"Trams Says She. Trams Mam, Ah Says She There Is A Rebellion"

“She Wanted A Clanwilliam House Brick As A Memento”

Relevant Places

Brendan O’Byrne lived quite close to Mount Street bridge. Some of the heaviest fighting took place in this area during the Easter Rising.

When the fighting had ended the people of the area ventured out to see what had happened. Brendan’s mother in particular wanted to have a memento of the fighting and took him to see the shell of Clanwilliam House.

According to Brendan, most of the neighbourhood had a ‘Clanwilliam House brick’ which they then painted green, white, and orange and placed them on their mantlepiece in their living rooms.

After a while this became a test to patriotism, whether you displayed a ‘Clanwilliam House brick’ or not in your house.

Brendan O'Byrne was interviewed for the television series 'Ireland A Television History', 10 May 1979.

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