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            <title type="main">Letter from Mort O'Connell to James Ryan, 9 October 1916</title>
            <title type="sub">Letters 1916-1923</title>
            <author>Mort O'Connell</author>
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            <p>This work was originally published by Maynooth University in Ireland in <date>2017</date>. In 2026 this data, stored in a relational database was extracted and converted into this TEI/XML document.</p>
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            <publisher>Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities</publisher>
            <pubPlace>Vienna, AT</pubPlace>
            <date>2026</date>
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               <p>James Ryan (1891-1970) studied medicine in UCD. He was appointed chief medical officer in the GPO during the Easter Rising. After the Rising he was imprisoned in Stafford and, later, Frongoch and was released in August 1916. Ryan was later a founder member of Fianna Fáil and a government minister.

The letter is from Mort O'Connell, who was imprisoned in Frongach with Ryan. Ryan had been released and the letter refers to the move to 'South Camp' and describes the weather. It also refers one of the prisoners whose wife had recently given birth and asks Ryan about events at home.</p>
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                  <collection>Dr James Ryan Papers, P 88/37(1)</collection>
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              <persName key="#letters1916_person-0786">Mort O'Connell</persName>
              <date>1916-10-09</date>
              <placeName key="#letters1916_place-1879">Frongach internment camp, Bala, Wales</placeName>
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              <persName key="#letters1916_person-0447">James Ryan</persName>
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             Frongoch   9<hi rend="superscript">th</hi> Oct '16.   Dear Jim,   I have taken some time to <lb/> reply to your letter. You know the facilities <lb/>for writing are very limited while the <lb/><hi rend="underline">demands</hi> are great. The parcel addressed <lb/>to Mick arrived in good condition - it was <lb/>a marvellous piece of workmanship.   I expect you have seen the Frongoch <lb/>Revelations in the Independent. You were <lb/>lucky in being released before we shifted <lb/>to the South Camp. The winter has set in <lb/>&amp; the weather is similar to that of the first <lb/>fortnight in Camp last June - incessant <lb/>rain &amp; storm. It is a hum-drum life <lb/>even as uninteresting as yours &amp; ME <lb/>in the "cauld north". Ned Morkan has now <lb/>a <hi rend="underline">Young Rebel</hi> to emulate his exploits of <lb/>of Easter week. He is in the devil's own <lb/>form. Ned is like a youngster of ten. <lb/>You ouught to write to him &amp; —   All the lads are in the best of form. <lb/>It would take the devil himself to make <lb/>us downhearted. We are now shut up in
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            the rooms from 6pm to 6am. Doreen was <lb/>telling me you cut yourself whilst shaving <lb/>&amp; that the medicine man told you to give <lb/>your lips a rest. You must be reckless <lb/>in the extreme. I am looking forward <lb/>to a good time when I get out whenever <lb/>that might be. We'll <seg type="del">hope</seg> hold up the <lb/>city &amp; have a time on that occasion.   Did "M.E." make you shave off your <lb/>moustache? It is impossible to get anything <lb/>in or out of present. The censorship is <lb/>very strict. All tinned stuff is opened <lb/>so you see the 'Irish Prisoners' are a danger <lb/>to the Realm. Has the general body of <lb/>the people, changed very much of <lb/>late? We hear nothing here. Of course <lb/>there are rumours &amp; rumours but <lb/>none ever come true.   I believe you have reformed &amp; do <lb/>nothing but study. It is some cha n ge. <lb/>Miss <seg type="unclear">Teebay</seg> was in Kerry with a certain <lb/>colleen. You know. Have you heard <lb/>from her. You can drink to my health <lb/>etc. Hope you are ok.   <seg type="foreign">Mise le meas mór</seg>   <hi rend="underline">Mort</hi> 
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   <back><listPerson><person xml:id="letters1916_person-0447" n="James Ryan">
               <persName>James Ryan</persName>
            <noteGrp><note target="item__0014.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Cis M. Coyle to James Ryan, 26 May 1916</note><note target="item__0015.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Cis M. Coyle to James Ryan, 3 June 1916</note><note target="item__0016.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Cis M. Coyle to James Ryan, 25 June 1916</note><note target="item__0017.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Cis M. Coyle to James Ryan, 2 July 1916</note><note target="item__0018.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Cis M. Coyle to James Ryan, 11 July 1916</note><note target="item__0019.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Cis M. Coyle to James Ryan, 19 July 1916</note><note target="item__0020.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Cis M. Coyle to James Ryan, c. August 1916</note><note target="item__0183.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Seaghan Z to James Ryan, 12 July 1916</note><note target="item__0212.xml" type="mentions">Letter from 'Teresa'(Agnes Ryan) to James Ryan, 20 May 1916</note><note target="item__0232.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Katherine Brady to James Ryan, 5 July 1916</note><note target="item__0249.