Letter from Irish Prisoners, Frongoch to T. M. Healy Esq., KC, MP, 10 October 1916

Foo, Bar; Bar, Foo

Letter from Irish Prisoners, Frongoch to T. M. Healy Esq., KC, MP, 10 October 1916

1 10th Oct 1916. Sir, This morning about 10.30 a.m. the Camp Leaders were
brought before the Commandant and the following letter read
to them:- Home Office,
Whitehall. 9th Oct. 1916 313106
Sir, I am directed by the Secretary of State to say that
he has had under his consideration the case of the prisoners
now under punishment for refusing to perform fatigue duty
ordered by you (removal of rubbish from the Guard's quarters)
and it appears to him that they have now been sufficiently
punished for this offence. He has therefore decided to remit
the remainder of the punishment and also for the future to
relieve them from this particular duty, which he understands
from you, can be properly performed by the Guard. In announcing this decision to the prisoners the
Secretary of State desires that you should make it clear that
in his opinion you were right in requiring them to perform this duty and right in punishing those who refused,
but the matter being a trifling one he does not desire to
carry the matter further. I am, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
(Sgd) M.L. Waller.
The Commandant,
Prisoners of War Camp,
Frongoch. 2 As a result of the above letter all the prisoners
confined in the North Camp are being brought back to-day,
except the eight prisoners whose case has been dealt with
in Paras. dated 4th and 5th Oct. of our previous letter to
you dated Frongoch 8th Oct. We have only quite recently heard that two other
prisoners (H. Wilson and M. Kent) who were of the above
fatigueparty, were also undergoing a hunger strike in the
North Camp since last Thursday, they contending that the
stoppage of their letters was also inflicting a punishment
on their people at home. In deference to the earnest wishes
of the Catholic Chaplain here these two prisoners above mentioned
consented to take their meals this morning. We desire to remain, Sir,
Your Obedient Servants,
M.S. Head Leader
No. 1 Room Leader
No. 3 ' '
No. 4 ' '

This letter was written by a group of Irish prisoners in Frongoch to Timothy Healy. In this letter the prisoners quote a letter previously read to them which remitted the punishment of prisoners for refusing to preform fatigue duty.The letter also refers to a hunger strike, in protest of such punishment, that has since ceased. Frongoch Internment Camp in Wales was a makeshift prison used for the internment of approximately 1,800 Irishmen in the wake of the Easter Rising, 1916. It was to become known as the 'University of Revolution' because of the revolutionary nature of the inmates.Timothy Michael 'Tim' Healy (1855–1931) was an Irish journalist, author, barrister and an Irish Parliamentary Party MP. He was one of the few King's Counsel who represented Irish prisoners detained at Frongoch Internment Camp after the Easter Rising in 1916. Among the signatories to this letter are Michael Staines, Thomas Sinnott and Richard Mulcahy.Staines (1885 - 1955) was a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood and served as Quartermaster in the GPO during the Easter Rising. After the Rising he was detained in Frongoch where he was elected Head Leader by his peers.Sinnott (1893 - 1965) was the Officer Commanding Wexford Brigade, 1916. After the rising he was detained in Frongoch where he was a Room Leader.Richard Mulcahy (1886 - 1971) fought with Thomas Ashe in Ashbourne during the Easter Rising. After the Rising, he was detained in Frongoch where he was also a Room Leader

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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__0357.html)