Letter from John Moynihan to his brother, Michael Moynihan, 28 May 1916. Letters 1916-1923 John Moynihan

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The letter is written on hearing upon Michael's imminent departure to the front.

 University College Dublin Archives University College Dublin Collection List P57/190 https://letters1916.ie/item/2688 English John Moynihan 1916-05-28 Tralee, Ireland Michael Moynihan Male Politics Easter Rising Ireland 1916 Politics Personal Relations

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 Tralee 29 May 1916 My dear Michael, Evidently, if that rumour, of whichdeleted text you have told Mother, is true, the decisionto send your battalion to the frontmust have come sooner than you expected.It would be well if you could get thatleave before going. But we even feel,and even Mother, notwithstanding herfears, feels that in any case you will besafe. I have an impression that you arenot the sort of person to die young, and,in addition, a curious confidence in suchinstincts. I enclose an inflammatory andseditious document, which bears a German-looking signature. It would seem, on thisground, to be the production of an unin-terned Hun, and on other, internal evidence,to be an effort to draw a namesakeof yours from his allegiance to the king and his duty as a soldier. Would it beworth while to bring this man's treasonableactivities to the notice of the Daily Mailand the Rebellion Commission.J. Moynihan P.S. You will probably be especiallyinterested in that portion of the evidenceproduced before the Hardinge Commission whichdeals with Kerry. County Inspector Hill statedthat the Kerry Volunteers mobilised andthen in consequence of some arrests got ner-vous and went home. This is, to say theleast misleading. The facts are that on GoodFriday Austin Stack and Collins, a Post Officeofficial, were arrested; following the arrestswhich were efffected by stratagem theTralee Volunteers mobilised and spentsome hours parading the town armedand at times proceeding at double paceand, I believe, giving other indications thatthey were eager for fight. There were not interferedwith in any way and dispersed late that night, presumably tired of theirmanoeuvres. On Easter Sunday there was ageneral muster at which there were presentaccording to my reckoning from 800 to 2000men. This was part of a general schemeof Easter manoeuvres all over the country.The manoeuvres were cancelled at the lastmoment by Headquarters, but were carriedout in Tralee owing to the presence of anumber of country volunteers who in somecases marched 30 or 40 miles to be present.During all Easter week the country was onthe verge of an outbreak but partly to thewishes of Casement which had been conveyedto the local leaders , partly to the im-possibility of communication with Headquartersand to the uncertainty of what was going onin Dublin, partly to other causes, nothing happened. But no furtherarrests were made until May 9th (I think),after the volunteers had delivered up theirarms and when there were between one and two thousand soldiers, including artillery-men,in town. J.M. P.S. (still another) If you still wish toget the Irish Catholic I shall send it toyou. I have given up the rag; itspolitics always objectionable are utterlyinsufferable under present conditions. If Iwere to continue reading there is a dangerthat I should develop a definite homicidaltendency. As to Dr. Kane's lectures Ihave no doubt they will be publishedin book later on. I shall have a lookout and get them for you. This last P.S was a happythought; in these times it would be mad-ness and highly dangerous to the realmto allow so much paper go waste. Hadit not been for the Summer Time Act Imight have spent another hour fillingin the margins and the spaces betweenthe lines. As a law abiding subject Iwill let you off for this time. J.M. John Moynihan Letter from John Moynihan to Michael Moynihan, 9 August 1916Letter from Michael Moynihan to John Moynihan, 18 September 1916Letter from John Moynihan to his brother, Michael Moynihan, 28 May 1916. Michael Moynihan Letter from John Moynihan to Michael Moynihan, 9 August 1916Letter from Michael Moynihan to John Moynihan, 18 September 1916Letter from John Moynihan to his brother, Michael Moynihan, 28 May 1916. Tralee, Ireland Letter from John Moynihan to his brother, Michael Moynihan, 28 May 1916.