News & updates archives 2019
"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow." Albert Einstein
"The palest ink is more reliable than the most powerful memory." Unknown
"The palest ink is more reliable than the most powerful memory." Unknown
This website is updated frequently with additional information, contributed articles, some new research, news cuttings, photographs, copies of original documents or just something of interest.
Scroll down for latest additions and news.
Finally digitised and uploaded - a six minute film of the 1966 50th Anniversary Commemoration of the 1916 Rising at Granig, Tracton. Filmed by Séan Coveney on Easter Monday, April 11th, this remains the only film of the event and includes a military parade, Irish Republican Army Veterans salute and the unveiling of an Irish language plaque recording the life of Diarmuid Lynch (one of the few plaques made and cast by the Irish sculptor 'Stone Mad' Murphy) by IRB President 1915-16, Denis McCullough.
The ceremony were completed in Tracton Abbey with a military salute and 'Last Post'.
If you can identify any of the attendees, then do get in touch.
The ceremony were completed in Tracton Abbey with a military salute and 'Last Post'.
If you can identify any of the attendees, then do get in touch.
Ninety nine years ago, the "Most Wanted Man in the British Empire" Michael Collins attended the Dublin wedding of Michael O'Brien & Lill Clancy in Terenure on Monday, November 22, 1920. The wedding ceremony took place a day after 'Bloody Sunday' when Collins had orchestrated a coordinated series of early morning assassinations that neutralised the British secret service network in Dublin. British forces quickly followed up with equally ruthless revenge killings at a Croke Park Gaelic football match and of Republican prisoners held in Dublin Castle. The Groom, Michael O'Brien was a member of the IRA Intelligence Staff and a number of senior Republicans openly attended the wedding breakfast, including Collins - all high on the Dublin Castle 'Most Wanted' list.
Here's an interesting little advertorial from the jewellery firm Weir and Sons of Grafton Street, Dublin recently printed in The Irish Times and in the firm's 'Style Magazine' of October 2019. This was sent in by cousin, Duibhne Daly, (our Grandfather Michael Lynch was 'Best Man' to the Groom & a Granduncle, Dennis were also present on the day - all brothers of Diarmuid Lynch).
The object of interest is the wedding gift Collins brought on the day, a handmade silver Ardagh Chalice sugar bowl, crafted in 1919 by Weir's silversmiths and purchased from the Grafton Street store by Collins a few days earlier. This is featured with some additional background information to the events of almost a century ago.
A 2015 article written by Freddie O'Dwyer, (married to Emer, grand-daughter of Michael & Lill O'Brien), investigating those present in the wedding day photograph was first published back in 2015 and is available here along with the Weir Style/Irish Times clipping.
Here's an interesting little advertorial from the jewellery firm Weir and Sons of Grafton Street, Dublin recently printed in The Irish Times and in the firm's 'Style Magazine' of October 2019. This was sent in by cousin, Duibhne Daly, (our Grandfather Michael Lynch was 'Best Man' to the Groom & a Granduncle, Dennis were also present on the day - all brothers of Diarmuid Lynch).
The object of interest is the wedding gift Collins brought on the day, a handmade silver Ardagh Chalice sugar bowl, crafted in 1919 by Weir's silversmiths and purchased from the Grafton Street store by Collins a few days earlier. This is featured with some additional background information to the events of almost a century ago.
A 2015 article written by Freddie O'Dwyer, (married to Emer, grand-daughter of Michael & Lill O'Brien), investigating those present in the wedding day photograph was first published back in 2015 and is available here along with the Weir Style/Irish Times clipping.
In 2015, Freddie O'Dwyer researched, identified participants and wrote a series of articles on Lynch & extended family wedding photographs starting with the July 1914 wedding of Denis Lynch with Alice Wyatt. Additional information contributed by various readers and further research in the intervening years has now been added to Denis and Alice's story. Also a brief article on Lynch's career as Chief/Master Distiller with the Dublin Whiskey Distillery and Allman's Distillery of Bandon, Co. Cork.
Click on the illustrations to view. Research is currently well underway for an article on Alice's early life, from a sixteen square mile sheep station in Outback New South Wales to the tragedies & twists of unexpected fate that brought her to Ireland. For upload in early 2020. |
Print media was a vital factor in the Friends of Irish Freedom strategy c.1916-1929 to promote Irish self-determination, recognition of the Irish Republic and counter anti-Irish bias, discrimination and disinformation within the United States.
The Friends of Irish Freedom working with the National Bureau of Information in Washington D.C. produced a weekly Newsletter and countless publications, pamphlets and leaflets to thousands of prominent Americans, political leaders and opinion-formers. Now included here are various samples of the publications produced along with biographies of those who planned, wrote & managed an early but effective public relations exercise. (To view - click on Main Menu 'More' above and select FOIF Publications or click the illustration opposite.) |
"De Valera in America" or as Gaeilge; "De Valera i Meiriceá" is the extraordinary story of Éamon de Valera's stay in the United States during 1919-1920.
In June 1919, Éamon de Valera arrived in the United States for what was to be an 18-month visit. He had recently dramatically escaped from Lincoln jail in England, after a duplicate key was smuggled into the jail in a cake and he had walked out dressed as a woman. A few months later, he was a stowaway aboard the SS Lapland from Liverpool bound for America. De Valera’s plan was to secure recognition for the emerging Irish nation, tap into the huge Irish-American community for funding, and to pressurise the US government to take a stance on Irish independence. Dev’s first public engagement was on June 23rd when he was unveiled to the American public at a packed press conference in the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York. De Valera proclaimed: “I am in America as the official head of the Republic established by the will of the Irish people in accordance with the principle of self-determination.” He next embarked upon a gigantic tour across America visiting State capitals and smaller towns. Vast crowds turned out to see the President of the Irish Republic. Lauded wherever he went, his trip gathered huge press coverage which all served to heighten awareness of the Irish issue in America and internationally. Then it all goes incredibly wrong. On the centenary of de Valera's trip, this ground-breaking new documentary series directed by Ciara Hyland uses previously unseen archive material from the American Irish Historical Society in New York. This new evidence contradicts and challenges De Valera’s official account of the events of his time in America and will be seen for the first time on Irish television. Also shown for the first time some of the papers and photographs from his trip that are kept in University College Dublin Archive. The documentary includes archive newsreels of de Valera’s trip and dramatic reconstructions shot in Fota House, Cork with Marcus Lamb in the role of de Valera. |
'De Valera i Meiriceá - De Valera in America' a two part bilingual & subtitled series directed by Ciara Hyland and produced by Forefront Productions. First broadcast on TG4 in Ireland, September 2019.
