1
July 17.16 Cnocsoluis
(KNOCKSULLISH)
Tuaimgréine
(TOMGRANEY)
Co.an Chláir
(CO. CLARE) Dear Mrs Coffey, Dermod O'Brien and I
have got on sufficiently with our conference
idea to be writing to a number of people
(such as Lord Monteagle, Everard, Col. Moore, Major Deasy,
Poe, Sanders &c &c) to get their views as
to whether they think a conference desirable
and whether they would attend one. The conference
would probably be composed of more or less
non political men, that is, not politicians, but
men who are more prominent in political
thought than political action; say 30 or so in all.
If the present humiliating "settlement" (I
cannot help calling it humiliating the
way things seem to be turning out) goes
on, at least many or all of its details
will probably in the end have to be straightened
out by Irishmen. If on the other hand it
falls through, the recommendations of a
conference of prominent Irishmen could, we
may fairly hope, have weight with the
Government and with the country. The three cardinal difficulties in the way of
a settlement are (1) the feeling of Irish Nationalists,
(2) Ulster (3) England's fear of Irish Unity
We have to find a solution which would meet
them as far as possible. We have already
definite proposals to put before the
conference (not my original Home Rule
within Home Rule plan). If the people we are
2
writing to take up the idea favourably
probably Horse Show week would be
the most convenient date. I think
myself it might to do a considerable
amount of good. The name of Sir Henry Bellingham was
mentioned yesterday as a most suitable
one. Neither of us know him. I
believe you do, and perhaps you would
ask him tentatively what he thinks of
the proposal and would he attend a
conference. Of course there is nothing definite
yet. I shall let you know how things
go on. Mr Bigge did not send
the names; not anyway for the present
we are not attempting to get in uper of N E Ulster.
We might hope, if our conference comes
to satisfactory conclusions, perhaps to
have a further conference with N E Ulstermen. Yours sincerely E.E.Lysaght
Ned Lysaght (later MacLysaght) (1887-1986) was born in England but became an enthusiastic
member of the Gaelic League and was politically radicalised by the Easter Rising.
Although he never became a member, he was openly sympathetic to Sinn Féin. He later
became a senator in the Irish Free State.
Jane Coffey (née l'Estrange) (1857-1921) was born into a Protestant family but married
Catholic George Coffey and became a member of the National Literary Society.
The letter refers to a proposal by Lysaght to convene a conference to discuss the
'settlement' after the Easter Rising. The conference would be composed of some 30
or so 'non political men' i.e. 'not politicians but men who are more prominent in
political thought that political action' and would discuss ways to meet the main areas
of opposition to a settlement.