1
de l'Annunciation
Parry
Paris. May June 1916
My dear Mrs Skeffington
How can I tell you how
much I think of you,
Feel with you in your
terrible loss —
I am over whelmed with
grief at the whole
ghastly tragedy. This
year I have lost almost
all my Dearest friends
& Comrades — In France
through the War, &
Now in Ireland.
2
I know that this
sacrifice will not be
in vain for Ireland but for we
who remain the loss
is very bitter. Even amid the black
horror of military
impiety in Dublin
the murder of your
husband stands out
with such tragic
distinction that it
must bring justice &
his brave Spirit will
rejoice that his death
serves the Cause of
3
peace & liberty for
which he worked so
unceasingly — My work in the French
hospital has kept me
in France ever since
the War. I want to come
to Ireland with my boy if passport
difficulties can be overcome. My love and Deepest
sympathy dear Mrs
Skeffington to you and
your child. Maud Gonne.
Letter from Maud Gonne MacBride (1866-1953) to Hanna Sheehy Skeffington (1877-1946)
expressing sympathy in regards to the death of Hanna's husband, Francis. Gonne writes
that while the men's sacrifice will not be in vain it is very bitter for those who
remain behind.
(Edith) Maud Gonne MacBride was an advanced nationalist and political activist. From
1916 onwards Gonne spent the majority of her time in France after a sensationalist
divorce scandal, from her husband John MacBride (1865-1916), overshadowed her political
ambitions. During the war Gonne served as a nurse in French military hospitals. However,
the events of the Easter Rising altered her position as she wore mourning and called
herself Maud Gonne MacBride, a title she had abandoned after the breakdown of her
marriage some twelve years before. This change in circumstance allowed her to re-enter
the Irish political scene. Aside from her politics Gonne was the subject of most of
the love poetry of W. B. Yeats.
Hanna Sheehy Skeffington (1877-1946), suffragette, nationalist, language teacher,
was the founder of the Irish Women’s Franchise League and a founding member of the
Irish Women Workers’ Union. She was the widow of Francis Sheehy-Skeffington who was
summarily executed on 26 April 1916. She was active during the Rising, bringing food
to the Volunteers in the G.P.O. and the College of Surgeons. Four days passed before
she found out what had happened to her husband, Francis (1878-1916), and it wasn't
until almost two weeks later that the full details of his execution emerged.