Letter from Madge Calnan to James Ryan , 8 June 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Madge Calnan

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A reply from Madge Calnan to a letter she had received from James Ryan (1891-1970) while he was held in Stafford Prison. She fills him in on events at University College Dublin (Ryan had studied medicine there). She notes the increasingly favourable view of the Easter Rising rebels held by those at UCD. Calnan also describes the release of a number of the most prominent women arrested after the Rising (Dr Kathleen 'Glynn' should read 'Lynn'), notes that the parents of Joseph Plunkett were forced to live outside Ireland, and that masses had been held for Patrick Pearse, Thomas MacDonagh and Plunkett after their executions. She also asks for some buttons from Ryan's uniform as a souvenir of the Rising and the 'Irish patriots'.James Ryan was appointed chief medical officer in the GPO during the Easter Rising. After the Rising he was imprisoned in Stafford and, later, Frongoch, and was released in August 1916. Ryan became a founder member of Fianna Fáil and a government minister.

 University College Dublin Archives Dr James Ryan Papers, P 88/19 https://letters1916.ie/item/380 English Madge Calnan 1916-06-08 Loreto Hall, 77 Stephen's Green, Dublin James Ryan Stafford detention camp, United Kingdom Female Easter Rising Ireland 1916 Country and City Life Politics Politics

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 Loreto Hall, 77 Stephen's Green 8th June. 1916. Dear Jim, Thanks ever so much for your welcome letter, which I may tell you was received with great excitement here. Ever since I am being besieged for your letter. We are all charmed to hear that you were all so well. You need not thank us at all for having sent Dan to visit you because, as he said himself, he thought it an honour to have an interview with Irish patriots. You will be very glad to hear that Kit has been released from prison and is coming back to College today. I am just going out to class to her at eleven o'clock when I have this epistle finished. Nell is not out yet but will be, I think, before the end of the week. With Kit were released Kathleen Browne from Wexford, Miss Higgins (sister to Brian O'Higgins), Miss French-Mullen, and Nellie Gifford, Mrs. McDonagh's sister. The Count and Countess Plunkett were released too but they have to live in England. They have chosen Oxford as their residence place. The same thing happened to a Doctor Kathleen Glynn (who was also in Mountjoy). She is going to live in Bath. College is much the same, except for the loss of a good few familiar places faces. You have all become great heroes now and everybody is wishing you were all back. Miss Degain had us for French while Miss Ryan was away and indeed we are not sorry that her régime is ended. Miss Ryan is in great form T. G. I suppose you know that Stan is having a holiday at present in Rathfarnham. We were out to see ear a few days ago. She is splendid and in great humour now that Miss Ryan is back. She had a letter from Liam O'Brien from Wandsworth. He is quite well and seems to be very happy but of course he has not your luck in having a whole lot of other students with him. He seems to be the only Universitite there. In your letter you said that it was a pity that the Gaelic excursion etc. should be put off on your account. Don't — you know that we could not hold such amusements with the principal people gone. Wait till you get back and you will see the Céilid we'll have. All the College societies are suspended for the present, the only meetings we had this term were for the selection of officers etc. There is great excitement at present about election of Auditor for L & H. Joe Mooney and J. A Meagher are the two candidates. Whichever gets in, it will be a tight shave. I suppose Dan told you about the Mass we had for McDonagh's soul and also for Pearse. There is one being said this morning at eleven o'clock in Whitefriars St Church for the repose of the soul of Joe Plunkett. Exams are starting on Tuesday next. Everybody is working like nothing on earth. I am only doing my Pass subject (history) in June, the I am doing the others in September. Thanks very much for the offer of prayers. I should be delighted and would feel very sure with you praying for me. I believe the Biological Society misses you sadly. They have only seen one excursion this term and that one only to Howth and of course the big Commerce excursion is off. Remember me to Des Ryan and Fergus O'Kelly and tell them that all their friends are in great form. I think they are the only two College boys besides yourself that I know in Stafford. Tell all the others they I wish them every good luck and that everybody hopes they will be soon out as indeed I am sure they will be. I believe the prisoners are being let home from all the English Detention barracks by degrees. The message you sent to the 'few' that there was great hope for the future you might have sent it to the whole house. You never saw such wholesale conversion. There are not half a dozen people in the College who are not Sinn Féiners. Even such people as H.Garret McGrath have turned over. You should see us all now sporting republican flags down Grafton Street. If you have got your uniform with any Sinn Féin buttons on it, will you please send us on a few as I some of us, I for one, want a souvenir of the rising, and of the Irish patriots. In my last letter I asked Dan to get me some but I have not heard from him since. He is getting lax in his correspondence. Dont forget to write again when you have time because everybody is simply aching for news. I would have written to you before but I Dan said he showed you my letter and then one letter did for both. Anna Connolly, Eileen McGrane, Lizzie Bookey, Madge Hoare, Mary Mongey (tho' she says she never met you), Lily Fogarty, Maureen Reavy, Bridie Bracken infact I maght say 'Loreto Hall' send their love and also to any others they know and their best wishes to all. Anna Connolly is going to write soon. I suppose you know Maureen Power is out in diggs this term. I think she told me she had written to you. I know Bíní Brady did. I don't think I have got any more to say, tho' I suppose I have if I could collect my thoughts. You must excuse composition of this letter but I just put down everything as it came into my head. I must now say 'Au-revoir' not goodbye ( because we will see you soon) with best wishes from Yours sincerely Madge Callanan P.S.Write again & give us all the newsM C Stafford detention camp, United Kingdom Letter from Madge Calnan to James Ryan , 8 June 1916 Loreto Hall, 77 Stephen's Green, Dublin Letter from Madge Calnan to James Ryan , 8 June 1916 James Ryan Letter from Cis M. Coyle to James Ryan, 26 May 1916Letter from Cis M. Coyle to James Ryan, 3 June 1916Letter from Cis M. Coyle to James Ryan, 25 June 1916Letter from Cis M. Coyle to James Ryan, 2 July 1916Letter from Cis M. Coyle to James Ryan, 11 July 1916Letter from Cis M. Coyle to James Ryan, 19 July 1916Letter from Cis M. Coyle to James Ryan, c. August 1916Letter from Seaghan Z to James Ryan, 12 July 1916Letter from 'Teresa'(Agnes Ryan) to James Ryan, 20 May 1916Letter from Katherine Brady to James Ryan, 5 July 1916Letter from Joe to James Ryan, 25 May 1916Letter from Denis McCullough to James Ryan, c. June 1916Letter from Phyllis Ryan to James Ryan, 19 May 1916Letter from Madge Calnan to James Ryan , 8 June 1916Letter from Phyllis Ryan to James Ryan, c. June 1916Letter from Phyllis Ryan to James Ryan, 1 June 1916Letter from Madge Calnan to James Ryan, 17 June 1916Postcard from 'M' to James Ryan, 27 May 1916Letter from 'Teresa' (Agnes Ryan) to her brother James Ryan, 4 June 1916Letter from Peggie O'Sullivan, Birmingham, to James Ryan, 1 July 1916Letter from Josephine Mary (Min) Ryan to James Ryan, 29 May 1916Letter from Chris Ryan to James Ryan, 13 June 1916Letter from Jim to James Ryan, 11 July 1916Letter from R. Hickey to James Ryan, 26 May 1916Letter from Mary M to James Ryan, 1916Letter from K.B to James Ryan, c. early June 1916Letter from Maudie Davin to James Ryan, 6 July 1916Letter from Kathleen Teebay, Stafford, England to James Ryan, 4 July 1916Letter from James Ryan to Liam Ó Briain, 1 June 1916Letter from Michael Collins to James Ryan, 23 August 1916Letter from Michael Collins to James Ryan, 2 September 1916Letter from Eamonn T. Dore to James Ryan, 19 September 1916Letter from Sean T. O'Kelly to James Ryan, 26 August 1916Letter from Sean T. O'Kelly to James Ryan, 15 September 1916Letter from Sean T. O'Kelly to James Ryan, 22 October 1916Letter from Mairín Ní Ribhógh to James Ryan, 2 August 1916Letter from Major C. Harold Heathcote to James Ryan, 13 September 1916Letter from Major C. Harold Heathcote to James Ryan, 19 September 1916Letter from Cis M. Coyle to James Ryan, 11 June 1916Letter from Phyllis Ryan to James Ryan, Tuesday 6 June 1916Letter to James Ryan from Frances KellyLetter to James Ryan from MargaretLetter to James Ryan from May GrayLetter from Eamonn T. Dore to James Ryan, c. September 1916Letter from Mort O'Connell to James Ryan, 9 October 1916Letter from Maura [Power] to James Ryan, 18 October 1916Letter from Kathleen Teebay, Stafford, England to James Ryan, 1 August 1916Letter from Kathleen Teebay, Stafford, England to James Ryan, 7 October 1916Letter from D. C., Stafford, England, to James Ryan, 9 August 1916Letter from Peg O'Sullivan, Birmingham, to James Ryan, 2 October 1916 Madge Calnan Letter from Madge Calnan to James Ryan , 8 June 1916Letter from Madge Calnan to James Ryan, 17 June 1916