Rising Radio Not many people know that during The Rising, the volunteers made the worlds first mass pirate radio broadcast. It was done from 10-11 OConnell Street known then as Sackville Street . In 1916 the ground floor was occupied by a Jewellery shop but its main interest for the rebels lay on the 4th floor. This was where the Irish School of Wireless Telegraphy was based. It had been closed down in 1915 by the British, under the Defence of the Realm act so as no unlawful communications could be sent during the First World War. In 1916 radio was in its infancy and was only used for point to point communication. Plunkett had an idea to broadcast a mass signal to the world, he wanted to let allies in America and Germany know that the rebellion had begun. He ordered a small group of men to leave the GPO, take control of building and get the radio system up and running. Two of the men involved where John OConnor and Fergus O’Kelly. The building was taken quiet easily as there were no forces there to protect it. OConnor & O’Kelly set about repairing the aerial on the roof. They were constantly under fire from British snipers from all sides. As soon as the aerials were up and running Fergus O’Kelly set down and tapped out the world’s first mass radio broadcast. It was 5.30pm on Tuesday 25th April 1916. The message was sent in Morse code. It declared that a rebellion had started in Dublin and the republic had been proclaimed. This message was repeatedly sent out a number of times during the evening. Although the rebels themselves were not sure if the communication had been picked up by the intended recipients, they found out quite quickly that the British had picked up the message. The radio operator on the HMS Adventurer which was docked in Dun Laoghaire had picked up the signal and the battle ship Helga was ordered up the Liffey as artillery support to try and stop the communications. As the building came under ever increasing fire from the Helga and British snipers, the decision was made to try to relocate the radio equipment. The rebels placed the radio onto an upturned table and proceeded to make their way back to the GPO. But as they crossed the road, they came under heavy fire and had to abandon the equipment. The very next day, news of the rebellion in Dublin was in the New York Newspapers, before it was in the British ones. The rebels didnt know it at the time but their communication had actually reached its intended target audience. The video is a sample of what was broadcast on that day. Voice on the video is that of Eamon OBuadhachain, Please feel free to SHARE this post on Facebook and Twitter @1916movie and INVITE your friends to LIKE this page. Thanks! #supportindiefilm #irishfilm
Posted on: Mon, 12 Jan 2015 07:11:47 +0000
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