Letter from Roger Casement to Margaret Gavan Duffy, 14 July 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Roger Casement

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Letter from Sir Roger Casement (1864–1916) to Margaret Gavan Duffy (1876–1967), in which he thanks her for the books she had sent him and requests that she send copies of Easter Week verses to his godsons. 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, and 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. Margaret Gavan Duffy was the wife of George Gavan Duffy was an Irish politician, barrister and judge. He unsuccessfully defended Casement at his trial for high treason after the Easter Rising.

 University College Dublin Archives George Gavan Duffy Papers, P152/7 https://letters1916.ie/item/531 English Roger Casement 1916-07-14 London, UK Margaret Gavan Duffy Male Easter Rising Ireland 1916

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 To Mrs Margaret Gavan Duffy In replying to this letter, please write on the envelope :— Number 1570 Name R. D. Casement Pentonville Prison The following regulations as to communications, by Visit or Letter, between prisoners and their friends are notified for the information of their correspondents. The permission to write and receive Letters, is given to prisoners for the purpose of enabling them to keep up a connection with their respectable friends and not that they may be kept informed of public events. All letters are read by the Prison Authorities. They must be legibly written and not crossed. Any which are of objectionable tendency, either to or from prisoners, or containing slang, or improper expressions, will be suppressed. Prisoners are permitted to receive and to write letters at intervals, which depend on the rules of the stage they attain by industry and good conduct ; but matters of special importance to a prisoner may be communicated at any time by Letter (prepaid) to the Governor who will inform the prisoner thereof, if expedient. In case of misconduct, the privilege of receiving and writing a Letter may be forfeited for a time. Money, Books, Postage Stamps, Food, Tobacco, Clothes, &c., should not be sent to Prisoners, for their use in prison, as nothing is allowed to be received at the Prison for that purpose. Persons attempting to clandestinely communicate with, or to introduce any article to or for prisoners, are liable to fine and imprisonment, and any prisoner concerned in such practices is liable to be severely punished. Prisoners' friends are sometimes applied to by unauthorised persons, to send Money, &c., to them privately, under pretense that they can apply it for the benefit of the prisoners, and under such fraudulent pretense, such persons endeavour to obtain money for themselves. Any Letter containing such application, received by the friends of a prisoner should be, at once, forwarded by them to the Governor. Prisoners are allowed to receive Visits from their friends, according to rules, at intervals which depend on their stage. When visits are due to prisoners notification will be sent to the friends whom they desire to visit them. Please tear off and post the opposite sheet. 14 July 1916 A Chara Dhílis, I forgot to put your name down today to visit me and it can't go till tomorrow now but I can get this letter off to you — and I hope there may be a chance to see you yet. I have got Joan of Arc safe and sound and the others too that Brigid sent me — and I write to her on the overleaf — will you please send it on to her? I am not sure of her address now so I must rely on you to find out for me and to send it on to her. Will you get a copy of 'Easter Week' — the verses you gave me when I saw you last and send them to a little godson of mine? I will get his address later on and send it to you. Today I cannot recall it. I have another godson in France named fully after me — 'Roger Casement.........' and I want to send the other verses to him — the ones you gave me — but he too, is so far off I can't get his address now — but possibly Gertrude will find it out. Do you know 'Songs of the Fields ' by Proinseas Ledwidge ( a Meath youth)? They are beautiful and are on 'The Death of Lasg' I like very much. There is a preface by Lord Dunsany I don't like — but one needn't read him, but go on to the post. I hope you'll get the book — you'll like some of the songs. Today my mind is far away, down by O'Sullivan Beare's land! — and over there, where I shall never be again, not even in dreams by Clare and Aran and Garumna I wonder how it will all be a hundred years hence — and whether any of the old speech, and thoughts that sprang from it, and prayers that grew from it will still survive. Goodbye, my dear friend and I hope all your young ones will grow up in that gospel and no other — and that it may be very well with them hereafter. If you see Brigid tell her how much I was gladdened at her faithful affection and remembrance — and her prayers — beannacht Dé leat & a blessing from myself too —for I shall not forget you wherever memory goes with me — Yours — Roger Casement London, UK Copies of letters from Gavan Duffy and Mary Boyle O'Reilly to Mrs Dryhurst, 6 July 1916Letter from Roger Casement to Margaret Gavan Duffy, 14 July 1916Letter from Father Edward Murnane to Margaret Gavan Duffy, 31 July 1916Letter from Father E.F. Murnane to Margaret Gavan Duffy, 4 July 1916Letter from Minsie Arkwight to Lady Clonbrock, 22 July 1916 Roger Casement Letter from Roger Casement to Nina Casement, 25 July 1916.Letter from Roger Casement to George Gavan Duffy, 30 June 1916Letter from Roger Casement to Margaret Gavan Duffy, 14 July 1916Letter from Roger Casement to Margaret Gavan Duffy, 2 August 1916Letter from Sir Roger Casement to Robert Monteith, 11 January 1916Letter from Sir Roger Casement to Robert Monteith, 13 January 1916Postcard from Sir Roger Casement to Robert Monteith, 23 February 1916Letter from Sir Roger Casement, 9 April 1916Letter from Sir Roger Casement, 20 December 1915Letter from Sir Roger Casement, 13 March 1916Letter from Sir Roger Casement, 26 March 1916Letter from Sir Roger Casement, 26 March 1916Letter from Sir Roger Casement, 9 April 1916Letter from Count Georg von Wedel to Roger Casement, 27 November 1915Letter from Louis Hahn to Roger Casement, 19 November 1915Letter from T. A. Quinlisk to Roger Casement, 22 November 1915Letter from Robert Monteith to Roger Casement, 2 November 1915Letter from Robert Monteith to Roger Casement, 5 November 1915Letter from Robert Monteith to Roger Casement, 8 November 1915Letter from Robert Monteith to Roger Casement, 11 November 1915Letter from Robert Monteith to Roger Casement, 21 November 1915Telegram from Robert Monteith to Roger Casement, November 1915Letter from Robert Monteith to Roger Casement, 26 November 1915Letter from Robert Monteith to Roger Casement, 18 March 1916Letter from Robert Monteith to Roger Casement, 1 February 1916Letter from Robert Monteith to Roger Casement, 24 March 1916Letter from Robert Monteith to Roger Casement, 11 November 1915Letter from Robert Monteith to Roger Casement, 24 January 1916