John MacDiarmada (1883 - 1916)

Born 29 Mar 1883 in Coillte Clochair, County Leitrim, Ireland

Ancestors

Died 12 May 1916 at age 33 in Kilmainham, Dublin, Ireland

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Biography

Seán Mac Diarmada 1883 – 1916

John MacDermott

The original birth registration is for John Dermott, born 29th March 1883 Corranmore, Cloonclare; parents Daniel Dermott (farmer) & Mary (McMorrow) Dermott; birth registered 10th April 1883. (image available in IrishGenealogy.ie) ^[1]

The family home was in the townland^[2] of Corranmore, near the village of Kiltyclogher, county Leitrim; his father was Donald McDermott who was active in the Land League and the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB); his mother Mary died when he nine years old. ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Seán MacDiarmada was an ardent nationalist, supporting many organisations that promoted Irish language and culture. He joined the Gaelic League and the Irish Catholic fraternity, the Ancient Order of Hibernians. He was national organiser for Sinn Féin, and became manager of the Irish Republican Brotherhood newspaper Irish Freedom in 1910. He was a close friend of the Republican, Tom Clark. He was one of the first members of the Irish Volunteers in 1913, serving on the provisional committee of the Volunteers and on the military committee of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, working to bring the two organizations together.

In 1915, Seán MacDiarmada was arrested in Tuam, County Galway for giving a speech against enlisting into the British Army, who were recruiting heavily for troops to fight abroad during WW1. Released a few months later, he joined the secret Military Committee of the I.R.B. and with Tom Clarke, began to organise the armed rebellion of Easter 1916.

Seán MacDiarmada was a member of the symbolic Provisional Republican Government and a signatory of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic He was stationed at the headquarters in the General Post Office during the insurrection of 1916, though weakness from recently contracted polio meant that he was not actively engaged himself.

Following the surrender of the G.P.O. he attempted to get away by blending in with the crowd of arrested men, but was recognised by Daniel Hoey, an Irishman working for the British in their headquarters at Dublin Castle (a "G. man" from G Division) Seán MacDiarmada was convicted by court-martial and executed by firing squad on the 12th May 1916 at the age of 33. Daniel Hoey was assasinated by Michael Collins's Squad, and Lee-Wilson, the British Officer who ordered Seán MacDiarmada's execution, was killed in Cork on the order of Michael Collins.

Sources

1. ↑ There is a little confusion over the exact date of his birth; born in Corranmore - his birth is registered as 29 March & his baptism as 20th January Seven Signatories: Tracing the Family Histories of the Men Who Signed the Proclamation by Paul Gorry pub: Merrion Press 2016
2. ↑ "It is uncertain if this is a townland that has been lost or more likely a sub-townland or the name of a hamlet.
3. ↑ Wikipedia : Seán Mac Diarmada
4. ↑ "Mac Diarmada (MacDermott), Seán (1883–1916), republican revolutionary, wasborn January 1883 (baptised 29 January) in Corranmore (Laghty Barr), Kiltyclogher,Co. Leitrim, eighth child and third son among five sons and five daughters ofDonald McDermott (d. 1913), a carpenter, and Mary McDermott (née McMorrow)(d. 1892), native of the nearby townland of Ardmoneen (Loughros Barr)" Mac Diarmada (MacDermott) Seán by Lawrence William White
5. ↑ Description of family and their cottage now being renovated by the Office of Public Works, is where parents Donald and Mary McDermott and ten children lived. Irish Times 1st April 2019

• Birth Registration 29th March 1883 (note : baptism date & birth date recorded elsewhere differ) Irish Genealogy.ie. Registrar's District : Manorhamilton : 02005962
• Seven Signatories: Tracing the Family Histories of the Men Who Signed the Proclamation by Paul Gorry pub: Merrion Press 2016
• Wikipedia : Seán Mac Diarmada
• The Proclamation of the Irish republic [1] text of the Proclamation [2]
• The Executed Leaders of the 1916 Rising - Roinn an Taoisigh [3]
• Find A Grave: Memorial #4277 Arbour Hill Cemetery, Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland