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            <title type="main">Letter from Tomás Mac Curtain to Áine, 27 September 1916</title>
            <title type="sub">Letters 1916-1923</title>
            <author>Tomás Mac Curtain</author>
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            <pubPlace>Vienna, AT</pubPlace>
            <date>2026</date>
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                  <collection>T. Mac Curtain Collection, L1945.213 B7.7</collection>
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              <date>1916-09-27</date>
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               <item n="death">1920</item>
               <item n="tag">Easter Rising Ireland 1916</item>
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             Wednesday Sept <hi rend="underline">27.</hi> 1916   A. Áine Acroide—    Yours of 20<hi rend="superscript">th</hi> received to-day and it<lb/>was indeed a welcome visitor. I'm sure it must<lb/>be very tiring in that shop all day, of course<lb/>I <hi rend="underline">know</hi> it is. Do be very careful throughout<lb/>the winter and I'm very glad the Doctor has<lb/>put the bar on the theatres &amp; picture houses<lb/>in your case. The atmosphere of those places<lb/>is very bad, when a few thousand people get<lb/>packed in close together think of the effect<lb/>on the air. I'm sorry I'm not at home that<lb/>I could help to make the time pass for us<lb/>all together, but patience will do all that.<lb/>D.G. <seg type="del">I am delighted to hear of your success</seg><lb/><seg type="del">with Mr Rowe.</seg> It must have surprised you<lb/><hi rend="underline">very much</hi>. Annie, girl, spare as much as you<lb/>can, don't be too anxious to throw it around<lb/>it will undoubtedly come in useful later<lb/>I'm very very glad to hear it, indeed,<lb/><seg type="unclear">Re Siobán</seg>; I at first thought she was too young to<lb/>send away, but I quite agree that she is much<lb/>better off there during the winter and the<lb/>discipline of the place will be just the thing<lb/>for her. She is so full of spirit that I'm afraid 
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             2  Lizzie could never keep her under control, with<lb/>all the other cares she now has to contend<lb/>with. Yes, you are quite right and Im now<lb/>very glad she has been sent to the nuns<lb/>I've written to the Superioress (whom I met once)<lb/>about Siobán and have asked her to teach her<lb/>all the IRISH possible. Tomas Og must be a<lb/>bit on the heavy side when he hasnt yet succeeded<lb/>in guiding his own helm: <seg type="del">B</seg>Lizzie always pays<lb/>special attention to the bodily comfort and I<lb/>daresay our hope has not been neglected, and<lb/>therefore finds it had to carry his own weight<lb/>I've always thought that Lizzie was very practical in<lb/>that respect, really the most practical of you all. She<lb/>always paid special attention to sound wholesome<lb/>food, and I always admired that ideas as practical<lb/>commonsense. I dont know whether I've ever praised<lb/>her for it, but indeed I should have, but you<lb/>know its always the way with men (and women<lb/>too) they never say really the things the ought say<lb/>and at the right time; although as far as<lb/>Lizzie is concerned I think I did say<lb/>a <hi rend="underline">few things</hi> at the right time — ask her —<lb/>But, your pardon, good patient Annie for<lb/>bothering you with my domestic affairs, I'm<lb/>sure it doesn't interest you, but I'm 
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             3  inclined to allow myself ramble off into<lb/>side issues and I am sure you wont be too<lb/>angry toward me. You are still the patient<lb/>wise looking little Colleen I first got to really<lb/>know at Midleton Feis when you won the<lb/>medal, always serious looking, indeed you<lb/>didn't seem much elated by your success on<lb/>that occasion — anyway not at a distance.<lb/>You were quite cool — but I could see when<lb/>I met you coming out the gate that your<lb/>heart was jumping with excitement and<lb/>you were quite aglow with the pleasure<lb/>of winning. Undoubtedly we started a friendship<lb/>on that day a <seg type="foreign">Cáilin </seg> which will hold through life<lb/>and be a help to both in our difficulties along<lb/>the narrow way. Again through you, I met<lb/>Lizzie, and tis then only life for me began,<lb/>whether sorrow or joy, even heavy sorrow<lb/>loses its bitterness in perspective and when<lb/>that sorrow is shared by a loyal and true<lb/>partner, <seg type="del">you</seg> a person looks back upon it<lb/>more as a victory over adversity, and it<lb/>becomes tinged with a feeling of having borne up<lb/>well under trying difficulties and standing the<lb/>test — of being tried and not found wanting—<lb/>I only know how, after Lizzie (who certainly is splendid when 
