Letter from Sean T. O'Kelly to James Ryan, 26 August 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Seán T. O'Kelly

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A letter from Sean T. O'Kelly (1882-1966) to James Ryan (1891-1970). The letter was written after Ryan's release from Frongach but while O'Kelly was still imprisoned and O'Kelly expresses his delight that Ryan had been released. The letter refers to personal and political affairs and mentions Gearoid O'Sullivan (who later became IRA adjutant general) and Michael Collins.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. Sean T. O'Kelly was a politician and later president of Ireland. He was arrested after the Rising and imprisoned first in Wandsworth the Woking, Frogach and Reading. O'Kelly married Ryan's sister Mary Kate (Kit in the letter) in 1918 and after her death he married another of Ryan's sisters, Phyllis.

 University College Dublin Archives Dr James Ryan Papers, P 88/40(1) https://letters1916.ie/item/915 English Seán T. O'Kelly 1916-08-26 James Ryan Male Easter Rising Ireland 1916 Personal Relations

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 August 26th 16 A Shéamuis Dhílis Thanks very much for your letter and for the many interesting items of news it con— tained. I can quite well under— stand what a lively time you have had since your return to Dublin and how little chance there was for correspondence being indulged in. I was delighted when I learned, only through a casual remark in a letter of Kits' that you were free at last. I had almost begun to fear that you with Liam and Michael had been put on the blacklist and that you too were going to be an absentee from Tomcoole on the memorable 16 th of August. It was a great relief to know then that you at Ron and I both received the wedding cake yesterday — for which many thanks. There was a great run on it Give my regards to Dick when next you meet him At any rate we are going to be present to do your bit (looks like as if I should have on the day of the great matrimonial double event. Kit sent me a most interesting and picturesque description of the event which to the great delight of all seems to have been an unbounded success. — I wonder did poor Nell feel very bad of her enforced absence. Have you heard from her since? The widow seems to have been terribly upset about missing you the day you called. She has written to me most voluminously on the subject several times and of course I sympathized and con— soled most tenderly with her on her loss. Did you see O B. at all before you left the camp. Had the camps been amalgamated You must have felt lonely leaving Gearoid and Mick C. Were you in the camp the day I came on here. Do you remember my namesake who came here the same day. The poor fellow has since deleted text been put into a lunatic asylum — looks hopeful for some of us eh — or perhaps you might feel incl— ined to say some other people you know should have been put into a similar place long ago. Had you much talk with P.O C. at the Oireachtas .Did he say anything as to what he has been doing with himself for the past four months — I wonder how he is managing to make ends meet I read a most interesting and well written little article by him in last week's New Ireland, which someone managed to slip in here. How do you know nothing came of that St. Patrick's night feat. Have you been making enquiries? I never thought of asking Noyek when I saw him in Wandsworth in June. Did you see any sign of Power while you were in town. You must have plied your opponents freely with the wine bottle when you managed to come out as success— fully. Kit said in her letter that 'the boys won disgracefully' I must say I can't see anything disgraceful in a win of over £5. How did Jack come off? Did he beat your record. We had a big burst or blow out here last night. Some of the boys have been talking of it as a banquet. The occasion was my (21 st) birthday. I stood the spread which as you can imagine was not a very elaborate affair, all the same for the liquid department I managed to secure several bottles of wine — tis true twas only or mostly white wine of a poor quality but it was called and labelled Niersteiner, & Hochheimer and as the monkey said 'Anything in hard times', likewise we had some Beaune and a fair supply of Guinness, Bass and Alsopps. The eatables consisted chiefly by the Widow containing a big cake from Bewleys and a box of cigarettes arrived in the nick of time and was a great addition to the table. Speaking of the Widow reminds me that I had a letter and a box of fags from Pat Campion today and a similar reminder from Mollie Birmingham, so you can see I am being fairly well looked after. I had a letter from K. Brady during the week in which she mentioned that Mairin would in all probability be coming over to England this year. Is this true. If so I would be really sorry. I sincerely sympathise with anyone who has perforce to leave Ireland to live in this Godforsaken land. I was not surprised to hear of Lily's decision and what is more I thoroughly approve of her decision. All I hope is that she will find the life to her taste and be happy in it. How are Mother and Father. I trust they are both in the best of form. What kind of weather are you having. It is broken and showery over here. I trust it keeps fine in Ireland till all the crops are in. If I am to be here for Christmas — as some think I'll write and get you to send something for the Christmas dinner. Ginger and Cole send kind— est regards. Do Bhuan Chara Seaghan T Seán T. O'Kelly Letter from Patrick Pearse to Seán T. O'Kelly, 22 April 1916Letter from William Pearse to Seán T. O'Kelly, 21 April 1916Letter from Michael O'Rahilly to Seán T. O'Kelly, 18 December 1915Letter 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 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