1916 and TULLA CONNECTIONS

There were four men who played a part in the events that took place in Dublin during the Easter Rising. They were:

Dan Canny

Joseph Canny

Michael O'Dea

Cornelius (Con) O'Halloran

Attached are their profiles and the units that they served in during that time.

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DANIEL CANNY

1916 GPO O’CONNELL STREET GARRISON

C Company, 2^nd Battalion, Dublin Brigade

Daniel Canny was a son of Michael and Johanna (nee Minogue) Canny from Kilduff Lower, Tulla County Clare.  Born in 1885, Dan was the fourth of six children in the family.  The Cannys were farmers living just north of Tulla village in the townland of Kilduff.  Dan attended Knockjames National School and in the 1901 Census, was aged 16 and living at home with his mother, father and siblings, Michael, John, Joseph, and Theresa.  Dan’s sister, Susan, was not living at home at that time. 

It is believed that Dan left Kilduff sometime shortly after and moved to Dublin where he was an apprentice barman living and working at 1 Merrion Row, Dublin with Philip Kennedy, a grocer.  There were other assistants living with him there from other areas of the country.  Dan also worked as a barman at O’Meara’s Public House at 70 North Strand Road in 1916.  He was a member of the IRB and joined the Volunteers and Irish Citizen Army men on Easter Monday. Dan fought with the C Company 2^nd Battalion Dublin Brigade. He arrived into the GPO on Tuesday and was posted to the Metropole Hotel under the command of Lieutenant Oscar Traynor.    After the surrender, he was held at Richmond Barracks until 30 April and from there was deported to Knutsford on 1 May and subsequently Frongoch prisons until 26 July 1916.  When he was released, he re-joined his unit, and then subsequently joined the D company serving until the Anglo-Irish Truce.  He was in Croke Park on Bloody Sunday 21 November 1920 when the Black and Tans reprisal raid took place in response to IRA raids. 

Dan lived in Dublin where he co-owned several pubs with his brother, Joseph in the city and took an active part in the Young Ireland GAA club as a co-founder and serving as its secretary for 26 years.  He later bought his own public house.   He worked as a messenger for the Civil Service Commission after his military service.    He married Alice Mary Lyons on 1 June 1931 and had three children, Veronica, Patrick & Philip Oscar. He retired from his employment in 1958 on health and age grounds.  His wife, Alice Canny died on 20 December, 1961 aged 54.   He died on 13 April 1967 aged 82, and is buried with his wife in Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin. 

The following sources were used for this profile:

Obituary for Daniel Canny from Irish Press 15 April 1967.

Obituary for Alice Canny from Irish Press 21 Dec. 1961.

Military Services Pension Collection Ref. No. MSP34REF 1743.

Jimmy Wren, The GPO Garrison Easter Week 1916 A biographical Dictionary, (Dublin 2015) p. 29. 

Further reading that may be of interest is from David Fitzpatrick, Harry Boland’s Irish Revolution, 1887-1922, (Cork, 2004).

Information from the O’Connor family.  Many thanks for their generous contribution of information and photos for this profile.   

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JOSEPH CANNY

1^st Battalion, B Company, Dublin Brigade

Joseph Canny was born in Kilduff, Tulla, County Clare in 1887 to Michael Canny and Johanna Minogue Canny, farmers.  Joseph was the fifth of six children born to this family.  His older brother, Daniel would play a part in the Easter Rising as would Joseph.

In the 1901 Census, Joseph was listed as being aged 14, a scholar and living at home with his parents, his brothers, John, Michael, Dan & sister, Theresa.  Joseph was able to read and write. 

Joseph took part in the Easter Rising, serving with the 1^st Battalion B Company Dublin Brigade on Cabra Bridge during Easter week.  He was subsequently interred in Wakefield Prison for approximate 6 months before he was released in September 1916.  Joseph Canny continued to serve during the War of Independence  in the 3^rd Battalion G Company, Dublin Brigade where he was later interred in 1921. 