Update: Oct 2019 - No longer available to view on the TG4 viewer worldwide. For more information on the series & Director, click here. Ciara also directed the documentary 'Diarmuid Lynch - the Forgotten Volunteer' first broadcast on TG4 in 2016. |
Information, newspaper cuttings and photographs on De Valera's trip and other items available on this site for 1919 and 1920
'Diarmuid Lynch - Óglach Dearmadta" (Diarmuid Lynch - the Forgotten Volunteer)
directed and produced by Ciara Hyland and first broadcast by TG4 in 2016.
Click image below to view.
'Diarmuid Lynch - Óglach Dearmadta" (Diarmuid Lynch - the Forgotten Volunteer)
directed and produced by Ciara Hyland and first broadcast by TG4 in 2016.
Click image below to view.
1920 was to be the year of bloodshed, death and destruction in Ireland.
While unrestricted guerrilla warfare by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) to secure independence increased, resulting reprisals & actions by British forces also increased dramatically. Killings, destruction, executions, hunger strikes and sectarianism led to international attention. The British response overall was one of intransigence which combined destruction, coercion, martial law, terrorism of the civilian population by paramilitary police and the attempted replacement of the Home Rule Act by the 1920 Government of Ireland Act (setting up separate parliaments for Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland, although only one ever functioned.) 1920 was only the prelude to far worse violence reaching a peak from December 1920 until the Truce in July 1921. Meanwhile, Irish America was riven by feuds and a disastrous split as de Valera and the Friends of Irish Freedom fought for supremacy and control of the American support base. Files for 1920 can be accessed here or via the 'Years' menu option. Updates are made throughout the year as time is available and as additional source documents, files etc come to hand or are donated. So, check back from time to time and see what's new. A date stamp on each page shows when last updated. As always, your comments are welcome. |
Previous years in this format 1917 - 1918 (Jan-Apr) - 1918 (May-Dec) and 1919 are also available subject to ongoing updates.
There's an intriguing collection of autographs of Irish Volunteers jailed following the 1916 Rising currently online from the Kilmainham Gaol Museum archives, Dublin.
"....The books are fascinating examples of material culture from the Irish Revolutionary period. At the basic level the books contain a prisoners name, date and place of incarceration. In this context the prisoners are creating their own records of who was held where, an informal register of Irish prisoners for themselves that flew in the face of their highly regimented lives in British prisons. The names in the book allow us to understand who was arrested and interned in the wake of the Easter Rising. Some of the names are well known and rose to national prominence after their release. Others are less well known, and their period of imprisonment after 1916 signalled the end of their political activism. By linking the names with the Bureau of Military History Witness Statements and Pension files as this site has done it has been possible to take a name from the page of the autograph books and understand how and why these people came to be in prison. It is worth noting that the books had a life beyond prison, and some of the books, in particular “Frongoch 1916 & Dail Eireann 1919” and “Relatives of 1916 Leaders” feature autographs of people that were connected with the events of 1916 and the Irish Revolution, but were not prisoners themselves."
In keeping with the Rebels' aim of bringing about a revival in the Irish language – which they viewed as a cornerstone of Irish culture – large numbers of entries are written in Irish. But even if you’re fluent Gaelgoir you might have a few problems reading them as they’re written in the old Gaelic script that went out of use half a century ago. Nevertheless, this is another interesting historical resource available now.
Click image below to access.
Good news for any readers interested in Irish Genealogy with the Irish Government releasing on June 4, a further tranche of civil records online. These historical birth, marriage and death registers are now available for free public access. Added to the already extensive collection are births for 1917 and 1918, marriages from 1864 to 1869, 1942 and 1943 and deaths for 1967 and 1968.
This release is part of an initiative by the Irish government to provide freely available online access to historical records and registers compiled by the Civil Registration Service. The records – which were prepared by the Civil Registration Service and uploaded by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht – can be accessed on the website www.irishgenealogy.ie or click here or on the illustrations.
Minister Doherty commented: “The growth in interest in family histories – helped by programmes such as Who Do You Think You Are and the possibility of digital archiving – has been facilitated by greater and easier online access and today represents another positive development for all genealogical detectives. Since this online service became available in 2016, over 2.1 million visitors to the website have viewed these records. For many people the big question then was when further images would be added to the website.”
The General Register Office is currently working on updating further records of marriages dating back to 1845 and deaths dating back to 1864. These will be available “in due course”, said the Minister. In the meantime, however, the indexes to these particular records are currently available on the website.
As to when the release of the Irish Census archive of 1927 - the first of the Irish Free State and sixteen years after the last Census of 1911 - is unknown but it's whispered to be earlier than the 100th anniversary - possibly in 2021.
This release is part of an initiative by the Irish government to provide freely available online access to historical records and registers compiled by the Civil Registration Service. The records – which were prepared by the Civil Registration Service and uploaded by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht – can be accessed on the website www.irishgenealogy.ie or click here or on the illustrations.
Minister Doherty commented: “The growth in interest in family histories – helped by programmes such as Who Do You Think You Are and the possibility of digital archiving – has been facilitated by greater and easier online access and today represents another positive development for all genealogical detectives. Since this online service became available in 2016, over 2.1 million visitors to the website have viewed these records. For many people the big question then was when further images would be added to the website.”
The General Register Office is currently working on updating further records of marriages dating back to 1845 and deaths dating back to 1864. These will be available “in due course”, said the Minister. In the meantime, however, the indexes to these particular records are currently available on the website.
As to when the release of the Irish Census archive of 1927 - the first of the Irish Free State and sixteen years after the last Census of 1911 - is unknown but it's whispered to be earlier than the 100th anniversary - possibly in 2021.
