Letter from Jack (J.J.) Heuston to Mr. E. Walsh, 7 May 1916. Letters 1916-1923 Jack Heuston

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This letter was written by Jack (J. J. / Seán) Heuston, (1891-1916) to Mr. Walsh, a colleague at the Great Southern and Western Railway in Kingsbridge Station, on the day before his execution at Kilmainham Gaol. He writes to thank Walsh and his other colleagues at the railway and notes that before the note reaches Walsh, he will have said farewell to this 'Vale of Tears' as he departs for what he hopes is a better place. He also writes that he has no regrets and says that it is 'better to be a corpse than a coward'. Finally, he asks that any money owed to him be paid to his mother.Heuston was a leading member of Fianna Éireann, a republican boy scout movement, and a founding member of the Irish Volunteers. During the Easter Rising, Heuston led the garrison of rebels who occupied the Mendicity Institution on Usher's Island. Under heavy fire and vastly outnumbered, Heuston surrendered in Wednesday, 26 April (the third day of the Rising). He was court-martialled, convicted and sentenced to death. He was executed on 8 May.

 University College Dublin Archives De Valera Papers, P150/492/1 https://letters1916.ie/item/1459 English Jack Heuston 1916-05-07 Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin, Ireland E. Walsh Male Last letters before death Easter Rising Ireland 1916

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 Kilmainham Prison Sunday May 7 Dear Mr Walsh, Before this note reaches you I shall have said farewell to this Vale of tears, and have departed for what I trust will prove a much better world. I take this opportunity of thanking you and all my railway friends for the kind ness of the past years. I ask all to forgive me for any offences which I may have committed against them, and I ask all to pray fervently for the repose of my soul Whatever I have done I have done as a soldier of Ireland in what I believed to be my country's best interest. I have thank God no vain regrets. After all, it is better to be a corpse than a coward. Won't you see that mymy mother gets all the assistance you can give her, and refund her the salary due to me, and also refund her the money due for the Superannuation Fund. She will badly need it all -, Gratefully yours J. J. Heuston Jack Heuston Letter from Jack (J.J.) Heuston to Mr. E. Walsh, 7 May 1916. Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin, Ireland Letter from Major W.S. Lennon to Madge Daly, 4 May 1916Letter from Maud Joynt to Dr Kathleen Lynn, 28 May 1916Letter to Dr Kathleen Lynn from the Assistant Provost Marshal, 28 May 1916Letter from Éamonn Ceannt to Áine Ceannt, 5 May 1916Letter from Jack (J.J.) Heuston to Mr. E. Walsh, 7 May 1916.Letter from Sean MacDiarmada to John Daly, 8 May 1916