Kitty Kiernan and Greystones

Kitty Kiernan often visited Greystones.

She had gone to school nearby

in the Loreto Boarding School, Bray, Co. Wicklow.

It was there in November 1908 that Kitty and her sisters

were told by the Mother Superior the sad news

that they had to return home immediately as their mother had died.

This was a shock to the sisters, particularly as it had been their father who had been ill.

Three months later their father also was dead.

 

The family were very unlucky.

The previous year, their nineteen year old twin sisters had died of TB (tuberculosis):

their sister Lily at home in Granard

and Rose in a hospital in Davos, Switzerland,

where she went in the hope of being cured.

Now the four teenage sisters and their brother Larry were orphans.

girls make history-3Creative Commons License Maria Morri via Compfight

Kitty got engaged to Michael Collins in the Grand Hotel in Greystones

(now known as The La Touche Hotel) on Saturday, 8th October 1921.

Locals say they were planning to buy Brooklands on Trafalgar Rd.,

and live there after they married. 

 

Michael Collins was killed in an ambush in Béal na Bláth before that could happen.

The ambush happened on the 22nd August 1922.

 

While they were dating Kitty and Michael had written hundreds of letters to each other.

The first was written by Collins in February or March 1919

and the last was from Kitty on 17th August 1922.

 

On Thursday May 4 1922 there was one addressed to

‘Miss Kiernan No 10’ in Greystones.

It started:

“Kitty dear, I knocked very gently on your door

but there was no answer and I didn’t have the heart to wake you up”

She stayed for some of the time in the Grand Hotel in Greystones while she was ill.

In one of her last letters to Collins, Kitty Kiernan had written:

‘l was terrified that you would take all kinds of risks

and how I wished to be near you

so that I could put my arms tightly around your neck

and that nothing could happen to you.

I wouldn’t be a bit afraid when I’d be beside you,

and if you were killed I’d be dying with you

and that would be great and far better

than if I were left alone behind.

I’d be very much alone if you were gone.

Nothing could change that, and all last week

and this I’ve realized it and that’s what makes it so hard’.

Two Women; Kitty Kiernan and Sinead De Valera – Their Stories, their Connections to Greystones and Their Place in History

 

Introduction

The Irish Free State was an independent state established

on 6th December 1922

under the Anglo Irish Treaty of December 1921.

That treaty ended the Irish War of Independence between

the forces of the Irish Republic and the British forces.

The Easter Rising in 1916 had not been popular with the public.

But the execution of the leaders, changed people’s minds.

On Display at the Museum of Decorative Arts, Dublin. Lynn Gallagher via Compfight

 

This is the story of two women, with links to Greystones,

who had links to people fighting for Irish  freedom

in the lead up to the foundation of the Irish state.

 

You can read their stories below.

Or you can download a powerpoint of their stories here:

Two Women; Their Story & Their Place in History 

 

Kitty Kiernan

The powerpoint tells the story of Kitty Kiernan.

Kitty was engaged to Michael Collins.

They got engaged in The La Touche Hotel on Saturday, 8th October 1921.

Locals say they were planning to buy ‘Brooklands’ on Trafalgar Road,

and live there after they married.

Kitty hoped to have a double wedding with her sister Maud,

who was due to marry her fiancé Gearóid O Sullivan.

 

Michael Collins was assassinated at Beal na Bláth, County Cork

on 22nd August 1922.

At his funeral there were hundreds of wreaths

but only one floral tribute was allowed on the flag-covered coffin;

a single white peace lily.

It was from Kitty Kiernan.

 

Two months later, in October 1922,

Kitty attended Gearóid and Maud’s wedding,

dressed in black,

as she continued to mourn the loss of Michael Collins.

 

Sinéad  De Valera

The powerpoint also tells the story of Sinéad  De Valera.

Sinéad and her children lived in Greystones,

at Craig Liath, Kinlen Road, in the Burnaby

for five years from September 1917 until October 1922.

 Craig Liath was originally called Howbury.

If you are looking for it in the Burnaby it is called Edenmore now.

 

Éamon fought in the 1916 Rising.

In a note from De Valera to his wife Sinéad, written from Boland’s Bakery he wrote:

‘If I die pray for me. Kiss our children for me. Tell them their father died doing his duty.…

We showed that there were Irish men who, in face of great odds would dare what they said’.

.  

Her husband Éamon was sentenced to death after the 1916 Rising.

This sentence  was commuted to penal servitude for life.

After the Rising, Éamon De Valera was taken prisoner.

On 8 May 1916 he was sentenced to death for his part in the Rising.

Later that sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.

 

Their fifth child Ruairí De Valera was born on 3rd November 1916

while his father was still in prison.

Having spent time in Mountjoy Jail in Dublin, Dartmoor Jail, Devon,

Maidstone Jail, Kent, Lewes Jail, Sussex and Pentonville Prison

on 16 June 1917 he was released from prison under a general amnesty.

In October 1917 he was elected President of Sinn Féin

 

In his book, ‘De Valera, A Will to Power’, Ronan Fanning explains

‘As president of Sinn Féin, De Valera was voted an annual salary of £500 a year

that enabled him to improve the material circumstances of his family he was to see so rarely before 1925 –

they now had five children – by renting a house in Greystones, on the railway line fifteen miles south of Dublin’.

 

Éamon went to America to raise funds

for the fight for Irish freedom.

Michael Collins visited the family every week,

bringing money and food parcels.