A new online exhibition has been launched by Ireland's Oireachtas (Parliament) Library with over 10,000 historical items available to the public. These include historical maps, political cartoons, pamphlets and periodicals from the 1500's. A number of Guest curators, including Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl, political cartoonist Martyn Turner and former governor of Mountjoy Prison John Lonergan, were asked to look at topics of interest and talk about them in specially made videos available on the website.
Fearghaíl says this “trove of documents belong to the Irish people and for far too long they have been inaccessible, so it’s vitally important,” he said of the collection. You can view them online anytime - just click on the illustration below or click here.
Fearghaíl says this “trove of documents belong to the Irish people and for far too long they have been inaccessible, so it’s vitally important,” he said of the collection. You can view them online anytime - just click on the illustration below or click here.
Just added to Documentaries and Podcasts are "The Irish Revolution" documentary series first broadcast earlier this year narrated by Cillian Murphy, who also appears in a full length movie also added "The Wind That Shakes The Barley" (2006) set in 1920 Cork. An unusual 1959 film made in Ireland 'Shake Hands with the Devil' starring James Cagney as a Dublin doctor and university professor moonlighting as an IRA Commandant battling British forces in 1921 Dublin. Voted as one of Time Magazines 'Fifteen Best Political Films of all Time' in 2012, it's worth a look just to see Cagney and see why it shares billing with 'Downfall', 'The Great Dictator' and 'All The President's Men' Just in case that's not enough for you, there's over thirty five other Irish documentary series and social histories also available. |
Just added to the website - a free-view Irish interest documentary film and podcast page.
- Diarmuid Lynch Óglach Dearmadta - TG4 (2015)
- Robert Kee's iconic thirteen episode 'Ireland: A Television History' from 1980.
- Fergal Keane's BBC 2011 five part 'The Story of Ireland'
- Joe Duffy's 'Children of the Revolution' & James Connolly.
- Irish America examined in the 1998 PBS series 'Long Journey Home'
- James Nagle examines lesser known aspects of Irish history in 'The Irish Nation Lives' series of podcasts.
- Independent film maker Marcus Howard's series at 'Easter Rising Stories'
- RTE's Millennium project 'Seven Ages - The Story of the Irish State' 1922-90
- The 1916 signatories life stories. 1916 Seachtar Dearmadta TG4 2013. Subtitled,
- 'The Irish Rebellion 1916' narrated by Liam Neeson. RTE/BBC 2016
- Reeling in the Years - a selection from RTE's series of news footage and music from 1962-2015.
- Hidden History explores Eamon de Valera, Bothar na Saoirse examines Dan Breen and his part in the War of Independence, there is the story of the Irish transported to 17th Century Barbados in 'The Irish Sugar Slaves of Barbados', a selection of fascinating social history archive film ranging from Mitchell & Kenyon's 1902 visit to Ireland and a selection from Radharc, 'The Edwardians in Colour' and Terry Wogan's 2011 series on Ireland.
- Irish Film Institute links to some interesting 1916 short films and animation, short but challenging.
- Podcasts too - with links to various Irish History and Irish interest sites.
- More being added from time to time - something for everybody! Suggestions welcome - email link @top of page.
Click the documentary logos above or go to 'More' and select 'Documentaries & Podcasts'
Marshal McLuhan was certainly right when he coined the phrase 'The Global Village' half a century ago. If anybody want's some proof that we we all now live in this village - then here's a good example:
A copy of the Ciara Hyland produced TG4 2015 bi-lingual documentary "Diarmuid Lynch - Óglach Dearmadta" (The Forgotten Volunteer) has been discovered online. This was filmed during 2015 and broadcast on the Irish language TG4 channel on March 28, 2016 as part of the channel's commemoration of the 1916 Centenary. Aside from some personal DVD copies, the documentary has not been seen or broadcast since and is long gone from online TV media platforms. An occasional internet search over the years for an uploaded copy (for a new documentary film & podcast page just opened on this site) produced nothing - that is until tonight.
Well, the documentary is out there, in full and in good condition on 'd'internet' and it has been uploaded to, of all places, the Shanghai, People's Republic of China based website www.billibilli.com since April 2017. (granted, an odd location as this site is apparently better known for it's shared platform anime animation, on-line games and cartoons in Cantonese, Wu and Mandarin or so I've been able to decipher - my simplified Chinese script skills are not the best.) Interestingly though, the Username of the person who uploaded it, is 'Cogar' - an old Irish language word for 'Whisper' or 'Secret Discussion'.
So, thanks to the Gaeilgeoir with a clever sense of humour for uploading 'Óglach Dearmadta' for all to view.
So, for anybody that's interested, just click on the link below.
A copy of the Ciara Hyland produced TG4 2015 bi-lingual documentary "Diarmuid Lynch - Óglach Dearmadta" (The Forgotten Volunteer) has been discovered online. This was filmed during 2015 and broadcast on the Irish language TG4 channel on March 28, 2016 as part of the channel's commemoration of the 1916 Centenary. Aside from some personal DVD copies, the documentary has not been seen or broadcast since and is long gone from online TV media platforms. An occasional internet search over the years for an uploaded copy (for a new documentary film & podcast page just opened on this site) produced nothing - that is until tonight.
Well, the documentary is out there, in full and in good condition on 'd'internet' and it has been uploaded to, of all places, the Shanghai, People's Republic of China based website www.billibilli.com since April 2017. (granted, an odd location as this site is apparently better known for it's shared platform anime animation, on-line games and cartoons in Cantonese, Wu and Mandarin or so I've been able to decipher - my simplified Chinese script skills are not the best.) Interestingly though, the Username of the person who uploaded it, is 'Cogar' - an old Irish language word for 'Whisper' or 'Secret Discussion'.
So, thanks to the Gaeilgeoir with a clever sense of humour for uploading 'Óglach Dearmadta' for all to view.
So, for anybody that's interested, just click on the link below.
Since the digitisation and availability online of the Óglaigh na hÉireann Defence Forces Ireland Bureau of Military History files and Military Service Pensions Collection of the 1930s & 40s, one of the most anticipated releases from the Military Service Pensions Collection (MSPC) has just been made available online - the Brigade Activity Reports.
