Letter from Henry Doran to Matthew Nathan, 14 April 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Henry Doran

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 Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities Vienna, AT 2026

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This is a letter from Henry Doran (1557-?) to Mathew Nathan (1862–1939). Mathew Nathan had become undersecretary in 1914 under Augustine Birrell (1850–1933). After the Easter Rising 1916, Nathan resigned as undersecretary due to his misjudgement and failure to stop the Rising. The letter notes a letter sent from Nathan to Doran, a letter which Doran was unable to reply to due to being unwell. It goes on to discuss the situation of the Killorglin town in the Ventry Co. Kerry, explaining that it is the boards practice that when an estate is bought, the surrounding town is also purchased, having previously offered to buy the estate. The letter discusses the protocol for houses which are not occupied by the tenants, the position of the middle men in the purchase and the difficulty in buying and selling the holdings due to the vested interests of the middle men and Lord Ventry(1861-1923). Lord Ventry attempted to sell the estate to the Board however this was declined as the Board would subsequently become the landlord to the middlemen. Doran goes on to state that the tenants, along with the local MP Thomas O'Donnell (1871-1943), have been informed of the situation. It ends stating that the majority of men who wish to but their holding do not have the means to do so. Enclosed is a copy of the Board minutes from 9 March 1916, and a report of the situation in Killorglin form 12 April 1916.

 National Archives of Ireland Chief Secretary's Office Registered Papers, CSO RP/1916/1916/6893/3/2 https://letters1916.ie/item/1665 English Henry Doran 1916-04-14 23 Rutland Square, Dublin, Co.Dublin, Ireland Matthew Nathan Male Country and City Life Industry and Public Administration Country and City Life

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 (Dictated) 23 Rutland Square,DUBLIN. 14th. April, 1916. Dear Sir Matthew, Your letter with reference to Killorglin town,Ventry estate, was delivered to me last evening by hand,but I was unable to reply to it, as I have been confinedto bed since Tuesday evening with a cold, and had nopapers at my home dealing with the estate. The facts relating to the matter in questionare as follows: The Board offered to buy under theLand Purchase Acts the Ventry estate including the townof Killorglin. It has been the Board's practice toinclude in the purchase all such towns when they formpart of an agricultural estate. On a valuation ofthe property it was ascertained that a number of holdingsin the town of Killorglin were not in the occupation of the direct tenants who paid their rent to Lord Ventry, butin a considerable number of cases there y were let by the directtenants. The policy of the Board in dealing with suchcases was explained to the people of Killorglin by meto the following effect: That no tenant could buyhis holding under the Land Purchase Acts unless he wasin occupation of it, and that consequently a middlemancould only buy his holding for cash down . The Board wouldnot put pressure of any kind on a middleman landlord tosell his property to the occupying tenant, yet if the occupying tenant and middleman came to terms voluntarilyas to the price which the middleman would accept, theBoard would advance such portion of the price as they wereadvised the holding was security for, and that the balanceshould be found by the occupying tenant, to whom the Boardwould then sell the holding at the price which they paidLord Ventry for the fee simple of it plus the Stock valueof the advance made to the occupying tenant to enable himto purchase the middle interest. I further said thatany of the occupying tenants who were able to come to termsprovisionally with their middlemen would be informed ofthe sum the Board were prepared to advance, if they sorequested. The judicial Commissioner subsequently made aruling that any holdings not in the occupation of thedirect tenants would be regarded as intervening interestswhich should be either redeemed or excluded from sale.Under this ruling 38 holdings in the town of Killorglinheld at rents amounting to £107 10 6 were excluded bythe Land Commission from the Vesting Order, and