Joseph was employed as a temporary clerk in the Department of Defence and resided for many years at 2 North Great Georges Street Dublin and in Phibsboro, not far from his brother, Daniel.  Joseph co-owned several pubs in Dublin with his brother, Daniel for a number of years.    Joseph did not marry, and died on 17 January 1973.  He is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin. 

The following sources were used for this profile:

Irish Press Death Notice 19 January 1973

Irish Independent Death Notice 19 January 1973

Bureau Military History Pension Files

• File Ref. No. MSP34REF20256.

• File Ref. No. MSP34REF20256.

Notes and information from the O’Connor family.   Many thanks for their generous contribution of information and photographs for this profile. 

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MICHAEL O’DEA

Church Street and St. Mary’s Lane

 F Company, 1^st Battalion, Dublin Brigade

Michael O’Dea was born in Drumcharley in 1896, a son to Laurence O’Dea and Margaret Littleton O’Dea.  He was the oldest son and one of eight children born in that family.  The O’Deas were farming in Drumcharley and Michael attended Drumcharley National School with his siblings. 

After 1911, Michael went to live and work in Dublin working as a barman.  He joined the Irish Volunteers and fought in the Easter Rising serving in the F Company, 1^st Battalion, Dublin Brigade under Captain Finian Lynch which was stationed at Church Street and St. Mary’s Lane.  He was wounded during fighting and was hospitalised in Richmond Hospital and the Red Cross Hospital for several weeks after, having suffered gunshot wounds to the stomach and leg.   

Michael later returned to Tulla where he joined the East Clare Brigade as an Irish Volunteer and the IRA as a drill instructor during the War of Independence.  He subsequently joined the National Army in the Civil War and was wounded at the Moy in County Clare in August 1922.  He was later discharged and worked for the Scariff Rural District Council for many years.  Michael O’Dea married Mary McCormack and raised a family of two daughters and a son.  He died on 27 December 1982 and is buried in Tulla graveyard.

The following sources were used for this profile:

Military Services Pension Collection Reference 24SP6755

Civil Marriage Record for Lawrence O'Dea and Margaret Littleton Accessed 1 May 2016. 

Historic Graves Tulla

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CORNELIUS O’HALLORAN

F Company, 1^st Battalion,  Dublin Brigade

Cornelius (Con) O’Halloran was born in 1895 in Caherlohan, Tulla, County Clare to John O’Halloran and Maria (nee McGrath) O’Halloran.  He was the sixth of ten children and the fourth son.  Con attended school locally but was not listed in the 1911 Census in the family household.  Con’s occupation prior to the Easter Rising was as an Asylum Attendant in Dublin. 

Con O’Halloran served in the Easter Rising in Jameson Distillery, Marrowbone Lane, Dublin with the Irish Volunteers, 1^st Battalion, F Company, Dublin Brigade as a Volunteer.  He was interned in Knutsford, Frongoch and Wormwood Prisons until September 1917.  Con continued to serve with the Irish Volunteers until 1917.  He moved back to County Clare in 1918 and served in the Mid-Clare Brigade until his arrest in November 1920 when he was interned until December 1921.  Con O’Halloran was seriously wounded in Limerick in 1922 with a bullet wound in his left lung. 

Con O’Halloran was employed with An Garda Síochána from September 1922 until 1941 when he resigned from same with the rank of Superintendent. 

Con was married to Hanora O’Connor in 1922 in Limerick and they were the parents of seven children.  (Wife:  Nora) Children:  Sean, Margaret, Isadore, Imelda, Ben, Cora, Declan.   He died on 5 June 1956 and is buried in Mount St. Jerome’s Cemetery, Dublin. 

The following sources were used for this profile:

Irish Independent Notice 6 June 1956 Death Notice & Article

Connaught Telegraph Notice 9 June 1956

Irish Examiner 6 June 1956 Death Notice

Irish Independent Anniversary Notice 6 June 1957

Military Service Pension Files Link Below:

Military Services Pension Collection Ref. No. 24SP3583

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