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File Irish Civil War
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In-letters from correspondents whose names begin with ‘A’ and ‘C’

Box of in-letters from correspondents whose names begin with ‘A’ and ‘C’, including correspondence about Sir Nesbitt Armstrong’s trusts, and letters from James Callaghan (a thatcher employed by the Rosse estate), from the ‘Chief of Staff, January 1923’ about the occupation of Birr Castle by the Free State Army, from W. Y. Chisholm (manager of the Rosse sawmill [see Q/327]), from Miss Edith A. Cramer, [see M/18], from Messrs Coutts & Co., etc.

Includes: Letter from Padraig Ua Maolchatha, Col. Comdt., G. O. C. 3rd Southern Command, Roscrea: I am directed by the Chief of General Staff to inform you that it will not be possible to evacuate any portion of the premises occupied by the troops before Christmas. I am at present unable to give you any idea when we may be able to evacuate Birr Castle but assure you that we will not occupy it any longer than necessary. I regret being unable to facilitate Lord Rosse’s family in this matter but trust that the owner will appreciate the circumstances which force us to remain in occupation.’ (4 December 1922)

Includes letter from Capt. F. O’Brien for the Chief of General Staff, Dublin, to Toler Garvey: ‘I have been in communication with the General Officer Commanding of the Area who informs me that we was aware of game being shot on the Rosse Estate, but did not prevent it, as he was not aware that the game was preserved.’ (8 January 1923)

An Tóstal - newspaper articles for display

Newspaper cuttings, some mounted on card, with corresponding catalogue numbers, which were placed on display during An Tóstal exhibitions in Tullamore in 1953 and 1954:

  1. 'Geashill Cauldron Given to Nation', Midland Tribune, 4 April 1954
    2.'The Lays of Tullamore'
  2. 'Tony Molloy Wrote for Nation's Youth'
  3. 'Kilcormac's Famous Missal - a historic manuscript'. By 'P.F.' Offaly Independent, 16 August 1952
  4. 'The Famed Blue Ball - an incident of the Land War.' By 'P.F.'
  5. 'Offaly's Fighting Story' - a series of articles on the War of Independence and Civil War published in the Offaly Independent in March 1954, by 'P.F.' Includes photocopied duplicates of same. Articles include 'The Ambush at Raheen', 'Attempted Ambush at Blue Ball', 'Mount Lucas Ambush' and 'the Fight for Freedom'.
  6. 'We Sail the River Shannon - St Ciarán of Clonmacnois' by H. J. Rice.
  7. 'Offaly's Twelve Baronies' by 'P.F.'

In-letters from correspondents whose names begin with ‘P’, ‘Q’, ‘R’ and ‘T’

‘P’, ‘Q’, ‘R’ and ‘T’ - including letters from the Hon. Geoffrey L. Parsons, in Basingstoke, relating to the affairs of Birr Castle Demesne, during the period in which he acted on behalf of the sixth earl in his minority (1918-1924). Also includes letters from members of the Pigott family [see V/24], Mrs Manning Robertson, the 5th and 6th Earls of Rosse, J.H. Tyler (the Womersley agent [see H/117]), etc, etc.

Garvey, Toler Roberts, Jr

Correspondence relating to sixth earl, Lawrence Michael Harvey Parsons (1921-1937)

Letters to the Viscountess de Vesci, mother of the sixth earl, to her brother-in-law, the Hon. Geoffrey L. Parsons, and to the agent for the Rosse estates, Toler R. Garvey Junior, (the only person permanently on the spot at Birr during the minority of the sixth earl), concerning the Civil War as it affected Birr Castle and other places; and also including a letter from the Countess of Bandon about the destruction of Castle Bernard, Co. Cork, and the kidnapping of her husband, Lord Bandon, 1921. The principal topic however, is the Free State government’s responsibility to the Rosse family for loss and damage incurred as a result of the Free State army’s occupation of Birr Castle from 1922 to 1924, which the shrewd and resourceful Garvey construes as extending to the cost of Lord and Lady de Vesci’s London house, No. 1 Hyde Park Street. Included in the bundle is a copy of a letter from Garvey to the Irish Land Commission arguing that compulsory acquisition of any more of the home farm at Birr would serve as a major disincentive to the sixth earl’s taking up residence and therefore giving widespread employment there on his coming-of-age, 1926.