The new Brigade Activity Reports (BARs) highlight in detail the activities of the IRA during the revolutionary period – from attack plans to the names and addresses of those involved – and archivists are eager to make them as accessible as possible to the general public, primarily through a revamped website.
The files just released, were assembled during the mid to late 1930s for the committee overseeing the administration of the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934. Due to sheer volume of pension applications this department received – some 50,000 by the end of 1935 – they requested finer details on who was involved in the revolutionary activities, where, and when. This was done through written submissions by surviving Officers in Charge and Area Commandants. |
The resulting submissions and files, while intended to establish the bona fides and claims of each applicant, contain a wealth of information relating to the War of Independence. These files, however, do vary in quality of information, and the Military archivists stress that they come with a health warning: some of these files provide only superficially sketchy details, some are rich in level of detail, their description of engagements with British forces and maneuvers, while others are simply inaccurate, with misleading and incorrect dates and place names.
This variation in detail is mostly down to a combination of the adjudicating committees ‘learning on the job’ as to how much information they needed to verify the claims of every applicant and the individual returns made by Officers & Commandants. As with the old comment that 'half the country was in the GPO in 1916' some spurious or perhaps exaggerated claims were made for a military service pension during the impoverished 1930s and all applicants were put through a strenuous process.
As for the records, for decades afterwards, these were not treated with care. Due to poor handling and attrocious storage conditions, some were badly damaged requiring extensive restoration and repair work before archivists could start assessing the contents. Four files relating to 1916 were released previously. The vast majority of the remaining files relate to the War of Independence, but there is occasional mention of the Civil War, the anti-conscription campaign, and the formation of the Irish Volunteers in 1914.
To ensure the new files are as accessible as possible and can be utilised by as many as possible, the MSPC section of www.militaryarchives.ie has been revamped, with new timelines, maps, and highlighted events that pull together all relevant files in one place.
“Not one archival source ever will give you all the answers,” Cécile Gordon, project manager and senior archivist at the MSPC, explained, “You have to use it with other sources, in parallel with the nominal roles and individual [pension] claims.”
Click on any of the illustrations below to access the relevant Military Archives site.
James Nagle from 'An Quant ar Buile' produces an excellent Irish history channel on YouTube called "The Irish Nation Lives", covering Irish related events of a century ago which often get overlooked. The latest upload in the series is on the February 1919 Irish Race Convention organised by the Friends of Irish Freedom and Clann na Gael in Philadelphia (below) and Irish attempts to gain recognition at the Paris Peace Conference. Future episodes will feature de Valera's controversial visit to the United States during 1919-20 and on the contributions made by Lynch, John Devoy and Clan na Gael.
Incidentally, James produced an interesting analysis of the social networks of the Easter Rising 1916 here using data analytical techniques to assess the position and importance of various Nationalists as considered by the Dublin Metropolitan Police during 1915-16.
Incidentally, James produced an interesting analysis of the social networks of the Easter Rising 1916 here using data analytical techniques to assess the position and importance of various Nationalists as considered by the Dublin Metropolitan Police during 1915-16.
Readers contributions to our shared history sometimes can be both unusual and unexpected - on this occasion within minutes of each other, readers were in contact by email on two of the Irish volunteers attending the officer training course in Cork, January 1916. Recently added profiles on Cornelius J 'Sonny' Meany of Millstreet (with thanks to Noreen Meany) Cork City Irish Volunteer Officer Christopher O'Gorman (with thanks to his Grandson, Brendan O'Connell)
As Christopher did not make a statement submission to the Bureau of Military History, his written details on this revolutionary period along with relevant source documentation makes for interesting reading. Documentation now uploaded include his appointment as Captain, 'D' Company, Cork City Irish Volunteers 1916, his 1917 Court Summons by District Inspector Swanzy which led to his jailing for twelve months, a hand written statement demanding Prisoner of War status while in Cork Prison, which was denied and the subsequent hunger strike with Terence McSwiney and release forms under the 'Cat and Mouse Act'. These provide an additional and new insight into the Revolutionary era in Cork.
Thanks also to Noreen Meaney, a relative of Cornelius J 'Sonny' Meany. Sonny was the Captain and Commanding Officer of Mushera, Millstreet Company Irish Volunteers 1914-1916, Commanding Officer 7th Battalion Cork Brigade and Cork 1st Battalion 1917-1921. He also took part in the Drishanebeg, Clonbanin and Rathcoole ambushes during the War of Independence.
You can read the article here.
As Christopher did not make a statement submission to the Bureau of Military History, his written details on this revolutionary period along with relevant source documentation makes for interesting reading. Documentation now uploaded include his appointment as Captain, 'D' Company, Cork City Irish Volunteers 1916, his 1917 Court Summons by District Inspector Swanzy which led to his jailing for twelve months, a hand written statement demanding Prisoner of War status while in Cork Prison, which was denied and the subsequent hunger strike with Terence McSwiney and release forms under the 'Cat and Mouse Act'. These provide an additional and new insight into the Revolutionary era in Cork.
Thanks also to Noreen Meaney, a relative of Cornelius J 'Sonny' Meany. Sonny was the Captain and Commanding Officer of Mushera, Millstreet Company Irish Volunteers 1914-1916, Commanding Officer 7th Battalion Cork Brigade and Cork 1st Battalion 1917-1921. He also took part in the Drishanebeg, Clonbanin and Rathcoole ambushes during the War of Independence.
You can read the article here.
1919 marked a dramatic but dark year in Ireland with a series of momentous, divisive & controversial events from the establishment of the Irish state, the beginning of the War of Independence to an increasingly draconian British policy of repression. This transformed the Irish Volunteers into an organisation capable of military resistance as a guerrilla force.
