Liam de Róiste Papers Descriptive List Ref. U271

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contented and when the King of England comes to open the Parliament of the Orange Free State....'. Refers to Sean Milroy's 'successful stunt'. 'When are you opening your new Parliament and when? Spike, Bere or the Curragh?..... Sean Moylan got off luck, being a TD saved him.' Refers to 'no press mention of the death of Maurice Quinn....who left Cork jail with us , a fine strong lad...'. He spent last week 'fixing our little chapel.... such is my way of upholding Cork's reputation and I have kept the Southern city prominent in many ways since I came. I saw you mentioned in the Bolshevic Treaty- aren’t they silly asses?'. Their principle trouble is lack of water. Notes de Róiste asked after rhymes and writes out the poem 'When the winds blow at Ballykinlar'. 'Sand ! Sand ! Sand ! / For breakfast Dinner and Tea....'. Says Sean Etchinham may like this.

Reference:

U271/G/010/E

Date:

10 Jun 1919

Title: MS. letter from Sorcha Ní Dubhagáin, Female Prison, Cork (Sarah Duggan of Thomas Davis Street, Blackpool, Cumann na mBan member), to ‘A Chara’, Liam de Roiste. Level: Item Extent: 3pp Part of: U271/G/010 Scope and Content: On behalf of herself and her fellow prisoners, thanks him for his visit to ‘our current HQ’ and the ‘beautiful box of sweets’. All the Curtins here are quite well and in good spirits. They felt sorry for having to decline his visit but she presumes he understands their reason for doing so. They have ‘over four weeks done’ and are unsure what day they will be released. Regards to Mrs. Roche and himself. [Small parts have been redacted by the prison censor]. Note at top ‘Reg. No. 49 Sarah Duggan, 1 month bail’.

Reference:

U271/G/010/F

Date:

24 May 1919

Title:

MS. Letter from Philip P. Lennon, Commandant, Irish Volunteers, Cork Prison,

‘Despatch [via] [Professor] F. Fahy FDE, Dublin’, to Liam de Roiste TD. Level: Item Extent: 1p Part of: U271/G/010 Scope and Content:

Headed ‘Cork Sinn Fein Strike’. Says there are 60 prisoners now on (hunger) strike with 10 in hospital and all are bad cases, and 20 more confined to bed. They are now confined to cells for 19 weeks, but ‘in the best of spirits’. Their case is now in the hands of the Irish Executive, and many may be released through ill health. He hopes the Dáil will bring before the people the true state of affairs in Cork Jail. There will be no surrender. Professor Fahy is being released and will corroborate every word. Postscript, ‘If nothing is done soon we will take drastic action.’

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