Con Colbert
Cornelius Bernard Colbert (Irish: Conchúir Ó Colbáird;[2] 19 October 1888 – 8 May 1916)[3] was an Irish rebel and pioneer of Fianna Éireann. For his part in the Easter Rising of 1916, he was shot by firing squad in Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin, on 8 May 1916.
Con Colbert
19 October 1888
Castlemahon, Newcastle West, County Limerick, Ireland[1]
8 May 1916 (aged 27)
Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin, Ireland
1913–1916
F Company fourth Battalion
- James Colbert (brother)
- Michael Colbert (cousin)
Early life[edit]
Born in the townland of Moanleana, Castlemahon, County Limerick, he was the fourth youngest of thirteen children[4] of Michael Colbert, a farmer, and Honora McDermott.[5]
His family moved to the village of Athea when Con was three years old. He was educated at the local national school. In 1901, his family were living in the townland of Templeathea West.[6][7] A younger brother, James, and a cousin, Michael Colbert, would later serve as TDs.
He left Athea at the age of 16 and went to live with his sister Catherine in Ranelagh, County Dublin. Colbert continued his education at a Christian Brothers school in North Richmond street. He was employed as a clerk in the offices of Kennedy's Bakery in Dublin.[3] In 1911, he was living with Catherine, two other siblings and two boarders at a house on Clifton Terrace, Rathmines.[8]
Colbert was a deeply religious Catholic and refrained from smoking or drinking.[9]
Easter Rising[edit]
In the weeks leading up to the Rising, he acted as bodyguard for Thomas Clarke.[3]
Before the Rising, because he lived out of the city he stayed with the Cooney family in the city centre.[11] During Easter Week, he fought at Watkin's Brewery, Jameson's Distillery and Marrowbone Lane.[3] Thomas MacDonagh at 3.15 p.m. Sunday, 30 April surrendered to Brigadier-General Lowe. MacDonagh then went around the garrisons under his command to arrange for their surrender.
Colbert surrendered with the Marrowbone Lane Garrison along with the South Dublin Union Garrison, which had been led by Éamonn Ceannt.[12] When the order to surrender was issued, he assumed the command of his unit to save the life of his superior officer, who was a married man.[3]
They were marched to Richmond Barracks, where Colbert would later be court-martialled. Transferred to Kilmainham Gaol, he was told on Sunday 7 May that he was to be shot the following morning. He wrote no fewer than ten letters during his time in prison. During this time in detention, he did not allow any visits from his family; writing to his sister, he said a visit "would grieve us both too much".[13]
Execution[edit]
The night before his execution he sent for Mrs. Ó Murchadha who was also being held prisoner. He told her he was "proud to die for such a cause. I will be passing away at the dawning of the day." Holding his bible, he told her he was leaving it to his sister. He handed her three buttons from his volunteer uniform, telling her "They left me nothing else," before asking her when she heard the volleys of shots in the morning for Éamonn Ceannt, Michael Mallin and himself would she say a Hail Mary for the souls of the departed. The soldier who was guarding the prisoner began crying according to Mrs. Ó Murchadha, and recorded him saying "If only we could die such deaths."[14]
Colbert was shot by firing squad the next morning on 8 May 1916.