J. F. T.: Why did they surrender? Of course, we get old and we get things into our heads, but at the same time, it’s a funny thing. During 1916 the clergymen were sent around to each place. To Jacobs, Marrowbone Lane, and all around the place, the GPO and wherever the lads were, to tell them that, to give up arms, that Pearse had said so, to give up arms, that… and surrender, there’d be no executions. Now it was a Capuchin Father that called to Joe McDonagh, in Jacobs, and it was he told him. What happened? Weren’t they executed? Now, the only one that didn’t surrender unless a person that he knew would… came to him with a dispatch from Pearse himself written in his own hand, was de Valera. And he was out in Ballsbridge. Now, I happened to work with the woman, she was a tailorette – what’s this her name was? She died… I think she died only a short time ago. She carried that dispatch out to de Valera under an armed guard of British Soldiers, and when de Valera read it… Now, at that time he was to be executed, but being an American citizen they say, he wasn’t.

S. Mac P.: But… you didn’t take part in 1916 yourself?

J. F. T.: Eh, no. We were Fianna Boys, and the only pack of Fianna Boys that went out was a few that were with Cathal Brugha. But he sent them out of Clerys, and we saw them, John Price and I saw them, crossing from Clerys to the GPO. We saw some people, don’t know who they were of course [laughter] with mattresses over their head, and all you could see was the feet, and they coming across from Clerys. But he… before the real thing started, he sent them Fianna Boys home, and told them, as Colbert told us, ‘Stop as you are now, you’ll be called upon some time’.