Letter from Irish Prisoners, Frongoch to William O'Brien, Esq., MP, 14 October 1916 Letters 1916-1923

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This letter was written by a group of Irish prisoners in Frongoch to William O'Brien. The letter concerns the rations received by internees in the camp. According to the prisoners some of the meat being served to prisoners is 'unfit for human consumption'. The letter states that this is the third time this has occurred and asks O'Brien to let in 'the light of public opinion on the matter'.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' due to the influential effect it had on its inmates.The letter was addressed to William O'Brien (1852-1928). O'Brien was an Irish nationalist politician serving as a Member of Parliament in the Britain from 1883 until he withdrew himself and his party in 1918. 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.

 Military Archives of Ireland Bureau of Military History Contemporary Documents, George Gavan Duffy Collection, BMH CD45/4/13 https://letters1916.ie/item/361 English 1916-10-14 Frongoch Internment Camp, Bala, Wales William O'Brien House of Commons, Westminster, London, England Male Easter Rising Ireland 1916

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 Irish Prisoners, Internment Camp, Frongoch. 14th Oct. 1916. Wm. O'Brien Esq., M.P. House of Commons. Sir; We much regret the necessity which compells us to send to you additional complaints regarding the rations supplied to us by the authorities. In accordance with the intention to refuse the ration of herrings as indicated in the second para. of the third item of our letter to you dated 11th inst., the prisoners' Quarter Master declined to take over the ration of herrings from the military yesterday, and asked that some other food stuffs be supplied in lieu. No other article of food would be issued in lieu; and yesterday's (Friday 13th inst.) dinner, in consequence, cost the prisoners £3:15:10, out of their private fund. This morning when the prisoners ration party attended the military stores for the purpose of drawing the daily meat ration, the prisoners Quarter Master complained to the Orderly Officer of the day that the meat, in his opinion, was unfit for human consumption, as the stench from it was very noticeable. The officer admitted that the stench was bad, but that 'if it was washed with vinegar and water the stench would disappear.' The military butcher remarked, in the hearing of the Quarter Master, that this meat was intended for the Guard, but that they refused it, and were supplied with sausages in lieu. In view of the order and directions of the Orderly Officer, the prisoners' Quarter Master had no option but to accept the meat for the time being. On arriving in Camp, the attention of the Head Camp Leader was drawn to the meat, and he called the doctor to the kitchen. When he arrived in the Camp at 10 o'clock a.m. The military staff sergeant on duty in the Camp, on becoming aware of this notified the Adjutant, who came to the prisoners' kitchen shortly after the doctor, and immediately tried, by his language and attitude, to brow-beat the doctor, and was most insulting to the prisoners' Quarter Master. The doctor, in view of the Adjutant's attitude, considered it advisable to call in his assistant, who at once condemned 176 lbs. out of a total of 268 lbs. as being utterly unfit for human consumption - that is a proportion of nearly 2/3 of the total. The meat was then changed. You will agree with us that this is a serious state of affairs especially as it is the third occasion on which the meat had to be condemned, as being utterly unfit, and we hope that you will endeavour to seize an early opportunity of letting in the light of public opinion on the matter. We desire to remain, Sir, Your obedient servants, Michael StainesHead Leader. J.J. O'Neill (acting) Leader No 1. Room Edward A. Miskan Leader of No 2. Room R.J. Mulcahy Leader No 3. Room Thos. D. Sinnott Leader No 4. Room J.J. Frongoch Internment Camp, Bala, Wales Letter from Irish Prisoners, Frongoch to Laurence J. Ginnell, Esq., MP, 9 October 1916Letter from Irish Prisoners, Frongoch to T. M. Healy Esq., KC, MP, 10 October 1916Letter from Irish Prisoners, Frongoch to Alfred Byrne, MP, 13 October 1916Letter from Irish Prisoners, Frongoch to William O'Brien, Esq., MP, 14 October 1916Letter to the Commandant, Prisoners of War, Frongoch, 25 October, 1916 House of Commons, Westminster, London, England Letters from Andrew Philip Magill to J. P. Farrell, 7 April 1916Letter from Irish Prisoners, Frongoch to William O'Brien, Esq., MP, 11 October 1916Letter from Irish Prisoners, Frongoch to Alfred Byrne, MP, 11 October 1916Letter from Irish Prisoners, Frongoch to Alfred Byrne, MP, 13 October 1916Letter from Irish Prisoners, Frongoch to William O'Brien, Esq., MP, 14 October 1916Letter from Laurence Ginnell, 9 December 1915 William O'Brien Letter from William Crawford Anderson to William O'Brien, 28 October 1916Letter from Irish Prisoners, Frongoch to William O'Brien, Esq., MP, 14 October 1916Letter from William O'Brien to Augustine Birrell, 26 February 1916Letter from Andrew Philip Magill to William O'Brien, 28 February 1916.Letter from William O'Brien to Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, 9 November 1915Letter from Frongoch to William O'Brien, 14 October 1916Letter from Andrew Philip Magill to William O'Brien, 28 February 1916Letter from William O'Brien to Augustine Birrell, 26 February 1916