Details of the 31 Men Interned

This is a list of the 31 men from Westport and the surrounding area who were arrested after the Easter Rising in 1916. Many were members of Fianna Éireann and the Irish Volunteers. They were arrested over a period of 10 days from 2nd May to 12th May 1916.

This summary of the Castlebar prison records gives details of their names, martial status, internment date, age, address, occupation, and offence. Also added to this list are details from the 1911 census, which gives their address and age in 1911. Mr. Joseph Gill was not traced on either the 1901 or 1911 census.

Castlebar Prison
Name (V3)
Marital StatusInternment DatePrison AgePrison - Stated AddressPrison - Stated OccupationPrison Offence1911 Census1911 Age
John BerryS 09 May18AughagowerGrocers Assistant5Lanmore15
Bartholomew CryanS 09 May26Ongham, Co. SligoDrapers Assistant4Co. Sligo19
Michael DerrigS 02 May23WestportCarpenter1The Octagon18
Tom DerrigS 02 May18WestportUniversity Student1High Street13
P. J. DorisM 12 May50WestportJournalist6James Street45
Michael DuffyS 02 May21LanmoreDrapers Assistant1High Street15
Edward GannonS 02 May20CarrowkennedyTeacher CBS1High Street15
John GavinS 09 May20MurriskLabourer5Murrisknaboll15
Charles GavanS 02 May19WestportTeacher CBS1High Street15
Martin GeraghtyS 09 May19WestportDrapers Assistant4James Street14
Joseph Gill S 04 May44Westport QuayIndependent Means2
Edward HaranM09 May34WestportBaker4James Street30
Hubert HeratyS 09 May22WestportButcher5Altamont Street17
Charles HickeyS 09 May20Empress Tree, DublinCoach Painter4Dublin14
Charles Hughes M09 May41AughagowerDraper4High Street35
Owen HughesM 02 May44AughagowerFarmer1Lankill38
Patrick HughesS 09 May17WestportDrapers Assistant5Lankill12
Manus KeaneS 09 May47AughagowerBlacksmith5Cloonskill40
Patrick S. KennyS 09 May20Keash, Co. SligoDrapers Assistant5Co. Sligo15
John LohanS 09 May20Creggs, Co. GalwayDrapers Assistant5Co. Roscommon16
Joseph MacBrideM 08 May55Westport Sec. Harbour Comm.3Streamstown50
James MaloneS 09 May34WestportTailor5High Street27
John McDonaghM 02 May50WestportPlasterer1Momument St45
Thomas O'BrienS 09 May35WestportFarmer4Moyhastin31
Thomas RalphM 02 May24WestportRailway Porter1Johns Row18
Michael ReillyS 09 May33WestportDealer5The Fairgreen27
Michael Joe Ring S 02 May22BallinadoeFarmer1Drummindoo19
Joseph RuddyS 02 May22WestportCarpenter1Church Lane18
Edward SammonS 09 May24LecanveyLabourer5Peter Street24
Patrick TunneyS 09 May30AughagowerTailor5Derrykillew22
Thaddeus WalshM 09 May52Knockfin, WestportPublican5Mill Street47

The prison records state all were “Lodged without warrant under the Defence of the Realm act 1914”.

1. – Guilty of behaviour of such a nature as to be prejudicial to the public safety and the Defence of the Realm by marching with arms as Sinn Fein Volunteers at Westport on Sunday 30th April 1916. (Total 10)
2. – Guilty of behaviour of such a nature as to be prejudicial to the safety of the State and the Defence of the Realm by assembling with others with arms as Sinn Fein Volunteers at Farnaught Westport on Sunday 30th April 1916. (Total 1)
3. – Guilty of behaviour prejudicial to the public safety and the Defence of the Realm and being a dangerous Sinn Fein leader in organising and preparing for the rebellion (Total 1)
4. – Guilty of behaviour prejudicial to the public safety and the Defence of the Realm. (Total 6)
5. – Guilty of conduct prejudicial to the public safety and the Defence of the Realm. (Total 12)
6. – Guilty of behaviour prejudicial to the State and the Defence of the Realm by aiding, abetting and encouraging in the preparation for the rebellion. (Total 1)

The prison record states all were “Removed by military on 10/5/1916, Destination unknown, except P.J. Doris who was removed on 15/5/2016

DayDateMonthEaster 1916 Key Events and Dates
Fri17MarchThe O'Rahilly and Darell Figgis speak in Westport
Sun23AprilRoute march and concert in Westport
Mon24April12.04pm Pdraic Pearse reads the Proclamation of the Republic
Tue25April
Wed26April
Thu27April
Fri28AprilPearse surrenders at 3.30pm to General Lowe
Sat29April
Sun30April98 Volunteers march in Westport, 21 with guns (WP6/5/16) (CT 13/5/16)
Mon1MayEaster Rising over.
Tue2May10 men arrested in Westport. (WP 6/5/16 states Monday) (MM 6/5/16 states Tuesday, which matches the jail record))
Wed3MayPdraig Pearse, Thomas Clarke, Thomas MacDonagh - executed
Thu4MayJoseph Gill arrested. Major John MacBride, court martial. Joseph Plunkett, Edward Daly, Michael O'Hanrahan, Willie Pearse, executed
Fri5MayMajor John MacBride - executed
Sat6May
Sun7May
Mon8MayJoseph Mac Bride arrested. (Castlebar prison record). Eamonn Ceantt, Michael Mallon, Sean Hueston, Con Colbert, executed.
Tue9May18 men arrested in Westport (Castlebar prison record). Thomas Kent, executed in Cork.
Wed10MayPrisoners sent from Castlebar to Richmond Barracks in Dublin (MM 13/5/16).
Fri12MaySen MacDiarmada, James Connolly, executed. (Sir Roger Casement, hanged, in Pentonville Prison in London on 3rd August 1916)
Fri12MayPJ Doris arrested. Most prisoners deported from Richmond Barracks (12 May) to Wandsworth Detention Barracks (13 May) (CT20/5/16)
Sat13MayPJ Doris kept in Castlebar prison and was sent to Dublin on 15th April. (prison record) (Total 16 executed, 14 in Dublin)

The prison record states all were “Removed by military on 10/5/1916, Destination unknown, except P.J. Doris who was removed on 15/5/2016

The men were transported to Richmond Barracks in Dublin on 12th May 1916 and most were then sent by cattle ship and lodged in Wandsworth Detention Centre on 13th May and were later transferred to Frongoch Internment camp in North Wales. Although some were released after a short period, many were interned for up to 8 months and were released on Christmas Eve, 1916.

Young Men.

The two youngest prisons John Berry and Paddy Hughes were sent to Barlinnie prison in Glasgow. Two teachers from the Christian Brother School (CBS), Edward Gannon and Charles Gavan were interned.  Many of the young men were former students of the CBS in Westport. After their release, a report from the Mayo News dated April 1917 stated that John Lohan, Joe Ring, Bartley Cryan and Michael Derrig were on the Westport GAA team. Michael Derrig also played rugby with the Westport Rugby club.