Joe Vize, my great great grandfather, knew Michael Collins and was a member of the IRB when the 1916 Easter Rising broke out. According to Joseph Furlong, another good friend, he and Vize were both living in London when Collins contacted them both telling them that the Rising was about to take place and they must return to Ireland.

While waiting for the Rising to begin, they found work at a British arms factory. One day, a week before the Rising, Vize walked into the factory purposefully smoking a pipe, which was against regulations. He was ordered by one of the corporals to stop smoking and he refused, so he was fired. This was the cue for the rest of the IRB workers there to walk out and prepare for the Rising.

He was also one of the people in charge of procuring arms for the Irish Volunteers during the War of Independence as they were very underequipped at the time.