Listed below are some of the figures who played a crucial role in the events of the Rising and in the years following the event.
Included are many names of those who had died between 1916 and the creation of the Roll of Honour; their names were inscribed on the Roll by their Senior Surviving Officer.
Cathal Brugha (1874 - 1922)
Brugha joined the Gaelic League and changed his name from Charles Burgess to Cathal Brugha.
Cornelius (Con) Colbert (1888 - 1916)
- Born in Monaleena, Co. Limerick.
- Worked as a clerk in Kennedy's bakery in Parnell Street until his death.
- Part time drill instructor with St Enda's in 1910. Executed on 8th May.
Countess Markievicz (1868 - 1927)
- Was a member of the Irish Citizen Army. Second in Command under Micheal Mallin of the St.Stephen's Green garrison during the 1916 Rising.
- She received the death sentence but it was commuted. She was elected to the House of Commons in the 1918 general election. Minister for Labour in Ireland's
- parallel government - the First Dáil she opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty. She returned as a TD for the Dublin City South seat but refused to take her seat.
- Markievicz joined Fianna Fail in 1926 and was elected again in 1927 but died before taking her seat.
Desmond FitzGerald (1888 - 1947)
- Fought in the GPO during the Rising.
- Member of the First Dáil.
- Supported the Anglo-Irish Treaty.
- Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Provisional Government and the Executive Council of the Irish Free State.
- Secured Irish membership of the League of Nations.
- Minister for Defence in the Cumann na nGaedheal government from 1927 to 1932.
- Member of the Seanad 1938 to 1943.
Éamon de Velara (1882 - 1975)
- Member of the Irish Volunteers.
- Commanded the garrison at Boland's Mills.
- Became President of Sinn Fein and the Irish Volunteers in 1917.
- Elected to the First Dáil in 1918.
- Opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty.
- Founder and President of Fianna Fail until 1959.
- President of the Executive Council 1932 - 1937.
- Established the Constitution of Ireland, 1937.
- Taoiseach from 1937 to 1948, 1951 to 1954 and 1957 to 1959.
- President of Ireland from 1959 to 1973.
Eamonn Ceannt (1881 - 1916)
- A founding member of the Irish Volunteers.
- Member of Sinn Fein and the Supreme and Councils of the IRB.
- A signatory of the Proclamation.
- Captain of A Company, 4th Battalion of the Dublin Brigade.
- Commanded the South Dublin Union area.
- Executed on 8th May 1916.
Edward (Ned) Daly (1891 - 1916)
- Member of the Irish Volunteers.
- Instrumental in the Howth gun running of 1914.
- Captain of the 1st Battalion of the Dublin Brigade, led his company at the Four Courts.
- Executed in 4th May 1916.
Harry Boland (1887 -1922)
- Became secretary of Sinn Fein in 1917.
- Member of the Irish Volunteers.
- Fought at the GPO.
- Member of the First Dáil for Co.Roscommon.
- Secretary to de Valera, and involved in fundraising in the United States.
- Opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty.
- Killed in 1922 during the Civil War.
James Connolly (1868 - 1916)
- Socialist and trade union leader.
- A founding member of the Irish Citizen Army, whom he pledged to support the Irish Volunteers in the Rising.
- A signatory of the Proclamation.
- Commandant of the GPO garrison, where he was seriously wounded during fighting.
- Executed on 12th May 1916.
John McBride (1868 - 1916)
- Organised the Irish Brigade during the Boer War in South Africa.
- Vice-president of Cumann na nGaedheal.
- Member of the National Council, Sinn Fein and the Supreme Council of the IRB.
- Fought under Thomas McDonagh at Jacob's Factory.
- Executed on 5th May 1916.
Joe McGrath (1887 - 1966)
- Fought at Marrowbone Lane during the Rising.
- Member of the First Dáil.
- Supported the Anglo-Irish Treaty.
- Minister for Labour and Minister for Industry and Commerce
- and Economic Affairs in the Second Dáil and the Provisional Government.
- Co-founder of Cumann na nGaedheal.
Joseph Plunkett (1887 - 1916)
- Writer
- Member of the IRB Military Council.
- Director of operations in the Irish Volunteers.
- Join author of the Castle Document.
- A signatory of the Proclamation.
- Aid-de-camp to Michael Collins in the GPO.
- Executed on 4th may 1916.
Michael Collins (1890 - 1922)
- Staff Captain in the GPO during the Rising in 1916.
- Adjutant-General of the Provisional Committee of the Irish Volunteers.
- Member of the Executive of Sinn Fein.
- Minister in the First Dáil.
- Established and intelligence system with the aim of destroying British intelligence in Ireland.
- Directed "the Squad".
- A signatory of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, 1921.
- Commander in Chief of the Free State army during the Civil War.
- Killed in an ambush in Co. Cork, 11th August 1922.
Michael Mallin (1874 - 1916)
- Member of the Irish Citizen Army.
- Instructed on military and guerilla tactics.
- Appointed Chief of Staff of the Irish Citizen army.
- Commanded the St.Stephens Green garrison.
- Executed on 8th May 1916.
Michael O'Hanrachan (1877 - 1916)
- Member of the Gaelic League and Sinn Fein.
