Letter from Art Ó Briain to John J Neeson, 4 September 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Art Ó Briain

This work was originally published by Maynooth University in Ireland in 2017. In 2026 this data, stored in a relational database was extracted and converted into this TEI/XML document.

 Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities Vienna, AT 2026

This is an open access work licensed under Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International license (CC BY-NC 4.0).

This is a four page letter acknowledging receipt of a letter of August 28th, predominantly referring to arrangements for the provision of supplies of tobacco, money, food, literature/ books as well as a duplicator for prisoners of war at Frongoch. It also refers to the camp leadership arrangements and to classes for the prisoners. It refers to several men in the camp: Mr Dixon, N. T. Murray, Prisoner 1091, O’ Sullivan and to a Mr MacDonagh (who was not a prisoner). This letter is part of a period of correspondence between Ó Briain and Neeson (see MS 8434 / 21 – 10). MS 8434 / 23.8 appears to be a response to this letter. From the Art Ó Briain Papers held in the National Library of Ireland. NLI records indicate that MS 8434 /23 is a collection (13 items) of letters from prisoners in Frongoch and Reading jails. Art Ó Briain (1872-1949) was Honorary Secretary of The Irish National Relief Fund which was set up to provide assistance to the dependents of those executed in 1916, those sentenced to prison and to the prisoners themselves.

National Library of Ireland Art Ó Briain papers, c. 1900-c.1945, Ó Briain’s work for Irish political prisoners (1916-21), MS 8434 / 23-2 https://letters1916.ie/item/3987 English Art Ó Briain 1916-09-04 London, England John J. Neeson Frongoch, North Wales, United Kingdom Male 1949 Easter Rising Ireland 1916 Easter Rising Ireland 1916 Politics

The data in these XML files was generated based on a data dump from the Magellan database (https://github.com/Maynooth-Center-for-Digital-Humanities/Magellan). Each database record has been converted to a JSON file (https://github.com/letters1916static/letters-data/tree/main/json). The element section of the JSON file contains the TEI-encoded contents of the letters. The TEI XML has been cleaned and made well-formed using a Python script (https://github.com/letters1916static/letters-data/tree/main/src).

