An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir March 2019 www.dfmagazine.ie 30 | BY MÍCHEÁL Ó DOIBHILÍN T he War of Independence is accepted as commencing on 21st January 1919. Yet one of the earliest medals for service in that war was issued (complete with 'Comhrac' bar i.e. for active service) for a fatal engagement four months earlier – on September 22nd, 1918 – in which the recipient was mortally wounded. This medal was awarded to the first member of Cumann na mBan to die in the War of Independence, 20-year-old Josie McGowan, for an action she had been engaged in at Foster Place, Dublin (by the Bank of Ireland, opposite Trin- ity College). A veteran of the Easter Rising, having fought in Marrow- bone Lane, Josie had been involved long before that, having joined Inghinidhe na hÉireann at an early age. In 1900 the visit of Queen Victoria spurred the foundation of Inghinidhe na hÉireann in which, as founder-member Helena Molony later wrote: "there were some young girls in Dublin… all working girls (who) had not much gold and silver to give to Ireland, only willing hearts, earnestness and determination". Among the objectives of this new society was the complete independence of Ireland. Its members arranged educational classes and entertainment for the poor chil- dren of Dublin and also protested at British army recruit- ment centres. Josie McGowan became one of these 'willing hearts', helping with classes for young girls and the distribution of clothes – some of which she may have made herself in the Association's craft classes – to the needy. She would have read the Inghinidhe's monthly magazine Bean na hÉireann with its articles on politics, female franchise, nationalism and the Irish language, soaking up the revolutionary ethos of the day. By 1913 Josie was working as a seamstress/tailor in Green- mount Mills, Harold's Cross –a major Irish company export- ing cotton products to the World. When Cumann na mBan – the women's equivalent of the male Irish Volunteers – was founded in 1914, the Inghinidhe membership was subsumed into it en masse, forming their own branch and becom- ing the first to adopt a semi-military structure. One of Cumann na mBan's objectives was to, "advance the cause of Irish liberty and to organise Irishwomen in the furtherance of this object", and its members studied military matters, particularly field first aid, and made field dressings for use in battlefield conditions. Josie must have been very proud of her involvement in this new, women's Republican movement, for she ob- tained a full Cumann na mBan uniform – one of the few members to do so – and had herself professionally photo- graphed in it. Rose MacNamara later recorded that the bulk of the Ingh- inidhe branch spent Good Friday 1916, "making field dress- ings in No 2 Dawson Street, having previously purchased the materials. There was a big crowd of us there and we worked very hard to ensure that there would be enough dressings for … the manoeuvres that were soon to take place". On Easter Sunday night, stood down following the Coun- termanding Order, Josie attended a céilí run by the Cleaver branch of the Gaelic League, of which she was a member. Then, on Easter Monday instructions came to mobilise at Weaver's Hall, Cork Street, with full uniform and equip- ment. They marched behind Rose McNamara to Emerald Square where Commandant Ceannt ordered them to follow a Company of Volunteers until they reached Jameson's Distillery in Marrowbone Lane, bringing with them a horse and cart laden with ammunition. Once there, they quickly took over the distillery. It was 12 noon, 24th April, 1916, and the Easter Rising had begun. Firing soon broke out and continued till dark. The military organisation of the Inghinidhe branch was now to serve it well and Josie is recorded in later Witness Statements as being an active participant in the action there, loading rifles, helping the men, giving first aid as needed, and car-

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