Easter Rising 1916

At 12 noon on Easter Monday 1916, Thomas MacDonagh led around 150 volunteers from the 2nd Battalion of the Dublin Brigade, from where they mobilised at St Stephen's Green, to the nearby Jacob's Factory, which they seized and occupied until the following Sunday during the 1916 Rising.

Two other men from Tipperary also served in Jacob’s Factory in 1916. They were John MacDonagh, younger brother of Thomas and Phil Shanahan, a native of Hollyford, who owned a pub in Dublin. Phil later became a Sinn Féin TD in Dublin.

The following were amongst those who were part of the Jacob’s Factory Garrison: Major John MacBride, Michael O'Hanrahan (both executed for their part in the Rising), Dick McKee (executed on Bloody Sunday 1920), Vinny Byrne, Thomas Hunter, Peadar Kearney, Martin Walton and Abbey actress Máire Nic Shiubhlaigh.

The Jacob’s Garrison was the last garrison in the Rising to surrender. Pearse and Connolly surrendered on Saturday and Thomas MacDonagh signed the surrender order on Sunday.

For his leadership of the 1916 Rising, Thomas was executed on May 3, 1916.