1 I see Máirín
has a parcel of
tobacco here for you
so I'll send mine
elsewhere. K. Early June 1916 82 Grove Park, My dear Jim, Its about time I started to write to you isn't it?
To tell the truth what has kept me back is lack of
moral courage to ask permission. You know writing to
an engaged young man is a rather delicate matter & one
must set very rigid limits to all expressions of emotion.
Dare I say now I miss you? I don't know, I may be led
away by my feelings & find myself in the midst of a
most compromising declaration. In case I do you can
think like Mother Eucharia that 'these student
introductions are not recognized in society' — sicut —
I'm sure she added. We were all delighted to hear
you are doing somewhat better than you seemed to be
at first. I hope you aren't one of the ferocious
characters who are kept in solitary confinement.
A show ought to be started special attractions
'Rare Specimens of an almost extinct species
only found in some parts of Ireland'. I'm
sure the prison authorities would make a good
thing if they charged all you ordinary people 6 to 2 to see these exotics strange dangerous specimens of Irish.
Funny we don't come across them here isn't it. Perhaps
its the English air affects them & develops
cannabalistic tendencies. There is great news here — Kit is being released
or I suppose I should say has been released.
She got out at 8.30 this morning, herself & three
others. There was to be a great demonstration
for her I believe. We of course couldn't get
to it. The university people will be delighted.
Poor Nell is still a dangerous. Kit was
easily tamed evidently. I believe Miss Browne
of Wexford and Miss Ffrench Mullin are getting
out too, but I'm sure you will have later news
from home. They'll write to tell you about
Kit. Stan is still in Rathfarnham , & is bearing
up well under the disgrace of being connected
with such a family. I expect we'll see Kit
this evg. but I'll leave the description of the
meeting to Mairín. She being nearly one of the
family will do it better than an outsider. 3 None of the last 200 deportees have gone to Stafford I see.
They are divided over Wandsworth, Knutsford &
Wakefield. I went to Richmond for the 1 st time
last Thurs. We could never get at visiting hours
of course. We saw Seán T. Dinny, Pierce McCann
the Connollys, T. McSweeney, Mal de Mer, Gearóid O'S
& several others. They told us a crowd was going
off that night, so we all went down the quays on
spec. We thought we'd only get waving from a
distance, but we terrified the soldiers for they
let us walk down beside the prisoners &
we talked to them all down the quays. The first
I saw were P. McCann and little Mal de Mer. Do you
remember him foxtrotting at the dances? I walked
in the line of soldiers till I got shoved out.
Then I went back & came on Seán T. spick
& span as usual with rug, overcoat & evening
paper. I got in with himself & ffrench Mullin
& nearly got deported myself. They were all
in great form except Garóid O'S who was at
the far side of rank & looked afraid nobody 4 would see him. Terence McS. was in great form &
rushed out of his place to ask us to get up a camp
near Wakefield for the summer. So you may be watching
out for a caravan doing the rounds of the prisons.
Pierce Mc & Dinny are gone to Knutsford. They will
be all right there as the Manchester people are
swarming down I believe with hampers. In Wandsworth they have a great colony, Liam ÓB
Cole, Seán T. Garóid, Ginger & ffrench Mullin. We had
a great letter from Liam on Sat. He has a beard
which he says will put even Harry Nicholls
to the blush (though Harry's is red I believe, )
naturally). He was accusing the English of greater
atrocities in Ireland than the Germans had
inflicted on Belgium. He represented to the
officer in charge that no cruelty could equal
in refinement that undergone by Irishwomen
in being deprived of the consolation of his
(Liam's) presence ) But the unfeeling brute only
laughed. In Wandsworth they are allowed to
talk for several hours every day. I suppose you
are too. Is there anyone with you but Power or 5 whatever his name is. I must write to him soon. Will he
mind being written to by people he doesn't know. I feel
great pity for the country fellows who have nobody
to write to them & to give them a send off. I forgot
to tell you we gave the boys a great send off
on Thurs. They all sang seditious songs
all along the route. It was grand to think they
couldn't be stopped singing. We were out at a Mass for the Pearses yesterday in
Rathfarnham. The place was packed. We have
a & got two,
to go to Mass yesterday. Margaret says the Countess
takes very kindly to the Catholic religion but she
can't get over the 5 th & 6 th commandments. Perhaps
you could give some tips from your new Theology.
You ought to be starting it now. I'm sure the
revision of the Bible is complete. Have you
got any books to read? What kind do you
like. I'm afraid of sending things you have
read before, but I suppose you could
give them to others even if they didn't appeal 6 to yourself, so I must begin to collect. What about
notepaper & pencils. Would they be useful? Send
word to any of us & we'll send on anything you
want yourself or anything you could give
other fellows who are not in the fortunate
position of having a crowd of female
admirers. I'm sending on a few cigarettes
& a little tobacco. I suppose that is always
welcome & let us know about anything else.
I suppose Mairín has told you Neeson is in
Sussex. She letters from
him, but no news. Philosophical treatises
would be a fit setting for his correspondence.
I can't think of anything more to say so I'll
wind up. Just I forgot we are setting up a picnic
for the relief fund 2/6 for ticketes 1/ for extras
on a graduated scale 2 d for holding hands
& so on. Could you give suggestions as to what
sort of thing we should charge extra for.
Love from the four angels as Liam calls us to self
Doreen & all the other Bearded Brigade. Yrs. K.B.