Miceal O'Hanrahan - 1916 Poster

Rare Michael O'Hanrahan 1916 commemorative poster .

Michael O'Hanrahan as born on the 16th January 1877 and was an Irish rebel who was executed by firing squad for his role in the 1916 Easter Rising.

He was born 'Michael Hanrahan' in New Ross, County Wexford, the son of  a cork cutter, Richard Hanrahan,  and his wife Mary Williams. It seems likely his father was involved in the  Fenian rising of 1867. The family eventually moved to Carlow, where Michael attended Carlow CBS and the Carlow College Academy. He joined the Gaelic League in 1998 and founded the League's first branch in 1899 where he was its secretary. He also helped found the Carlow Workingmen's Club later that yeare. By 1903 he had arrived in Dublin, where he workied as a proof-reader with An Cló Cumann which wasthe Gaelic League's primary printer . He published articles in Sinn Féin and The Irish Volunteer which were strongly nationalist newspapers. He also wrote two novels A Swordsman of the Brigade  which was published in 1914 and When the Norman Came which was published posthumously in 1918.

In 1903 he was active in Maud Gonne and Arthur Griffith's campaign and demonstrations  against the visit of King Edward VII to Ireland. His meeting with Griffith led O'Hanrahan to join the Griffith's newly founded Sinn Féin.  During this period he also became a member of the IRB and in 1913 he joined the Irish Volunteers where he was later employed in administration with the Volunteers headquarters staff and was commissioned as quartermaster general of the 2nd Battalion Dublin Brigade. It was through this post  that he became a close friend of  Thomas MacDonagh who was commandant of the Battalion

He was second in command of Dublin's 2nd battalion under Commandant Thomas MacDonagh until Major MacBride unexpectedly took that role on Easter Monday. He was active at Jacob's Biscuit Factory although as the British troops worked around and  bypassed Jacobs because of its strong position and defences, the battalion saw little action other than constant sniping and a failed foray  and engagement close to Mount street en route to help DeValera at Bolands Mill.   When  the situation began to detiorate accross the city O'Hanrahan told  MacDonagh that  they "were inviting destruction of the factory by incendiary shells, and also of the surrounding thickly populated area". MacDonagh ordered a break-out which O'Hanrahan led "with some difficulty" out of the factory through New Bride Street gate. While many surrendered and were arrested quite a few members of that battalion blended back into the city and were not.

O'Hanrahan was court-martialled and subsequently executed by firing squad on the 4th May  at Kilmainham Jail.  Henry O'Hanrahan, his brother, was sentenced to penal servitude for life for his role in the Rising.

Originally printed and published by O'Loughlin, Murphy and Boland, using a photo by Keogh Bros., the text below the photograph simply states: "miceál ó hannracáin , Executed, May 4th, , 1916". This is a very fine 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.