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"We Heard The Guns All Rolling, Nobody Took Any Notice"

"There Was A British Soldier Shot Very Badly"

“He Challenged Peadar Macken”

Relevant Places

On Easter Monday fifteen year old John A Flynn mobilised with his Company at Brunswick Street (Pearse Street) and marched off to occupy Boland’s Bakery, and other strategic outposts in the surrounding area.

Commandant Éamon de Valera was in charge of this district and it was his responsibility to halt the advance of reinforcements that would arrive from Britain once the Rising began.

Flynn was one of those chosen to guard a section of the railway line between Westland Row and Lansdowne Road and took up position at Clarence Street Bridge.

De Valera’s men were to experience some of the most intense fighting during the Easter Rising. The Volunteers were on high alert and under great strain and unfortunately this lead to accidental shootings.

One such incident happened on 27 April when Peadar Macken, Captain of ‘B’ Company, 3rd Battalion was accidentally shot after he was challenged by a sentry on Clarence Street (Macken Street) bridge. Flynn, who was present at the time recalls that Macken did not hear the sentry call to him.

He challenged him a second time, still no reply… the sentry raised his gun and shot him.

Macken was shot in the stomach and was taken to Boland’s. He died of his wounds soon after.

John A Flynn was a member of ‘B’ Company, 3rd Battalion, Dublin Brigade, Irish Volunteers.

John A Flynn was interviewed for the television programme 'Going Strong', broadcast on 20 May 1981.

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