Letter from William Ahern, 29 July 1916. Letters 1916-1923 William Ahern

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This letter was sent along with a petition for the reprieve of Sir Roger Casement (1864-1916). William Ahern, an Irish father, farmer, and stone cutter of County Meath, is upset over England's recent executions of his fellow Irish countrymen. He claims he had two of his nine sons in the army, but others refused to join, due to England's recent actions. He warns England will incite a full rebellion in Ireland and also that England will not get any more of his sons.Sir Roger Casement was a humanitarian and Irish Nationalist. Casement believed that an Irish insurrection would be crushed unless it received substantial assistance from Germany. He spent eighteen months in Germany, arriving first as an envoy of Irish-American leaders, attempting to encourage Germany to support Irish separatist aspirations by providing arms. Casement succeeded in securing limited German support but his attempt to form a brigade of Irish soldiers in German prisoner of war camps to fight against Britain was largely unsuccessful. When it became clear that adequate help would not be forthcoming he travelled to Ireland by submarine. Casement landed and was arrested at Banna Strand, County Kerry on Good Friday 1916. He was tried in the Old Bailey for treason and subsequently executed by hanging at Pentonville Prison on 3 August 1916.

 National Library of Ireland Roger Casement Papers, Collection List No A15, Ms. 13,088/9 https://letters1916.ie/item/298 English William Ahern 1916-07-29 Ross Mountnugent, County Meath, Ireland Madam Male World War I (1914-1918) Personal Relations Easter Rising Ireland 1916

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 Ross, Mountnugent Co. Meath Ireland July 29th 1916 Dear Madam, forwarding enclosed petition — I beg to state that I have a son a 2nd Lieut. in the 6th Leinsters. 2 nine of my sons refused to join the army owing to the wholesale executions & murders of my poor misguided fellow Country men in Dublin. To my mind and I know my Country men well — better than any Englishman does. The government want to drive the Irish into open revolt - and damp the ardour of our brave sons at the front . If Roger Casement is hanged, England will get no more of my sons — and I have 9 — and I will be heartily sorry that a son of mine should fight & die for vindictive England I may say that I am in favour of the Allies & have spoken in several recruiting platforms tick Yours respectfully William Ahern J.P. My son 2 cousins and 4 nephews — 17 of my workmen are in the army— all joined since the war began — and all because they believed it was in Ireland's best interests —I may say that there is not a drop of blood in my veins but Fenian blood and my wife is the daughter of a Fenian — we have 14 children —what does England want? Does she want us to rear a new generation of rebels? She lies in her own hands W.A. William Ahern Letter from William Ahern, 29 July 1916. Ross Mountnugent, County Meath, Ireland Letter from William Ahern, 29 July 1916.