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April 26

1916
Battles

April 26, 1916

Battle of Mount Street Bridge

On April 26, 1916, a pivotal engagement of the Easter Rising, known as the Battle of Mount Street Bridge, took place in Dublin. A small contingent of 17 Irish Volunteers bravely defended positions along Northumberland Road and Mount Street, successfully delaying approximately 1,700 British soldiers for over seven hours. This fierce resistance inflicted significant casualties on the British forces (224 wounded and killed) and is remembered as one of the most effective military actions by the rebels during the Rising, despite the eventual fall of their positions.

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1916
Battles

April 26, 1916

British Artillery Bombards Dublin Strongholds

On April 26, 1916, as the Easter Rising intensified, British artillery began a sustained bombardment of rebel strongholds in Dublin. Liberty Hall, the headquarters of the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union, was heavily shelled, and the General Post Office (GPO), the rebel headquarters, also came under heavy fire. The arrival of the gunboat Helga on the River Liffey further escalated the attacks, marking a significant increase in the British military's efforts to suppress the rebellion and causing widespread destruction in the city.

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1916
Battles

April 26, 1916

Execution of Francis Sheehy-Skeffington

On April 26, 1916, during the Easter Rising, pacifist and journalist Francis Sheehy-Skeffington, along with two other journalists, was illegally executed by firing squad under the orders of Captain J.C. Bowen-Colthurst. This controversial incident, where Sheehy-Skeffington was arrested while trying to prevent looting, highlighted the brutal realities of the conflict. Bowen-Colthurst was later found guilty but insane, and the executions sparked public outrage, contributing to a shift in public opinion regarding the British response to the Rising.

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