The Battle of Mount Street Bridge was fought on 26 April 1916 between the
British Army and Irish rebels during the
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising ( ga, Éirà Amach na Cásca), also known as the Easter Rebellion, was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week in April 1916. The Rising was launched by Irish republicans against British rule in Ireland with the a ...
. It took place in
Dublin at the southern end of
Mount Street Lower where it meets the
Grand Canal.
Background
On 24 April 1916,
Easter Monday
Easter Monday refers to the day after Easter Sunday in either the Eastern or Western Christian traditions. It is a public holiday in some countries. It is the second day of Eastertide. In Western Christianity, it marks the second day of the Octa ...
, after
Éamon de Valera headed his Volunteers' contingent into
Boland's Bakery, another group of 17 Volunteers was sent to secure the Dún Laoghaire road to stall anticipated British reinforcements. The 17 volunteers were distributed around Mount Street Bridge: 25 Northumberland Road was initially occupied by four Volunteers, although two were dismissed home for being too young; four Volunteers occupied the Parochial Hall, seven Volunteers held Clanwilliam House, and two were stationed in the Schoolhouse. On 26 April, a female dispatcher informed that nearly 2,000 British soldiers had landed at Dún Laoghaire and that the
Robin Hood Battalion, the 7th Battalion Sherwood Foresters, was heading towards them.
Battle
The advancing British stopped at Carisbrook House and learned about the Volunteers' presence in the area, responding to sniper fire. The column came under fire from the two men in 25 Northumberland Road, and it took the British five hours of continued firing to dislodge them from the building. Volunteers in the other buildings nearby also shot at exposed British forces. The Volunteers held the bridge against British forces for nine hours. The battle resulted in the biggest losses to both the British Army and the rebels during the uprising, when at least 26-30 British soldiers fell
and some 134 were wounded, while four Volunteers were killed in the action - Dick Murphy, George Reynolds, Michael Malone and Patrick Doyle.
In popular culture
The battle is depicted in the docudrama television series
''Insurrection''.
See also
*
Patrick Whelan
*
Theobald Wolfe Tone FitzGerald
Theobald Wolfe Tone FitzGerald (14 June 1898 – 27 March 1962) was an Irish army officer and painter. He is recognised for his role in painting the Irish Republic flag that flew over the General Post Office during the Easter Rising 1916. The f ...
*
Joe Clarke
*
Louisa Nolan
References
{{reflist
Easter Rising
Conflicts in 1916
Battles involving the United Kingdom
1916 in Ireland
April 1916 events