the sumof £2,582, being the purchase price of these interveninginterests, was deducted from the original offer of the estate. The Board are advised that it would not be possiblefor them now to purchase these holdings under the Land PurchaseActs, as they are non-agricultural holdings. Lord Ventryoffered to sell to the tenant for cash, I understand, atthe prices which the Board had placed on these holdings, butthis price only included the purchase of the middlemenrental. The only way I can see in which the purchasecan be effected is, if the occupiers can pay the middle—men cash to buy out their interest, then they could they could time buy out Lord Ventry's interest for cash,and if they cannot do this they must remain as they are. Lord Ventry offered to sell these holdings tothe Board for £2582 cash, but the Board by Minute (copyof which is enclosed) of the 9th March, 1915 declinedto pay cash for the holdings. By doing so they wouldmerely be putting themselves in the position of themiddlem e n 's landlord, and they would, in my opinion, bequite unable to get rid of all the holdings as severalof the occupiers are unable to provide cash to purchasethe middle interest. This question was several times before the Boardand the town tenants have been informed that the Boardcannot purchase the holdings. Mr O'Donnell M.P.has also been informed. For your information I sendyou portion of the file with the following communicationsmarked: 1. Copy of my letter of the 1st December 1915to Mr Mc.Clure, Agent to Lord Ventry.2. Letter dated 11th Decemer, 1915 from MrO'Donnell M.P. to the Secretary.3. Letter from Mr. Crowley, Hon. Secretary, TownTenants Leag ue , Killorglin dated 27th January, 1916,with copy of Secretary's reply thereto.4. Letter from Mr Coghlan Briscoe, SecretaryTown tenants Leag ue dated 16th. February, 1916,and copy reply thereto. Several of those who are most loudly clamouring topurchase their holdings are men who have neither themeans nor credit to do so. Yours faithfully, Henry Doran Returned to CDBd18/4 (COPY). Board Minute dated 9th March, 1915, No. 131. Read letter from Messrs Rooke and RookeSolicitors for Lord Ventry. to the effect that hisLordship was willing to sell for cash the excludedholdings in the town of Killorglin, but he would notsell portion of them. The Board directed thatMessrs Rooke and Rooke be informed that they cannotprovide cash for the purchase of these holdings in thetown of Killlorglin Royal Irish Constabulary Office.DUBLIN CASTLE. Administrative Division.SUBJECTR.I. Constabulary,Killarney, 12th Apr. 1916. I beg to report that for sometime past portion of the littletown of Killorglin has beenin the hands of the CongestedDistricts' Board, while theremaining portion still belongsto various small landlords.A deputation of the Town TenantsLeague is, I know, very anxiousto have an interview with theChief Secretary in the hope ofinducing him to compel theCongested Districts Board toacquire the remaining part ofthe town. I am also awarethat Mr. O'Donnell, the localM.P., is interested in this matterand has promised the Town Tenants The Insp General L.T. KillarneyFor early report direct S O'Connell,D.H. 10/4/16 Under Linesubmitted S O'ConnellD.H. 13/4/16 to try and procure them aninterview with the Chief Secretary.Since receiving this paper I havemade discreet enquiry and cannotfind that this deputation hasany other motive. The above is, I am certain, theirreason for seeking the interview. [illegible signature] D. IMMEDIATE. Matthew Nathan Letter from James Brown to Matthew Nathan, 1 April 1916Letter from Patrick Lavery to Sir Matthew Nathan, 31 March 1916A letter from Thomas W. Delany to Sir Matthew Nathan, 29 March 1916Letter from W. Burrows to Sir Matthew Nathan, 2 April 1916Telegram from W. Burrows to Sir Matthew Nathan, 2 April 1916Letter from Max S. Green to Sir Matthew Nathan, 6 May 1916Letter from James Langan to Sir Matthew Nathan, 6 May 1916Letter from Thomas Patrick Gill to Sir Matthew Nathan, 6 May 1916Letter from Sir Matthew Nathan to Sir Neville Francis Fitzgerald Chamberlain, 1 May 1916Letter from Alexander Crawford to Matthew Nathan, 17 March 1916Letter from Alexander Crawford to Sir Matthew Nathan, 28 March 1916Letter from Matthew Nathan to John Gordon, 30 March 1916Letter from William Edward Thrift to Sir Matthew Nathan, 29 March 1916Letter from Hastings Dare Draper to Matthew Nathan, 29 March 