Colt 1916 Memorial , Portlaoise, County Laois , Ireland

On the 23rd April 2016, I visited the Colt 1916 Memorial, just outside Portlaoise, County Laois. A 100 years to the day when the men and women from Laois under orders from Patrick Pearse, the Laois volunteers commenced operations of the 1916 Rising.

Below are some pictures taken at the Memorial along with the  text on the Plaque.

 

Text of Plaque:

 

FIRST SHOT IN 1916 RISING

On Easter Sunday night, 23rd April, 1916, acting under the direct orders of Patrick Pearse, the Laois Volunteers participated in the demolition of a section of the Abbeyleix-Portlaoise railway line at a location near here.

The purpose of this exercise was to prevent British military reinforcements from reaching Dublin via Waterford after the Rising had started. This demolition was followed by the firing of the first shot of the 1916 Rising.

Other activities engaged in by the Laois Volunteers included an attempted similar demolition of the Carlow-Kildare railway line and a raid on Wolfhill R.I.C. Barracks.

This Memorial has been erected in honour of the Laois Volunteers listed below, as a tribute to their foresight, bravery and enterprise.

Eamon Fleming O/C – The Swan

Patrick J. Ramsbottom Vice O/C – Portlaoise

Lorcan O’Brádaig Q.M. - Lalors Mills

Thomas F. Brady – Lalors Mills Michael Gray – Portlaoise

Patrick Muldowney – Portlaoise John Muldowney – Portlaoise

Colum Holohan – Portlaoise Michael Walsh – Portlaoise

Terence Byrne – Knockalde James Ramsbottom – Fossey

Patrick J. Fleming – The Swan Noreen Brady – Lalors Mills

Michael J. Sheridan – Portlaoise John Frawley – Wolfhill

Kathleen Brady – Lalors Mills Seán Maguire – Dublin

Mrs May Conroy (nee Brady) – Lalors Mills

Breda Conroy (nee Brady) – Lalors Mills

23rd April 2016 - Pictures of the Colt 1916 Memorial

 

Check out the following link for a good account of the activities of the Laois Volunteers
http://www.storiesfrom1916.com/1916-easter-rising/the-first-shot/.