Last child of Easter Rising leader dies at age of 104
Tributes paid to priest who was son of executed rebel Michael Mallin
THE last remaining child of an Easter Rising leader has died at the age 104 in Hong Kong.
Fr Joseph Mallin was the son of Commandant Michael Mallin who was in charge of the Irish Citizen Army troop at St Stephen’s Green in 1916.
Shortly before he was executed by the British at Kilmainham Jail he summonsed his two-andhalf-year-old son and wife Agnes to his cell.
He handed her a letter in which he asked Joseph to devote his life to God. He wrote: “Joseph, my little man, be a priest if you can.” He fulfilled his father’s dying wish by becoming a Jesuit and living out his life as a missionary in Hong Kong having moved there in 1948. Fr Mallin’s niece Una Ni Challanain told RTE news yesterday her uncle had passed away.
Lord Mayor of Dublin Micheal Mac Donncha paid his respects Fr Joseph Mallin after hearing the news. He said: “It is with sadness we learned on Easter Sunday morning – as we commemorate the 1916 Rising – of the death of Fr Joseph Mallin.
“I extend deepest sympathy to all his family and friends.
“Fr Joseph was awarded the Freedom of the City of Dublin in 2016 and the award was presented to him in Hong THE heroes of the Easter Rising have been commemorated with a military ceremony.
The event took place outside the GPO – the Headquarters of the rebels during the week of 1916 as Ireland began its fight for freedom. It was led by President Michael D Higgins and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.
A number of government ministers and former president Mary Mcaleese also attended the event. King by my
Dhalaigh.
“Son of executed 1916 leader Michael Mallin, Fr Joseph cherished the memory of his father and his legacy of commitment to the cause of Irish freedom.
“Fr Joseph’s sincere patriotism was an inspiration and it was a great source of pride that he held the Freedom of the City of Dublin.”
The priest – who had no memories of his father – was the fourth of five children as unbeknownst to Michael, Agnes was pregnant with a baby girl at the time of his execution.
The words, “I am prepared”, were among the last written by Michael to his wife just hours before he was shot dead. predecessor Criona Ni