1916Letter from William Edward Thrift to Sir Matthew Nathan, 7 April 1916Letter from Basil Home Thomson, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, to Sir Matthew Nathan, 7 March 1916Letter from Maurice de Bunsen to Sir Matthew Nathan, 26 April 1916Letter from Blake & Kenny to Sir Matthew Nathan, 29 April 1916Letter from Walter Edgeworth-Johnstone to Sir Mathew Nathan, 22 April 1916Letter from Sir Matthew Nathan to Walter Edgeworth-Johnstone, 22 April 1916Letter from Robert Anderson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 21 April 1916Letter from Robert Anderson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 20 April 1916Letter from Robert Anderson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 18 April 1916Letter from C. J. Hyder to Sir Matthew Nathan, 8 May 1916Letter from John Bay to Sir Matthew Nathan, 18 April 1916Letter from Matthew Nathan to Andrew Philip Magill, 19 April 1916Letter from Matthew Nathan to Stanislaus Murphy, 18 April 1916Letter from H.S. Hunter to Sir Matthew Nathan, 26 April 1916Letter from Matthew Nathan to J. G. Swift Mac Neill, 20 April 1916.Letter from R. Hutchinson to Sir Matthew Nathan, under-secretary for Ireland, 2 May 1916Letter from Bertram Cubitt to Matthew Nathan, 23 May 1916Letter from Patrick Clarke to Matthew Nathan, 21 May 1916Letter from Robert Brown to Matthew Nathan, 15 April 1916Letter from Robert Brown to Matthew Nathan, 17 January 1916Letter from Robert Brown to Sir Matthew Nathan, 15 April 1916Letter from Robert Brown to Sir Matthew Nathan, 22 April 1916Letter from Robert Brown to Matthew Nathan, 19 January 1916Letter from Thomas J. O'Connell to Matthew Nathan, 7 April 1916Letter from Ernest G. Moggridge to Matthew Nathan, 10 April 1916Letter from Thomas J. O'Connell to Matthew Nathan, 10 April 1916Letter from Francis Henry Downing to Matthew Nathan, 13 April 1916Letter from Francis Henry Downing to Matthew Nathan, 14 April 1916Letter from Henry Williams to Matthew Nathan, 14 April 1916Letter from F. A. Downing, County Solicitor, to Sir Matthew Nathan, 16 November 1915Letter from B. B. Cubitt, War Office, to Sir Matthew Nathan, 2 December 1915Letter from John R. Moorhead to Sir Matthew Nathan, 8 December, 1915Letter from S.C. Harrison to Sir Matthew Nathan, 1 February 1916Letter from Sir Matthew Nathan to Alexander McDowell, 3 November 1915Letter from P. A. Murphy to Sir Matthew Nathan, 5 February 1916Letter from Thomas Parr to the Under-Secretary, 22 April 1916Letter from Michael O'Connell to the Under-Secretary, Dublin Castle, 22 April 1916Letter from Maurice McCartie to the Under Secretary, 25 March 1916Letter from A.R. Barlas to Matthew Nathan, 18 February 1916Letter from Matthew Nathan to the Treasury, 3 March 1916Letter from T.H. Milroy to the under-secretary, 8 March 1916Letter from John Pedder to Matthew Nathan, the Under-Secretary for Ireland, 6 April 1916Letter from John Garvey to the under-secretary, 16 April 1916Letter from John Pedder to the Under Secretary of Ireland, 27 March, 1916Letter from W.A.F. Barry to Sir Matthew Nathan, 18 June 1916Letter from James D Mitchell to Sir Matthew Nathan, 20 June 1916Letter from Paul Biggane to the Under Secretary of Ireland, 3 May 1916Letter from the War Office to the Under Secretary, 31 December 1915Letter from William J. Thompson to the Under Secretary, 31 March 1916Letter from M.C. Seton to the Under Secretary, 1 December 1915Letter from the Controller, Foreign Trade Department, to Sir Matthew Nathan, 19 February 1916Letter from the Earl of Shaftesbury to Matthew Nathan, 15 February 1916Letter from Patrick Higgins to sir Matthew Nathan, 10 January 1916Letter from Under Secretary of State for the Home Office to the Under Secretary for Ireland, 10 January 1916Letter from Alfred E. West to Matthew Nathan, 3 January 1916Letter from Alfred E. West to sir Matthew Nathan, 29 December 1915Letter from Colfer & Son, solicitors, to sir Matthew Nathan, 22 December 1915Letter from Thomas W. Delaney to Matthew Nathan, 15 April 1916Letter from Charles Daly to sir Matthew Nathan, 16 December 1915Letter from Thomas W. Kilpatrick to Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915Letter from Thomas W. Delaney to Sir Matthew Nathan, 11 April 1916Letter from W. Black to Sir Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915Note from the Chief Crown Solicitor to Sir Matthew Nathan, 16 February 1916A letter