1 1 Kilmainham Gaol Midnight Tuesday 2nd May 1916 I, Thomas MacDonagh, having now heard the sentence of the
Court Martial held on me today, declare that in all my acts —
all the acts for which I have been arraigned — I have been actuated
by one motive only, the love of my country, the desire to make her
a sovereign independent state. I still hope and pray that my acts
may have for consummation her lasting freedom & happiness. I am to die at dawn, 3.30a.m., 3rd May. I am ready to die, and I
thank God that I die in so holy a cause. My Country will reward my
dust richly. On April 30th I was astonished to receive by a message from P. H. Pearse
Commandant General of the Army of the Irish Republic an order to
surrender unconditionally to the British General. I did not obey the
order as it came from a prisoner. I, as then in supreme command
of the Irish Army, consulted with my second in command and
decided to confirm the order. I knew that it would involve my death and
the deaths of other leaders. I hoped that it would save many true men
among our followers, good lives for Ireland. God grant it has done
so and God approve the deed —for myself I have no regret. The one bitterness that death has for me is the separation it brings
from my beloved wife Muriel, and my beloved children Donagh and Barbara.
My country will take them as wards, I hope. I have devoted
myself too much to national work and too little to the making
of money to leave them a competence. God help & support them, and give them a happy and prosperous
life. Never was there a better, truer, purer woman than my wife Muriel,
or more adorable children than Don and Barbara. It breaks my heart to think that I shall never see my children
again, but I have not wept or mourned. I counted the cost of this and am ready to pay it 2 Muriel has been sent for here I do not know if she can come.
She may have no one to take the children while she is coming
if she does — My money affairs are in a bad way, I am insured for £200
in the New York life Co but have borrowed £101. I think I am insured for £100 in the Alliance Co but have
a bank debt for £80. That leaves less than £120 from those
sources if they produce anything. In addition I have insured my two children for £100 each
in the Mutual Co of Australasia. Payments of premium
to cease at my death, the money to be paid to the children
at the age of twenty one. I ask my brother Joseph MacDonagh and my good and constant
friend David Houston to help my poor wife in these
matters. My brother John who came with me and stood by me all
last week has been sent away from here, I do not know
where to. He, if he can will help my family too. God bless him and
my other sisters and brothers. Assistance has been guaranteed from funds in the hands
of Cumann na m'Ban and other funds to be collected
in America by our fellow countrymen there in provision
for the dependants of those 3 who fall in this fight. I appeal without shame to the
persons who control these funds to assist my family.
My wife and I have given all for Ireland. I ask my friend David Houston to see Mr W.G. Lyon,
publisher of my latest book, Literature in Ireland,
and see that its publication may be useful to my wife
and family. If Joseph Plunkett survives me and is a free
man I make him with my wife, my literary executor.
Otherwise my wife and David Houston will take
charge of my writings. For the first time I pray that
they may bring in some profit at last. My wife will
want money from every source. Yesterday at my court-martial in rebuffing some
trifling evidence, I made a statement as to my negotiation
for surrender with General Lowe. On hearing it read after
it struck me that it might sound like an appeal.
It was not such. I made no appeal, no recantation,
no apology for my acts. In what I said I merely
claimed that I acted honourably and thoroughly in all
that I set myself to do. My enemies have, in return,
treated me in an unworthy manner. But let
that pass. It is a great and glorious thing to die
for Ireland and I can well forget all petty annoyances 4 in the splendour of this. When my son, Don, was
born I thought that for to him and an not to me
would this be given. God has been kinder to me
than I hoped. My darling little boy, remember me
kindly. Take my hope and purpose with my deed
for your sake and for the sake of your beloved
mother and sister. I would wish to live long,
but you will recognise the this thing I have
done and see this as a consequence. I still think I
have done a great thing for Ireland, and with the
defeat of the her enemy, won the first step of
her freedom. God bless you, my son. My darling daughter, Barbara, God bless you. I
loved you more than ever a child has been loved.
My dearest love, Muriel, thank you a million
times for all that you have been to me. I have
only one trouble in leaving life — leaving you
so. Be brave darling. God will assist and bless
you. Good bye. Kiss my darlings for me. I send you
the few things I have saved out of this
war. Good bye my love, till we meet
again in Heaven. I have a sure faith of
our union there. I kiss this paper that goes 5 to you. I ha I have just heard that they have not been able to
reach you. Perhaps it is better so. Yet Father
Aloysius is going to make another effort to
do something. God help and sustain you,
my love. But for your suffering, this
would be all joy and glory. Good bye. Your loving husband Thomas MacDonagh.
I return the darlings' photographs.
Good bye, my love 6 This is a copy of the last
letter of
Thomas MacDonagh.
It was copied by his
wife Muriel, &
finished by
Fiona Plunkett
from original letter
& given to his sister
Mary. Sr Francesca