Son of executed 1916 leader to receive Freedom of Dublin

THE ONLY surviving child of any of the executed leaders of the 1916 Rising is to receive the Freedom of the City of Dublin.

Fr Joseph Mallin (102) lives in Hong Kong and is the son of Michael Mallin, who commanded the St Stephen's Green garrison of the Irish Citizen Army during Easter Week.

The Sinn Féin Mayor of Dublin, Críona Ní Dhálaigh, who nominated Fr Joseph said it is fitting to honour the child of one of the executed leaders in the Centenary Year but also to recognise the vital work of his ministry in Hong Kong and Macau.

The honour will be conferred on Fr Jospeh at a ceremony in Hong Kong on 21 March as he will not be travelling to Dublin for the centenary commemorations.

Joseph was two years old when he visited his father who was held in Kilmainham Jail waiting to be executed by British forces.

During his final visit, Michael Mallin – who was a devout Catholic – spoke with his wife Agnes and outlined in a letter how he hoped their son Joseph would “become a priest if you can” and their daughter Una would become a nun. Both followed their father's wishes.

The couple's fifth child, Maura Constance, was born 109 days after her father's execution.

Speaking about what motivated his father, Fr Joseph said:

“My father, I think, was rather quiet but very thoughtful about the political things and the state Ireland was in. He was determined to do something about it for the good of the people – the good of the country. He would follow what he thought was right and just, no matter what the consequences were,” he said.