1 Kilmainham Gaol, Midnight, Tuesday, 2nd May 1916 I, Thomas MacDonagh, having now heard the sentence of
the Court Martial held on me to—day, declare that in all my
acts —all the acts for which I have been arraigned —I have
been actuated by one motive only, the love of my country, the
desire to make her a sovereign independent state. I still
hope and pray that my acts may have for consummation her lasting
freedom and happiness. I am to die at dawn, 3.30 a.m. 3rd May. I am ready to
die, and I thank God that I die in so holy a cause. My
Country will reward my dust richly. On April 30th I was astonished to receive by a messenger
from P.H. Pearse, Commandant General of the Army of the Irish
Republic, an order to surrender unconditionally to the British
General. I did not obey the order as it came from a prisoner.
I was then in supreme command of the Irish Army, consulted with
my second in command and decided to confirm the order. I knew
that it would involve my death and the deaths of other leaders.
I hoped that it would save many true men among our followers
, good lives for Ireland. God grant it has done so and God approve
our deed. For myself I have no regret. The one bitterness
that death has for me is the separation it brings from my beloved
wife, Muriel, and my beloved children, Donagh and Barbara. My
Country will take them as wards, I hope. I have devoted myself
too much to National work, and too little to the making of money
to leave them a competence. God help them and support them,
and give them a happy and prosperous life. Never was there a
better, truer, purer woman than my wife Muriel, or more adorable
children than Don and Barbara. It breaks my heart to think that
I shall never see my children again, but I have not wept or
mourned. I counted the cost of this and am ready to pay it.
Muriel has been sent for here. I do not know if she can come.
She may have no one to take the children while she is coming.
If she does — My money affairs are in a bad way. I am insured for £ 200
in the New York Life Co. but have borrowed £ 101, I think. I am
insured for £ 100 in the Alliance Co. but have a bank debt for £ 80.
That leaves less than £ 120 from these sources, if they produce
anything. In addition I have insured my two children for £ 100
each in the Mutual Co. of Australasia, payments of premiums to
cease at my death the money to be paid to the children at the age
of twenty one.
I ask my brother Joseph McDonagh and my good
and constant friend David Houston to help my poor wife in these
matters. My brother John, who came with me and stood by me all
last week has been sent away from here, I do not know where to.
He, if he can will help my family too. God bless him and my
other brothers and sisters sisters and brothers Assistance has been guaranteed from funds in the hands of Cumann
na mBan and other funds to be collected in America by our
fellow countrymen there in provision for the dependents of those
who fall in the fight. I appeal without shame to the persons
who control those funds to assist my family. My wife and I 2 have given all for Ireland. I ask my friend David Houston to see Mr. W.G. Lyon, publisher
of my latest book, Literature In Ireland, and see that its
publication may be useful to my wife and family. If Joseph
Plunkett survives me and is a free man I make him with my wife,
my literary executor. Otherwise my wife and David Houston will
take charge of my writings. For the first time I pray that they
may bring in some profit at last. My wife will want money from
every source. Yesterday at my Court Martial in rebutting some trifling
evidence I made a statement as to my negotiations for surrender
with General Lowe. On hearing it read after it struck me that
it might sound like an appeal. It was not such. I made no appeal
no recantation, no apology for my acts. In what I said I merely
claimed that I acted honourably and thoroughly in all that I set
myself to do. My enemies have, in return treated me in an unworthy
manner. But that can pass. It is a great and glorious thing to
die for Ireland and I can well forget all petty annoyances in the
splendour of this. When my son, Don, was born I thought that to
him and not to me would this be given. God has been kinder to me
than I hoped. My son will have a great name. To my son Don. My darling little boy, remember me kindly
. Take my hope and purpose with my deed. For your sake and for the
sake of your beloved mother and sister I would wish to live long,
but you will recognise the thing I have done and see this as a
consequence. I think still I have done a great thing for Ireland,
and with the defeat of her enemy, won the first step of her freedom.
God bless you, my son. My darling daughter, Barbara, God bless you. I loved you
more than ever a child has been loved. My dearest love, Muriel, thank you a million times for all
that you have been to me. I have only one trouble in leaving life —
leaving you so. Be brave, darling, God will assist and bless you.
Good bye. Kiss my darlings for me. I send you the few things I
have saved out of this war. Good bye my love, till we meet again
in heaven. I have a sure faith of our union there. I kiss this
paper that goes to you. I have just heard that they have not been able to reach you.
Perhaps it is better so. Yet Father Aloysius is going to make
another effort to do something. God help and sustain you, my love.
But for your suffering this would be all joy and glory. Your loving husband
Thomas McDonagh Good bye.
I return the darlings' photographs.
Good bye,
my love.