SAD INCIDENT OF THE REBELLION. CHILD KILLED – ANOTHER WOUNDED

Leinster Leader 6 May 1916

Sad incident of the Rebellion
Child Killed-another wounded
(From our Reporter)

A sad episode of the rebellion in Dublin was related to our representative by Mr. Coleborn, jeweller, Naas. Mrs. Sainsbury, a sister-in-law of Mr. Coleburn’s resided with her husband and family at Dolphin’s Barn. Her husband has only just become convalescent after a serious illness extending over the past twelve months. In view of the great disturbance in the Metropolis and the consequent scarcity of food Mr. and Mrs. Coleborn were anxious that Mrs. Sainsbury and her family should come to Naas to reside until the trouble had subsided. With this object Mr. Coleburn and a friend motored to the city on Tuesday last, having found it impossible to get there sooner. On arriving at his sister-in-law’s house he found the family in a terrible state of grief and ascertained to his horror that their little son, Percy, aged 11½ years, had been shot dead on the pervious Thursday at about 3 o’clock, whilst another son named Merville, aged 15 years had had his left arm broken with a bullet. It appeared that on Thursday the boys were in a front bedroom on an upper floor looking through the window. An English regiment were halted on the opposite side of the road. The soldiers were fired upon from a house in the Terrace and the military at once responded with a vigorous fusillade which caused considerable damage to the houses in the vicinity, shattering windows, etc. On rushing upstairs to the room where the two boys were it was discovered that a bullet had passed through the window and right through the younger boy’s body just over the heart, killing him instantly. The elder boy, Merville, lay bleeding on the floor with his left arm shattered with a bullet. The horror of the grief-stricken parents may better be imagined than described. Owing to the state of the city it was not until late that night that it was found possible to remove the wounded boy to the Meath Hospital where he is at present progressing as favourably as can be expected. On Tuesday when Mr. Coleburn arrived at the house the remains of the poor little victim of what was an unavoidable accident were still awaiting interment. Whole-hearted sympathy will go out to Mrs. And Mr. Coleburn, and especially to the grief stricken parents who have suffered such a terrible and unexpected bereavement. The incident will serve to show the awful conditions under which residents of the Metropolis have been living during the past fortnight which it is hard for those of us not actually on the spot to realise.

Mrs. Sainsbury, a sister-in-law of Mr. Coleburn, jeweller, Naas, lost one child dead and another wounded, during the Easter Rebellion