1
3 and almost in tear as no one had claimed
him in the visiting room. Upper Camp
29 June 1916 Dear Miss Coates
I am writing to let you know I am
going on well and I hope you are
in the best of health.
All the Wands worth bop here send
you their best thanks for your
kindness to them and send also
the to all the ladies.
We are well treated and we
have grand scenery and country
air.
When you write don't forget to sent my number on the letter. It is 1107. We rise at
6.30 and go to bed at 9.45
We have a canteen here and we can buy anything we want.
We play football all day and smoke.We are having a jolly time. In one hut we sing
and dance.
All the boys here are in great spirit and plenty of fun. I will not say any more for
the present.
Hoping to hear from you soon. Yours truly
James Daly
This is a transcription of a letter from a former Wandsworth prisoner now in the Upper
Camp, Frongoch (Prisoner 1107) thanking members of the Ladies Committee on behalf
of ‘all of the Wandsworth boys’ and describing the comparably superior conditions
at Frongoch.
This transcription is a continuation (and part of) MS 8434 :23-4. The James Daly
letter has been transcribed and sent with an introduction and postscript referring
to other letters.
According to the 1936 Roll of Honour, James Daly served at the Bolands Mill Garrison
during the Rising.
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.