[10][11][12][13] A story given was that she met British soldiers on the way back from Dublin Castle to City Hall and they assumed she was a captive civilian.

The British soldiers advanced more slowly, despite having made headway already and this gave the garrison time to get into place.

[15] On 12 May 1917 she and Rosie Hackett, Helena Molony, Brigid Davis locked themselves into the remains of Liberty Hall and hung a banner from the walls declaring "James Connolly murdered 12th May 1916".

During the War of Independence Shanahan had to work to avoid further arrests by the authorities for hiding guns and dispatches.

[10] The musician Damien Dempsey has stated that Shanahan is an aunt of his, and that her politics influences his own.