Letter from Harry Boland to his mother, Kate, 19 May 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Harry Boland

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 Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities Vienna, AT 2026

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This is a letter from Harry Boland to his mother Catherine 'Kate' Boland (née Woods, c. 1861-1932). Boland was a keen member of the GAA, the Irish Republican Brotherhood and the Dublin Brigade of the Irish Volunteers. During the Easter Rising he was a member of the rebel garrison in the GPO and, despite having no officer rank, was sentenced to ten years' penal servitude. He was imprisoned in Dartmoor, Lewes and Maidstone. This letter was written while Boland was a prisoner in Dartmoor. He describes the journey to Dartmoor, his high spirits, refers to friends and family and also mentions that he has read about a settlement of the 'Irish Question' between John Redmond, leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party, and Edward Carson, the Ulster Unionist leader. Boland's brothers, Gerald and Edmund, were also involved in the Rising and Gerald, referred to in the letters, was also imprisoned in England.

 Military Archives of Ireland Bureau of Military History Contemporary Documents, Mrs Sean O'Donovan Collection; BMH CD/196/2/1 https://letters1916.ie/item/1610 English Harry Boland 1916-05-19 Dartmoor, England Catherine Boland Male 1922 Easter Rising Ireland 1916 Easter Rising Ireland 1916 Politics

