History of the Club
Thomas Gay (1884-1953) and 5 others met on 7th December 1942 to establish The 1916-1921 Club to cater for members of the Irish Republican Army and kindred bodies from the years 1916-21. The aim of the assembled group was to bring together the protagonists from both sides of the Civil War divide and make an effort to restore the spirit of comradeship which existed in the Irish Volunteers as they entered into the fight for freedom in 1916 and during the four years, through the fight against the Black and Tans in the War of Independence.
They were especially interested to reach out to those who for one reason or another were detached from the ideals and associations they had so much identified with in former years. Tommy Gay was the first Honorary Secretary, a position he was to hold until his death on 2nd January 1953. He joined the Volunteers on 20th September 1914, became a member of A Company, 1st Battalion and reported to Marrowbone Lane Distillery in Easter Week 1916, under Capt. Con Colbert. Gay was assigned to a role of messenger and kept the lines open between the garrisons.
Through his gathering and passing of intelligence he thwarted the plans of the British troops in their planned attack on the Distillery. It was from Major John Mac Bride in Jacobs Factory that he found out about the surrender. He successfully evaded capture during and after the rising. Tommy held the position as Librarian in Capel Street Library, in Dublin and this position allowed him the flexibility and accessibility to liaise with sympathetic employees of the British State.
It was through Tommy’s intelligence that Michael Collins was to engage with Castle employee Detective Officer Joe Kavanagh, and DMP officer Colonel Ned Broy. His home was a contact point for meetings attended by Collins, Broy, Kavanagh, James Mc Namara, Seán Duffy, Harry Boland and David Nelligan.
It was through Kavanagh that Gay obtained details of the so-called German Plot, which were passed to Collins through Harry Boland, and was aimed at the capture of members of the newly elected Government. M.W. O’Reilly was the first Club President and he held the office from 1945 for ten years to be succeeded by Seán McGarry who was Tom Clarke’s bodyguard in 1916.
The position was held by many retired members of the Defence Forces including General Sean MacEoin, General Michael J. Costello, General Jack Gallagher,Col. Dan Bryan, Comdt. D.V.Horgan, Captain James Kelly. Author T.P. O’Neill, Martin Walton a 1916 volunteer, of Walton’s Musical Galleries, Nobel and Lenin peace laureate Seán Mac Bride, Colonel Ned Broy, Sean Kavanagh, Vinny Byrne, were past presidents. There were two female Presidents, Máire Uí Nualláin and Nora Comiskey. The current President is Jim Doyle. Barry Lyons is the current Honorary Secretary of The 1916-1921 Club. Jack O’Sheehan presented the Presidential Chain at Christmas 1957 and it has been worn on ceremonial occasions.
The club has adopted a philanthropic role on occasions and contributes to the erection of memorials to people and events connected with the fight for Irish Freedom around the island of Ireland. The annual wreath laying commemoration of the Easter Rising takes place in May at Arbour Hill with the oration by a prominent local or national figure.
The annual Bloody Sunday commemoration in November at Dublin Castle attracts a large ttendance. A wreath is laid, usually by a family member of one of the murdered Volunteers. In August 2017 the inaugural ceremony of remembrance of Roger Casement was held at his graveside in Glasnevin Cemetery and a wreath was laid by the late Noel Hughes. This was followed by a lecture from Angus Mitchell of the University of Limerick in the heritage centre.
This was a well- attended gathering and our hosts have expressed a wish that this be an annual event. The 1916-1921 Club has been active in making submissions to the government as to how the 1916 Rising and the First Dáil should be commemorated. The Association of the Old Dublin Brigade, Óglaigh na hÉireann, which was open to surviving members of the War of Independence, became incorporated in The 1916-1921 Club in 1983, as their membership declined. The 1916-1921 club has no affiliation to any political organisation. It became a Company limited by Guarantee on 6th October 1986. Membership of the Club is open to all Irish citizens who subscribe to the objectives and accept the documents upon which the club bases its charter.