In telling stories about the Easter Rising of 1916, I’ve often narrowed the focus to one man. He was not a leader of the Rising, nor a signer of the Proclamation. He was only 17 years old and his name is Andrew McDonnell.

He was a member of the Irish Volunteers. During the Rising, he stopped a moving Dublin tram with a 12 foot pike. He and his battalion captured and held Boland’s Mill. And, when the Rising failed, he was imprisoned at Richmond Barracks.

Here is his story.

The top photo is of Boland’s Mill, photo by David McDonnell. The photos below are of Dublin trams and of Richmond Barracks.