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Joe to James Ryan, 25 May 1916</note><note target="item__0326.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Denis McCullough to James Ryan, c. June 1916</note><note target="item__0352.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Phyllis Ryan to James Ryan, 19 May 1916</note><note target="item__0380.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Madge Calnan to James Ryan , 8 June 1916</note><note target="item__0388.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Phyllis Ryan to James Ryan, c. June 1916</note><note target="item__0413.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Phyllis Ryan to James Ryan, 1 June 1916</note><note target="item__0415.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Madge Calnan to James Ryan, 17 June 1916</note><note target="item__0426.xml" type="mentions">Postcard from 'M' to James Ryan, 27 May 1916</note><note target="item__0442.xml" type="mentions">Letter from 'Teresa' (Agnes Ryan) to her brother James Ryan, 4 June 1916</note><note target="item__0473.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Peggie O'Sullivan, Birmingham, to James Ryan, 1 July 1916</note><note target="item__0548.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Josephine Mary (Min) Ryan to James Ryan, 29 May 1916</note><note target="item__0579.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Chris Ryan to James Ryan, 13 June 1916</note><note target="item__0598.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Jim to James Ryan, 11 July 1916</note><note target="item__0628.xml" type="mentions">Letter from R. Hickey to James Ryan, 26 May 1916</note><note target="item__0664.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Mary M to James Ryan, 1916</note><note target="item__0706.xml" type="mentions">Letter from K.B to James Ryan, c. early June 1916</note><note target="item__0732.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Maudie Davin to James Ryan, 6 July 1916</note><note target="item__0737.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Kathleen Teebay, Stafford, England to James Ryan, 4 July 1916</note><note target="item__0745.xml" type="mentions">Letter from James Ryan to Liam Ó Briain, 1 June 1916</note><note target="item__0889.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Michael Collins to James Ryan, 23 August 1916</note><note target="item__0893.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Michael Collins to James Ryan, 2 September 1916</note><note target="item__0895.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Eamonn T. Dore to James Ryan, 19 September 1916</note><note target="item__0915.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Sean T. O'Kelly to James Ryan, 26 August 1916</note><note target="item__0917.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Sean T. O'Kelly to James Ryan, 15 September 1916</note><note target="item__0920.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Sean T. O'Kelly to James Ryan, 22 October 1916</note><note target="item__0928.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Mairín Ní Ribhógh to James Ryan, 2 August 1916</note><note target="item__1025.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Major C. Harold Heathcote to James Ryan, 13 September 1916</note><note target="item__1029.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Major C. Harold Heathcote to James Ryan, 19 September 1916</note><note target="item__1577.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Cis M. Coyle to James Ryan, 11 June 1916</note><note target="item__2278.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Phyllis Ryan to James Ryan, Tuesday 6 June 1916</note><note target="item__2364.xml" type="mentions">Letter to James Ryan from Frances Kelly</note><note target="item__2615.xml" type="mentions">Letter to James Ryan from Margaret</note><note target="item__2655.xml" type="mentions">Letter to James Ryan from May Gray</note><note target="item__3102.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Eamonn T. Dore to James Ryan, c. September 1916</note><note target="item__3124.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Mort O'Connell to James Ryan, 9 October 1916</note><note target="item__3305.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Maura [Power] to James Ryan, 18 October 1916</note><note target="item__3377.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Kathleen Teebay, Stafford, England to James Ryan, 1 August 1916</note><note target="item__3420.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Kathleen Teebay, Stafford, England to James Ryan, 7 October 1916</note><note target="item__3460.xml" type="mentions">Letter from D. C., Stafford, England, to James Ryan, 9 August 1916</note><note target="item__3514.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Peg O'Sullivan, Birmingham, to James Ryan, 2 October 1916</note></noteGrp></person>
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            <noteGrp><note target="item__0889.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Michael Collins to James Ryan, 23 August 1916</note><note target="item__0893.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Michael Collins to James Ryan, 2 September 1916</note><note target="item__0895.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Eamonn T. Dore to James Ryan, 19 September 1916</note><note target="item__3102.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Eamonn T. Dore to James Ryan, c. September 1916</note><note target="item__3124.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Mort O'Connell to James Ryan, 9 October 1916</note></noteGrp></place>
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