Welcome to
Diarmuid Lynch - an Irish revolutionary remembered ...
“Diarmuid Lynch was, in many ways, both typical of Irishmen and women of his generation, simultaneously exceptional, extraordinary yet representative at the same time…and a man who was an utterly central figure in the 1916 Rising”
I’m delighted to write an introduction for this website dedicated to a 'forgotten Irish patriot', the Irish nationalist revolutionary and Corkman, Diarmuid Lynch. Gabriel Doherty. School of History, University College Cork Two things have struck me above all others on the life of Diarmuid Lynch. The first was the sheer selflessness of his behaviour, and his utter commitment to the various causes he championed throughout his life, even at the expense of his own well-being, physical and financial. One can illustrate this in any number of different ways, for example what must have been the painful decision to resign his seat as a TD as a consequence of the dispute that had arisen during Eamon de Valera’s time in America in 1919-20. He could, quite easily, have stood on his dignity, insist he had done nothing wrong (which was true), and clung on to office. In fact he swiftly took the painful decision to step down – a decision that could easily, and by some was, misunderstood as an acceptance of some form of wrong-doing, in order that the national effort in America would not be damaged by internal division. As it turns out that division manifested itself anyway. Also note his scrupulousness in handling money, of which a large quantity went through his hands at various times, but which, judging by the straitened financial circumstances that confronted him at various times, he never even contemplated using for his private benefit. The second requires more explanation and involves a certain paradox. He was, in many ways, both typical of Irishmen and women of his generation, simultaneously exceptional, extraordinary yet representative at the same time. To address the points where he was typical: Like so many before and after him, and through to the present day, he was forced to emigrate (not once but twice) Like so many before and after him, he was an active volunteer in many organisations, such as the GAA and the Gaelic League. Like so many before and after him, he was a devoted husband, a kind and devout man who quietly attended to his religious duties, and who inspired and instilled, by virtue of his own exemplary conduct, similar qualities in others But at the same time this was a man who was an utterly central figure in the 1916 Rising – the defining event not just of Ireland’s ‘revolutionary decade’ but of her recent and more distant past – and of so many other critical developments during that era (such as the crucial 1915 Ard Fheis of the Gaelic League at which Douglas Hyde resigned). There seems to be a problem for the historian here – for how could someone so apparently typical do such exceptional things? How do we explain such a state of affairs? The answer is surely that the struggle in which he, and so many other, ordinary people, in Ireland and aboard, were engaged was a truly noble one, a most, most worthy one, one that elevated him, and the others of his generation, and inspired him and them to deeds that would otherwise have been beyond them. This was, to put the matter very briefly, a true republican struggle, not just in aim but in method, a bottom-up process of social engagement that harnessed the collective talents of a generation whose abilities might otherwise have been lost For those who query whether we have anything to learn from the revolutionary generation, from the men and women of 1916 and the life of Diarmuid Lynch? The answer is: everything! That it is possible to turn the tide of history, that it is possible to remould the country to reflect the wishes of all its people, and not just those of its powerful elites. For these reasons, at a time when so many at the bottom of Irish society despair of having their voices heard by those above, a study of the life of Diarmuid Lynch, local boy made good, a figure both generic and esoteric, a man so long and so unjustly forgotten, could not be any more timely. Gabriel Doherty School of History University College Cork September 2015 "Diarmuid Lynch - Óglach Dearmadta" (Diarmuid Lynch - the Forgotten Volunteer) 2016 documentary film on the life of Diarmuid Lynch (in the Irish language but with English language subtitles) click image below to view Biographical Brief
Diarmuid Lynch - Born in Granig, Tracton in January 1878, he emigrated to the US in 1895, spending twelve years in New York where he became a naturalised American citizen & President of Irish groups, The Philo-Celtic Society and The Gaelic League. Returned to Ireland in 1907, he joined the IRB and was the Munster Representative on the IRB Supreme Council. One of the architects of the Easter 1916 Rising, Lynch selected Fenit, Co. Kerry as the landfall for arms from The Aud and during the Rising was GPO Staff Captain and Aide-de-Camp to James Connolly. Lynch was the last man out of the shelled and burning GPO to join the Moore Street garrison. Arrested, interrogated, court-martialled and sentenced to death for his activities. This sentence was later commuted through the intervention of US President Wilson but not before he was subjected to a mock execution before a full firing squad. Jailed in Dartmoor and Lewes Prisons, Lynch was released a general amnesty in June 1917 when he was involved with the re-organisation of the IRB (only he and Collins held power simultaneously in the IRB, the Irish Volunteers and Sinn Fein). In 1917 he