THE last remaining woman to remember the 1916 Easter Rising has passed away.
The daughter of the British captain whom Irish Republican leader Padraig Pearse surrendered to during the 1916 Easter Rising, has died aged 107 at her home in Blackrock, Co. Dublin.
Dorothea Findlater is believed to have been the last remaining person alive who could remember the Easter Rising take place over 100 years ago.
In an interview with The Irish Times last year, Dorothea told journalist Ronan McGreevy of her memory of Irish history’s most poignant event: “I remembered climbing to the top of the tower in the Curragh with my mother and watching a mass of flames across the sky. The whole horizon was ablaze.”
Her father, Captain Harry de Courcy-Wheeler was appointed staff captain to General William Lowe for the duration of the Rising, and is pictured alongside Padraig Pearse in the famous, grainy picture of the surrender.
The daughter of the British captain whom Irish Republican leader Padraig Pearse surrendered to during the 1916 Easter Rising, has died aged 107 at her home in Blackrock, Co. Dublin.
Dorothea Findlater is believed to have been the last remaining person alive who could remember the Easter Rising take place over 100 years ago.
In an interview with The Irish Times last year, Dorothea told journalist Ronan McGreevy of her memory of Irish history’s most poignant event: “I remembered climbing to the top of the tower in the Curragh with my mother and watching a mass of flames across the sky. The whole horizon was ablaze.”
Her father, Captain Harry de Courcy-Wheeler was appointed staff captain to General William Lowe for the duration of the Rising, and is pictured alongside Padraig Pearse in the famous, grainy picture of the surrender.
Padraig Pearse surrendering to de Courcy-Wheeler and General William Lowe. (Picture: Irish Central)Incredibly, there were no recriminations for de Courcy-Wheeler after Irish independence was established, and the former Curragh camp organiser even began a friendship with Easter Week rebels Eamonn De Valera and Sean T O’ Kelly. Both men went on to become presidents of Ireland.
Dorothea de Courcy-Wheeler was born on December 27th, 1909, and was just seven years old when she was taken by her mother to the top of the water tower in the Curragh camp to see Dublin burning during Easter Week 1916.
In 2015, she was featured in a documentary film titled Older than Ireland, which focused on several people over the age of 100. She would have turned 108 next month.
Dorothea lived a successful sporting life, representing Ireland in hockey and golf.
Earlier this year, she presented the Wheeler Plate, named in her honour, to the winners of an annual hockey match between Trinity Ladies and a president’s alumni section.
Ms Findlater died at 3am on Monday morning and is survived by her four children, nine grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.
Watch the beautiful interview Irish Times journalist Ronan McGreevy conducted with Findlater last year.
Here's an interview with Dorothea Findlater who remembers the Easter Rising and who died today. https://t.co/kjcHO9brZR
— Ronan McGreevy (@RMcGreevy1301) November 20, 2017
