Rebel’s daughter delights pupils at Terenure school

A TERENURE school celebrated Proclamation Day last week with a visit from the daughter of a rebel who fought in the 1916 Rising as part of the Kimmage Garrison.

Una Fletcher, daughter of John ‘Blimey’ O’Connor, talked to a group of students at St Joseph’s BNS about her father’s life during and after the Rising.

Principal of St Joseph’s, Anne McCabe, explained to students the purpose of Proclamation Day 

“This is the day when every school in the country is invited to read their proclamation for a new generation” she said.

Mrs Fletcher was greeted in the small assembly room of the school by a number of students playing a rousing rendition of ‘The Foggy Dew’, which describes the events of the 1916 Rising.

The room was decorated with artwork and stories written by the students. Photographs and old newspaper clippings also showed that three students had relatives who fought at the GPO, Stephen’s Green and the Loughrea Garrison.

Mrs Fletcher explained to the students that her father was originally from England but he travelled over to Ireland in 1916 to take part in the Rising. He came to be born in London because his grandparents had to emigrate from Ireland during the Great Famine.

The Kimmage Garrison was based on Sundrive Road, on the site where Supervalu now stands. 

Mr O’Connor gained his nickname ‘Blimey’ during the time leading up to the Rising because of his strong Cockney accent. He spent most of his time during the conflict in the GPO, posted at windows facing out onto O’Connell Street.

After he left the GPO he was almost hit by a bullet that narrowly missed his head. Mrs Fletcher recalled how her father felt when Padraig Pearse eventually ordered the surrender of the rebels at Moore Street.

“I think he realised his reasons for doing it because they didn’t want any more civilians to be killed,” she said. “They felt that they did their best and that was a good thing.”

She revealed that O’Connor regretted the Civil War that followed after Ireland gained its independence. But while he sided with the Republicans, he never held a grudge against friends on either side of the conflict.

Mrs Fletcher’s visit to Terenure began with a welcome ceremony in the small garden at the front of the school. Two students read out the 1916 Proclamation and then two more recited proclamations they had written themselves about what they would like to see in modern Ireland.

Mrs Fletcher then helped to raise the tricolour, which every school in the country was provided with to commemorate the centenary of the Rising.

Graham McGrath