Madam, - I am doing research on anarchism for a doctorate at the Centre for Irish Studies at NUI Galway. Contrary to a much prized image of the Irish as being cavalier, to say the least, about rules and regulations, there is very little evidence of sustained anarchic activity in this country.
Central to my thesis is one of the very few self-proclaimed anarchists in Irish history: Captain Jack White DSO, a Presbyterian from Antrim who fought in the Boer War, marched in the 1913 Lockout as first commander of the Irish Citizen Army, was arrested for sedition during the first World War, suffered at the hands of the DMP, the IRA and the RUC and participated in the Spanish Civil War. He was acquainted with the major figures of his day from Kitchener to the Kaiser, Connolly to O'Casey, liaised with Countess Markievicz and featured prominently in a novel by D.H. Lawrence. His father was Field Marshal Sir George White VC, hero of Ladysmith, a celebrity of Beckhamesque proportions in his day, featuring on biscuit tins, dinner plates, milk jugs and the like.
I would be grateful for any documents, mementos, reminiscences, photographs or whatever. Obviously the greatest of care would be taken with anything entrusted to me. I am, of course willing to travel to wherever any of this can be viewed or copied. - Yours, etc,
LEO KEOHANE, Centre for Irish Studies, NUI Galway. j.keohane1@nuigalway.ie