Letter from Michael Staines to Alfred Byrne, 11 October 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Michael Staines

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Letter from Michael Staines, on the behalf of Irish prisoners in Frongoch, to Alfred Byrne concernin the living conditions of Irish prisoners interned in Frongoch. According to the letter the living conditions in Frongoch are not suitable for human habitation and are causing health problems for some of the men. Frongoch Internment Camp in Wales was a makeshift prison used for the internment of approximately 1,800 Irishmen in the wake of the Easter Rising, 1916. It was to become known as the 'University of Revolution' due to the influential effect it had on its inmates. Michael Staines (1885 - 1955) was a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, Garda commissioner and senator. During the Rising he served as Quartermaster in the GPO for which he was detained in Frongoch. He remained active during the War of Independence and continued in politics up until the 1940s. Alfred Byrne (1882-1956) was first elected an MP in the 1915 by-election as a nationalist candidate for the Irish Parliamentary Party. Although opposed to the Easter Rising, he spent 1916 lobbying on behalf of the interned prisoners. Before the Rising he was also a vociferous anti-conscription campaigner. He would later serve as a TD in Dáil Éireann.

 National Library of Ireland Art Ó Briain Papers, Collection List No. 150; Ms 8429/19-6 https://letters1916.ie/item/3962 English Michael Staines 1916-10-11 Alfred Byrne House of Commons, London, England Male 1955 Easter Rising Ireland 1916 Politics

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 Copy. B.C.B. 12/10/16. 26th Aug. 11th Oct. 1916. To Alfred Byrne M.P., House of Commons. A chara, We, the undersigned, being the duly elected Camp Leadersare desirous of drawing your attention to several grave complaintsconcerning the conditions of our internment here. As doubtless you are aware the Irish prisoners are housedhere in grain lofts which were never intended for human habitation,some of them not even possessing windows, being lighted and ventil—ated only by a few skylights. According to Government measurementthe grain lofts at present in occupation are supposed to accom m odate185, 200, 300, and 60 prisoners respectively but we feel surethat all impartial persons having any knowledge of hygiene orsanitation will agree with us that they are really unfit forhuman habitation, and their injurious offensiveness in this respectis considerably aggravated by the fact that two lavatories areestablished inside the grain lofts. Men arise in the morning withwhat is well known to us as that tired Frongoch feeling; and thedebilitating effect of the sleeping in these grain lofts have beenestablished beyond all doubt by the number of men who have faintedon the early morning parade. There are quite a number of prisonerssuffering from lung trouble sleeping amidst the other prisonersand when these prisoners have been sent sick in the ordinary courseof procedure they have been certified as alright; but when thesemen are brought specially before the doctor by the Camp Leader headmits on re-examination that these men are suffering from lungtrouble. It is absolutely iniquitous that these unfortunateprisoners should be compelled to live in such grain lofts amidsthundreds of other men. On the 26th August last an application was made by the Item No 1 A look for B Camp Leader for a transference of the whole body of prisoners towhat is known as the North Camp (wooden huts) on the grounds thatit was more healthy and comfortable than the old distillerybuildings which constitute the South Camp; this application wasbrutally ignored. Another application for a transfer was madeon 11th October but the Commandant stated that he could not moveus without an Order from Home Office. We should like to know if this refusal to transfer usarose from a desire on the part of the authorities to ruin themen's constitution by keeping them in the unhygenic and insanitarysurroundings of the South Camp. Signed (5) P.S. It is rumoured this morning (11th inst.) that thistransfer to the North Camp is about to be granted to us. Weshould like very much to know the reason why it should not begranted to us on the 26th August instead of leaving it to thislate hour of the day when many of the men's health has alreadybecome affected. We are enclosing a copy of a letter to Mr. Ginnell whichwas posted to him on the 10th inst. and we should be very glad ifyou would deal with it, as no doubt, Mr Ginnell would have dealtwith it had he been at liberty. M.S. ?Michael Staines Michael Staines Letter from Michael Staines to Alfred Byrne, 11 October 1916 Alfred Byrne Letter from Alfred Byrne to Helena Molony and Nellie Gifford, 4 January 1916Letter from Andrew Philip Magill to Alfred Byrne, 1 April 1916Letter from Irish Prisoners, Frongoch to Alfred Byrne, MP, 11 October 1916Letter from Irish Prisoners, Frongoch to Alfred Byrne, MP, 13 October 1916Telegram from Alfred Byrne to Mrs. Walter Harris Wilson, 23 May 1916Telegram from Alfred Byrne to Frank McNally, 12 July 1916Letter from Alfred Bryne to Augustine Birrell, 30 March 1916Letter from Alfred Byrne to Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, 15 May 1916Letter from Michael Staines to Alfred Byrne, 11 October 1916 House of Commons, London, England Letter from the Home Office to Joseph Devlin, 26 July 1916Telegram from Alfred Byrne to Mrs. Walter Harris Wilson, 23 May 1916Letter from Herbert Samuel to John P. Boland, 1 August 1916Telegram from Alfred Byrne to Frank McNally, 12 July 1916Letter from Mabel FitzGerald to John Redmond, 27 May 1916.Letter from Andrew Philip Magill to Joseph Devlin, 8 August 1916Letter from John P. Boland to Inspector General R.I.C., 11 July 1916Letter from T J Hanna to Nicolas Lamb, 6 July 1916Letter from John French to John Redmond, 15 April 1916Letter from Frongoch to William O'Brien, 14 October 1916Letter from Michael Staines to Alfred Byrne, 11 October 1916