Elizabeth O'Farrell

[Saoirse go Deo]

I got the book "Rebels - Voices from the Easter Rising" by Fearghal McGarry out of the library today and have a read a 100 pages or so, it's a very good read so far and I thoroughly recommend it. It is a selection of witness statements from people who were in the IRB, Volunteers, etc

As an aside the vast number of statements were locked up until 2003 when the final witness died. A similar approach should have been taken by Boston College with their interviews.

Anyway, Elizabeth Farrel was a nurse and a member of Cumann Na Mban who served in the GPO and is known for being at Pearse's side when he offered his surrender to the British...

The picture was altered to remove her:


http://easter1916.ie/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/saturday_3.2_580x3201.png

She declined to contribute a witness statement to the archive because "all governments since 1921 have betrayed the Republic". A principled woman it seems, my knowledge about her life is limited to her actions on easter week, she also delivered instructions to surrender to a number of rebel positions.

What did she do after the rising? Did she play a role in the war of independence or subsequently in politics?

[C. Flower]

Rebels is a treat and I recommend it highly. My only reservation is that some edits have been made and I would much have preferred to read the material unedited.

RTE announced availability of material on militaryarchives.ie, but nothing seems to be on line yet apart from the drawings and maps collection.

http://www.politicalworld.org/showthread.php?p=216150&highlight=rebels#post216150

A bit on Elizabeth Farrell. She is said here to have walked out with a white flag, on her own, under heavy fire in Moore Street to make the first attempt to deliver the surrender. She was then sent back to Pearse with the British demand for an unconditional surrender, and returned with Pearse to deliver it.

She was also left out of the film "Michael Collins" in which a man was given that role.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_O'Farrell