My ancestors - Cashel - Contents
Alice Cashel
Alice Cashel, 1921.
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Alice Cashel, Sinn Fein activist and County Councillor,
born July 1878,
apparently educ at University of Cambridge, poss. women's BA, must be either Girton College (est 1869) or Newnham College (est 1871),
she is listed
in
[Census, 1901]
as a teacher, and undergraduate at
R.U.I.,
staying in a house in Platin, Co Meath,
wit her sister Kathleen's mar 1904,
member of
Gaelic League (est 1893),
supporter of
Sinn Fein
as early as her brother-in-law
James O'Mara c.1907
[Lavelle, 1961],
living with her father in Cork in 1911 census,
she is at "teacher training college",
speaks Irish (only one in family listed as speaking Irish),
early member of
Cumann na mBan (est 1914),
her and her sister Kathleen
were great friends with the Cork republican family,
the MacSwiney's,
Al took part with the MacSwiney's in plans for the 1916 Rising in Cork,
later countermanded,
appointed full-time organiser of
Cumann na mBan, Feb 1918
[Ward, 1983],
campaigned for
Arthur Griffith
(of Sinn Fein, in jail at the time)
in East Cavan by-election June 1918
(in which Griffith was elected),
acted as judge in Sinn Fein courts
in War of Independence,
elected Sinn Fein member of Galway County Council
15th Jan 1920,
she became "Vice-Chairman" of the Co. Council,
Cashel House
was raided by the British military, Apr 1920,
she escaped through the woods behind the house and away up the mountain,
captured in raid a week later, spent 1 week in Galway Gaol, returned to great reception,
Al spent much time "on the run" in Connemara,
Cashel House raided again a few times in summer of 1920,
Eithne O'Mara remembered c.1920, age c.12,
Cashel House raided, Aunt Al fled up
Cashel Hill,
Eithne trekking up hill, bringing food up to her,
only to find she had headed off the other side
down to a friend in the next valley, Eithne most annoyed,
taught in Mary MacSwiney's school,
St. Ita's School for girls, Cork
when Mary MacSwiney was in the US on republican work (end 1920 - end 1921),
Galway County Council passed a famous peace resolution
3rd Dec 1920,
repudiating the authority of the Dail and
calling on the Dail to negotiate a truce with the British,
she led successful attempt to overturn this resolution,
she was arrested again Feb 1921, held in Galway Gaol,
sentenced to 6 months, Mar 1921,
"but we were proud of her - an aunt important enough to be in prison"
[Pat Lavelle],
her sister Agnes wrote from the US,
"You are splendid. I wish I could go and see you.",
obituary says she spent 1 year in Galway Jail,
she opposed
the Treaty, Dec 1921,
lived Cashel Cottage, nr Cashel House,
lectured in UCG,
poss. taught subject on H.Dip. course,
didn't marry,
she wrote novels,
author of The lights of Leaca Bán (or Lackabawn), think fiction,
Dublin, 1935,
[NLI]
Ir 82389 c90,
was used in schools,
translated into Irish as
An Leaca Bhán, 1946,
[TCD]
Santry 97.s.223,
worked for a time in the Revenue Department,
Dublin Castle,
later lived Roundstone, Connemara, Co.Galway
(heading W out of Roundstone, house was in the middle of a small block
on the RHS, still there),
her nephew Steen O'Mara
(who didn't marry) stayed with her a lot
[Muffie de Courcy],
living Roundstone at death,
died 22nd Feb 1958, Regional Hospital, Galway,
age 79 yrs
[GROI].
See obituary, 1958.
"After Aunt Al's return from jail" (1920 or 1921), with the O'Mara's at Cashel House.
Think Back (Left to Right): Una, Maureen, Eileen, Steen,
and Middle (Left to Right): Sheila, Eithne.
Front: Alice Cashel.
Alice Cashel.
See full size.
Back: Eithne, Dick, ---.
Front: Alice Cashel.
1932.
Alice Cashel's house in Roundstone (middle house of block),
c.1940.
See full size.
