Letter from Seán Tomás Ó Ceallaigh (Sean T. O’Kelly) to Terence MacSwiney referring to the occasion of the beatification of Blessed Oliver Plunkett. A delegation consisting of Count O’Byrne, Professor Stockley and Art O’Brien went to Rome on behalf of the Dáil to represent the Government of the Republic at the beatification ceremonies. Sean T. O’Kelly and Mr. D. Hales, Consul in Italy, were also part of the delegation. In Irish
Letter from Sinn Féin, 23 Suffolk Street, Dublin, to Fr. Peter Bowe OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, Church St., Dublin, forwarding a resolution from the party regarding the recent death of Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap. In Irish
Letter from Sir Alfred Cope, Assistant Under Secretary for Ireland, Dublin Castle, to Fr. Aloysius Travers OFM Cap., Church Street, confirming that Fr. Dominic O’Connor OFM Cap. is still being detained at Wormwood Scrubs and that he will be moved to Parkhurst Prison in the coming days. Cope also refers to the conditions under which Fr. Dominic will be detained.
Letter from Sister M. Gonzaga, Loreto Convent, Fermoy, County Cork, to Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap., expressing her hope that the ‘brave Sinn Feiner you are anxious about is safe now’. She also declares that ‘1916 is a year marked in letters of blood, the heart blood of our best and noblest’. She concludes by asking for a prayer for ‘the brave boys you helped to die’.
Letter from Sr Bernard Heuston OP (1889-1960), Dominican Convent, Galway (a sister of Seán Heuston), to Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap. thanking him for his remembrance of her brother as the first anniversary of his execution approaches. The letter reads:
‘Dear Fr. Albert Thank you for your long & interesting letter & above all for your promise of the Mass for poor Jack on Tuesday. I knew that you would not forget him. I can scarcely believe that that awful time is only a year ago & yet in another sense it seems decades away! There seems to be a great many anniversary masses, indeed they seem to have been kept up during the year & I am sure the dear dead ones will obtain many graces for the land they gave their lives for. The number of conversions certainly proves the excellent religious foundation of their patriotism. I think it does my mother good to have a little chat about Jack sometimes – you sympathise with the cause for which he dies. I am hoping that when the sad memories of the anniversary have faded somewhat, she will brighten up again – the wound of such a loss will never completely heal. My mother sent me a list of anniversary Masses – certainly they have got more prayer than most people can dare to expect. The spirit still lives on. A letter from the Archbishop of Adelaide [the Dublin-born Dominican friar, Robert Spence, 1860-1934] came here yesterday. It was written in or about St. Patrick’s Day & he said that all the meetings held in honour of the Feast were unanimous in their condemnation of the treatment meted out to the Irish by the English government – feeling is strong there. You must be very pleased by the evident thoroughness of the Countess’ [Markievicz’s] conversion. I shall pray to get prayers for her & for all the others in whom you are interested. Should you be in the west any time during the summer I am sure you will call. I shall be very pleased to see you. With all kind regards & grateful thanks, Very sincerely yours Sr Bernard’
Letter from the deputy governor of Parkhurst Prison to Fr. Aloysius Travers OFM Cap., Church Street, re the condition of Fr. Dominic O’Connor OFM Cap. He is in ‘his usual health. He is in hospital and receives any medical attention necessary’.
Letter from the Most Rev. Peter Emmanuel Amigo, Bishop of Southwark, to Fr. Dominic O’Connor OFM Cap., expressing his delight on seeing him after all his recent suffering. He also grants him full diocesan faculties for his stay in the diocese.
Letter from William Walsh, Archbishop of Dublin, to Cardinal William Henry O’Connell, Archbishop of Boston. The printed letter refers to the former’s donation of £105 to the Irish National Fund inaugurated by the First Dáil.
Walsh, William Joseph, 1841-1921, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin
Letter from W.T. Cosgrave, Reading Internment Camp, to Fr. Aloysius Travers OFM Cap., conveying his sympathy on hearing of the death of Fr. Aloysius’s brother. Cosgrave concludes by declaring his ‘kindest remembrance to all your Fathers – particularly Fathers Augustine and Albert and of course yourself’.
Letter from W.T. Cosgrave, Reading Internment Camp, to Fr. Aloysius Travers OFM Cap., providing news of various prisoners including Joe MacDonough and P.T. Daly. Cosgrave also affirmed that ‘the last few weeks’ newspapers here also occupied a lot of our attention and this morning’s news amply rewards any little disadvantages we may have had’.
