Michael O'Hanrahan (; 17 March 1877 – 4 May 1916) was an Irish rebel who was executed for his active role in the 1916

Easter Rising The Easter Rising (), 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 aim of establishing an ind ...

Background

He was born as Michael Hanrahan in

New Ross New Ross (, formerly ) is a town in southwest County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, on the River Barrow on the border with County Kilkenny, northeast of Waterford. In 2022, it had a population of 8,610, making it the fourth-largest t ...

, County Wexford, Ireland, the son of Richard Hanrahan, a cork cutter, and Mary Williams. His father appears to have been involved in the 1867

Fenian The word ''Fenian'' () served as an umbrella term for the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) and their affiliate in the United States, the Fenian Brotherhood. They were secret political organisations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries ...

rising. The family moved to Carlow, where Michael was educated at Carlow Christian Brothers' School and Carlow College Academy. On leaving school he worked various jobs including a period alongside his father in the cork-cutting business. In 1898 he joined the

Gaelic League (; historically known in English as the Gaelic League) is a social and cultural organisation which promotes the Irish language in Ireland and worldwide. The organisation was founded in 1893 with Douglas Hyde as its first president, when it eme ...

and in 1899 founded the League's first Carlow branch and became its secretary. Also in 1899 he helped found a Workingmen's club in Carlow. By 1903 he was in Dublin, where he was working as a proof-reader for the Gaelic League printer An Cló Cumann. He published journalism under the by-lines 'Art' and 'Irish Reader' in several nationalist newspapers, including ''

Sinn Féin Sinn Féin ( ; ; ) is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The History of Sinn Féin, original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffit ...

'' and the ''Irish Volunteer''. He was the author of two novels ''A Swordsman of the Brigade'' (1914) and ''When the Norman Came'' (published posthumously in 1918).

Political involvement

In 1903 he became involved in

Maud Gonne Maud Gonne MacBride (, born Edith Maud Gonne); 21 December 1866 – 27 April 1953) was an Irish republican revolutionary, suffragette and actress. She was of Anglo-Irish descent and was won over to Irish nationalism by the plight of people evict ...

and

Arthur Griffith Arthur Joseph Griffith (; 31 March 1871 – 12 August 1922) was an Irish writer, newspaper editor and politician who founded the political party Sinn Féin. He led the Irish delegation at the negotiations that produced the 1921 Anglo-Irish Trea ...

's campaign against the visit of King

Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until Death and state funeral of Edward VII, his death in 1910. The second child ...

to Ireland. The encounter with Griffith led O'Hanrahan to join the newly formed

. He also became a member of the

Irish Republican Brotherhood The Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB; ) was a secret oath-bound fraternal organisation dedicated to the establishment of an "independent democratic republic" in Ireland between 1858 and 1924.McGee, p. 15. Its counterpart in the United States ...

. In November 1913 he joined the

Irish Volunteers The Irish Volunteers (), also known as the Irish Volunteer Force or the Irish Volunteer Army, was a paramilitary organisation established in 1913 by nationalists and republicans in Ireland. It was ostensibly formed in response to the format ...

. O'Hanrahan was later employed as an administrator on the Volunteers headquarters staff. He was made quartermaster general of the 2nd Battalion. He and the commandant of the 2nd Battalion

Thomas MacDonagh Thomas Stanislaus MacDonagh (; 1 February 1878 – 3 May 1916) was an Irish political activist, poet, playwright, educationalist and revolutionary leader. He was one of the seven leaders of the Easter Rising of 1916, a signatory of the Proclama ...

became close friends.

1916 Easter Rising

He was second in command of

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

's 2nd battalion under Commandant

. He fought at Jacob's Biscuit Factory, though the battalion saw little action other than intense sniping throughout Easter week, as the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

largely kept clear of the impregnable factory dominating the road from Portobello Barracks on one side and Dublin Castle on the other. When in May the situation became desperate O'Hanrahan told his commanding officer MacDonagh they "were inviting destruction of the factory by incendiary shells, and also of the surrounding thickly populated area". MacDonagh ordered a break-out amidst the chaos and confusion. O'Hanrahan led "with some difficulty" the garrison out of the factory through New Bride Street gate. O'Hanrahan was

executed by firing squad Execution by firing squad, in the past sometimes called fusillading (from the French , rifle), is a method of capital punishment, particularly common in the military and in times of war. Some reasons for its use are that firearms are usually re ...

on 4 May 1916 at Kilmainham Gaol. His brother, Henry O'Hanrahan, was sentenced to penal servitude for life for his role in the Easter Rising.1916 Rebellion Handbook, p. 281.

Commemoration

Wexford railway station Wexford railway station (O'Hanrahan Station, ) is a railway station located in Wexford Town in County Wexford, Ireland. Description The station is part of the Dublin–Rosslare railway line. It is staffed and fully accessible. It consists of ...

is named in commemoration of O'Hanrahan, as is the road bridge over the

River Barrow The Barrow () is a river in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is one of The Three Sisters (Ireland), The Three Sisters; the other two being the River Suir and the River Nore. The Barrow is the longest of the three rivers and, at 192 km (12 ...

at New Ross. Two

Gaelic games Gaelic games () are a set of sports played worldwide, though they are particularly popular in Ireland, where they originated. They include Gaelic football, hurling, Gaelic handball and rounders. Football and hurling, the most popular of the s ...

sports clubs are named after him: Geraldine O'Hanrahans GAA (New Ross) and O'Hanrahans GFC (Carlow town).

Writings

* A Swordsman of the Brigade (1914) * When the Norman Came (published posthumously in 1918).

References

Bibliography

* Barton, Brian, "From Behind a Closed Door. Secret Court Martial Records of the Easter Rising", (Belfast 2002). * Kostick, Conor, ''Michael O'Hanrahan'' (Dublin 2015). * Martin, F.X, (ed.), ''THe Easter Rising, 1916, and University College, Dublin'' (Dublin 1966). * Maye, Brian, ''Arthur Griffith'' (Dublin 1997). * Townshend, Charles, ''Easter 1916: The Irish rebellion'' (London 2006). {{DEFAULTSORT:Ohanrahan, Michael 1877 births 1916 deaths Irish rebels Irish revolutionaries People from County Wexford Alumni of Carlow College Executed participants in the Easter Rising People from New Ross Executed people from County Wexford