Wreat laid at 1916 veteran’s grave

A hero of the 1916 Rising was honoured at a special wreath laying ceremony held in Rathnew Cemetery.

Tom Cullen was a 1916 veteran who commanded the Wicklow Town Corps of the IRA prior to his arrest in 1918.

He went on to become Michael Collins’ right hand man up until his death from accidental drowning in 1926.

Until the mid-60s, Dublin and Wicklow IRA Veterans used to hold an annual ceremony of remembrance in his honour.

The last occasion such a ceremony was held at Cullen’s graveside was in September 1966.

After a 50 year absence, it was decided to mark the 50th anniversary of Tom Cullen’s death by once again holding a wreath laying ceremony in his honour.

The meeting place was St Brigid’s Hall, followed by a walk to Cullen’s grave. After the ceremony, a talk was held in the hall about Cullen’s journey from Wicklow to Collins’ side in the intelligence war.

After the death of Collins in 1922, Tom Cullen lead the procession carrying his coffin to its final resting place in Dublin’s Glasnevin Cemetery.

In his biography of Michael Collins, Irish Historian Tim Pat Coogan credits Cullen, and two others, with completing the intelligence team which broke the Dublin Castle spy system.

By that stage he was a seasoned veteran and was one of the closest associates Collins had, rising to the rank of Major General.