Letter from Sean T. O'Kelly to James Ryan, 22 October 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 mentions some prisoners who now feel neglected by their friends. O'Kelly also refers to personal and family matters and speculates about the release of the rest of the 1916 prisoners.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 88/42 https://letters1916.ie/item/920 English Seán T. O'Kelly 1916-10-22 James Ryan Male Easter Rising Ireland 1916 Politics Personal Relations

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 22-10-16 My Dear Jim Thanks for your long and interesting epistle. I am delighted to hear you write so frequently to the boys in the camp. With a small number of exceptions the experience of all here has been that they have been almost completely forgotten by their friends who left them and went home and some of the boys feel very sore over the neglect of their friends — you know how much a letter now and then is appreciated by all the lads. For my own part I have no reason to complain. All my particular friends — or nearly all — have been kind enough in this way. I am sorry to hear that the yarn about P.O'C. is founded on fact. I laughed at it as a great yarn when A.G. told it to me first. Is it true that Mr. B. goes out to Poulaphuca once a week to see the lady and present her with flowers? How agreeable and kind of him! By the way how are the Grogans. Strange to say I never had a line from himself since long before Easter. I suppose they like being back in the old neighbourhood. Padraig was glad to hear your 2 account of things in his county.He was greatly pleased with the complimentary references to his prowess as a card player. I believe he fancies himself some in that line. It is one of his weak spots and he is quite ready to swallow any quantity of praise. You should hear Nicholls or P.J.D. on him when they are playing together. It is very rich sometimes. I should be interested to see a game with yourself and himself on opposite sides. I believe with all his notions of himself you'd clean out his pockets quickly. We were all glad to learn the West was so reliable. Have you decided on the Hallow Eve for the kick up at the Widow's. I think even I would be quite willing to be tormented by being pestered to sing by herself and Jane B. for a whole night now. In fact I believe I should enjoy the experience which so often made me swear bad. We have decided to arrange some kind of joint spread for that night too and I have had the cheek to ask the widow to send me on a cake for the occasion. I would not be surprised if some of the camp men were home before long. While I don't 3 credit the newspaper stories about wholesale releases I feel almost certain that they cannot keep the great bulk of these men very much longer. As to ourselves I don't believe there's much likeli hood of our being home in time for the Christmas dinner. I shall be agreeably surprised if we are — or at any rate if I myself am so lucky. We had Mrs. D and Brighid here on Thursday and of course had all the latest news and gossip from them. Tomorrow I hear the Dalys are coming. I don't expect I shall be able to see them but I'll have a try anyhow. On Tuesday I expect to see Seoirse G Duffy. So you see we will be kept fairly well up to date with the news. I had a long letter from Thunder yesterday to tell me he had at last succeeded in getting the promotion and increase of salary he had been expecting for the last two years almost. He is greatly elated over it. He has £60 or £70 back pay to draw and intends doing himself well at the end of the month for a few days. You ought to ring him up and congratulate him. You should be well able to deputize for me in whatever is going! I believe his brother P.J. is marrying the Galway girl some time in January next. I need not tell you anything of the visit Nell paid me. She has told you all there was to tell by this. I suppose she is at home enjoying herself and cheering the hearts of the old folk and all her old friends and neighbours by this. O'Reilly I believe wrote to you recently. Ginger, W.T.C., A.G., P. Mór and all of the other boys are in A1 form. I hope Phyl. and 'Baby' got the letters I sent them recently. How would you like to give them one each for me. Do Bhuan Chara S.T. What has become of May Codd. I never hear a word about her now. Has she taken up a post or is she doing a post graduate course? I am often reminded of her when shaving S.T. and using the mirror she presented to me in Richmond. 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