An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir April 2015 www.dfmagazine.ie 28 | I t is an interesting fact that between 24th April and 12th May 1916 over 1,200 Irish men and women died in Dub- lin, France and elsewhere as a result of war. Some were killed trying to free their country from oppression, others fell believing they were supporting the cause of civilisation. A number were civilians who became unintended victims of the Easter Rising. While the centenary of the 1916 Rising is rapidly approach- ing, not many people know of the scale of death and destruc- tion that was inflicted on what was then considered the second city of the British Empire. As the Dublin Metropolitan Police were withdrawn from the city streets and law and order collapsed, many impover- ished Dubliners saw an opportunity to loot from premises left unguarded. As doors were broken open and windows smashed, tales of ragged street urchins collecting booty from Noblett's sweetshop on O'Connell Street and women stockpil- ing shoes and dresses soon became legendary within the city. While some citizens appealed to the looters to stop, the Irish Volunteers and the military both fired on the large groups that rushed from building to building. As the battles intensified throughout the city, many civilians found themselves caught in the crossfire and there were to be many casualties. A blind man who was shot by a sniper on O'Connell Street was treated by a medic from the St John's Ambulance who ran to his aid and applied a field dressing to the wound. As the men stood up and tried to get out of the firing line, two shots rang out in quick succession, killing them both. Many more were to fall on that street as a very real war erupted in Dublin city. Even the salubrious surroundings of the plush Shelbourne Hotel on St Stephen's Green wasn't a safe haven for its many guests staying there for the bank holiday weekend. While walking through the revolving doors of the hotel, George Smethwick was shot and seriously wounded. Victor Brooke was hit in the leg as he sat down for lunch in the din- ing room and a Mr Armiger had his jaw shattered by a bullet as he sat down in the sitting room of the hotel. The wounded and the remaining guests were transferred to the safety of the writing room at the rear of the building. Nearby an eight-year- old girl, Doreen Carphim, was shot and wounded. Many of the casualties were non-combatants and the nearby Mercer's Hospital recorded 16 dead and 278 wounded during Easter week. The hospital was overwhelmed and temporary casualty-clearing stations had to be provided at premises on Merrion Square and Harcourt Street. A fierce gun battle at Mount Street, in Ballsbridge, resulted in numerous deaths among the residents as many left their houses to see what was happening in their city. Even those who remained indoors weren't safe: Mrs Eliza- beth Kane was killed and her daughter seriously wounded when their house, 20 Delahunty Buildings, came under fire. DeaTh iN The CiTy Dublin 1916 by PAUL O'BRIEN MA PhoToS CouRTESy oF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF IRELAND VIA FLICKR www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/sets/72157628305129213/

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