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             4  trouble knocks at the door. ) much your help and<lb/>Hannas and Mary's (God rest her Soul) and Susies<lb/>Ma's in fact you all, have been to me in<lb/>some pretty serious difficulties which I have<lb/>been up against for the past eight years,<lb/>and greater than all the material assistance<lb/>was the powerful use you always made of<lb/>prayer on our behalf and I will always<lb/>bless you for that. Forgive me again for<lb/>rambling so much into my own affairs, but<lb/>the mood happens to be on me and I<lb/>like to say to you what really is in my<lb/>mind. Jerry and I will not forget the Novena<lb/>on Oct 1<hi rend="superscript">st</hi> and afterwards and we wont<lb/>forget the Little Flower. Many thanks for the<lb/>pictures, they are very appropriate — I mean<lb/>the lines. I enclose an Irish Hymn which<lb/>I am sure you will like. It came here from<lb/>Kerry and now goes back to Cork to you.<lb/>I'm very glad the school is doing so well<lb/>Rosies sketch is <seg type="del">  </seg> splendid and has gone<lb/>the rounds. I wonder how she likes the new name<lb/>I have given her — I am expecting a<lb/>word from L. any day . — Remind her—  I'm writing Hanna to know <seg type="del">  </seg> how I have offended<lb/>her, she hasn't sent me a line. —  Goodbye<lb/><seg type="foreign">A cara mo croide</seg>   Ó Tomas 
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               <placeName>Frongoch, Wales</placeName>
            <noteGrp><note target="item__0229.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Kate English in Finglas to Patrick English, c. June/July 1916</note><note target="item__0243.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Robert Driscoll to Patrick English, 13 August 1916.</note><note target="item__0244.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Patrick English to Kate English, c. June 1916</note><note target="item__0427.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Treasa Ní Modhráin, Dublin, to her brother Eamonn, imprisoned in Frongoch, Wales, 19 May 1916</note><note target="item__1921.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Mary to Patrick English, 26 May 1916</note><note target="item__1946.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Kate English to Patrick English, 1916</note><note target="item__1947.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Patrick English to Kate English, 12 July 1916</note><note target="item__3320.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Tomás Mac Curtain to Áine, 27 September 1916</note><note target="item__4442.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Col. F.A. Heygate Lambert to Sir Robert Chalmers, 26 July 1916</note><note target="item__4453.xml" type="mentions">Letter to Colonel F.A. Heygate Lambert, 25 July 1916</note><note target="item__4461.xml" type="mentions">Telegraph from Frongoch to Sir Robert Chalmers, 19 July 1916</note><note target="item__4463.xml" type="mentions">Telegraph from Frongoch to Sir Robert Chalmers, 26 July 1916</note><note target="item__4465.xml" type="mentions">Letter to Colonel F.A. Heygate Lambert, 18 July 1916</note><note target="item__5931.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Kate English to Patrick English, 9 June 1916</note><note target="item__5932.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Kate English to Patrick English, 17 August 1916</note><note target="item__5933.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Kate English to Patrick English in prison, c. June/July 1916</note></noteGrp></place>
            </listPlace><listPerson><person xml:id="letters1916_person-0338" n="Tomás Mac Curtain">
               <persName>Tomás Mac Curtain</persName>
            <noteGrp><note target="item__3320.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Tomás Mac Curtain to Áine, 27 September 1916</note><note target="item__3480.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Tadhg Barry to Tomás Mac Curtain, 26 October 1916</note><note target="item__3482.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Angela "Witchie" to her uncle, Tomás Mac Curtain, 13 July 1916</note><note target="item__3483.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Angela "Witchie" to her uncle, Tomás Mac Curtain, 1 October 1916</note><note target="item__3485.xml" type="mentions">Letter from A. MacSwiney to Tomás Mac Curtain, 27 May 1916</note><note target="item__3487.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Tadhg Barry to Tomás Mac Curtain, 28 September 1916</note></noteGrp></person>
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