 4 September 1916 Dear Mr Neeson, I duly received you letter of August28th. I note that Mr Dixon has been removed fromFrongoch.TOBACCO SUPPLIES. I am glad to hear that this matteris now definitely and satisfac-torily settled and that the firstconsignment has arrived. MONEY SUPPLIES. Your suggestion to draw upon thefull amount you have in hand nowand then draw on us for the fullamount of £68. 10. 0., would bevery inconvenient for us, as itwould mean that we should have tokeep this amount in reserve incase of a sudden call from you.Our present arrangements providefor collections coming in to usevery Wednesday, (the Committeemeets on the same night) when wedispose of all demands includingremittances to the Dublin Com-mittee; we only leave a verysmall balance in the bank eachweek for any emergency. It wouldtherefore suit us better if youcould fall in with our previoussuggestion that you should drawon us every week, or every fort-night, so as to keep your campfund up to some predeterminedamount which you would fix upon asa safe working margin for all pur-poses. I should, perhaps, explain 2.that we do not limit ourselves to sup—plying cash for advances to released pri—soners, but for any purpose which yourCommittee may decide upon as necessary. CAMP OFFICERS. I thank you for giving the names of theHead Leader, Secretary and Treasurer ofthe Camp, and we shall be pleased to acton any demand received from any one ofthese three. I note that you will keep us informed ofany changes in the officers. We shouldalso be glad if you could keep us informedof --- the total number in the Camp fromtime to time. FOOD SUPPLIES. I note your requirements with regard tocurrents. I do not know exactly whatquantity would be required for 548 men,but having consulted some of my ladyfriends, I have calculated the quantityto be between 20 and 30 lbs per week. Iam arranging for a supply to be sent fromhere now, and we will probably arrangefor subsequent consignments to be sentfrom one of the other Committees. I also note that fruit would be appre—ciated, and I will let you know later whatcan be arranged. By the bye you mention men in hospital.Are there many? Do you want any parti—cular food or delicacies for them? LITERATURE. (a)PERIODICALS. I note the list of maga—zines you mention, and will arrange forthem to be sent. With regard to STUDIESwill it be allowed? I have written tothe Censor, asking him what Irish publi—cations are allowed and hope to hear fromhim soon. It would probably help if youcould see the Censor with a list of Irishperiodicals and books, which you wouldlike, and give him a rough idea of thecontents, and then sent the list to us 3.and we would attend to it. Are thereany trade or scientific periodicieswhich any of the prisioners would like,to keep abreast of their own particularcallings? (b) LIBRARY. We are glad to hear youhave the nubleus of a library, and weshall be glad to help in buildings thisup. If you have to remain at Frongochduring the winter you will want a goodlibrary to draw on for the long evenings.Let us know what books you have and whatyou would like. DUPLICATOR We were glad to hear that you purposestarting a Camp Journal, and if you cansend us a copy, we shall be very glad.I suppose any form of duplicator or copierwould suit your purpose. We shall en-deavour to get you one, and I have sentout enquiries to three sources to seewhat can be done, and will let you knowas soon as possible. CLASSES We were very interested yo hear aboutthe mathematical classes of which you arein charge, and it is with very much plea-sure that we are sending you on the bookswhich you name. I presume you also have classes formedfor other subjects. If so, and you re-quire any books for these, we will be veryglad to send them on to you. Have youall you want in the way of writing ma-terials for the classes? What aboutIrish language classes? I know you arenot allowed the necesary text books forthese, but I suppose you conduct oral classes. Now that we have got definitely into touchwith your Committee I hope we shall hear from you frequent-ly, so that we may be kept informed of your requirements.We are constantly receiving enquiries from relatives and 4.and friends of the prisoners. With best wishes to you and your companionsfrom our committee. Yours sincerely, Hon. Secretary. P.S. Re your request for Mr MacDonagh's address, he hasrecently moved and I cannot give the address offhand. Iam sending it to a mutual friend, asking him to forward it, (2) Can you give me any news of N.T. Murray 1091?His brother has written enquiring about him,saying he has not heard from him for severalweeks. (3) Has O'Sullivan, who was in hospital in Staffs,come on to Frongoch yet? I. JohnIrish Prison of wAR 200Frongoch. London, England Letter from Lancelot Worthy Horne to Robert Chalmers 31, May 1916Letter from Edward O'Farrell to Bertram Cubitt, 10 June 1916Letter from Lancelot Worthy Horne to Command Paymaster, 8 May 1916Telegram from Basil Home Thomson, Assistant Commissioner at New Scotland Yard, to Sir Neville Chamberlain, 9 April 1916Letter from Sir Edward O'Farrell to Sir Reginald H Brade, War Office, 12 November 1915Letter from John Condon to Herbert Samuel, 17 June 1916Letter from Matthew Nathan to the Treasury, 3 March 1916Letter from Lady Henrietta MacDonnell to Lady Clonbrock, 23 September 1916Postcard from C.D. Groom to Lady Clonbrock, 1 March 1916Letter from Lady Henrietta MacDonnell to Lady Clonbrock, 28 October 1916Letter from Colonel Douglas Proby, to Matthew Nathan, 25 February 1916Letter from Herbert Samuel to Lord Wimbourne, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, 15 February 1916Letter from Colonel Douglas Proby to Augustine Birrell, 26 January 1916Letter from Labour Party of Bruff, Co. Limerick to British PM H.H. Asquith, February 1916Letter by Edward O'Farrell to R.J. Nugent, 29 February 1916Letter from the Controller, Foreign Trade Department, to Sir Matthew Nathan, 19 February 1916Telegram from James Davidson to Samuel and Clara Davidson, 8 April 1916Letter from William Haldane Porter to Edward O'Farrell, 1 January 1916Letter from Andrew Philip Magill to M.J. Murphy MP, 11 November 1916Letter from George Bernard Shaw to Mabel FitzGerald, 25 May 1916Letter from Michael Governey to Major General, Army Veterinary Service, 10 January 1916Letter from Henry Lawson to Director General, Army Veterinary Service, 18 January 1916Letter from Andrew Philip Magill to Cecil Harmsworth, 1 April 1916.Letter from Cecil Harmsworth to Augustine Birrell, 31 March 1916Letter from Edward O'Farrell to the Secretary, General Post Office, London, 1 June 1916 Telegram from the Managing Editor, Central News to the Secretary, Dublin Castle, 20 May 1916Letter from Celia Duffin to Auntie D, 3 December 1915Letter from Maria Duffin to Celia Duffin, 13 February 1916Letter from Father Edward Murnane to George Gavan Duffy, 24 July 1916Letter from Laurence Ginnell to Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, 19 May 1916Card from Father Bally to the editor of the Irish Citizen, 2 November 1915Letter from Art Ó Briain to The Commandant, Frongoch Internment Camp 8 September 1916Letter from Art Ó Briain to John J Neeson, 4 September 1916Letter from James O' Dwyer to Art Ó Briain, 31 August 1916Letter from J E Lyons to Miss Coates, 5 July 1916Postcard to Edward Carson, 4 May 1916Letter from Thomas Kirkpatrick to Sir William Henry Thompson, 2 February 1918Letter from Thomas Kirkpatrick to Herbert Eldon Roaf, 14 March 1919Letter from Thomas Kirkpatrick to Captain J.C. O'Farrell, 11 June 1919Letter from Thomas Kirkpatrick to Mrs. R.J. Quin, 30 September 1919Letter from Paddy Guinness to Cesca Chenevix Trench, 6 June 1916Telegram from Basil Home Thomson, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, to Sir Neville Chamberlain, 8 April 1916Letter from Henry Wilson to James Craig, 1922 Frongoch, North Wales, United Kingdom Letter from Art Ó Briain to John J Neeson, 4 September 1916Letter from James O' Dwyer to Art Ó Briain, 31 August 1916 Art Ó Briain Letter from Art Ó Briain to The Commandant, Frongoch Internment Camp 8 September 1916Letter from Art Ó Briain to John J Neeson, 4 September 1916Letter to Art Ó Briain, 12 July 1916