SEAN HEALY – ONE OF THE YOUNGEST MARTYRS OF 1916. JOINED na Fianna Eireann AT THE AGE OF 13.There is a plaque where he fell too in Phibsboro. Pearse sent him home because of his age, but asked him to drop in a dispatch to the Volunteers at the North Dublin Union,it was Jacobs, and it was actually to the Bridge in Phibsboro he was heading with a message for the Commanding Officer there. J. Langton.
In The Secret Army: The IRA, J. Bowyer Bell writes that George Gilmore was a man of “quiet, diffident manner” (Bell 84). Ernie O’Malley mentions George Gilmore in his book The Singing Flame when they were in Mountjoy Prison together in Autumn 1923:
“George Gilmore, from South Dublin, quiet faced, slow to speak, of a good fighting record… We were always anxious when Gilmore went to Mr Greer to hear service in the library; he would stuff his pockets with books from the shelves and he might be found out” (O’Malley 307).
Charlie Donnelly’s brother Joseph recollected that his brother was in love with a woman called Cora Hughes, the god daughter of Eamon de Valera:
“She had many admirers, including George Gilmore. Gilmore was to relate in an unpublished novel, The Gold Flag, the encroachment of this younger man into the relationship. However, he insists there was never any bitterness” (Donnelly 56).
Joseph Donnelly quotes Gilmore’s thoughts on the relationship:
“I believe that Charlie loved Cora and that she returned that love… it wasn’t platonic, which meant that there was no room for meanness of mind on anyone’s part, least of all mine, because Charlie and I were closer than brothers… I loved him almost as much as I loved Cora, which is more than a cynic like me would say is possible to love anyone” (Donnelly 56).
And of course we know he was a very brave man. O’Malley writes that a ladder was left beside a sentry platform on the outer wall of Mountjoy:
“There’s a chance’, [Gilmore] remarked casually, ‘The drop is worse than the sentries.’ He walked downstairs into the exercise ring, climbed the railings, ran towards the ladder… he had almost reached the top before the astonished sentries opened fire The sharp lash of a rifle bullet; other shots… He held onto the top of the wall by his hands, then the hands went out of sight… next day to our relief, we heard that he had not been wounded or retaken” (O’Malley 308).
Bowyer Bell states that on November 25 1925 Gilmore disguised as a Garda sergeant led the break out of 19 IRA men from Mountjoy (Bowyer Bell 53-54). According to Joseph Donnelly in 1936 the expected choice to lead the Irish Contingent in the International Brigades of the Spanish Civil War was George Gilmore but a leg injury he recieved during a visit to the Basque Country made it impossible and Frank Ryan was chosen by default (Donnelly 76-77).
I hope that answers some of your question.
I would love to know more about my dads first cousin, my first cousin once removed George Gilmore, What was George like as a person rather than the political person so much is written about. Also he and the rest of his family are buried in Howth Cemetery, except Philip his dad, can anyone tell me where he is buried as it is a mistery. Thanks. Hope someone replies