FIRST PIRATE RADIO BROADCAST

The rebels launched their own radio station to circumvent the strictly controlled media from Ireland. The station located in O'Connell Street was monitored in Dun Laoghaire and Wales and reports of the Rising were printed in the New York newspapers before their British counterparts. The station broadcasted on 300m MW from Tuesday 25th to Thursday 27th April and was operated by Fergus O'Kelly and Joseph 'Blimey' O'Connor.

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YOUR FRIENDLY BARMAN

One of the consequences of the Easter Rising and its aftermath was a shortage of bar staff to help run Dublin's pubs. Over 150 barmen, known then as wine porters and grocers assistants were arrested and deported by the British to camps in England and Wales. When they were released in mid and late 1917 there was anger and ill tempered feelings as the publicans had replaced their errant staff. There was a mini riot in Dorset Street on Christmas Eve 1917 when a group of out of work barman attacked a number of pubs and their customers in that area.

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE

The history books tell us that rebels entered the GPO to declare the Irish Republic at midday but that was actually 12.25 on Easter Monday 1916 as Dublin Mean Time was being used before GMT was adopted in late 1916. Dublin Mean Time was GMT -25minutes.

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UNITED NATIONS

The native Irish were not the only nationalities represented during the Easter Rising. Apart from the Irish and the British, there were Indian born soldiers in the British Army, Anzacs and South African soldiers defending Trinity College, Eamon DeValera and Thomas Clarke were US Citizens and Argentinian born Eamon Bulfin hoisted the flag above the GPO on Easter Monday.

FEEDING THE LUCKY DUCKS

During the battle on St Stephens Green with the rebels in the College of Surgeons and the British Army on the roof of the Shelbourne Hotel both sides observed a unofficial ceasefire so that the Park Ranger could feed the ducks in the Green's pond. Once fed the firing opened up again.

THE SHOE BOOT SALE

Pat Mulryan's horse and cart became the focus of attention on the Tuesday morning of the Easter Rising. He came to a halt outside the Pro Cathedral on Malborough Street and became a focal point of all the men and women who had looted shoes and boots the previous evening but only had a left or right shoe or two left shoes. He began an exchange mart for people trying to match a pair of shoes charging a half penny for every match made. Just after noon the arena degenerated into rioting as people fought over shoes they had looted and a volley of shots from some Volunteers on O'Connell Street at the top of Cathedral Street cleared the area especially as Mulryan's horse bolted out of sight. Mulryan attempted to claim compensation from the British Government after the Rising for the loss of his horse but was refused.

A Different Tale of History.

When Padraig Pearse, the President of the Provisional Government of the Irish Republic surrendered on the afternoon of Saturday April 29th 1916, he handed the unconditional surrender to General William Lowe. Standing beside Lowe that day was his son John and after leaving the army John Lowe became an actor under the name of John Loder and was once married to the stunning Heidi Lamarr. Loder would appear in the 1941 Oscar winning movie How Green Was My Valley as Ianto Morgan. Appearing along side him was Arthur Shields as Mr. Parry who fought on the rebels side during 1916 based in the GPO. Shields was arrested and interned at Frongoch Army Camp in Wales. Arthur Shields was the brother of Barry Fitzgerald.
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