1916: The Rising Handbook

Lorcan Collins

• Publisher: The O'Brien Press
• Year: 2016
• Print ISBN: 9781847175991
• eBook ISBN: 9781847178480
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: 20th Century History
• Index: History

A handbook to the events and locations of the Easter 1916 Rising.

There are so many different versions of the story of Easter Week 1916. Lorcan Collins, an acknowledged expert on the subject and founder of the 1916 Rebellion Walking Tour, decided that it was time to put together a truthful and factually correct reference book in one handy volume. This '1916 bible' will be invaluable to anyone with an interest in recent Irish history who wants to separate the facts from the fiction.

1916: The Rising Handbook offers bite-sized details about the organisations involved in the Rising, the positions occupied during Easter week, the weapons the rebels and army used, the documents that were passed around, and the speeches that were given. It details the women who came out to fight and profiles the sixteen executed leaders, as well as looking at the rebellion outside of Dublin.

It also utilises three different resources to give the most comprehensive list yet of all of those involved in the Rising. If a relative of yours fought during Easter 1916, you'll find their name in here.      

Section Fourteen: Medals & Recipients

1916 ARMBAND

At commemorations and marches, the men and women who took part in the Rising wore a green and orange armband with ‘1916’ and the star-and-flame ‘FF’ badge of Óglaigh na hÉireann in gold lettering. The ‘FF’ stands for Fianna Fáil, the Soldiers of Destiny. This term predated the foundation of the political party. These armbands were presented in a commemorative ceremony in the Rotunda Rink on the nineteenth anniversary of the Rising in 1935. They were made by Bergins, and are of ‘real Irish poplin’.

1916 MEDAL

On 24 January 1941 it was decided by the government that a medal would be a more appropriate way to recognise those who fought in the Rising. Its design is based upon the Irish Army crest and depicts the dying figure of Cúchulainn. It is 38 millimetres in diameter, bronze, and is made up of a circle of flames beneath an eight-pointed star. On the reverse it reads ‘Seachtain na Cásca 1916’ (‘Easter Week 1916’). The poplin ribbon is green and orange, in two vertical panels, and the bronze suspension bar has a Celtic interlaced design.

SERVICE MEDAL (1917–21)

On 26 May 1942 a decision was made by the government to issue a medal to those who had fought during the conflict after 1916. The design is a circular bronze of 39 millimetres bearing the arms of the four provinces of Ireland around the word ‘Éire’. A Volunteer stands erect above the words ‘Cogadh na Saoirse’ (‘The Fight for Freedom’). The poplin ribbon is of two vertical stripes of black and tan-brown. The suspension bar is a Celtic interlaced design.

A smaller number of medals were issued to those who were in receipt of a Military Pension or who satisfied the Minister for Defence that they were on active service – these have a second bar and the inscription ‘Cómhrac’ (‘Combat’). The medals without the bar were for members of the IRA, Na Fianna, Cumann na mBan or the ICA for the three months ending 11 July 1921.

1916 SURVIVORS’ MEDAL

This medal was awarded in 1966, the 50th anniversary of the Rising, to surviving participants. The face is the same as the 1916 medal, but it is a bright-silver gilt 38 millimetres in diameter. The reverse bears the inscription ‘1916 Cáisc 1966’ (‘Cáisc’ means Easter). The ribbon is green with orange borders, and a thin white strip runs down the centre. The suspension bar is of a Celtic interlaced design.

TRUCE COMMEMORATION MEDAL

To commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Truce of 11 July 1921, a new medal was struck. It was awarded to veterans of the 1919–21 war who had received the Service Medal and were still alive in 1971. The medal is similar to the Service Medal, but is smaller at 32 millimetres and is of brighter bronze colour. The reverse has the palm leaf design and is inscribed ‘1921–1971’. The ribbon has green borders followed by two strips of tan with a black stripe running down the centre. The suspension bar is of the usual Celtic interlace.

FAKE MEDALS

There are many fake medals for sale on the Internet. Caution should be exercised when buying a 1916 or Service Medal, especially online.

RECORD OF MEDALS ISSUED UP TO 31 JANUARY 1988

	Issued to Pensioners		Issued to others
					Total
1916 Medals	2,390		87		2,477
Service (1917–21) w. bar	13,067		2,119		15,186
Service (1917–21) no bar			51,233		51,233
1916 Survivors (approx.)					c.1,000
Truce Commemoration	7,120		15,312		22,432

VERIFICATION PROCESS

The decision to award medals was not taken lightly, and verification of entitlement involved a rigorous process: ‘Each applicant for a medal was required to complete a form stating the names of his former Brigade Commander, Battalion Commander and Company Commander. If these officers were then deceased, emigrated or not willing to cooperate, the forms were sent to not less than two officers or members of the Unit/sub-Unit named for supporting testimony/signatures. These persons were usually in receipt of service pensions. Initially, applications for the medal without bar were investigated by a Committee of two members of the Military Service Registration Board, and one Interviewing Officer, who had acted for the Referee under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934.’1 Almost 13,500 applications for medals were refused or abandoned by the applicants.

Note: The list of medal recipients on the following pages was released by the Military Archives in 2015. Up until 1988, 2,477 medals were awarded to participants of the Rising; over the next few years, 81 more medals were issued. This gives us a total in this list of 2,558 medal recipients.

(D = Dublin)

Adams, John: 13 Gray St., D.

Adams, John Francis: 109 Cork St., D.

Adrien, Mary: Garden View, Oldtown, D.

Agnew, Arthur Patrick: 72 Seatown, Swo...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Dedication
• Acknowledgements
• Contents
• Section One: Timeline
• Section Two: Documents & Newspapers
• Section Three: Weapons & Barracks
• Section Four: The Sea & the Easter Rising
• Section Five: Organisations, Flags & Banners
• Section Six: The 16 Executed Leaders
• Section Seven: Women and the Easter Rising
• Section Eight: Positions Occupied & Garrison Strengths
• Section Nine: Casualties & Destruction
• Section Ten: The 1936 Roll of Honour
• Section Eleven: Prisoner Lists
• Section Twelve: 1916 around Ireland
• Section Thirteen: Statements & Last Letters of the Signatories
• Section Fourteen: Medals & Recipients
• Index
• About the Author
• Copyright