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"Nationality" Ár dtír féin Offices :—
12 D'OLIER STREET,
Dublin, 23.12 1915 Dear Mairín, I'm enclosing a card to remind you of the
happy season and to say that I wish you all the
joys that life can give - the very best there is to be
found — let me say how sorry I am that I could not
have seen you on Monday evening. I then hoped to
see you on Monday night and explain but alas,
I was again disappointed. I console myself with
the firm belief that you understand I could not go. Life in Dublin, in that sense,
is somewhat
miserable for the past few days. All the set are
gone. I have not seen any of them since Sunday
night. Oh yes I saw Miss Davin but at a
distance I was in a train & she was going
down Abbey St - not even within hailing distance. I hope you are having a very enjoyable
holiday Yours very sincerely Seán MacDiarmuida
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NODLAIG AOIBHINN SHEUNMHAR SHUGHACH,
GO SEOLTAR CHUGHAT A CHARA CHAOMH,
FÉ BHEANNACHTGO RAIBH DO DHÚN,
FÉ MHEIDHIR DO BHUIDHEAN BHUIDH, 'S TÚ FÉIN.
Ó SEÁN MAC DIARMADA, Dublin Nodlaig, 1915
Seán Mac Diarmada (1883-1916) was one of the key organisers of the Easter Rising.
He signed the Proclamation of the Irish Republic and was executed in May 1916.
The letter wishes Máirín a happy christmas season and apologises for being unable
to meet her. Máirín is probably Mairín Cregan, a prolific Irish children's writer
who married James Ryan in 1919: the letter survives in Ryan's personal papers.
The letter is sent from the office of the newspaper 'Nationality', an organ of the
Irish Republican Brotherhood. Mac Diarmada was the manager and registered owner of
the newspaper.