"The War of Independence, like all wars, was by turns heroic and gallant, nasty and brutish. It was also relatively short and small scale." John O'Callaghan 1919 for Irish America were no exception. What had become a powerful, unified and cohesive political force in American politics was to be fractured and split by years end with two groups claiming to represent the Irish diaspora. The part played by Diarmuid Lynch as National Secretary of the Friends of Irish Freedom during 1919 is now more visible as the yearly series continues. There are ongoing updates, newspaper clippings, source documents and photographs which examine in more detail both the Irish and Irish American political and social developments during 1919. As usual, the odd, the unusual and the quirky are also included. These files can be accessed here or via the 'Years' menu option. Updates are made throughout the year as time is available and as additional source documents, files etc come to hand or are donated. So check back from time to time and see what's new. A date stamp on each page shows when last updated. As always, your comments are welcome. Previous years 1917 & 1918 (Jan-Apr) and 1918 (May-Dec) are also available subject to ongoing updates. Illustrations opposite: Top: Friends of Irish Freedom membership card - 1919 Middle: De Valera and Irish American leaders, June 1919. (Lynch, Hendricks, Goff, Cohalan, de Valera, Devoy, Gavvigan) Bottom: De Valera with Irish representatives (Boland, Mellows, de Valera, McCartan & Lynch. Seated: John Devoy. |
Serendipity in Vibes & Scribes Bookshop, Cork. Posted: 19 Dec 2018
Corkonians all know that one of the best bookshops in the county is Vibes and Scribes on Lavitt's Quay.
While looking through their Irish History section recently I spotted the book above. 'A History of the Easter Rising in 50 Objects' What caught my eye and jangled a memory was the cover illustration of an Irish Volunteer Officer's uniform.
The uniform looked vaguely familiar and with good reason - the cover illustration is that of Diarmuid Lynch's Irish Volunteer Staff Captain uniform worn during the 1916 Rising and smuggled out of Richmond Barracks before his Courts Martial. (It's been on display in the Cork Museum, Fitzgerald's Park since 1947). Needless to add, the book was snapped up quickly and is now part of a far too large Irish History collection. The background story of Lynch's uniform (which you won't get in the book by John Gibney) appeared in the October 2015 edition (p7) of the Newsletter click here to view.
John Gibney (the Glasnevin Trust Assistant Professor in Public History and Cultural Heritage at Trinity College, Dublin) tells the story of the Rising and its aftermath through fifty objects that survive from that time. Some of these are what you might expect – documents, weapons and flags – but others are quirkier objects, like Sean Mac Diarmada’s hurley, the teacups the Pearse brothers used for their last cup of tea with their family, Thomas Kent’s rosary beads and Diarmuid Lynch's Irish Volunteer Officer's uniform. Published in 2016, it has a fresh & new format perspective which has since been copied a number of times by many publishers of historical collections. This is a very readable book that will appeal to the lay person interested in history, but also provide plenty of new information for the enthusiast. There may be a few copies left in Vibes and Scribes, Cork but it's also available from all good bookshops and from Mercier Press, Cork here.
Posted: Tuesday, 16 October, 2018
The Dublin Metropolitan Police 'Prisoners charged with Offences involving Dishonesty' record books from 1905-1918 containing reports of over 30,000 arrests in the city were published online recently. These reports record details of prisoners arrested and charged during the Lockout of 1913, the outbreak of the First World War, the 1916 Easter Rising and through to 1918.
These important records 'went missing' when the Dublin Metropolitan Police was abolished in 1924, but were discovered in 2015 during a house refurbishment in the city and donated to SIPTU. The Union in turn donated these to the Garda Museum and Archives and have been digitised by University College, Dublin. The collection comprises of four large leather bound, double ledger volumes containing hand written entries that record the details of daily charge sheets issued by DMP officers to offenders or alleged offenders. Each volume contains the name, age, address, occupation, alleged offence and, in most cases, outcome of cases involving over 30,000 people arrested by the DMP. Each volume also contains a rough alphabetical index of prisoners with references to the pages containing details of the charge. The information in these volumes provides new perspectives on life in Dublin during a time of war and revolution. Diarmuid Lynch features in two entries. His committal to prison in March 1918 following his actions as the Irish Food Controller and his subsequent deportation to the United States the following month. To view his entries in context, click the Jan-April 1918 file here and navigate to March 7 and April 23. To view the full volumes, click here . |
After almost a year's research, a 'work in progress' article on Charles Basil Slater Spackman is now available on-line.
Basil lived in Tracton from the late 1950's until early 1971 with his German wife, Gretta in what was Diarmuid Lynch's former home. While he was well known as an artist during these years, what's generally unknown is that he was a retired Royal Air Force Vice Marshal (the equivalent of a Two Star General) with a long and distinguished lifetime of armed service.
From a teenage soldier and officer serving in 1915 at Gallipoli and Suvla Bay, he went on to join the fledgling air force as a fighter pilot, served on the Salonika front in Macedonia with No’s 47 and 150 Fighter Squadrons 1917-18. Between the wars, Basil served as a Pilot and Squadron Leader in Egypt, Palestine, Sudan, Aden and Iraq where he received the Distinguished Flying Cross award & bar.
During the inter-war period, Spackman rose through the officer ranks of the Royal Air Force and was involved in training, developing and building up of air defences in Britain and the Middle East.
During the Second World War, Basil served in Egypt & Libya 1939-41, as Air Officer Commanding Sudan and Eritrea 1941-42; British H.Q. Fighter Command 1942; Air Officer in command of Administration 1943-45 and involved with D-Day planning & flight operations. He was subsequently Air Officer Commanding No. 19 Group, Coastal Command, 1945-47 & Senior Air Staff Officer British Air Forces of Occupation, Germany: 1947-50 when he was involved in the planning and operation of the Berlin Airlift.
He retired in 1950 at age 55, studied at Hammersmith School of Art, moved to Ireland & lived in Tracton between 1958-1971.
His life story is now online and as it is a work in progress, is updated from time to time.
If you can add to Basil's life story, then contact me via the mail link above.
Click Here to access or click the 'More' button and then select the article or other items.
Posted: Monday, 30 April, 2018
Sunday, April 29: A permanent exhibition on Diarmuid Lynch in Camden Fort Meagher, Crosshaven, Co. Cork was opened by Tánaiste, Simon Coveney TD and the Mayor of County Cork, Councillor Declan Hurley.
