Shot at dawn

[darkel1916]

Hi

I am wondering if anyone can help out on this. After the Easter Rising in Dublin 1916. Fourteen men where shot at dawn in Kilmainham Goal from the 3rd of May till the 12th of May. Now here is the question, I know of two of them where shot sitting down, and with the lack of a post for the remainder to be tied to, would they all have been shot sitting on a crate or chair. any help with this would be great

[Hoss]

Shot sitting because they were incapable of standing up, the two you mention must have been previously wounded. James Connolly check 'Kilmainham Tales-1916'.

Eric

[darkel1916]

thanks for coming back to me  Eric, I have done the Kilmainham Tales, its not clearing things up .  I have a witness statement from one of the Priests who attended the Leaders and condemned men, now he claims Seán Heuston was directed towards a crate to sit on when he was brought out to the yard to be shot. Now we know Heuston was not injured in the Rising. At Kilmainham Goal, they tell you that Eamon Ceannt was the only one shot sitting down, because he was so tall? Connolly had to be strapped to the chair/ Crate, we know that as he was unable to support himself because of both injuries he received during the rising , one being a leg wound and the other in the arm. I have always thought that if you where being shot, you where tied to a post, so that if you fainted you were still upright, and when there was no post , you sat on a crate of sorts and spread you legs to balance you. Also these men were the first to be shot in Kilmainham, before that you were hung, so there was defiantly no post.

[Hoss]

Dunno I just thought it was an interesting question in passing, bit of a depressing subject but I remember in that very good movie Breaker Morant, they were shot sitting down. Maybe its some sort of British military thing, no post they has to be a chair, something like that. Try looking up period regulations, you know I always thought it weird this 'one man would have a blank cartridge' he must have known, there is a big difference between shooting live and blank.

Eric

[darkel1916]

Hi Eric

yeah I come across that it can be either way, standing up or sitting down. That's a good point,  I will look up period regulations see what that has to say. Breaker Morant, great film, and also if I remember rightly in the film  Michael Collins the shot the leaders sitting down. You see we have started the research for the second book , the first is 'When the clock struck in 1916' . which ended with the surrenders and the second will begin with the  deportations and executions. looks like hard work ahead. yes I have heard that after they fired the one who had the blank knew from the recoil of the rifle. Listen thanks again Eric, if I come up with something definite I will let you know , thanks Darren