RORY O’CONNOR, A RARE, PROBABLY UNIQUE, SIGNED, MANUSCRIPT LETTER IN BLACK INK ON OFFICIAL IRISH DEFENCE FORCES, GENERAL HEADQUARTERS, DUBLIN, NOTEPAPER, WRITTEN FROM THE FOUR COURTS, DUBLIN, ON 24TH OF APRIL 1922, 10 DAYS AFTER THE 14TH APRIL 1922 OCCUPATION OF THE FOUR COURTS BY ANTI-TREATY FORCES UNDER THE COMMAND OF RORY O’CONNOR, ADDRESSED TO MESSRS KEATINGE, MERCER STREET DUBLIN.
THE LETTER WRITTEN ON BEHALF OF ROBERT HENRY, IRISH CITIZEN ARMY, WHO SAW ACTIVE SERVICE DURING THE IRISH CIVIL WAR IN DUBLIN AS A MEMBER OF THE ANTI-TREATY FORCE COMMANDED BY RORY O'CONNOR, ROBERT HENRY, WHEN RORY O'CONNOR WROTE ON HIS BEHALF, BEING A MEMBER OF THE ANTI-TREATY GARRISON OCCUPYING THE HAMMAM HOTEL IN DUBLIN.
“ I am informed that you are withholding a certain proportion of wages due to R Henry while working for you in respect of insurance stamps which you did not affix. You are hereby informed that he is properly entitled to the amount due which you will be good enough to pay immediately.” the letter signed “Rory O'Connor Army Council IRA.”
Multiple folds, area of soiling to reverse of letter, light toning overall, otherwise good condition.
Autographed manuscript letters signed by Rory O'Connor are rare, and this is believed to be the only survving letter written by him during the Civil War Four Courts occupation and siege.
Rory O’Connor (1883-1902) was born inDublin in 1883. Educated at Saint Mary’s College, Dublin, Clongoes Wood College and the National University of Ireland, he graduated with a BA in engineering in 1911. After graduating O’Connor emigrated to Canada where he has was employed as an engineer by the Canadian Pacific Railway and Canadian Northern Railway. In 1915 he returned to Ireland at the suggestion of Joseph Plunkett and was then employed by Dublin Corporation as a civil engineer. During the 1916 rising O’Connor saw Service in the GPO as an intelligence officer and was wounded in action by a sniper during a reconnaissance of the College of Surgeons. During the Irish War of Independence O’Connor was appointed to the Irish Volunteers General Headquarters Staff as director of engineering in March 1918, a post he held throughout the war of independence, eventually attaining the rank of Commandant-General responsible for devising the strategy and tactics of sabotage operations and the use of explosives in combat. During the treaty crisis of early 1922 O’Connor became the senior figure in the group of IRA officers that opposed the Anglo Irish treaty, and was elected Chairman of the Military Council formed by the dissident officers, and became commander and chief of the anti-treaty forces in Dublin that occupied a number of public buildings on 14 April 1922, the building is occupied including Barry‘s Hotel, Hammam‘s Hotel, the Ballast Office, The Freemasons Hall in Molesworth Street and the Four Courts, with O’Connor selecting the Four Courts, garrisoned by 200 anti-treaty volunteers, as his headquarters. After being shelled by pro-treaty forces Rory O’Connor and his 200 volunteers eventually surrendered on 30 June 1922. Subsequently, on 8 December 1922, Rory O’Connor, along with three other Republicans, was executed by firing squad, O'Connor and the three other prisoners being executed without due legal process of trial or conviction.
THE ROBERT HENRY, THE SUBJECT OF THIS LETTER, WAS ONE OF SIX BROTHERS, ROBERT, FREDERICK, FRANCIS, JAMES, PATRICK AND WILLIAM, FIVE OF WHOM SAW SERVICE DURING THE 1916 RISING AND/OR THE 1917–21 WAR OF INDEPENDENCE; FREDERICK, FRANCIS AND JAMES ALL SEEING SERVICE IN BOTH THE 1916 RISING AND THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE AND ROBERT AND WILLIAM SEEING SERVICE DURING THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE. FRANCIS AND FREDERICK WERE BOTH MEMBERS OF THE IRISH CITIZEN ARMY AND SAW SERVICE ALONGSIDE EACH OTHER IN THE IRISH CITIZEN ARMY AS PART OF THE COLLEGE OF SURGEONS GARRISON, STEPHENS GREEN, DURING THE 1916 RISING.
