subject: Destination Newry News - Patrick Rankin - The Dedicated Newry Man [print this page] According to records Patrick Rankin was born in Newry 1889 and his known address was 24 Queen Street (now Dominic Street) in Newry. Rankin was a painter by trade and joined the Irish Republican Brotherhood in 1907.
Rankin emigrated to Toronto in 1913 and by the year 1914 had moved on to Philadelphia and joined the National Guard to gain some military experience and to acquire ammunition. Each time Rankin visited the rifle range he managed to sneak some bullets out with him. In total Rankin acquired 600 rounds of ammunition which he sneaked back to Liverpool with him on his return in January 1915. Rankin returned to Ireland just before conscription began.
On Easter Tuesday Rankin set off on his bicycle via the Drumalane Road carrying with him ammunition and a six inch revolver. Rankin arrived in his sister's house in Dublin at 7pm that evening. Early the next morning (Wednesday) Rankin headed for Dublin City Centre. He was part of the team that began to make holes in the walls of buildings that joined on to the GPO and continued until approx. 3am. When daylight broke the men removed flammable material away from the fire which raged in the GPO and tried their best to contain it.
At 6pm they all gathered in Henry Street to await further orders. The O'Rahilly requested 6 or so volunteers to follow him to the GPO basement to assist in moving grenades and when the task was complete they resumed their positions. Next morning the men moved back in to the GPO and prepared for a siege. Coal was brought in by relay and left on the ground floor forming a barricade in the event of an attack. No sooner was the barricade formed before the enemy managed toss et it alight.
The surrender came the following Sunday at Henry Street. At noon the volunteers were marched through O'Connell Street, down the Quay, past Kilmainham to the Island Bridge Barracks.
In July 1916 some volunteers were taken to a nearby railway station and boarded the train on their way to London. The prisoners were detained in Wormwood Scrubs Prison and after being questioned they were transferred by train again to Wales and detained in Frongach. Rankin was finally released and returned to Newry at the end of August 1916.
The O'Rahilly family owned the port of Greenore in Co. Louth for many years.
