2016

In 1916 my 34 year old grandmother, Margaret Little lived in St. Mary’s Road beside Mount St Bridge with her husband and 2 small children. Margaret was born into a political family.  Her grandfather had left Ireland in a hurry at the time of the 1803 Emmet Rising. 

Her father was born in Prince Edward Island and moved to

Newfoundland with his older brother where they established the first Catholic law practice. He later became the first elected Premier of Newfoundland before he married an Irish bride and came back to settle in Dublin.

In 1900, Margaret was sent home for the day when Queen Victoria visited her school, Mount Anville, as she made it known that she would not curtsey to the Queen.

On Easter Monday 1916 Margaret and her husband Laurence Cuffe went to Fairyhouse races. They had a good day but heard of trouble in the city and left their car in Smithfield to walk home via Rathmines.

The Cuffes, a family of cattle dealers are recorded in business from the 1820s in Smithfield.  During the week Margaret heard that her brother Paddy Little, editor of ‘New Ireland’ had been arrested.

Margaret was very close to Paddy, who was a solicitor and a journalist.  Margaret got on her bike and went to the Archbishop to ask the authorities to get him out. She succeeded.