was appointed the Sinn Fein Government Food Controller & Director of Communications. Arrested, tried and jailed for preventing food supplies from leaving the country, he was secretly married in Dundalk Jail and deported to the United States. In New York he was elected National Secretary of the Friends of Irish Freedom counting John Devoy, Judge Cohalan and other active Irish-Americans as friends. Lynch was elected in absentia as TD/MP for Cork South in 1918 and deeply involved in Irish American politics 1918-32. The arrival of Éamon de Valera to America in 1919 and the acrimonious divisions in Irish America resulted in the establishment of a rival organisation to the Friends of Irish Freedom and in 1920, Lynch resigned his Dáil seat in sympathy with Devoy and Judge Cohalan. He attempted to broker a peace deputation during the Irish Civil War 1922 but was unsuccessful. De Valera and Lynch would again become embroiled in a bitter battle in 1929, when associates of De Valera tried unsuccessfully to claim the unused funds raised by the Friends of Irish Freedom in 1919 and 1920. De Valera sought to claim this money to establish the Irish Press. On his return to Ireland in 1932, Lynch was a book reviewer, recording & verifying events within the GPO and Dublin during Easter 1916 and was instrumental in establishing the Bureau of Military History witness statements. He attempted to re-enter politics & ran for the Senate in 1944 but was not successful. He died in 1950 and is buried in Tracton. Eileen McGough described Lynch as an "unrepentant IRB man for life, an ardent and effective Gaelic League worker and an idealistic and leading nationalist. Adopting many roles successfully, he was envoy, courier, operative, strategist, IRB recruiter, fund raiser, communicator, editor, researcher, secretary and drillmaster..." Lynch's book "The IRB and the 1916 Rising" was published in 1957. 'The Forgotten Volunteer' by Eileen McGough was published in 2014. Quotations on Diarmuid Lynch 'No country to my knowledge was ever better served than Ireland by Diarmuid Lynch. He had courage and determination and loyalty, and when he had belief in any cause he did not hesitate to serve it faithfully without ever flinching in his duty...up to the day of his death he had subordinated all else in his devotion to Ireland' Denis McCullough Irish Nationalist, politician and President of the IRB "When the true story of the last forty years of Ireland's struggle for complete national independence is written, few names will shine as bright a lustre as that of brave, honest, incorruptible Diarmuid Lynch" James McGurrin President General of the American Irish Historical Society, New York in the Gaelic American, November, 1950. |
Welcome!This website is a developing and growing on-line resource of Illustrated articles, newsletters, photographic artefacts, historical timelines, information, family trees, a blog, Irish documentary film & podcast downloads and documents from 1850-1950 featuring events in Irish & Irish-American history, Diarmuid Lynch and extended families. Hopefully, it's a bit of history without the boring parts. Articles, uploads, film, podcasts and yearly day by day history details are updated frequently plus article and information contributions by readers. For latest news and what's been added/updated on the site since you last visited: Click here For archived news 2019 & earlier: click here Here's a small sample of content: For latest news and whats been updated on the site since you last visited: click here.
Improvements and additions are made as time and seasons allow. Each page has update information which will indicate the last date that section was updated. As many friends and family have contributed articles and information to the site, if you wish to reproduce any of the content here, please reference both the article, author and the website. Where and when possible all reproduced content & items are referenced and when known, the relevant author is credited and corrected if advised. This website is non-commercial and not for profit and where items or articles are reproduced here, it is in the interests of historical research and discovery. If you would you like to contribute articles, copy documents, opinions, items of interest or constructive comments? Then please drop me a line using the contact details onsite or click here. Special thanks to our various contributors & historical advisers: Eileen McGough and Gabriel Doherty, family members including Brid Duggan, Freddie O'Dwyer and finally Mary Lynch who saved so much of Diarmuid's papers, books, photographs and artefacts for present and future family descendants and of course, Irish historians. Thanks for dropping by. Ruairí Lynch Editor Grandnephew of Diarmuid Lynch |
This website is a non-profit, nil income generating personal interest historical website. No products, services, associations, benefits-in-kind, affiliations, sponsorship, adverts, reviews, financial donations or payments are solicited, implied or accepted. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this site, the owner/editor of www.diarmuidlynch.weeby.com accepts no liability whatsoever for any issues, inaccuracies or any loss or damage arising from the use or reliance and/or dissemination of information obtained from this website. Your access to this website constitutes an agreement to the 'Terms & Conditions' as outlined below.
Not much of interest this far down!
Just the data and test area here....
Just the data and test area here....
<script type="text/javascript" src="//counter.websiteout.net/js/33/6/6000/0"></script> data