RootsChat.Com
Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Dublin => Topic started by: dathai on Wednesday 30 March 16 10:20 BST (UK)
-
Saw this on internet had to post as it bring's home effects of war
http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/1916-granny-was-a-freedom-fighter-but-never-spoke-about-it-1.2587063?ref=yfp
-
Thanks dathai, that certainly is a sobering reminder of the horrors everyone is forced to endure during any conflict.
As to my own granny I just know she always said she deserved my grandad's military pension more than he did, but why?
-
not knowing anything about your grandad but most likely he was out and about during all the troubles while the poor wife was left at home to hold the fort so to speak and if he was sent to Frongoch or any of those places how did she make ends meet during that period.
Having read some of the pension applications by widows in particular their treatment was abysmal,talk about red tape and bureaucracy and penny pinching so much for the proclamation's ideal's of equality for all citizens
-
dathai
That article is very interesting
My OH's grandmother in her pension application signed her letter "please believe in me"
To me it is poignant when you see that she and her family lived at a different address
when you look at civil records of births, deaths and marriages.
Her correspondence refers to her lifelong membership of Cumann na mBan and that
her husband was not able to pay their rent,
he worked for the GSWR at Kingsbridge (now Heuston) Station due to an accident at work;
no sick pay or state benefits to be had then.
He had served throughout WW1 and after he returned, he trained men who fought during the War of Independence and Civil War.
She gave Dr. Kathleen Lynn among others as her referee and described
unfortunately in very little detail, her role in Red Cross First Aid which include gun running!
Because of her nursing role, she must have seen first hand severe injuries and pain.
We cannot begin to understand how families lived a hundred years ago in small squalid places
with everyone bunking together as well they could, constantly uprooting and moving,
hopeful that they would have the rent at the end of the week, being without sanitation and running water,
cooking facilities at a bare minimum and often just an open fire creating hygiene and safety issues,
and heat not existent.
Sinann your Granny probably held the family together in those hard times while you grandfather had some glory in his actions!
The Pensions Board didn't believe in her and they got no pension.
-
I had letter's shown to me by the Family of a young lad who Joined the Free state army during Civil War having left the Merchant navy.
I was puzzled how within 9 months he had been promoted to Sgt Major, (turned out he had experience with heavy machine guns)...
he would be killed within those 9 month's and given a military funeral, his parents given a small amount in compensation.
A year after he was killed his mother wrote a hearfelt letter to his O/C looking for financial help,she reminded him that he had told her "If ever I can do anything for you contact me"..
The Father had fallen Ill, the Daughter was the breadwinner had lost her Job, and the family were losing their home due to Rent arrears.
I seen the reply on behalf of the Officer..
"There are no funds in place to help you" was the curt reply..what struck me was that the reply hadnt even been Signed.
-
They certainly were different times!
-
whats that old saying ''eaten bread is soon forgot''
-
or I remember a maternity nurse admonishing someone talking about the pains of labour by saying
"if God hadn't given women the ability to forget we wouldn't have repeat business!"
-
not knowing anything about your grandad but most likely he was out and about during all the troubles while the poor wife was left at home to hold the fort so to speak and if he was sent to Frongoch or any of those places how did she make ends meet during that period.
Having read some of the pension applications by widows in particular their treatment was abysmal,talk about red tape and bureaucracy and penny pinching so much for the proclamation's ideal's of equality for all citizens
Very true for many,
but I gave the wrong impression there, they weren't involved in 1916, they were in Westmeath, Grandad I know joined up after 1916 and they didn't marry until start of 1922, I know my gran and her sisters did stuff like carry messages, hide men on the run and bring arms into the country I just don't know what else, I do know my gran was shot at but that was the start of the Civil War.
I remember asking her for school about that time and she got very annoyed, wouldn't tell me anything and said they shouldn't be teaching us about stuff like that, it should all be forgotten.
-
There was a recent report done and published with the involvement of Charlie Weston who is a journalist for Irish Independent. Charlie has pure 1916 heritage in Fingal.
This looked at poverty and deprivation in 1916 and even Researcher said she was moved to tears reading the accounts.
I am aware of how poor my own grandparents / great grandparents were, some through demon drink it has to be said.
I kept hearing on RTE at weekend about how so many of the men were teachers and writers and poets, to me that is condescending as overwhelming majority were nothing of the kind.
-
I kept hearing on RTE at weekend about how so many of the men were teachers and writers and poets, to me that is condescending as overwhelming majority were nothing of the kind.
I don't think it's condescending. I think it's a fact that many of the leaders were poets, writers and teachers. Not all of them - Tom Clarke was a tobacconist.
Many of the rank and file were quite ordinary people - skilled and unskilled working-class, small shopkeepers. And some were very well-off indeed.