Camden Fort Meagher is a coastal defence fortification close to Crosshaven, County Cork, Ireland. Together with similar structures at Fort Mitchell (Spike Island), Fort Davis (Whitegate), and Templebreedy Battery (also close to Crosshaven), the fort was built to defend the mouth of Cork Harbour. Though originally constructed in the 16th century, the current structures of the 45 acre fort (65% of which is underground) date to the 1860s.
Originally named Fort Camden and operated by the British Armed Forces, the fort (along with other Treaty Port installations) was handed-over to the Irish Defence Forces in 1938. Renamed Fort Meagher in honour of Thomas Francis Meagher, it remained an Irish military installation until 1989 when the Irish Army handed the fort over to Cork County Council. It remained largely overgrown until 2010 when a group of local volunteers began restoration and development of the fort for heritage and tourism purposes. The fort was renamed Camden Fort Meagher and is now open seasonally to visitors, with exhibits on the fort's Brennan torpedo installation (the world's first "practical guided weapon") and one of the only resident 9/11 exhibits outside the United States Occupying a 45 acre site, the fort is in the picturesque coastal town of Crosshaven. 65 percent of the fort is underground in a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers. Onsite attractions include the bright tunnel, Granite Spiral Staircase, magazine and multiple exhibition rooms. If that all sounds like too much hard work why not enjoy the delights of Lynch's Centra Crosshaven from the tea room with glass fronted deck area affording a panoramic view of Cork Harbour, the second largest natural harbour in the world. There is a full calendar of events each weekend throughout the summer, including live music, military re-enactments, exhibitions vintage cars, Model show and lots more. Opening Times 2018: Open Sat 5th May & Sun 6th May. SUNDAYS ONLY for the month of May. Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays from June - Mid September. Last Entry is strictly 45 minutes before closing time. Private tours are available for groups of 12 or more by calling us on 085 850 1483 Please allow plenty of time to explore and enjoy the fort, given the size of the site and the various exhibitions available. |
Posted: Thursday, 26 April, 2018
On the evening of April 24, 2018, the Centenary of Diarmuid & Kit's wedding in Dundalk Jail was marked by members of the Louth Volunteers 1916 Community, filmmaker & historian Marcus Howard, historian Dáire Mag Cuill and residents of Dundalk at the location of the event, the former jail which is now The Oriel Centre, Dundalk. A talk was held and a wreath was laid in memory of the couple and events a century before.
Sincere thanks and grattitude is due to Marcus Howard, Dáire Mag Cuill, the Louth Volunteers 1916 Community, Mark Kavanagh, Ailbhe Nic Ruairí, Dundalk Gardaí and many others for planning, organising and producing the impressive and successful centenary commemoration of Diarmuid & Kit's jail wedding.
Sincere thanks and grattitude is due to Marcus Howard, Dáire Mag Cuill, the Louth Volunteers 1916 Community, Mark Kavanagh, Ailbhe Nic Ruairí, Dundalk Gardaí and many others for planning, organising and producing the impressive and successful centenary commemoration of Diarmuid & Kit's jail wedding.
Marcus has produced two videos to mark the Centenary - a video history of the event in Dundalk Jail on 24 April, 1918 and a Facebook stream of the centenary commemorative gathering in the jail a century later. Click to view below.
Facebook Stream > A minor technical hitch on the embedding of the Facebook stream has muted the sound. Click play and click the volume icon lower right to listen. This tech issue will be fixed shortly. |
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Press coverage of the event thanks to the Dundalk Democrat and Marcus Howard. Click here for full text.
Links to videos and press details are posted in the Media section - 26 April 2018
Posted: Tuesday, April 11, 2018
The Louth Volunteers 1916 Relatives Association would like to invite you to a wreath laying ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the secret wedding of Diarmuid Lynch and Kathleen "Kit" Quinn which took place in Dundalk Gaol on April 24th, 1918.
Fr Aloysius Travers, who had ministered to Patrick Pearse before his execution in 1916 married them while a sentry was distracted by some of the other prisoners. The wedding was seen as something of a PR coup and Diarmuid Lynch was welcomed by Michael Collins, Harry Boland and Eamon de Valera when he arrived in Dublin before he was deported to the USA. Kathleen would join him there in June 1918. Diarmuid was a member of the Supreme Council of the IRB at the time and close with Michael Collins in late 1917- early 1918. The ceremony takes place: Tuesday April 24th 2018 @8pm. Assemble at the bench at the green in front of the Garda station at 8pm where we will lay wreaths and say a few words. This is a non-political event and all are welcome. If you are interested in attending, then please get in contact with Dáire via email: [email protected] In the meantime, you can read of the events and the Dundalk Jail marriage of almost a century ago (including Dáire's Grandfather's Bureau of Military History statement here in the section 1918. (Scroll down to April 24th) and also in a piece written by Eileen McGough for the Irish American Cultural Institute here. |
Had a most interesting chat last week with Marcus Howard from Dundalk who along with Daire MagCuill are organising a centenary event marking the 1918 Jail Wedding. (see above)
Marcus is a multimedia and business teacher at O’Fiach Institute of Further Education in the Co. Louth town but he is also an author and independent documentary film maker.
A descendant of Arthur Greene (a member of the IRB Dundalk & Sergeant-Major of the Irish Volunteers). Since 2016, Marcus has produced over one hundred historical documentary films. These include recollections of various 1916 particpants as described by their descendants and relatives, as well as documentaries on events and leaders of the revolutionary period. It's a fascinating and incredible resource of information that will prove to be invaluable to current and future historians and generations who wish to know more of the period.
The latest film from Marcus is part two of the series on ‘Michael Collins’ and includes a segment on Diarmuid Lynch & his 1918 wedding to Kit (from 43m10s).
Marcus is a multimedia and business teacher at O’Fiach Institute of Further Education in the Co. Louth town but he is also an author and independent documentary film maker.
A descendant of Arthur Greene (a member of the IRB Dundalk & Sergeant-Major of the Irish Volunteers). Since 2016, Marcus has produced over one hundred historical documentary films. These include recollections of various 1916 particpants as described by their descendants and relatives, as well as documentaries on events and leaders of the revolutionary period. It's a fascinating and incredible resource of information that will prove to be invaluable to current and future historians and generations who wish to know more of the period.
