1 Tralee 29 May 1916

My dear Michael, Evidently, if that rumour, of which
deleted text you have told Mother, is true, the decision
to send your battalion to the front
must have come sooner than you expected.
It would be well if you could get that
leave before going. But we even feel,
and even Mother, notwithstanding her
fears, feels that in any case you will be
safe. I have an impression that you are
not the sort of person to die young, and,
in addition, a curious confidence in such
instincts. I enclose an inflammatory and
seditious document, which bears a German-
looking signature. It would seem, on this
ground, to be the production of an unin-
terned Hun, and on other, internal evidence,
to be an effort to draw a namesake
of yours from his allegiance to the king
2 and his duty as a soldier. Would it be
worth while to bring this man's treasonable
activities to the notice of the Daily Mail
and the Rebellion Commission.
J. Moynihan P.S. You will probably be especially
interested in that portion of the evidence
produced before the Hardinge Commission which
deals with Kerry. County Inspector Hill stated
that the Kerry Volunteers mobilised and
then in consequence of some arrests got ner-
vous and went home. This is, to say the
least misleading. The facts are that on Good
Friday Austin Stack and Collins, a Post Office
official, were arrested; following the arrests
which were efffected by stratagem the
Tralee Volunteers mobilised and spent
some hours parading the town armed
and at times proceeding at double pace
and, I believe, giving other indications that
they were eager for fight. There were not interfered
with in any way and dispersed
3 late that night, presumably tired of their
manoeuvres. On Easter Sunday there was a
general muster at which there were present
according to my reckoning from 800 to 2000
men. This was part of a general scheme
of Easter manoeuvres all over the country.
The manoeuvres were cancelled at the last
moment by Headquarters, but were carried
out in Tralee owing to the presence of a
number of country volunteers who in some
cases marched 30 or 40 miles to be present.
During all Easter week the country was on
the verge of an outbreak but partly to the
wishes of Casement which had been conveyed
to the local leaders , partly to the im-
possibility of communication with Headquarters
and to the uncertainty of what was going on
in Dublin, partly to other causes,
nothing happened. But no further
arrests were made until May 9th (I think),
after the volunteers had delivered up their
arms and when there were between one
4 and two thousand soldiers, including artillery-men,
in town.
J.M. P.S. (still another) If you still wish to
get the Irish Catholic I shall send it to
you. I have given up the rag; its
politics always objectionable are utterly
insufferable under present conditions. If I
were to continue reading there is a danger
that I should develop a definite homicidal
tendency. As to Dr. Kane's lectures I
have no doubt they will be published
in book later on. I shall have a look
out and get them for you. This last P.S was a happy
thought; in these times it would be mad-
ness and highly dangerous to the realm
to allow so much paper go waste. Had
it not been for the Summer Time Act I
might have spent another hour filling
in the margins and the spaces between
the lines. As a law abiding subject I
will let you off for this time. J.M.