James O’Brien

Died

24 April 1916

Age

Rank

Constable

Force

Dublin Metropolitan Police

Cause

Homicide - Shot

Duty Status

On Duty

Roll of Honour Citation

Shot dead by a rebel volunteer while on duty at the Cork Hill entrance to Dublin Castle.

Roll of Honour Citation

Shot dead by a rebel volunteer while on duty at the Cork Hill entrance to Dublin Castle.

Circumstances

Shot dead on guard duty by a rebel volunteer starting the Easter Rising.

On Easter Monday, 1916, Constable O’Brien was on duty, unarmed, at the Cork Hill entrance to Dublin Castle, when he was confronted by a group of rebel volunteers who, between 11:00am and noon, demanded entry into the castle’s upper yard but were denied access. The rebel leader then threatened the officer and pointed a gun at him. Constable O’Brien stood his ground and was shot in the head and killed.

James was the first fatality in what became the Easter Rising.

He was born in 1868 in Kilfergus, County Limerick, and at the time of his death he had served for twenty-one years.

He was temporarily buried within the castle grounds but on 28th April his body was exhumed and moved to Mount Argus Church. The following day he was taken back to his home town of Kilfergus, where he was buried.

He was survived by his sister Johanna and his brother William.

The rebel leader was, himself, shot dead by a British Army sniper about an hour after killing Constable O’Brien.