Louise Gavan Duffy

Sister of George Gavan Duffy, later Minister for Foreign Affairs in the First Dáil, Louise Gavan Duffy founded Scoil Bhríde, Ireland’s first Gaelscoil for girls. Her statement describes her journey through Dublin on Easter Monday, arriving finally at the GPO, where she asked to see Pearse: “I said to him that I wanted to be in the field but that I felt that the Rebellion was a frightful mistake, that it could not possibly succeed, and that it was, therefore, wrong.”

Pearse suggested that she help out in the kitchens, and she agreed to this, since it was not active service. She stayed there until the GPO was evacuated on Friday, and next morning went to Jacob’s “to see what they were going to do there.” Her statement is more reflective and politically aware than most of the others.