New letters reveal how the insurgents' failure to cut phone lines to the Curragh meant the Rising ended as soon as it began, writes Eanna MacCuinneagáinof Cathach Books
Two letters from the Vice Regal Lodge (now Áras an Uachtaráin), acquired by Cathach Books give an interesting contemporary account of the 1916 Easter Rising as seen from the Viceroy's home in the Phoenix Park.
The letters, which were recently auctioned by the family in England, were written by Alice Wimborne, wife of the then lord lieutenant - Ivor Churchill Guest - to her mother, Lady Ebury. It's the first time they have appeared.
Alice Wimborne (Alice Katherine Sibell Grosvenor) was the great granddaughter of Henry, the first Lord Annaly, who in turn was the son of Luke White the self-made millionaire - lottery winner, printer, bookseller and owner of Luttrellstown Castle.
Ivor Churchill Guest, First Viscount Wimborne (1873-1939), became Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1915 and served in that post for three difficult years. He was the son of Sir Ivor Bertie Guest and Lady Cornelia Henrietta Spencer Churchill. He was a cousin of Winston Churchill, who pressed his claims upon prime minister Asquith, that he be appointed lord lieutenant.
May 2nd, 1916, Tuesday
My darling Mummie, it has all calmed down now but it's been a terrible time. one more awful tragedy in this beloved land, it makes my heart ache. I am sorry you were anxious. well darling we had been anxious about Sein Fane (sic) for some time past. Ivor all along took a grave view and tried his best to get more troops, more everything, but was not listened to. I don't want to blame anybody but I tell you this for your private information. Had he his way this never would have happened or at any rate might never have happened. I think everyone did their best but they were wrong and he was right. You know the position of the Lord Lieutenant; he can only suggest but has no power. On Saturday morning Sir Roger Casement was captured and the connection between Sein Fane and Germany established. His Excellency urged instant action - impossible to carry others with him. He said he was prepared to stake all his political reputation on arresting all the leaders, but no one else had his courage. We had been going up to Belfast on the Bank Holiday but he put his journey off telling me to go on there in order not to draw too much public attention to change of plans. So convinced was he of danger that he told the military secretary to make arrangements for me to drive right round by the North Circular Road, so as to avoid the town . . . Monday came, I was washing my hands for luncheon when I was rung up and told to stay in my bedroom. Sein Faners had attacked the Castle and might come here. I went down and found Ivor very calm but very white. He begged me to go to Headford I told him I would sooner die. He didn't insist & we sent all the girls & children. Ivor tried to telephone - every communication out. The report came up from the police to say the rebels were marching in force to the Vice Regal Lodge. We got the children & girls in the two Broughams . . . & were standing waiting & someone had the brilliant inspiration of Luttrellstown. I was so thankful to see them go that nothing mattered. I must tell you that everything we possessed in the Vice Regal Lodge was gone to Belfast . . . for we had a big dinner that night. There were ten men on the guard to defend this place, no means of getting more soldiers. We were absolutely defenceless & at the mercy of the enemy . . . It being Bank Holiday everyone was away. The Under Secretary Nathan (thank God) was locked up in the Castle which was besieged. General Frend Commanding the forces was in England. Upon Ivor and upon Ivor only could Ireland, all of us rely, to pull us through & magnificently he did it . . . Saw that troops such as these were being marched on to the Castle and learned to our ineffable joy that the only wire that had not been cut was the one to the Curragh & that the troops were on their way. Had this been cut, I think we were done . . . He got the big guns up from Athlone & got a detachment sent to Kingstown, which he said must be guarded as our one link with England . . . tried wiring to England, wire cut . . . all this not really knowing what the situation really was, communications were so cut it was impossible to know anything. He got a wire through to London for more troops at last - for he had to consider was there more behind this than met the eye? Could the populace empathise? Could the Irish troops fire on their countrymen? Was Germany trying to raid Ireland from the South Coast, the immensity of the problem & its dangers, the limitations of our own defences & communications was almost despairing. He warned the Admiral of the Port to wireless at once to the Admiralty & warn them that this might be accompanied by an attack on the South Coast by Germany. He decided to proclaim Martial Law on his own authority in Dublin & Co Dublin. In fact, when time was everything, we had to wait for the troops from England . . . before General Maxwell arrived. He came when the thing was done, but is excellent at rounding it all off & am very glad he is here. All Tuesday & Wednesday we were in agony least the provinces should rise. Varying news came in, bad & good, but the suspense was terrible. There is no doubt that what influenced them was the proclamation that Ivor issued and the communiqué, all showing that the Govt was keeping its head & the rebels position where it was strongest was a very bad one.
Meanwhile they did not come to the Vice Regal, no one can explain, we were there for them to take, but they went to the Powder Magazine in the Phoenix Park . . they held up the Castle by shooting at it from the Town Hall, they held up all Sackville St . . . The children are back from Luttrellstown, which they loved . . . I am well, though I have felt the strain terribly. Ivor is very well & seems none the worse in any way. Half Sackville St is in ruins . . . 50 casualties & 100 wounded . . . It is a tragedy . . . We are strongly guarded of course & daren't move . . .
Much love darling,
From Alice
May 5th, 1916, Friday
All danger I think is over now . . . The situation is well in hand now but both the responsibility which His Excellency had all Monday & Tuesday was quite terrible. I think he acted with great resolution & promptitude & saved the situation . . . The rebels has cut all communications & if they had cut the wire to the Curragh, which thank God was the only one left untouched we could never have got the troops up & I think the game would have been up . . . . The rebels are in houses & shoot at the troops so as to effectively prevent them from coping . . . street fighting is more difficult to cope with, than any other form.
I sent the children down to Luttrellstown when the alarm was given. Is it not curious that your grandchildren should seek shelter from a most pressing danger in your old house? They loved it & brought me up flowers from there yesterday & wrote to you from there but you won't get the letters I fear. All love to you and father & do not worry for us but for poor beloved Ireland who must always make trouble for her dear self & those connected with her. After this is over I will write you a full account.
Your loving, Alice
LIEUT COL SIR Matthew Nathan, Under-Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant, was aware of Roger Casement's attempt to procure German arms. When he learned that the German ship The Aud bearing the arms had been captured, he knew that a successful Rising could not succeed and felt that the crisis had passed. He does not seem to have considered the possibility that the Rising could still take place regardless of the virtual certainty of failure. The day before the Rising Wimborne expressed his unease (he wanted a raid to be made on Liberty Hall first thing on Monday morning, April 24th) but Nathan tried to allay his fears, arguing that there was no immediate danger. Had Wimborne's words been acted upon the course of Irish history would have been dramatically changed. It is clear from these letters that a power vacuum existed from Saturday until Tuesday of Easter week, when the viceroy took control of the serious situation. It is interesting to speculate what might have transpired, had the rebels cut the wire to the Curragh? Had they taken the Vice Regal Lodge which was "completely at their mercy" and captured Ivor Churchill Guest? Had Eoin McNeill not countermanded the order for volunteer manoeuvres "we were in agony lest the provenances should rise?"