Letter from Joseph Dowdall to Augustine Birrell, 18 April 1916

Foo, Bar; Bar, Foo

Letter from Joseph Dowdall to Augustine Birrell, 18 April 1916

1 Under Secretary
SMP
20/4/16 Ch.
will you see
Mr. Dowdall
if you ascertain
that he is a
reliable person.

21/4 Supt. G. dim
Wam 2/5/16 18 Terrace Place Buckingham St Dublin 18/4/16
To
The Right honourable Mr. Birrell.
Sir
I deem it my duty as an Irishman and
a supporter of his majesties Government,
to communicate to you the fact, that
for over 12 months past I have under
observation in this City two men whom
not only do I believe are German Spies but
that they are in constant touch between
with the German Government in Dublin,
London & The Continent. Both these men
are aliens, but neither admitt their true nationality,
one is aged about 26 years the other about 30 years
one at least is in Dublin since his boyhood.
I refrain from giving further details for
the present lest this letter might not
reach you. But I am prepared to make
a full statement of all I know should
you deem it prudent to make an
appointment in Dublin or elsewhere.
I am an Electrical Engineer and am
personally know by The Right Honourable
The Recorder of Dublin and Mr J Mulhall
vice President Prisons Board in Ireland.
I beg to remain Sir
yours most respectfully
Joseph Dowdall

This letter was written by Joseph Dowdall (b.1865), an electrician living in Dublin city. The letter was addressed to Augustine Birrell. In the letter Dowdall claims that he is being followed by two German spies. He reports that both are 'aliens' but refuse to acknowledge their nationality. He believes the to men are reporting back to the German government in Dublin, London and the Continent. Dowdall writes that he will be willing to make a full statement about the men should Birrell consider it prudent to investigate.Birrell (1850-1933) served as the chief secretary of Ireland from 1907 to 1916. Birrell was a liberal politician praised for his reforms of the Irish education system. The Easter Rising caught him unawares and, occupied in London, there was little he could do. A later inquiry into the Rising held Birrell chiefly responsible for the events that occurred leading to his resignation on 1 May 1916.

Joseph Dowdall
Augustine Birrell
1916-04-18
World War I (1914-1918) Industry and Public Administration

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How to cite

Letters 1916, published by the Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities, Vienna, 2026 (https://letters1916static.github.io/letters1916-static/item__0265.html)