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A post war photo of the Mendicity Institute |
The original gentleman's residence |
Captain Seán Heuston of Commandant Daly’s 1st Battalion was ordered to occupy the Mendicity Institution as an outpost about a half-mile to the west of the Four Courts on the south side of the Liffey. From here he could control the route between the Royal Barracks and the Four Courts for a few hours so that Daly and the remainder of the 1st Battalion would have time to occupy the Four Courts.
The Mendicity Institute was a former grand house, formerly Moira House, it had romantic associations for republicans as Lord Edward Fitzgerald used to stay there before his arrest. It had been turned into a home for the down-and-out. Heuston threw out the inmates and fortified the building. Soon afterwards a force from the British Army left the barracks and marched along Ellis Quay and as it turned to cross Queens Bridge, Heuston's group opened fire. That group continued on to Dublin Castle leaving behind a number of dead and wounded
Captain Seán Heuston of Commandant Daly’s 1st Battalion
Later another force from the Royal Barracks attacked the building, but was repulsed. Initially Heuston’s force consisted of thirteen Volunteers, but it was reinforced on Tuesday by another thirteen Volunteers from Swords under Captain Richard Coleman. Although required to hold the position for only a matter of hours, the force held out until noon on Wednesday. By then, the Mendicity Institution was surrounded by vastly superior forces equipped with small arms, grenades and heavy machine guns. To save the lives of his remaining men, Heuston surrendered.
More can be read under the 10th RDF durng the Easter Rising.