Fought at the Magazine Fort in the Phoenix Park and Jameson Distillery on Marrowbone Lane. He was not arrested or captured after the surrender. He served during the War of Independence and joined the National Army during the Civil War.

Martin Eamon. Officer Commanding the Dublin Battalion Fianna Éireann. Born 1892 died on the 11thof May 1971, aged about 24 years old during the Rising. Fought in the Magazine Fort, Phoenix Park, Church Street, Great Brunswick Street, North King Street and Broadstone Railway Station, Constitution Hill, Phibsborough areas. Martin joined Fianna Éireann in 1909, was elected to its Executive at its first Árd Fheis, in 1915 and was appointed Commandant, Dublin Brigade, Fianna Éireann as well as Director of Training and Organisation nationally. Martin was also a founder member of the Irish Volunteers becoming a member of that organisations Provisional Committee in 1914 and also acted as assistant to Liam Mellows in Irish Volunteers General Headquarters. He also participated in arms landings at Howth, County Dublin (26 July 1914) and at Kilcoole, County Wexford. During the Easter Rising in 1916 Martin was wounded in the lung on Tuesday 25 April. Martin evaded arrest following the surrender despite his condition and from December 1916 to August 1917 he went to America to recuperate. On his return to Ireland he brought with him plans for an arms landing at County Wexford from John Devoy and Joseph McGarrity which he gave to Michael Collins. From 1917 to 1920 Martin served as Chief of Staff and Director of Training of Fianna Éireann. In November 1920 he joined Liam Mellows in the Quartermaster General's Department of the IRA and went to London that December to set up a Passport Department there making contact with the Communist Party there in the process. He produced passports for Eamon de Valera to allow him to travel to the Irish Race Convention in Paris. From December 1920 to March 1921 he went to Russia seeking Russian recognition of the Irish Republic. In April 1921 he travelled to Berlin on Mellows instructions to make contact with the I.R.A. representative there. The same month he was appointed Fianna representative on the Fianna Éireann Irish Volunteers IRA Composite Council as well as becoming Fianna Director of Training and Organisation. At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1922 Martin reported to the anti-Treaty position at Barry's Hotel in Dublin and was captured in July that year while returning to that post from his home. He was interned until December 1922. Martin was also a member of Rathdown Council, Dublin City Council and a District Court Judge.

Mellows Herbert Charles. (Barney).  Adjutant General, General Headquarters, Fianna Éireann. Born in 1896 died on the 25th of February 1942, aged about 20 years old at the time of the Rising. Fought at the Magazine Fort in the Phoenix Park, the Four Courts and Church Street Bridge. He was deported after the surrender and released from Frongoch on the 23rd of December 1916. He joined Fianna Éireann in 1910. He served throughout the War of Independence and took the Anti-Treaty side in the Civil War. He fought at the Hamman Hotel and was arrested on the 6th of December 1922 and interned until the 29th of June 1924. He was on hunger strike for forty days in 1923 while imprisoned in Mountjoy and Kilmainham jails. He was a brother of Liam Mellows.

Murphy John. E Company, 2nd battalion, Dublin Brigade, Irish Volunteers. Born 1891 died on the 3rd of February 1953 aged about 25 years old during the Rising. Fought at Saint Stephen's Green, The Magazine Fort in the Phoenix Park and at the Four Courts. He took part in the Howth gun-running on the 26th of July 1914 and an arms raid on a London and North Western Railway Company stores at the North Wall, Dublin in August 1915. He served at the Irish Volunteers munitions factory at Cluny House, Clontarf in the weeks preceding the 1916 Easter Rising. Following his participation in the 1916 Rising he was interned until July. During the War of Independence he assisted in the manufacture of munitions as well as taking part in the burning of Raheny RIC Barracks in 1920 and an IRA attack on British forces at Newcomen Bridge in 1921. He did not take part in the Civil War.

Murray Edward Joseph. Fianna Eireann. Born on the 24th of July 1897 died on the 19th of January 1984, aged 18 years old at the time of the Rising. Fought at Liberty Hall, the Magazine Fort in the Phoenix Park and at Jameson Distillery Marrowbone Lane. He joined Fianna Eireann in 1911. He was detained in Richmond Barracks for about a month after the Rising. In July 1917 he killed Inspector Mills with a Hurley at a demonstration in Beresford Place. He left Ireland the same month and after a few days in Liverpool he went to New York. He was employed on boats that travelled between New York and Ireland and during the War of Independence he helped smuggle arms and ammunition. He returned from New York on the 11th of January 1922. He took the Anti-Treaty side in the Civil War and was arrested in Hill Street and interned until December 1923.

O'Daly Patrick. (Paddy Daly, Pádraig Ua Dalaigh). E Company (Ranelagh Company), Dublin Battalion, Fianna Éireann. Born in 1888 died on the 16th of January 1957, aged about 28 years old during the Rising, employed as a Carpenter. Patrick O'Daly was in command of attack on Magazine Fort during Easter Rising. During 1917 he served as a member of the Executive of Fianna Éireann and from 1918 to 1919 served successively as a Company Commanding Officer and Battalion Vice Commandant with the Irish Volunteers. He was imprisoned from January to July 1919 after which he joined the IRA General Headquarters Active Service Unit, known as the Squad, serving as its commanding officer for a time up to his arrest on the 23rd of November 1920. During that time he participated in most Squad operations including the killing of Jack Byrnes/John Jameson on the 2nd of March 1920 and Detective Henry Kells on the 13th of April 1920 and the attempted assassinations of Sir John French and General Sir Neville Macready and operations on the 21st of November 1920, known as Bloody Sunday. During the Truce period he became Officer Commanding Dublin Guards and served with the National Army in Dublin during the fighting in June and July 1922 at the outbreak of the Civil War. He later also served in County Kerry. He resigned from the Defence Forces in March 1924 while serving at the rank of Major General.

Roche Timothy Volunteer, F Company, 1st Battalion, Dublin Brigade, Irish Volunteers. Born in 1887 died on the 17th of August 1966, aged about 29 years old at the time of the Rising. Fought at the Magazine Fort in the Phoenix Park and North Brunswick and King Street. He was not arrested or detained after the Rising and was on the run until September 1916. During the Rising he was involved in the burning of Linen Hall Barracks and the attack on the Broadstone. He served throughout the War of Independence and was mobilised on Bloody Sunday for an attack at the Four Court Hotel but the target was not present at the hotel when the Volunteers arrived. He was arrested following a raid on Lourdes House on the 24th of November 1920 and released in December 1921. He took the Anti-Treaty side in the Civil War and was arrested after the fall of the Four Courts, he was imprisoned being released in December 1924.