Today marks the 100th anniversary of a meeting in Dublin at which the decision to hold the 1916 Rising was taken.
Held on September 9, 1914, in the library of The Gaelic League (Conradh na Gaeilge) at 25 Rutland Square, now Parnell Square, many of those who would later be executed for their role in the Rising were present - as were others who would play an important part in building the new Republic.
In attendance were Thomas J Clarke, Seán Mac Diarmada, Pádraig Mac Piarais, Arthur Griffith, Major John Mac Bride, Thomas Mac Donagh, Éamonn Ceannt, Joseph Plunkett, James Connolly, the future President of Ireland Seán T Ó Ceallaigh, William O’Brien, Seán MacGarry and Seán Tobin.
In an interview with Irish Times journalist Liam Mac Gabhann in 1964, Mr Ó Ceallaigh said:
“Tom Clarke, Pearse and Tobin represented both the Volunteers and the IRB, which Pearse had recently joined; Griffith represented Sinn Féin; Jim Connolly represented the Labour movement and the Citizen Army, and I was there as a volunteer and also as Gaelic League Secretary.
“This was the first decisive arrangement between the Citizen Army and the Volunteers, for instance , and one of the decisions we took at the meeting was that each of us would undertake to do our utmost to strengthen both of these organisations.”
A decision was taken at the meeting to take on the British government before the end of the Great War and to invoke the help of Germany on condition the German government recognised the Republic.
It was also decided to take up arms against Britain or Germany or against any other power that invaded the national territory.
Mr Ó Ceallaigh said the decision to hold the meeting at the Rutland Square address was taken to avoid the attentions of Castle detectives.
“It was Tom Clarke who proposed the meeting to me and who asked me to fix a safe house to hold it in.
“The Castle detectives were very active a this time. Virtually every speech I ever made, for instance, since I became a member of Dublin Corporation in 1906, was carefully noted, as I learned later following the Rising.
“Every member of Sinn Féin, the Volunteers , the Gaelic League, the Fianna, was followed by G-men. We were all quite used to it and, of course, took much pleasure in ’ditching’ our shadows when we most wanted to.
* This article was amended on 9/9/14.
