Letter from Maudie Davin to James Ryan, 6 July 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Maudie Davin

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Letter from Maudie Davin to James Ryan (1891-1970). She apologises for not having written sooner. She tells him about her new house, the efforts to raise money for the National Aid and a new dress she got for one of the National Aid picnics. She warns him jokingly not to be writing affectionate letters to women other than Maureen (Máirín Cregan).James Ryan studied medicine in UCD. He 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 was later a founder member of Fianna Fáil and a government minister.

 University College Dublin Archives James Ryan Papers, P88/26 https://letters1916.ie/item/732 English Maudie Davin 1916-07-06 3 Gross Kevin St., Dublin James Ryan Female Easter Rising Ireland 1916 Politics Country and City Life

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 3 Cross Kevin St. 6 th July 1916 My Dear Jim, What you must think of me is beyond my imagination, never having written you a line yet, well anyway the old saying holds good in this case 'Better late than never', I hope you don't collapse with joy (!!!!!!!) when this reaches you, if you think it might be too much for you I would advise you to only read about one paragraph a day !!! As you see by the address we are living in Kevin (Castle!!! as I call it ) St. you remember that charming spot we brought you down to one Saturday we caught you giving the 'Evil Eye' to all the 'nice things' in Grafton St !!! of course we only let you look at the outside, for fear if you came inside you might get dazzled with the splendour and luxury ( I.O.J) or, more likely, get lost particularly as Maureen was there!! now, now Jim, I didn't say it might be an echo of ' HarringtonCollegeDance', it was a wonder you didn't get a bill from the owners for a new step on the stairs!!! or for that matter a whole flight!!!!!! of course that was last year, this year I suppose you would like a little change!! I believe Maureen's 'nose is out of joint' you're awfully fickle, some priest came into your sister a few days ago and told her about some girl who 'had a few very affectionate letters from Jim'. A certain friend told me she felt horribly 'taken in' !!!! now take a little advice from an 'auld pal' and don't be breaking hearts!! but excuse me, a new idea has just crossed my mind, perhaps you are only just practicing, as I daresay when you come home you will be writing these 'billet doux' to the wardresses!! Now to change the subject, we had a couple of great picnics for the National Aid 'any amount doing' !!! and the cream of the joke was that I got a new dress, the secret of it was that I was in great humour and wanted to 'knock down some thing good', but it was white voile (you that sort of soft stuff!) with enormous big dark blue dots on it, you call could positively hear me coming in it, but all the fellows called me ' pierrot' and wanted to know where was my cap, weren't they real cheeky!!! I felt horribly put out (I don't think). Godfrey (I'm sure the spelling is wrong but never mind!) O'Donnell was there and he's the best gas out, I enjoyed him immensely, I remember one time I was up in the diggs with Maureen, the time she was on the Leinster Road (certainly you remember all things connected with that) and she showed me the University College book, and there was a programme of a concert and in it and our friend G. O'Donnell was down for a song 'I am a little Catholic' the underlined word written in Italics. I absolutely howled when I saw it, knowing the little Catholic. Of course all this must be fearfully dry for the censor, what a pity I haven't time to make a sketch of G. O'D so that he might join in the joke. Don't forget to give my love to anyone in the camp that you think I might know or who might know me, especially S. Peeson, D McCullogh, Jack Gogan ( I know him since he was a kid!!). I will be writing to them very soon. Maureen will be in this evening, that is provided she dosent go teaing with a certain architect, Mums the word now Jim, just a few little words dropped and I added up one and one and made two, I may after a while add two and two and possibly make four, so I would advise you not to loose any time coming home or the bird might have flown, and I guess you wouldn't like your little heart to be broken!!! would you????!!! I will be doing the Feil Ceoil on the 17 th to 22 nd or so of this week, month so if you would say a weenie, weenie prayer for me I am sure I will do better than I would if you didn't say it. I must now ring off, I am sure you are bored stiff by this, my love to those I told you (provided they accept it!! if not you can keep it all, along with your own share, for yourself, what joy for you!!!!!!!) From Yours sincerely. Maudie Davin. P.S. Please excuse my bad writing and mistakes but as usual I am in a hurry. M. D. Mrs. Frank Aiken Maudie Davin Letter from Maudie Davin to James Ryan, 6 July 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 3 Gross Kevin St., Dublin Letter from Maudie Davin to James Ryan, 6 July 1916