The latest film from Marcus is part two of the series on ‘Michael Collins’ and includes a segment on Diarmuid Lynch & his 1918 wedding to Kit (from 43m10s).
Below is a small selection of the historical documentaries produced by Marcus.
All are available on YouTube. Search for ‘Easter Rising Stories’.
Easter Rising Stories is an independent series of films by Marcus Howard, an independent film maker. The videos are not for profit but rather for educational means. The aim of the series is to try to capture the recollections of relatives of the Easter Rising of 1916 as well as to document events and stories relating to the Easter Rising. If you are interested in getting in touch please contact: [email protected]
A new addition to the 'Diarmuid Lynch Irish Revolutionary' site.
Simply titled 'Serendipity', it's an occasional blog of historical discoveries and oddities, the unusual and unexpected. It may be a press cutting, a photograph, an segment contributed by a reader, an art work, opinion piece, perhaps something entirely unconnected with Irish history.
Serendipity is always close by when researching and investigating the past and perhaps never more so when examining family and national history. An event that was long forgotten or went to the grave generations before can suddenly make itself known again and down that particular rabbit hole we must go. A letter, reference, photograph or a vague throwaway comment has the habit of just presenting itself and usually in a most unusual way.
This website does contain examples of the unusual and the interesting along with more factual accounts of the times in an attempt to make it a little of 'History...but without the boring bits' but there is a need for something new. A space where the more curious and perhaps more opinionated items can be posted. The 'Serendipity' section is where such accidental and odd discoveries will be posted - the unusual, the unique and the downright interesting (to some perhaps). An oddments box of historical discoveries that gets added to from time to time.
As an example, the first posting on 'Serendipity' is something new and very different: 'A Social Network of the 1916 Rising' where the writer uses modern data analytical techniques to examine an aspect of the Rising and visually demonstrate the connections among the Irish Nationalists during 1915-16.
With around seventy unique visitors to this website a day (that's around 25,000 visitors a year), your comments or observations are welcome. Also if you have an item of interest you may like to share, an article, web site, link or suggestion, then do get in contact. We can share that unexpected nugget of information, the discovery that surprises, the never before seen sepia photograph or letters of the long dead or the existence of an unknown distant relative, all contributing a new piece of the jigsaw of our shared social network.
You can access Serendipity here or by clicking on 'More' at the top of each page.
Simply titled 'Serendipity', it's an occasional blog of historical discoveries and oddities, the unusual and unexpected. It may be a press cutting, a photograph, an segment contributed by a reader, an art work, opinion piece, perhaps something entirely unconnected with Irish history.
Serendipity is always close by when researching and investigating the past and perhaps never more so when examining family and national history. An event that was long forgotten or went to the grave generations before can suddenly make itself known again and down that particular rabbit hole we must go. A letter, reference, photograph or a vague throwaway comment has the habit of just presenting itself and usually in a most unusual way.
This website does contain examples of the unusual and the interesting along with more factual accounts of the times in an attempt to make it a little of 'History...but without the boring bits' but there is a need for something new. A space where the more curious and perhaps more opinionated items can be posted. The 'Serendipity' section is where such accidental and odd discoveries will be posted - the unusual, the unique and the downright interesting (to some perhaps). An oddments box of historical discoveries that gets added to from time to time.
As an example, the first posting on 'Serendipity' is something new and very different: 'A Social Network of the 1916 Rising' where the writer uses modern data analytical techniques to examine an aspect of the Rising and visually demonstrate the connections among the Irish Nationalists during 1915-16.
With around seventy unique visitors to this website a day (that's around 25,000 visitors a year), your comments or observations are welcome. Also if you have an item of interest you may like to share, an article, web site, link or suggestion, then do get in contact. We can share that unexpected nugget of information, the discovery that surprises, the never before seen sepia photograph or letters of the long dead or the existence of an unknown distant relative, all contributing a new piece of the jigsaw of our shared social network.
You can access Serendipity here or by clicking on 'More' at the top of each page.
Research has been ongoing for the last few months for an article on Charles Basil Slater Spackman, known more informally as 'Basil' - a former Tracton resident (1956-1971) who had an incredibly surprising and full life. British by birth but an Irish resident by choice, Basil would have been known to many as a retiree who with his German wife Gretta, lived in Diarmuid's former home in Tracton, Co. Cork for fifteen years until his death in 1971.
An artist during retirement, his works were included in national and international exhibitions during the 1960's and many of his oils and watercolours are displayed in various galleries and private homes.
However while reasonably known in art circles, Basil's life prior to retirement was relatively unknown...until now. He saw military action with two services during two world wars, from a 2nd Lieutenant in Gallipoli and Suvla Bay in 1915 to a career with the RAF as a fighter pilot & Squadron Commander in Greece, Egypt, the Sudan, Aden, Iraq and in the premier British fighter squadrons during the inter-war and Second World War. He was the RAF representative in the Allied forces postwar occupation of Berlin & Germany and an organiser of the Berlin Airlift of 1947/48. Decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross twice, The Greek Cross and a CBE amongst many other awards, Basil retired as an RAF Air Vice-Marshall (the equivalent of a Two Star General) in 1950 to live and paint in Tracton.
His fascinating life story which reads like something from a 1930's Boys Own serial will be uploaded during the summer.
An artist during retirement, his works were included in national and international exhibitions during the 1960's and many of his oils and watercolours are displayed in various galleries and private homes.
However while reasonably known in art circles, Basil's life prior to retirement was relatively unknown...until now. He saw military action with two services during two world wars, from a 2nd Lieutenant in Gallipoli and Suvla Bay in 1915 to a career with the RAF as a fighter pilot & Squadron Commander in Greece, Egypt, the Sudan, Aden, Iraq and in the premier British fighter squadrons during the inter-war and Second World War. He was the RAF representative in the Allied forces postwar occupation of Berlin & Germany and an organiser of the Berlin Airlift of 1947/48. Decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross twice, The Greek Cross and a CBE amongst many other awards, Basil retired as an RAF Air Vice-Marshall (the equivalent of a Two Star General) in 1950 to live and paint in Tracton.
His fascinating life story which reads like something from a 1930's Boys Own serial will be uploaded during the summer.
