Elizabeth O'Farrell (Irish: Éilís Ní Fhearghail; 1884 - 25 June 1957) was an Irish nurse and member of Cumann na mBan, best known for delivering the surrender in the Easter Rising of 1916.
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Elizabeth O'Farrell was born in City Quay, Dublin in 1884. She worked as a mid-wife in Holles Street Hospital in Dublin.[1]
O'Farrell acted as a dispatcher before and during the Rising, delivering bulletins and instructions to the rebel outposts around Dublin. She was one of three women, including Winifred Carney, who remained in the G.P.O. until the end of the Rising. Along with her life-long friend and fellow nurse, Julia Grenan, she cared for the wounded including James Connolly. At 12.45 pm on Saturday 29 April O'Farrell was handed a Red Cross insignia and a white flag and asked to deliver the surrender to the British military. She emerged into heavy fire on Moore Street which abated when her white flag was recognised.
O'Farrell was taken to Brigadier General W. H. M. Lowe who sent her back to Pearse at number 16 Moore Street with a demand for unconditional surrender. Pearse agreed and, accompanied by O'Farrell, surrendered in person to General Lowe. Though partly obscured by Pearse, she may be seen in a press photograph taken at the moment of the surrender. The apparent removal of her figure in many subsequent versions of the photograph has given rise to much speculation.[2]
Accompanied by a priest and three soldiers she brought the order to surrender to the insurgent positions throughout the city.
O’Farrell spent several months in prison after the Rising.[3] General Lowe petitioned that clemency be shown towards her for "great assistance" she had given in managing the final hours of the Rising.
She died in Fatima House in Bray, Co. Wicklow on 25 June 1957. She remained active in Republican politics until her death and she is buried in the Republican Plot in Glasnevin Cemetery alongside Julia Grenan.[4]
In 1967 the Nurse Elizabeth O'Farrell Foundation was established resulting in the unveiling of a memorial plaque in Holles Street Hospital and a foundation to support postgraduate studies in the field of nursing.[5] In 2003 a further plaque was unveiled in City Quay Park.[6]
She has been depicted in several plays and TV dramas, including RTE's Insurrection. She was, however, omitted from Neil Jordan's Michael Collins where the surrender is delivered by a man.
