Prison diary entries of James Whelan, Fron-goch camp

Description

Diary entries of James Whelan, dating from the 29th of April to the 4th of July, 1916, describing his imprisonment after the Easter Rising. The entries are written in pencil in very small script on a single piece of paper. Whelan describes his arrest and initial imprisonment in Richmond Barracks, before he was 'deported' to Stafford Gaol on half an hour's notice, without any charges being brought against him or communicated to his solicitor. Whelan writes about the conditions in the prison, including the bad food and the fact that the prisoners could not get mass. He then describes being moved to Frongoch, and the poor conditions and treatment by British soldiers there. James Whelan owned a publishing company in Dublin and was also a tobacconist. Though he had no direct involvement in the 1916 Rising, he was arrested and interned because of material he had published for Patrick Pearse. Donated by James Whelan's granddaughter. Míreanna ó chín lae James Whelan ón 29ú Aibreán go dtí an 4ú Iúil 1916 agus cur síos iontu ar scéal a ghabhála tar éis Éirí Amach na Cásca. Is le peann luaidhe a scríobhadh na míreanna seo. Cló an-mhion ar bhilleog amháin páipéir.Tá cur síos ag Whelan ar an uair a gabhadh é, agus ar thus príosúntachta i mBeairic Richmond sular cuireadh ar deoraíocht é go Príosún Stafford le fógra leathuaire agus gan é a chúiseamh ná scéal a chur chuig a dhlíodóir. Tá tuairisc i litreacha Whelan ar na cúinsí saoil sa bpríosún, agus an drochbhia. Séanadh an t-aifreann orthu. Tá scéal a aistrithe go Frongoch ann chomh maith, na cúinsí suaracha, agus an íde a chuir saighdiúirí na Breataine orthu.Bhí comhlacht foilsitheoireachta ag James Whelan i mBaile Átha Cliath, agus bhíodh sé ag díol tobac. Ní raibh páirt aige san Éirí Amach féin i 1916, ach gabhadh é agus cuireadh sa ngéibheann é de bharr an t-ábhar a d'fhoilsigh sé ar son Phádraig Mhic Phiarais.

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