Robert Henry (1894-1966), who saw service with the Irish Citizen Army during the Irish War of Independence and Irish Civil War, was born in Dublin in 1894, the son of William and Catherine Henry. He is recorded in the 1901 census as a 15-year-old school boy resident at 15 Love Lane, South Dock, Dublin, with his parents, five brothers and two sisters, and in the 1911 census as a 17-year-old unmarried general labourer, resident at 54 Mount Street Lower, South Dock, Dublin, with his mother and sister Margaret.
Robert Henry's military service record in the Irish Military Archives (Bureau of Military History) reads as follows:
"File relates to Robert Henry’s unsuccessful application for a military service pension under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934. Applicant claimed membership of the Irish Citizen Army (ICA) in the service periods between 01 April 1917 and 30 September 1923 during the War of Independence, Truce period and Civil War. Subject was awarded a Service (1917-1921) Medal in 1948.
Robert Henry states that he joined the Dublin Brigade, ICA in 1917 under the command of James O’Neill and took part in receiving and storing rifles with brother Fred Henry which were taken in a raid on Portobello Barracks; collecting; removing arms to dump in Lucan; guard duty over the remains of Tom Ashe in Mater Hospital with Harry Boland. During the War of Independence (January 1919 – July 1921), he claims to have taken part in all parades, mobilisations and public funerals. Also states that he was on duty in the Mansion House for the signing of the Truce (11 July 1921). In 1922 during the Truce period, Robert Henry states that he attended a fete for 1 Battalion, Dublin Brigade, IRA in the Rotunda and was “severely burned” when he “threw himself” on a lamp, which had exploded, before the flames reached an “open petrol tin”. Claims that he received medical treatment in hospital and at home for a number of months. Taking the anti-Treaty side in the Civil War, the subject states that under the command of John Hanratty he took part in the defence/occupation of Barry’s Hotel and the Hammam Hotel during the Battle of Dublin until evacuation. He states that he remained an ICA member until September 1923 under the command of Richard McCormick but had no active service. File includes reference in support of the subject’s claim from John Hanratty and Richard McCormick. Subject did not appear before the Advisory Committee. File DP34396 contains material and correspondence relating to Robert Henry’s successful application for a Special Allowance under the Army Pensions Acts. File includes completed application form; doctor’s certificate; medical report; signed handwritten reports from Social Welfare investigating officers regarding applicant’s financial circumstances (1961-1965) and material relating to the settlement and closure of subject’s account following his death on 04 January 1966."
In May 1935 Robert Henry wrote to the army pensions office, outlining the difficult financial circumstances that he was then in.
” Re my application for pension. I have been advised by the late OC Dublin to write you asking for an early consideration of my claim as I am destitute. I receive no unemployment or sick benefits or any aid other than my wife works for our shelter and food (no wages). When I had money I gave to any of my comrades in need and to the movement. Thanking you in anticipation“ the letter signed ”Robard Mac Enri” (Robert Henry)
Eventually, on 25 October 1940, Robert Henry’s application for a pension under the terms of the Military Service Pensions Act 1934, was rejected, on the ground that Robert Henry was “not a person to whom the Act applies”.
Robert Henry subsequently applied for a medal for service during the War of Independence and re-applied for a pension, and was belatedly awarded the 1917–21 Service medal in 1948, seven years after the award was originally authorised for issue to surviving veterans of the War of Independence. He was eventually granted a Special Allowance under the Army Pensions Acts of £61 per annum, commencing July 1961.
Messrs Keatinge (J.F. Keatinge & Sons) were a firm of contractors for building, plumbing, painting and electrical engineering works, whose office sawmills and stables were located at 9 Mercer Street, Dublin. The firm also had offices and showrooms at 42 Grafton Street, Dublin.
Barry's Hotel, on Great Denmark Street, Dublin, served as a key mobilization point for Anti-Treaty IRA forces following the bombardment of the Four Courts.
The Hammam Hotel at 11-12 Upper Sackville Street (O'Connell Street) was a prominent 19th-century hotel and Turkish bath complex. It was occupied by Anti-Treaty IRA forces, shelled by Free State troops, and subsequently destroyed by fire on July 5, 1922, never reopening.
