Report of 19 February 1916

(NAI, CSO/JD/2/212)

The report of 19 February 1916 states that Thomas J Clarke paid a brief visit to his shop at 75 Parnell Street. Following his departure, the shop is visited throughout the day by a number of individuals, including Con Colbert, James O’Sullivan, Edward Daly, Frank Fahy, John McGarry and John R Reynolds.

A meeting in the office of the Irish Volunteers, 2 Dawson Street, is attended by Bulmer Hobson, Michael O’Hanrahan, Michael J O’Rahilly, Thomas Hunter and Herbert ‘Barney’ Mellows. O’Hanrahan is later observed in the same location in the company of JJ Walsh. A second meeting later that evening is again attended by O’Hanrahan, along with FJ McCabe, John E Lyons, Éamon de Valera, Thomas MacDonagh, James Coleman and Joseph Byrne.

It is stated that Coleman and Byrne ‘reside at 2 Camden Place. Coleman is by trade a Blacksmith, and Byrne a Hairdresser. Both are members of the Sinn Fein Volunteers’.

The report concludes with details of a debate, held at 41 Rutland Square, entitled ‘Do we want peace now?’, the main speaker being Francis Sheehy-Skeffington. The event, the proceedings of which are described as being ‘of no importance’, is attended by around 100 people, including James Connolly, William O’Brien, Seán MacDiarmada, John McGarry, John R Reynolds, John Milroy, George Irvine, Frank Fahy, James J Buggy, Edward Daly, James Stritch, Mrs [Hanna] Sheehy-Skeffington, Mrs [Jennie] Wyse Power and Countess [Constance] Markievicz.

Copies are included of the latest issues of The Workers’ Republic and The Spark. Also included is the first issue of a ‘new weekly paper-The Eye Opener-published and printed by Flynn and O’Brien, 7 College Street’.

For the full report please see Dublin Metropolitan Police (DMP) Detective Department report on the movement of Dublin extremists on 18 February 1916.