Garastún Árd-Oifig an Phoist 1916

"This long rectangular photograph was taken in 1938, with the members of the GPO garrison from the Easter Rising of 1916. My grandfather P.J. McGrath and uncle Paddy McGrath are both in the photograph. Seán T. Ó Cheallaigh is also in the photograph. P.J. McGrath was a printer in 1913, and prevented a mob from entering the Irish Independent premises. After P.J. took part in the Rising, William Martin Murphy got him out of prison in the aftermath as he felt P.J. had saved his life. P.J went on to take part in the War of Independence, as quartermaster of a battalion for the I.R.A., and then took the role Staff Captain with the Pro-Treaty forces during the Civil War. Then in around 1928/9, Eamonn De Valera was interviewing people for the position of Works Manager at the Irish Press. He offered P.J. the job in spite of being on opposing sides during the Civil War. P.J. worked in the Irish Press until his death in 1941. Paddy McGrath went up onto the roof of the GPO during the Rising, in spite of having being told not to, and was shot just above his right eye. The bullet was too close to his brain and so he could not be operated on. Paddy began to take fits as a result of the bullet, and eventually moved to a nursing home, though he was still fully compus mentis. He died in 1956. Richie McGrath, another uncle of mine, and son to P.J. took part in the War of Indepenace. He was in the Gresham Hotel when two people were killed there on Bloody Sunday and he also took part in the burning of the Custom’s House. He was imprisoned for this. He became a carpenter in the Irish Press and died around 1986. "