The following biographical details regarding Robert Henry's five brothers have been extracted from genealogical records on Ancestry, census returns of the period and their Bureau of Military History service records.
Francis "Frank" Henry (1879-1951) is recorded in the 1901 census as a 22 year old unmarried house painter resident at 15 Love Lane, South Dock, Dublin, with his parents, four of his brothers and two sisters, and in the 1911 census as a 33 year old married house painter resident in 5 Fennels Lane, Dublin, with his wife Ellen and a son and daughter. His service papers file in the Irish Bureau of Military History confirms that he saw service with the Irish Citizen Army during the 1916 Rising and War of Independence and fought on the anti-treaty side during the Irish Civil War.
Frederick Joseph Henry (1884-1921) was born in Dublin, the son of William Henry (1854-1910) and Catherine Henry (1854-1935). He is recorded in the 1901 census as a 17-year-old unmarried house painter living at 15 Love Lane, South Dock, Dublin with his parents, four of his of his five brothers, Francis (22), James (15), Patrick (19) and Robert (7), and his two sisters, Anne (10) and Margaret (13), and is recorded in the 1911 census as a 27-year-old married painter, resident as a boarder at 10 Gamble Street, Belfast.
Frederick was an early recruit to the Irish Volunteers, who held their first public meeting and enlistment rally at the Rotunda in Dublin on 25th of November 1913, Frederick joining the Irish Volunteers in November 1914, and subsequently transferring to the Irish Citizen Army in early 1915. During the 1916 Rising Francis saw service alongside his brother, Frederick, in the Irish Citizen Army, as part of the College of Surgeons garrison. He also saw service during the Irish War of Independence and died whilst "on the run" in May 1921.
James Joseph Henry (1886-1940) is recorded in the 1901 census as a 15 year old unmarried factory messenger resident at 15 Love Lane, South Dock, Dublin, with his parents, four of his brothers and two sisters, and in the 1911 census as a 25 year old married house painter resident in Mount Street Lower, South Dock, Dublin, with his 25 year old wife, Christina. His service papers file in the Irish Bureau of Military History confirms that he saw service during the 1916 Rising and War of Independence.
William Henry was born in Dublin in 1880. He is not recorded in the 1901 census of Ireland, but is recorded in the 1911 census as a 31 year old married painter living at 6 Smiths Cottages, Pembroke West, Dublin, with his 29 year old wife Mary Anne and 25 year old brother in law, His service papers file in the Irish Bureau of Military History confirms that he saw service during the Irish War of Independence, 1917-21, with the 3rd Battalion Dublin No. 1 Brigade, Oglaigh na hEireann (Old IRA).
The sixth Henry brother, Patrick Joseph, was born in Dublin in 1882 . He is recorded in the 1901 census as a 19 year old unmarried house painter resident at 15 Love Lane, South Dock, Dublin, with his parents, four of his brothers and two sisters. Patrick emigrated to England prior to the 1916 Rising (his daughter Elizabeth was born in Chorlton, Lancashire, in 1910) and did not see service in the 1916 Rising, War of Independence or Irish Civil War., and as a result was not entitled to any medals.
The Henry family were contemporaries of the Irish playwright Sean O'Casey (born John Casey), who was also a member of the Irish Citizen Army, rose to become its General Secretary, March-July 1914, and subsequently wrote a history of the Irish Citizen Army. His plays about working-class life in Dublin at the time of the 1916 Rising feature many characters who would have been immediately recognisable to the Henry family.
The Henry family and Sean O'Casey both grew up in the same area of Dublin, the Dublin docklands, the 1901 census return recording the Henry family as being resident in the South Docks area and the Casey (O'Casey) family in the North Docks area.
Sean O'Casey (1880-1964) is recorded as an unmarried 21 year old junior delivery clerk resident in Abercorn Road, North Dock, Dublin, with his mother and two brothers, and in the 1911 census return as a 31 year old railway labourer, again resident in Abercorn Road.
Letter accompanied by biographical details for Rory O'Connor and Robert Henry, extract 1901 and 1911 census for Robert Henry, and extract 1901 census for Rory O'Connor, copy applications (2) by Robert Henry for Military Service Pension and associated copy correspondence, and copy Military Pension Award Certificate (Special Allowance).
