Major John MacBride - 1916 Poster

Rare John MacBride 1916 commemorative poster.

John MacBride ; Irish: Seán Mac Giolla Bhríde; (7 May 1868 – 5 May 1916) was an Irish republican and military leader. He was executed by the British government for his participation in the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin.

John MacBride was born at The Quay, Westport, County Mayo. He was educated at the Christian Brothers' School, Westport, and at St. Malachy's College, Belfast. His red hair and long nose led to him being given the nickname "Foxy Jack". He worked for a period in a drapery shop in Castlerea, County Roscommon. He had studied medicine, but gave it up and began working with a chemist's firm in Dublin. He joined the Irish Republican Brotherhood and was associated with Michael Cusack in the early days of the Gaelic Athletic Association. He also joined the Celtic Literary Society through which he came to know Arthur Griffith who was to remain a friend and influence throughout his life.

Beginning in 1893, MacBride was termed a "dangerous nationalist" by the British government. In 1896 he went to the United States on behalf of the IRB. In the same year he returned and emigrated to South Africa. MacBride took part in the Second Boer War on the side of the Boer Republics, for whom he raised the Irish Transvaal Brigade. MacBride was commissioned with the rank of Major in the Boer commandos and given Transvaal citizenship. In Ireland pro-Boer feeling, informed by Arthur Griffith and Maud Gonne, formed the most popular and most fervent of the European pro-Boer movements. However, more than 16,000 Irish fought for the British against the Boers. When MacBride became a citizen of the Transvaal, the British Government considered that, as a British subject of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, MacBride had committed high treason by giving aid to the enemy.

After the Boer war he travelled to Paris where he married Maud Gonne In 1903.They had one child, Sean MacBride, but the marriage ultimately failed and they divorced in Paris. After returning permanently from Paris to Dublin in 1905 MacBride joined other Irish nationalists in preparing for an insurrection. Because he was so well known to the British, the leaders thought it wise to keep him outside their secret military group planning a Rising. As a result he happened to find himself in the midst of the Rising without notice. He was in Dublin early on Easter Monday morning to meet his brother Dr. Anthony MacBride, who was arriving from Westport to be married on the Wednesday. The Major walked up Grafton St and saw Thomas MacDonagh in uniform and leading his troops. He offered his services and was appointed second-in-command at the Jacob's factory.

After the Rising, MacBride was court-martialled under the Defence of the Realm Act and executed by firing squad in Dublin's Kilmainham Gaol on 5 May 1916. Facing the British firing squad, he said he did not wish to be blindfolded, adding "I have looked down the muzzles of too many guns in the South African war to fear death and now please carry out your sentence". He is buried in Dublin's Arbour Hill Prison.

Originally printed and published by O'Loughlin, Murphy and Boland, (photo uncredited) , the text below the photograph simply states: "MAJOR JOHN MacBride , Executed, May 5th, , 1916". A remarkable reproduction on 210 gsm satin art paper , beautifully mounted on a mottled green suede background and set behind glass in a handmade, aged dark mahogany finish frame with a gold gilt sightline.