The Witnesses

The following are brief biographies of those who feature in this narrative:

Augustine Birrell was chief secretary for Ireland. A well-known essayist and British cabinet minister, he had been transferred to Ireland in 1907.

Eamon Bulfin attended Patrick Pearse's school, St Enda's, and became a member of the Irish Volunteers and IRB. He was stationed at the GPO during the Rising.

Áine Ceannt was the wife of Eamonn Ceannt, one of the Rising's leaders.

Liam T Cosgrave joined the Irish Volunteers in 1913, and was present at the landing of the Howth rifles. He served under Eamonn Ceannt at the South Dublin Union during the Rising.

Capt E Gerrard was educated at Clongowes College, before receiving an army commission. He served in the Dardanelles, Turkey before being stationed at Athlone in April 1916. On leave in Dublin during the Rising, he was stationed at Beggar's Bush Barracks.

Ernest Jordison was managing managing director of British Petroleum in Ireland

Arthur Hamilton Norway was Secretary of the General Post Office in Ireland, with his office becoming the rebel headquarters during the Rising. His wife, Mary Louisa, was living at the Royal Hibernian Hotel at the time, and wrote several letters during the week.

Robert Holland, from Inchicore, Dublin, attended his first Fianna Éireann meeting aged 12, and got his first gun when the Howth rifles landed. A member of the Volunteers and the IRB, he turned 19 during the Rising. He was stationed at Jameson's Distillery, at Marrowbone Lane.

Dick Humphreys was a 20-year-old former pupil of St Enda's. A member of the Volunteers since his school days, he was at the GPO during the Rising.

General Sir John Grenfell Maxwell was sent to Ireland late in the week as commander-in-chief of military forces.

Helena Molony was affiliated with Cumann na mBan - the women's arm of the Irish Volunteers - and the Irish Citizen Army. She was involved in the raid on Dublin Castle.

Sir Matthew Nathan had been under-secretary for Ireland since 1914. He was a former governor of Sierra Leone, the Gold Coast and Hong Kong.

Elizabeth O'Farrell was a midwife at the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street, and member of Cumann na mBan. She acted as a courier both before and during the Rising.

Ernie O'Malley was an 18-year-old medical student and eye-witness to the Rising.

James Stephens was a poet and novelist best-known for both his retelling of Irish fairy tales, and also

for works of fiction based on Irish myths. An eye-witness to the Easter Rising, his book, The Insurrection in Dublin, was published soon after the event.

Joseph Sweeney, originally from Donegal, was a former St Enda's pupil. At UCD by 1916, he was an Irish Volunteer stationed at the GPO during the Rising.

A noted soccer player for Belfast Celtic in his youth, Oscar Traynor was 30 years old at the time of the Rising, when as an Irish Volunteer he saw action at O'Connell Street.

Thomas Walsh, and his brother James, were members of the Irish Volunteers positioned first at

Boland's Mill and then Clanwilliam House, near Mount Street Bridge, during the Rising.

Martin Walton was a member of Fianna Éireann and joined the Irish Volunteers three weeks before the Rising. A 15-year-old at the time, he acted as a courier between the GPO and Jacob's factory.

Lord Wimborne was lord-lieutenant, the king's representative in Ireland. Previously an MP, he had been appointed to Ireland in 1915.