Includes quotation for removal of six vans of furniture from Birr Castle to London by John Dooly, & Sons, Birr (April 1923)

Includes list of goods taken over by the National Army 28th September 1923, Property of the Trustees of the Earl of Rosse. Value of £235.16.0

Includes draft claim against Free State Government seeking rent and remedy £3000 and rent of Hyde Park (£600).

Includes letter from Office of Public Works settling claim for £3502.2.11 (7 August 1925)

Includes letter from Captain J.F. Hollins, Quartermaster No 2 Brigade, Athlon to Toler Garvey: ‘I wish to inform you that the Troops presently in occupation of the castle will evacuate same as from the 28th inst. In accordance with our regulations it will be necessary for a representative of the Owner, a representative from the Board of Works and of the Military Authorities to examine the premises after evacuation and compile a report as to its condition in comparison to that in which it was taken over by the Military (12 August 1924)

Includes a list by A. Panton Watkinson, painter and decorator, Stephens Green, Dublin, of wear and tear and damage in Birr Castle due to the military occupation. (July 1923)

Includes list of articles missing from Birr Castle May 1927.

Also includes letter from the Committee involved in arranging a plaque to be erected at the archway to the front of Birr Castle in memory of the three young men executed by Free State Troops in 1923. Appends text of the address given by Margaret Hogan, local historian, on the events of 1923. (2003)

Garvey, Toler Roberts, Jr

In-letters from correspondents whose names begin with ‘W’ and ’Y’

‘W’ and ‘’Y’ - principally Edward Walsh (town clerk of Birr, who writes about all manner of local government matters), Harold J. Wiley & Co., insurance brokers of Dublin (who write about Birr Castle insurance), Mrs F. White Spunner of Milltown Park, Shinrone, King’s County (whose estate Garvey managed [although, apart from these letters, no other record of this agency survives in the archive at Birr Castle]).

Includes minor letters from Captain P. Wall, Castle Barracks, Birr (1922-1923).

Letter from Gay White to Tom.

Letter from Gay White , Lissiniskey, Nenagh dated 13 July 1922. The letter describes Gay experience during the Irish Civil War.

'My dear Tom,
Yours of the 10th to hand. I think since the 29th of June we have had no post here. Dreadful things have happened since I wrote you April 25th. I left Rathurbet April 30th & went to Ballygibbon. On May 15th a body of men took forcible possession of 30 acres of land there. They cut trees down, yet returned. We were left with 9 cows to milk, calves & all sorts of fowl, young & old to feed. Over 90 sheep & lambs to care, all the work of the house to do. Well we did it. The sheep were the great trouble, it was the time for them to be dipped, washed & shorn. They could not be dipped or washed but Betty, Lilla & David sheared all the sheep, but we lost a good many on account of the sheep not being dipped. They got full of maggots. It was dreadful. The cows were easily managed, we all milked them. I got quite good at it I did two night & morning. We just worked all day. On the night of June 14th we had dreadful raid starting about 2.30. The raiders smashed every window & the hall door first. We had collected in one room, they rushed into it. David & Betty were badly beaten by them with their clenched fists. Lilla was not so badly beaten & Poll only got one blow on her face, we were in a dark room most of the time, it was hell. I escaped without a blow. Over & over they held revolvers & shotguns at us & said they would shoot us. They did awful mischief in the house, breaking china & table glass, drank all whiskey & claret. They emptied every drawer out on the floor, Oh such a state - the dirty swine- they left the place in. They stole heaps of things, especially belongings, one thing was my dressing case.'