Report of 25 January 1916

(NAI, CSO/JD/2/194)

The report of 25 January 1916 records visits to the shop of Thomas J Clarke, 75 Parnell Street, by Con Colbert, followed by Charles J Kickham, Diarmuid Lynch, Edward Daly, James J Buggy, MW O’Reilly and Joseph McGuinness.

The departure of Piaras Béaslaí by mail boat to Holyhead [Wales] and Denis McCullough by train to Belfast is noted.

Seán MacDiarmada and Diarmuid Lynch are observed together in 12 D’Olier Street.

A meeting in the office of the Irish Volunteers, 2 Dawson Street, is attended by Herbert ‘Barney’ Mellows, Michael J O’Rahilly, George Irvine and Patrick Ryan. A second meeting later in the evening is attended by Thomas MacDonagh, Éamon de Valera, Éamonn Duggan, William T Cosgrave and Con Colbert.

The arrival of Alfred Monaghan by train from Crossdoney [County Cavan] is noted.

The report concludes with details of the drilling of 55 members of the Irish Volunteers in the hall of 41 Parnell Square in the presence of FJ McCabe, Charles J Kickham and Seán MacDiarmada.

An annotation on the report asks ‘The Police have not yet reported service on D [Diarmuid] Lynch on the Home Secretary’s order’. A further annotation asks ‘Ch Commr [Chief Commissioner] Has it been served? To which a reply given on the 27 January 1916 states ‘The Under Secretary, Yes’.

For the full report please see Dublin Metropolitan Police (DMP) Detective Department report on the movement of Dublin extremists on 24 January 1916.