We turned into Moore Lane on the left side of Moore Street and we went to the rear of the houses and tried each door but they were closed from within as the occupants had been ordered out.
I am grateful to my friend Diarmuid Rankin for this image of his great-uncle Patrick in his Volunteer uniform
The door I tried was not locked. I called to my companions and five or six answered me. Inside the kitchen table was laid for tea and the meal provided was very welcome. Our men searched the house for fear the enemy was occupying it – but all was clear. There was dreadful firing throughout the night and till nearly daylight.
We occupied one bedroom after tea and prepared our guard for the night. I proposed doing sentry first while my companions slept, which they promptly did – all in the same bed. One of them was a young Dublin Fusilier who fought well for us. He snored so loudly that he could be heard fifty yards away.
I tried to waken him as the next door was occupied by enemy troops: there was cross-firing all the night. The noise of the firing and the snoring kept me awake when I was relieved from guard. However when I did fall asleep I did not awaken till early on Saturday morning. The want of sleep is dreadful. My snoring comrade told me next morning that he had heard me try to waken him but he was in such a state he could have killed me for trying to waken him!
On Saturday evening we were ordered by one of our own officers to come out and surrender!
… more later …