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 In replying to this letter, please write on the envelope: Number 1 Name H. J. Boland Dartmoor Prison The following regulations as to communications, by Visit or Letter, between prisoners and their friends are notified for information of their correspondents The permission to write and receive letters, is given to prisoners for the purpose of enabling them to keep up a connection with their respectable friends and not that they may be kept informed of public events. All letters are read by the Prison Authorities. They must be legibly written and not crossed. Any which are of an objectionable tendency, either to or from prisoners, or containing slang, or improper expressions, will be suppressed. Prisoners are permitted to receive and to write a letter at intervals, which depend on the rules of the stage they attain by industry and good conduct; but matters of special importance to a prisoner my be communicated at any time by Letter (prepaid) to the Governor who will inform the prisoner thereof if expedient. In case of misconduct, the privilege of receiving and writing a letter may be forfeited for a time. Money, Books, Postage Stamps, Food Tobacco Clothes, &c., should not be sent to Prisoners, for their use in prison, as nothing is allowed to be received at the prison for that purpose. Persons attempting to clandestinely communicate with, or to introduce any article to or for prisoners, are liable to fine and imprisonment, and any prisoner concerned in such practices is liable to be severely punished. Prisoners' friends are sometimes applied to by unauthorised persons to send money, &c., to them privately, under pretence that they can apply it for the benefit of the prisoners, and under such fraudulent pretence, such persons endeavour to obtain money for themselves. Any letter containing such application, received by the friends of a prisoner should be, at once, forwarded by them to the Governor. Prisoners are allowed to receive Visits from their friends, according to rules, at intervals which depend on their stage. When Visits are due to prisoners notification will be sent to the friends whom they desire to visit them. No. 243 (8254-20-4-00) May 19th 1916 My Dear Mother , I arrived here on yesterday after travelling 24 hours. We left Mountjoy on Wed at 6.0 from North Wall we came in a Troopship to Holyhead, we travelled across England & were 15 hours in the train. we came thro' Nth Wales to Chester thence to Crewe on thro' Staffordshire to Birmingham, where we delayed some time, we were much looked at at all the stations, we had an escort of Soldiers who I must say were fine fellows giving us every civility! We came along thro Warwickshire Somerset & Devonshire to Plymouth & the Glories of the South West of England were enjoyed by us. We had much speculation as to our destination Some of us said Portland whilst others said Dartmoor Shouldice & Donovan had many arguementsover their Geography as we passed thro certain towns Jack would say thats in Warwick Conn would say "twas in Staffs & so on we were all wondering where we were bound for. when we arrived at Plymouth we were told Dartmoor was to be our destination then we had much speculation as to how many Irish were here before us but we were the first contingent & I had the honour of being the first Irish man to cross the threshold. there was 12 of us in the Party & we sang our songs grave & gay as we travelled along. to west of England. I am afraid I wont have many visitors here as it is so far away from home. however some old friend may be holiday making along this way & may call in to see me. At any rate I can keep in touch with home as we all intend to earn every privilidge we can while we are here. I was reading on my journey that there is to be a settlement of the Irish Question by Carson & Redmond consenting to agree it would be a great thing to us who are suffering for our country to know that we had settled the Question. I am very happy & quite resigned to my fate & I feel sure that we shall be together soon when we can resume our old happy life I pray God to keep ye all safe & sound "till I come back I know it will be a hard struggle for you to manage with out me but God is good & you are such a great heart that you will find a way to carry on tell Ned that I got his message from Fr MacMahon I was glad to hear that Ned was working away as I thought the town would be Idle for some time. I was very sorry to hear I hope it is not true that Ena lost her position over the trouble. God knows She lost enough without this. This Dartmoor is beautifully situated I remember reading with delight a book named Lorna Doone it dealt with the place I little dreamt that the time would come when I should be brought a prisoner thro the very country I so much admired when I read of its beauty by Kingsley. So Dear Mother if you read Lorna Doone you will have an idea of where I am. I have had a visit from the Chaplain I think He is an Irishman We also will be allowed reading 2 Books per week & I have just had a very good dinner so you see Mother I am in for a good holiday & as I have no thing to be ashamed of I will be at rest spiritually & materially. Let me know how things are with you at home. I hope Kathleen is keeping well & is she at business also my Dear Aunt give her a special word from me & tell her not to spoil the dog with kindness. Tell Mr & Mrs Treacy I send them all my love. When you go into my old Firm Todd Burns & Co go round to the Millinery & tell Mary OKeefe that I wish to be remembered to her & all the girls in the house & tell Duggan to convey the same to the men whom I worked with so long. Harty or OToole might come over on a holiday to see me or Davy or Tom Burke. if I gain the privilege of 2 letters per month I will send one to OMahony & Davy & some of my friends. I was told that 2 girls called to see me while I was in mountjoy but were refused admissionn from the descriptin it must have been Celia & Anna tell them the first opportunity I have I will return the visit, I have no care on me now if I am assured that you are able to manage I have no doubt of your courage & I am sure you are better off now than you when Father Died when you were left with 5 of us babies to rear & you reared us all & gave us everything that was necessary to us & as Fathers friends stood to you then you will find others now. Poor Gerald was deported I believe but I am sure when things settle down in Ireland all these men will be allowed home & maybe some of us. We are all to say a prayer that the we will all leave here together & we have a grand holiday laid out on our release. We are the most optimistic party that ever entered this establishment we are convinced that when all these wars are over then men will on reflection see that we fought an old fight & they may, especially if the Irish Question is settled give a General Amnesty as they did in South Africa. At the same time we are prepared to go our full time. I want you to tell all my friends that I am quite happy cheerful & content I can not write to them all. If you would rather keep my Croke Cup Medal & give Mrs OToole my Dublin Championship medal you may do so as she was very nice to me & I promised her that day on the field before the match that I would give her the medal if we won you can keep the rest of them & give her the other. I wonder will I be too slow to play when I come out, the regular life here will have me in great form. We arrived here at 7.0 & were a source of wonder to the parish as I am sure it is an unusual sight to see 12 men some in uniform & some not marching under guard of fixed Bayonets to prison but we marched with heads up & firm foot as Irishmen the people were quite respectful to us, I will now close this note hoping I have convinced you that I am quite happy & settled & will face this business in the proper spirit so now may God Bless you give you comfort & keep ye all until happier days when we shall all be united in home. You may be quite sure that we will be well treated. Your loving son Harry . Dartmoor, England Letter from Éamon de Valera to his mother, 18 September 1916.Letter from the Major E. Reade to Mabel FitzGerald, 5 June 1916.Letter from Major E. Reade to Mabel FitzGerald, 20 June 1916.Letter from Major E. Reade to Mabel FitzGerald, 5 July 1916.Letter from Major E. Reade to Mabel FitzGerald, 10 July 1916.Letter from Major E. Reade to Mabel FitzGerald, 15 Jult 1916.Letter from Harry Boland to his mother, Kate, 19 May 1916Letter from Mabel FitzGerald to the Governor, Dartmoor Prison, 22 June 1916. Harry Boland Letter from Harry Boland to his mother, Kate, 19 May 1916Letter from Harry Boland to his mother, Kate Boland [1917]Letter from Harry Boland to William Bourke Cockran, 20 November 1919