Galway 1916 Tour

1916 Proclamation
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On Easter Monday, 24th April, 1916, Pádraig Pearse read the Proclamation of the Irish Republic outside the GPO in Dublin.

Although it was planned as a national event, due to confusion around countermanding orders, the 1916 Rising was confined to the streets of Dublin where about 1,500 Irish Volunteers and Irish Citizen Army, assisted by Cumann na mBan, occupied key locations around the capital.

Movements of Republicans and British in Galway 1916

From Atlas of the Irish Revolution, Research: Mark McCarthy and Shirly Wrynn, Cartographer: Mike Murphy

Outside of Dublin, the rebels took the Athenaeum theatre in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, launched an attack against the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) at Ashbourne, County Meath, while the Kent brothers in County Cork attacked Bawnyard House in Castlelyons.

The largest uprising outside of Dublin, however, was in the West; in County Galway, Liam Mellows led hundreds of Volunteers in a Rising in the east of the county, which lasted from Tuesday, 25th April to Saturday, 29th April, 1916.

My 1916 Rising Tour of Galway lasts about half a day, and takes in the principal centres of action during Easter Week in County Galway. My own grandfather, James Ward, was a Galway Volunteer who participated in the Rising and was subsequently interned in Perth and later in the famous Frongoch Camp in North Wales.


A bus tour around the sites of interest takes you to:-

  1. Killeeneen
  2. Clarinbridge
  3. Oranmore
  4. Carnmore cross
  5. Athenry Model Farm
  6. Moyode Castle
  7. Limepark House, Peterswell

1. Killeeneen

Easter Tuesday Morning, 1916.

1916 Monument, Killeeneen
1916 Monument, Killeeneen

The starting point of the 1916 Rising in Galway. Early on Tuesday, 25th April.

2. Clarinbridge (former RIC barracks)

7.20 AM to 10.38 AM.

Former Royal Irish Constabulary Barracks
Former Royal Irish Constabulary Barracks

First military action of the Rising in Galway.

3. Oranmore

After Midday.

Joe Howley, Captain of the Oranmore Volunteers, led an attack on the Oranmore RIC barracks. An attempt was made to mine the bridge.

Galway 1916 statue
Joe Howley Memorial
Credit: Oranmore Heritage

4. Carnmore cross

5 AM to 5.30 AM, Wednesday.

Galway 1916 memorial
Castlegar Monument, erected 1951
Pedestal previously part of Lord Dunkellin statue in Eyre Square (1873 – 1922)
Credit: Mark McCarthy, GMIT

The only fatal casualty of the 1916 Rising in Galway occurred.

Galway 1916 memorial
IRB Cross, Lydican Road, Carnmore)
Credit: Mark McCarthy, GMIT

5. Model Farm, Athenry

Tuesday, Wednesday.

Former Model Farm
Former Model Farm

Occupied by approximately 500 Volunteers.

6. Moyode Castle

Wednesday to Friday.

Moyode Castle
Moyode Castle

Liam Mellows and the Volunteers abandoned the Model Farm to retreat to Moyode Castle (Persse estate, owned by Lady Ardilaun).

7. Limepark House

Friday, Saturday.

Limepark House
Limepark House

Approximately 150 to 300 Volunteers. Here, a decision to disband was made and ended the 1916 Rising in County Galway.