 

The De Valera’s eldest children Máirín De Valera

said that the

‘younger children could not remember my father

– my mother overheard Brian and Ruairí discussing him,

‘Who is Dev?’

‘I think he’s Mummy’s father’’

 

So Sinéad kept their large family together

during the times her husband was in jail,

in America,

on the run,

or busy with politics.

 

Her son Terry De Valera in his memoirs

describes his mother’s life as

‘anxious, stressful and exceptionally long’.

 

Many history books tell the story of

Michael Collins and Éamon De Valera.

We think Kitty Kiernan and Sinéad De Valera

deserve their place in history too.

 

The Gifford Sisters also found themselves involved

in the struggle for Irish freedom through their husbands.

You can read about their stories HERE.

Dramatic Piece – Women of the Revolution

Mr. Dodd’s 6th class prepared this piece for the opening of the

La Touche Legacy ‘Festival of History,’ September 2017.

Opening Quote:

‘We are ready to fight for the Ireland we love

Be the chances great or small:

We are willing to die for the flag above

Be the chances nothing at all.’

A verse from ‘Easter 1916’ by Constance Markievicz published in the ‘Worker’s Republic’

on Easter Saturday, 22nd of April 1916.

This opening quote reflects the strength of character and conviction

that many women had at the time of rebellion.

This was the strength that led to the eventual foundation of the state and republic.

The role and strength of women during this era in our national history came from the unlikeliest of sources.

Today we will examine the lives of some of these women,

and the transition they mad to becoming inextricably linked to rebellion.

We will also look at the interesting connections they had with our local area here in Greystones.

The Memoir of Grace Gifford (imagined)

Oh how I love Greystones! Two months of merriment and fun to be filled picnics, swimming, long evening strolls in the sunshine, tennis parties, musical nights and numerous social gatherings. Our annual trip here brings us so much pleasure, even though there is always some arguing when the packing begins, (Mother can be such a strict taskmaster!), the familiarity of the Sugarloaf and Greystones harbour settles us all. I just cannot wait to begin sketching and painting.

The train is always so busy! We travelled through Blackrock, Kingstown, Dalkey and Killiney before finally reaching Bray, then on to Greystones.

Muriel and I become very excited when the train comes to a halt. We look forward with great intent to visiting the North and South Beaches. Finally!, our white-gabled house that overlooks the sea. It stands welcoming and proud on Marine Road.

Historical account of the life of Grace Gifford

Grace’s life was to take an extraordinary turn of events when she became involved in political issues.

She was raised through the Protestant faith and studied art in both Dublin and London. She became a caricaturist for the Irish Review, which was edited by Joseph Plunkett.

After Plunkett’s proposal of marriage to her in 1915, Grace was received into the Catholic Church. They planned to marry on Easter Sunday 1916. Plunkett was arrested, however, due to his involvement in the 1916 Rising.

On hearing the devastating news that her beloved was to be shot by firing squad in Kilmainham Gaol she managed to persuade the military authorities to allow them to marry.

On the 3rd of May, four hours before Joseph Plunkett was executed, the couple became husband and wife in the prison chapel.

Grace then devoted her life to political duties, and was elected to the Sinn Féin executive in 1917. She was arrested during the Civil War. Her artistic work continued to be published in various newspapers and magazines. She passed away in 1955 and was buried with full military honours.

Musical Piece: Song-Grace

The Memoir of Kitty Kiernan (imagined)

                                                                                                                        8th October 1921

Dear Diary,

It has been such a wonderful day. Michael brought me out to the beautiful Grand Hotel in Greystones, which is furnished in the most luxurious style. I could never have believed, growing up in Granard, Co. Longford, that I would ever visit such a splendid place in such a picturesque location.

Michael has expressed his true affections for me and has proposed marriage. I feel overwhelmed and truly excited. My mind is racing with thoughts of planning for such an occasion. Dresses and shoes, flowers and music …

Historical account of the life of Kitty Kiernan

Unfortunately, Kitty’s marriage to Michael Collins never took place. Due to the progression of the Civil War, the couple were delayed in setting a wedding date.

Michael was assassinated by the Anti-Treaty Irregular forces at Béal na mBláth, Co. Cork.

Kitty later married Felix Cronin, a general in the Irish army and had two sons.

Musical Piece: Song-Óró ‘Sé do bheatha abhaile

The Memoir of Sinéad de Valera

‘Is mise Sinéad Ní Fhlannagáin. Múinim Gaeilge le Conradh na Gaeilge i lár na cathrach. Bím an-ghnóthach na laethanta seo mar tá mé i mo bhall den eagraíocht ‘Inghinide na hÉireann le Maud Gonne. Tá dalta nua i mo rangsa. Éamon de Valera is ainm dó…'( í ag brionglóideach faoi).

Historical account of the life of Sinéad Ní Fhlannagáin

Sinéad Ní Fhlannagáin later married this student, Éamon de Valera in 1910. Together they had five sons and two daughters, Vivion, Éamon, Brian, Ruairí, Terence, Máirín and Emer.

Following the 1916 Rising, de Valera spent a long period of time in America raising support and funding for the cause back home. Sinéad remained in Greystones, living quietly with her children at Craig Liath, Kinlen Road in the Burnaby.

Michael Collins regularly travelled by bicycle to Greystones, avoiding detection from the British forces to bring Sinéad money and supplies.

Musical Piece: Tin Whistles-Fáinne Geal an Lae