[MacBride, Major John] A heavy Webley .44 Revolver believed ...

Hammer

€3,000

[MacBride, Major John] A heavy Webley .44 Revolver believed to have belonged to John MacBride. Engraving on the barrel states ‘John Rigby & Co. / Suffolk Street Dublin’. The Major had left his gun for repair at Lamberts in Hatch St. shortly before the Rising, but never returned, having joined the Rising at the last minute. He was not a signatory, but was second-in-command at Jacob’s factory, and the British had old scores to settle with him from his Transvaal days. He was executed on 5 May 1916, leaving Maud Gonne a widow, but perhaps not a grieving one, as she had separated from MacBride after alleged misbehaviour.  ‘A terrible beauty is born  ..’ (1)