Letter from Nannie Beazely, who was based in the English midlands, to her son, Piaras Béaslaí (1881–1965). The German navy had carried out a large raid across the English midlands on the night of the 31 of January. People dimmed their lights to avoid destruction from further Zeppelin raids as a response. The conscription mentioned refers to the Military Service Act of 1916 that conscripted men between the ages of 18 and 40, fighting age, into the British Army. Married men were originally exempt but the bill changed in June 1916 to include them. John Castlereagh may be Viscount C S H Castlereagh, originally Captain of the Royal Horse Guards, promoted to Major in the General Staff. He was awarded the 1914 Star. This letter is part of a collection of letters by Piaras’ parents, mostly during Béaslai’s internment. Béaslaí was an English born influential member of the IRB. In February of 1916 he published the Fàinne, a publication to organise Gaelic speakers. He soon abandoned it and became involved in politics and would later fight in the Easter Rising.