from J.J. Purdon to sir Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915Letter from William R. Fetherstonhaugh to Sir Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915Letter from J.W. Russell to Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1916Letter from Hugh Crawford Cochrane to sir Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915 Letter from David Roche Browning to sir Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915A letter from J.A. Frith to sir Matthew Nathan, 20 December 1915Letter from William French to Sir Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915Letter from Frank Shawe-Taylor to Matthew Nathan, 18 December 1915A letter from John Furlong to Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915Letter from William Dawson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 28 February 1916Letter from William Dawson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 25 February 1916Letter from Major Luscombe to Sir Matthew Nathan, 30 January 1916Letter from William J. Thompson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 21 January 1916Letter from Sir Thomas Little Heath to Sir Matthew Nathan, 26 February 1916Letter from the Alexander Richard Barlas to Sir Matthew Nathan, 15 February 1916Letter from A R Barlas to Sir Matthew Nathan, 1 March 1916Letter from the Louis C.P. Smith to Sir Matthew Nathan, 3 March 1916Letter from Henry Doran to Matthew Nathan, 14 April 1916Letter from Sir Matthew Nathan to Sir William Graham Greene, 20 April 1916Letter from Charles P. O'Neill to Matthew Nathan, 30 Mar 1916Letter from Arthur Hamilton Norway to Matthew Nathan, 31 March 1916Letter from Robert Lonsdale to Sir Matthew Nathan, 28 March 1916Letter from Charles P. O'Neill to Sir Matthew Nathan, 3 April 1916Letter from John Robert O'Connell to Sir Matthew Nathan, 10 April 1916Letter from Sir John Robert O'Connell to Sir Matthew Nathan, 27 March 1916.Letter from John Robert O'Connell to Sir Matthew Nathan, 4 April 1916Letter from John Robert O'Connell to Sir Matthew Nathan, 1 April 1916Letter from William M. Nolan to Matthew Nathan, 31 March 1916Letter from William M. Nolan to Matthew Nathan, 7 April 1916Letter from John Pedder to Matthew Nathan, 10 April 1916Letter from Andrew M. Harper to Matthew Nathan, 1 November 1915Letter from Andrew M. Harper to Matthew Nathan, 21 November 1915Letter from J. F. Henderson to Matthew Nathan, 28 April 1916Letter from Robert Anderson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 15 April 1916Telegraph from Matthew Nathan to Andrew Philip Magill, 23 March 1916Letter from Matthew Nathan to Andrew Philip Magill, 22 March 1916Letter from John R. Moorhead to Robert Brown, 18 January 1916Letter from Graham Roger to Matthew Nathan, 20 April 1916Letter from Michael O'Connor to Matthew Nathan, 25 April 1916Letter from C. A. Hunter, Regimental Paymaster, to Sir Matthew Nathan, 11 December 1915Letter from S.C Harrison to Sir Matthew Nathan, 5 March 1916Letter from W. A. Tait to the Under-Secretary, 21 April 1916Letter from J. T. Roche to the Under-Secretary for Ireland, 15 April 1916Letter from John Peddar to Matthew Nathan, 22 January 1916Letter from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland to the Under Secretary of Ireland, 5 February 1916Letter from Matthew Nathan to Basil Blackwood, 26 February 1916Letter from J. des Longchamps to Sir Matthew Nathan, 6 January 1916Letter from Matthew Nathan to James MacMahon, 10 January 1916Letter from Richard Power, Mayor of Waterford, to Matthew Nathan, 22 November 1915Letter from Henry Campbell to Matthew Nathan, 6 January 1916Letter from J. Studdert to Matthew Nathan, 11 December 1915Letter from the Under Sheriff to Matthew Nathan, 31 December 1915Letter from J.B.Donnelly to Matthew Nathan, 6 January 1916Letter from Major John Johnstone (Commandant Prisoners of War) to Sir Matthew Nathan, 1 March 1916Letter from the Crown Solicitor, Cavan, to Sir Matthew Nathan, 1 March 1916Letter from A R Barlas to Sir Matthew Nathan, 28 February 1916Letter from William Dawson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 26 February 1916Letter from William J. Thompson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 28 February 1916 Henry Doran Letter from Henry Doran to Matthew Nathan, 14 April 1916 23 Rutland Square, Dublin, Co.Dublin, Ireland Letter from Henry Doran to Matthew Nathan, 14 April 1916