fragment / General Post Office, 1916

Fragments of flag found in the ruins of the General Post Office about Monday, May 1st, 1916. It consists of two scraps of bunting material; one, leaf-shaped, white, c.4" x 2"; the other in shape of two leaves joined together along side, c.4" x 3", more than half the material being green and the rest white, the green attached to white by double row of machined stitches. Each fragment is scorched around edges. The fragments were found pressed together under a stone at the Prince's Street side of the yard behind the building. The stone formed part of the debris in the yard and its building, and its position seems to have saved these fragments from the fire, the remainder of the flag having apparently been burnt. They were found by a workman who was engaged in clearing the debris on the occasion of the first visit of Post Office engineers and workmen to the building after the fire. They were obtained by Labhrás Ó Muirgheasa, who was present in his capacity as a Post Office Engineering Branch official, from the workman. At the time of the Rising he was Vice-President of the Keating Branch, Gaelic League. (information from Mr Ó Muirgheasa, 12/3/42).;