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Thomas Pugh - Commentary
Thomas Pugh was a member of the Socialist Party of Ireland, but joined the Volunteers rather than the Citizen Army because Richard Mulcahy persuaded him. When the order for a rising on Easter Sunday was countermanded, he went to an exhibition of paintings in the Royal Hibernian Academy, and mobilised next day. He claims to have seen James Connolly marching down Stephen’s Green. He describes the women in the Coombe as “like French revolution furies”. He found a hoard of crystallised fruit and chocolate in Jacob’s and gorged himself. He later met his wife in Knutsford jail, where he was sent after the surrender.