- A founder member and quartermaster-general of the Irish Volunteers.
- Second in command of the Jacob's Factory garrison.
- Executed on 4th May 1916.
Micheal Staines (1885 -1955)
- Captain in the GPO during the Rising.
- Prominent in the Irish Volunteers and Sinn Fein.
- Alderman of Dublin Corporation from 1919 to 1925.
- Director of the Belfast Boycott, 1920.
- Supported the Anglo-Irish Treaty.
- Became the first Commissioner of the Civic Guard in 1922.
- Member of the Seanad, 1922 to 1936.
Oscar Traynor (1886 - 1963)
- Traynor held the rank of Lieutenant in the GPO during the Rising.
- He went on to act as an officer commanding the Dublin Brigade of the IRA during the War of Independence, which attacked the Custom House in 1921.
- Opposed to the Anglo-Irish Treaty and became a founding member of Fianna Fail.
- Served as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, Defence, and Justice in Fianna Fail governments from 1936 - 1961.
Pádraig H. Pearse 1879 - 1916
- Pearse was a founding member of the Irish Volunteers.
- A writer and educator he also founded St.Enda's School, Renelagh.
- He held the roll of Chairman of the Provisional Government of the Irish Republic and is a signatory of the Declaration of Independence.
- Leader of the 1916 Rising at the GPO, he surrendered to Brigadier-General Lowe on the 29th April and was court-martialed and executed on 3rd May.
Patrick Hogan
- Fought at the Four Courts during the Rising.
- Interned at Ballykinlar, Co.Down during the War of Independence.
- Sinn Fein TD for Co.Galway from 1921.
- Minister for Agriculture in Cumann na nGaedheal governments from 1922 to 1932.
- Introduced the Land Act, or Hogan Act, of 1923.
Seán Lemass (1899 - 1966)
- Lemass fought in the GPO during the rising and was active in the War of Independence.
- He opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty and was a member of the Four Courts garrison during the Civil War.
- Brother of Noel Lemass killed by Free State soldiers in 1923, Lemass went on to hold the position of Minister for Industry and Commerce in the Fianna Fail government from 1932 - 1939 and 1957 - 1959, and Minister for Supplies during The Emergency.
- Lemass was Taoiseach from 1959 - 1966.
Seán Heuston (1891 - 1916)
- Member of the Irish Volunteers.
- Active in Fianna Eireann in Limerick.
- Instrumental in the Howth gun-running of 1914.
- Involved in the training of St.Enda's students in drilling and musketry.
- Commanded the garrison at the Mendicity Institute.
- Executed on 8th May 1916.
Seán MacDiarmada (1883 - 1916)
- Involved in the founding of the Irish Volunteers in 1913 and member of the Military Council of the IRB.
- Joint author (with Joeseph Plunkett) of the Castle Document. Member of the Provisional Government of the Irish Republic.
- A signatory of the Proclamation he fought in the GPO and was executed on 12th May 1916.
Seán MacEntee (1889 - 1984)
- Captain in the GPO during the Rising and opponent of the Anglo-Irish Treaty.
- He held the roll of National Treasurer of Sinn Fein in 1924 and became a founding member of Fianna Fail.
- Minister for Finance, Industry and Commerce, Local Government and Health in the Fianna Fail governments between 1932-1937,
- and Minister for Health in 1951. Tanaiste from 1939 - 1965.
Seán T.O'Kelly (1882 - 1966)
The second president of Ireland. Minister for Local Government (1932 - 1939) and Minister for Finance (1939 - 1945).
The O'Rahilly (1875 - 1916)
- Was a member of Sinn Fein and the Irish Volunteers and Chairman of the sub-committee on arms, which organised gun-running at Howth in 1914.
- He joined the fighting during the Rising at the GPO.
- He was shot and killed whilst leading a charge against British Forces on Moore Street, 28th April 1916.
Thomas Clarke:
- Served 15 years in jails in England for Fenian activities.
- Member of Clan na Gaeol in the United States.
- Member of the Supreme Council of the IRB, instrumental in the planning of the 1916 Rising.
- First signatory of the 1916 Proclamation.
- Fought in the GPO garrison.
- Executed on 3rd May 1916.
Thomas McDonagh (1858 - 1916)
- A founding member of the Irish Volunteers.
- Organised the gun-running at Howth in 1914.
- Member of the Military Council of the IRB.
- A signatory of the Proclamation.
- Commanded the 2nd Battalion of the Dublin Brigade at Jacob's Factory.
- Executed on 3rd May 1916.
William Pearse (1881 - 1916)
- Brother to Patrick Pearse and member of the Irish Volunteers.
- William was a sculptor and teacher at St.Enda's School.
- Aid-de-camp to his brother in the GPO he was executed on 4th May 1916.
William Thomas "W.T" Cosgrave (1880 - 1965)
- Fought at the South Dublin Union during the Rising.
- Minister for Local Government in the First Dáil.
- Supporter of the Anglo-Irish Treaty.
- Co-founded Cumann na nGaedheal, the predecessor of Fianna Gael, in 1923, and led to party until 1933.
- Leader of the opposition to the Fianna Fail governments until 1944.