Fachtna O'Donovan of Castltownbere, Co. Cork and Secretary of the Beara Historical Society was in touch telling me of a most unusual find.
He had recently purchased one of those extremely rare copies of Diarmuid's book 'The IRB and the 1916 Rising' from a certain bookshop in Galway city and as he says himself 'No, I didn't get it cheap, but I was more than happy to acquire it for my modest library'.
The book was originally owned by Eamon Dore from Glin, Co. Limerick. Just for background information, Dore was a medical student in Dublin in 1914 while also a member of the IRB. He was a courier for the Supreme Council bringing confidential dispatches to Belfast and the west of Ireland and through the Council, knew of it's Munster Representative, Lynch. With the outbreak of the Rising in Easter 1916, the twenty year old Dore joined the GPO garrison and was made bodyguard to Sean McDiarmada. Along with Lynch and a number of others, he removed homemade explosives from the GPO basement as the building was shelled and in flames. Dore was with The O'Rahilly in the escape attempt to Moore Street and witnessed his death. Tried after the Rising, Dore was deported to Stafford and then to Frongoch until released in the Christmas 1916 amnesty. A year later he married Nora Daly, sister of executed Commandant Ned Daly and of Kathleen Clarke, wife of executed leader Tomás Clarke. After independence, Eamon and Nora ran the family bakery and confectionery business until closure in 1959.
While skimming through the book, Fachtna made a surprising discovery. In between the pages were some extras: "Two addressed envelopes with notes in his [Dore's] handwriting on aspects of the Rising. One of the envelopes contains a Christmas card from 'Frank' (may be Frank Aiken's writing)' After this serendipity, yet another discovery was made. Pasted between the pages was an original letter from Diarmuid to Eamon dated December 12, 1944 (transcription below).
Fachtna and the Beara Historical Society also hosted the first national 1916 Commemoration of the Centenary Year 2016 - when our old friend and author, Eileen McGough presented a talk on Lynch. The Southern Star press clipping on the event is in the Media section here.
Thanks for sharing this discovery and other news with us Fachtna.
He had recently purchased one of those extremely rare copies of Diarmuid's book 'The IRB and the 1916 Rising' from a certain bookshop in Galway city and as he says himself 'No, I didn't get it cheap, but I was more than happy to acquire it for my modest library'.
The book was originally owned by Eamon Dore from Glin, Co. Limerick. Just for background information, Dore was a medical student in Dublin in 1914 while also a member of the IRB. He was a courier for the Supreme Council bringing confidential dispatches to Belfast and the west of Ireland and through the Council, knew of it's Munster Representative, Lynch. With the outbreak of the Rising in Easter 1916, the twenty year old Dore joined the GPO garrison and was made bodyguard to Sean McDiarmada. Along with Lynch and a number of others, he removed homemade explosives from the GPO basement as the building was shelled and in flames. Dore was with The O'Rahilly in the escape attempt to Moore Street and witnessed his death. Tried after the Rising, Dore was deported to Stafford and then to Frongoch until released in the Christmas 1916 amnesty. A year later he married Nora Daly, sister of executed Commandant Ned Daly and of Kathleen Clarke, wife of executed leader Tomás Clarke. After independence, Eamon and Nora ran the family bakery and confectionery business until closure in 1959.
While skimming through the book, Fachtna made a surprising discovery. In between the pages were some extras: "Two addressed envelopes with notes in his [Dore's] handwriting on aspects of the Rising. One of the envelopes contains a Christmas card from 'Frank' (may be Frank Aiken's writing)' After this serendipity, yet another discovery was made. Pasted between the pages was an original letter from Diarmuid to Eamon dated December 12, 1944 (transcription below).
Fachtna and the Beara Historical Society also hosted the first national 1916 Commemoration of the Centenary Year 2016 - when our old friend and author, Eileen McGough presented a talk on Lynch. The Southern Star press clipping on the event is in the Media section here.
Thanks for sharing this discovery and other news with us Fachtna.
Tracton, Balyfeard,
December 12, 1944.
Dear Eamon.
Delighted to hear from you.
When in Dublin recently, the first visit since 1941 - I had only a phone chat with Mrs. Clarke and was sorry to learn that Madge has been so unwell and that Nora had an operation. The latter must have had a bad time but we are glad to know that she is O.K. again. Tell Madge and the other members of the Daly family that I was asking about them.
Yes, age is telling on all of us. While we keep fairly well thank God, we've nothing to brag about. I came home from Dublin with a damn bad cold which developed into bronchitis. What with that and the weather we've been having, I've been stuck in the house most of the past month. But the worst is over buiochas le Dia. [thanks be to God]
Your news of Eamon Og, Nora and Maigread is very gratifying. It is grand to have the young folks pushing ahead like that. Congratulations.
As regards the Easter Week story, the G.P.O. materiel was compiled and the report finished years ago. The purpose of my letter was to stir up the other lads and get them going on their end of the job. There may be something to what you say, but I hope for the best. I can't do any more ont he matter anyway.
Our travels in recent years had to be curtailed - necessarily. I get as far as Cork about once a month, Kit perhaps once a quarter. So, I suppose our only chance of seeing you will come when the war is over and things become a bit normal again. Then we'll look forward to your driving down this way. Will be delighted to see you both and any of the family who may accompany you.
Kindest regards and best wishes to all for Christmas.
Mise do chara go deo [forever your friend]
Diarmuid Lynch
- "The IRB and the 1916 Rising" by Diarmuid Lynch
- edited by Florence O'Donoghue and published in 1957, The IRB and the 1916 Rising is a seminal historical reference work on the Revolutionary period in Ireland and on events in Irish American history 1918-1932.
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- With a limited print run in 1957, this book has been out of print for over sixty years and rarely available through specialist second hand bookshops in Ireland or overseas. Copies are available to view in the National Library, Dublin and in the History Departments of Trinity College Dublin and University Colleges of Dublin, Galway and Cork, in a number of archives such as the Franciscan Archives in Killiney, Co. Dublin or held privately.
- To mark the centenary of the Revolutionary Decade, this book is now available in PDF format here at no charge for educational and historical research purposes.
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- Click on 'Downloads' in the 'More' link above or here.