John MacBride could have escaped before the surrender of rebels at Jacob’s Factory, but he would have considered it dishonourable, he told his court martial.
The file on his trial, held at the British National Archives, Kew, London, shows he was one of the few who called a witness and he only learned about the Rising when he saw Thomas MacDonagh and the Irish Volunteers on Easter Monday at St Stephen’s Green.
MacBride (47) was a veteran of the Boer War and a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. His court martial was held on May 4th, before Brig Gen Charles Blackader, Lieut Col George German and Lieut Col William Kent.
Maj JA Armstrong was the first of three witnesses against MacBride and gave evidence he recognised him as one of those who surrendered from Jacob’s Factory. “He gave his rank as an officer,” Armstrong said.
“I had a list of the unarmed men made before the party was disarmed and the accused does not appear on that list.” He said MacBride was not in uniform.
Lieut SH Jackson, of the 3rd Royal Irish Regiment, said he recognised MacBride. “He gave his name as Maj John MacBride. I was in charge of the searching party in the gymnasium. The accused handed his notebook to me there,” he said.
Inspector Richard W Boyne, of the Dublin Metropolitan Police, said “on May 2nd about 11am, I visited the lodgings of the accused and found”. No further evidence from the policeman was written down, but a note, in brackets, said; “evidence of this witness disallowed”.
MacBride called a Mrs Allan, of 8 Spencer Villas, Glenageary. She said she knew him for 25 years and remembered him leaving her house on Easter Monday morning, dressed in civilian clothes.
“I remember receiving a letter from the accused’s brother, Dr MacBride, saying that he was coming up from Castle Bar and asking the accused to meet him at the Wicklow Hotel, Dublin. I remember the accused saying that he was going to lunch with his brother and would be back about 5 o’clock,” she said.
Dr MacBride was to be married the following Wednesday, she told the court, and MacBride was to be best man. She added she had never seen him in uniform nor had he got such a thing, as far as she knew.
MacBride told the trial he left home in Glenageary on Easter Monday morning intending to meet his brother, who was coming to Dublin to get married.
“In waiting round town I went up as far as St Stephen’s Green and there I saw a band of Irish Volunteers,” he said. “I knew some of the members personally and the Commandant told me that an Irish Republic was virtually proclaimed. As he knew my rather advanced opinions and although I had no previous connection with the Irish Volunteers I considered it my duty to join them.”
He said he knew there was no chance of success, and never advised or influenced any other person to join. He did not know the positions they were about to take up, and he marched with the Volunteers to Jacob’s Factory. “After being a few hours there, I was appointed second-in-command and I felt it my duty to occupy that position,” he said.
“I could have escaped from Jacob’s Factory before the surrender had I so desired, but I considered it a dishonourable thing to do. I do not say this with the idea of mitigating any penalty they may impose, but in order to make clear my position in the matter.”
A note found on MacBride was also in the file, written in pencil and dated April 25th, along with blank Jacob & Co invoices that had been utilised on the reverse by the volunteers. One was headed, in type, “Army of the Irish Republic” and listed “Commands”. “Bishop Street – Commndnt MacBride”, it said. The officers appointed to Peter’s Row, Peter Street and Bride Street had also been on the page, but the names were torn away. A partial signature appeared to be Thomas MacDonagh’s.
Another Jacob’s stationery page, had been used on the reverse for “Gazette, Army of the Irish Republic”. It said “Major John MacBride to be commandant. Michael MacDonnell, John MacDonagh, Andrew Comerford to be lieutenants”.
MacBride was the only man to be executed on May 5th, at 3.47am.
