Letter from Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington to John Dillon, 28 October 1916. Letters 1916-1923 Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington

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A letter from Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington (1877-1946) to John Dillon (1851-1927). Sheehy-Skeffington encloses particulars, prepared by her landlady, on the visits by detectives to her lodgings. She also encloses the official Police reply to her complaint regarding the visits and the requirements regarding Aliens Form A.R.-E. Referring to the search for her property, she says that the enquiries (by Sgt. Ahern) referred to in the Police reply, ended in July. She also alleges police attempts to contact a number of people to try to get information regarding her whereabouts under false presences. Enclosed here is the memo prepared by Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington on the enquiry in Bowen-Colthurt's sanity. The enclosed letters mentioned in this letter have all survived.Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, suffragette, nationalist, language teacher, was the widow of Francis Sheehy-Skeffington (who was summarily executed on 26 April 1916). She was active during the Rising, bringing food to the Volunteers in the G.P.O. and the College of Surgeons. Four days passed before she found out what had happened to her husband and it wasn't until almost two weeks later that the full detail emerged. John Dillon was an Irish Party M.P. in the House of Commons. In a speech in the House on 11 May 1916 he strongly condemned the British handling of the Rising which had been put down “with so much blood and so much savagery”, and called for an immediate end to executions. Mr. Dillon assisted Mrs.Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington in her plea for a public inquiry and in various correspondence relating to the incident and raids on her home.

 Trinity College Dublin , Ms. 6837/32/1 https://letters1916.ie/item/1509 English Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington 1916-10-28 43 Moyne Road, Ranelagh, Dublin, Ireland. John Dillon Female Easter Rising Ireland 1916

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 43 Moyne Rd. 28.10.16 Dear Mr. Dillon, I enclose particulars which my landlady has written with dates of the various visits & inquiries. You will see then Sergt. McGahey's visits had no reference to 'permit', but only to my movements while Constable Devine called on Oct 9th for her permit, as she has to return this after visiting her husband in Oldcastle (not England) which she did on Oct-7 th. The visits about me began on Oct 11 th & lasted till Oct 19 th & had no reference to her or her husband. It is clear that Devine has all this entered in th his note-book which he can produce: in it he has also my sister's address & my father's, as he took both. My sister can identify the men who watched the house (& the ambulance) & she tells me she saw one of these men in uniform last Friday outside Rathmines Police Station. When I returned I found my landlady quite terrorized & apparently fearful of taking me back until she had obtained Sergt. McGahey's permission! I also enclose copy of police reply to my formal complaint: you will see that in it admission is not made as to some questions re No.7 dealing with 'permanent residence'. As I have given up my house it is obvious that there's no 'permanent residence' at present. I suppose it is useless to expect truth from the police, but I hope these inquiries will prevent further persecution & am greatly obliged to you & Mr. O'Connor for following the matter up. I should add that Hearn's inquiries re my property terminated last July. He was sent by the police to trace some of it in various barracks. In addition bogus messages were sent (by the police, I have no reason to doubt) to my solicitor, to the Collage of Science College of Science & to my sister in the name of personal friends of mine for my address 'on urgent business' & I find an inquiry from these friends that they knew nothing of the matter — it was done over the 'phone. I enclose as requested mem. re Balch. I shall be glad to have blue book of evidence published, as it is vital for any debate. Would it be possible to get the medical evidence produced at Courtmartial also published? Yours Sincerely H.S. Skeffington Notes re Inquiry. Dr. Balce, Chief Medical Officer in charge of Portobello Barracks Hospital is stated to have refused to certify Colthurst insane. Balch had for years been attached to Portobello & is a man of standing in the profession. The only Portobello Barracks medical man called was a given to testify to Colthurst's mental state at Courtmartial was a junior Officer called McTurk who ad- mitted inexperience & had no special qualifications. Balch was suddenly deprived of his post in Portobello & transferred to 'Sierra Leone' to his great surprise & disappointment. This happened between the Courtmartial & the Inquiry. It was found that he was of Austrian descent & this seems to have been brought up against him as a pretext for sudden transfer. Inquiries made re above at Inquiry were ruled out 'as outside the scope of inquiry.' [The above is information that came knowledge of my legal advisers from an authoritative source.] H.S.S. 43 Moyne Road, Ranelagh, Dublin, Ireland. Letter from Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington to John Dillon, c. October 1916. Letter from Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington to John Dillon, 21 October 1916.Letter from the Secretary, Office of the Chief Commissioner of Police, to Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington, 26 October 1916Letter from Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington to John Dillon, 28 October 1916. Letter from Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington to John Dillon, 4 November 1917.Letter from Alice Schmutz, 28 October 1916. Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington Letter from Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington to John Dillon, 28 October 1916. John Dillon Letter from Philip J. McArdle to John Dillon, 21 May 1916.Letter from Henry Lemass, solicitor, to John Dillon, 23 May 1916.Letter from Henry Lemass, solicitor, to John Dillon, 16 June 1916.Letter from Francis Vane of Hutton to John Dillon M.P., 3 October 1916.Letter from Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington to John Dillon, c. October 1916. Letter from Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington to John Dillon, 21 October 1916.Postcard from Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington to John Dillon, 23 October 1916.Letter from Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington to John Dillon, 28 October 1916. Letter from Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington to John Dillon, 4 November 1917.Cablegram from John Dillon to John P McGoorty, 20 May 1916Letter from John Dillon to John Redmond, 19 June 1916Letter from John Dillon to John Redmond, 29 June 1916Letter from John Dillon to John Redmond, 29 June 1916Letter from John Dillon to John Redmond, 30 June 1916Letter from John Dillon to John Redmond, 30 June 1916Letter from John Dillon to John Redmond, 2 July 1916