Seán Hurley was the only Cork volunteer killed in Dublin during the Easter Rising of 1916.
Seán Hurley was born in July 1887 to John Daniel Hurley and Catherine Walsh of Drinagh, Co. Cork, Ireland. He was the youngest of seven children.
He attended Drinagh National School and the Clonakilty Boys School. Among his classmates in Clonakilty was Michael Collins.
Seán immigrated to London in 1906. He worked at Harrods department store as an accounts clerk.
He joined the Geraldine GAA club and was considered a good athlete. Among his team mates was Michael Collins.
Hurley joined the London branch of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. He also joined the newly formed London Branch of the Irish Volunteers.
Returning to the Dublin in January 1916, Hurley worked at Wilson and Crowe, Bootmakers, Lower Bridge Street, Dublin.
Hurley fought with the F Company, 1st Battalion. His commanding officers were Edward Daly, Piaras Beaslai, Jack Shouldice and Captain Fionán Lynch.
Hurley was garrisoned on Church Street during Easter Week.
Just before the rebels surrendered on 29 April 1916, Hurley was shot in the head and arm.
He was brought to the medical station at St. Mathews Hall, Church Street, which was run by the Capuchin Order. After the surrender he was transferred to Richmond Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
He was buried along with 15 other Easter Rising casualties in St Paul’s section, Republican Plot, Glasnevin cemetery, Dublin.
The commemorative sculpture in Drinagh portrays Seán Hurley in his volunteer uniform during the Rising. The sculpture was created by Don Cronin, http://www.doncronin.net/. Cronin also created the life size Bull in bronze in Macroom and Horse and Rider in bronze in Innishannon among many other works.
Partly funded by community donations and the Cork County Council, the statue was dedicated in 2016.
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Sources –
1916 Relatives Association
https://1916relatives.com/
1916 martyr Seán Hurley to be honoured in west Cork
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/1916-martyr-Seán-hurley-to-be-honoured-in-west-cork-1.2630039
Drinagh’s Seán Hurley recalled in exhibition
https://www.southernstar.ie/news/drinaghs-Seán-hurley-recalled-in-exhibition-4155734
Michael Collins House
https://www.facebook.com/michaelcollinshouse/posts/382047960597932/
Seán Hurley 1916 Commemorative statue
https://fundit.ie/project/sen-hurley-1916-commemorative-statue
Videos:
Seán Hurley 1916
https://youtu.be/8cFhZFanJ9w
Drinagh 1966 Seán Hurley Monument
https://youtu.be/3N22nwyZ_jE
Drinagh Seán Hurley Commemoration 1966 and 2016
https://youtu.be/hRV4hhoAdpY
Connolly’s Gaelic Bar
https://www.facebook.com/ConnollysGaelicBar/about
Don Cronin – Sculptor
http://www.doncronin.net/