Robert Monteith Fund / Bound Document and Photographic Volume

A bound volume containing correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings, and printed ephemera relating to the fund established by Fr. Senan Moynihan OFM Cap. to assist the veteran Irish republican Robert Monteith. Born in County Wicklow, Monteith was a British Army soldier who saw service in the Boer War (1899-1902). He was discharged from the army in 1903 and later joined the Irish Volunteers. In 1915 he was asked to travel to Berlin to assist Roger Casement in recruiting a brigade from amo

Details

Level of description
File
Date
1948-1953
Reference
36
Extent and medium
254 pp; 33.5 cm x 20 cm; Bound volume, clipping, manuscript, typescript, photographic print and printed
Scope and content
A bound volume containing correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings, and printed ephemera relating to the fund established by Fr. Senan Moynihan OFM Cap. to assist the veteran Irish republican Robert Monteith. Born in County Wicklow, Monteith was a British Army soldier who saw service in the Boer War (1899-1902). He was discharged from the army in 1903 and later joined the Irish Volunteers. In 1915 he was asked to travel to Berlin to assist Roger Casement in recruiting a brigade from among Irish prisoners-of-war held in Germany. Monteith is probably best remembered for having accompanied Casement to Ireland on board a German submarine in April 1916. They were put ashore at Banna Strand in Tralee Bay, County Kerry, with Monteith pulling Casement (who was drowning in the surf) to safety. Casement was subsequently captured, tried, and executed, while Monteith spent six months on the run including a period when he was hidden by Capuchin friars in Rochestown in County Cork. He subsequently escaped to the United States working in disguise as a sailor on a merchant vessel. Montieth returned to Ireland in May 1947. Fr. Senan Moynihan, Fr. Gerald McCann, and other Capuchin friars later established and managed a public fund which enabled Montieth and his wife Mollie to purchase a house in Dublin. However, his residence in Ireland proved to be a short one (six years). Monteith returned to the United States in 1953, and he died there on 18 February 1956. The volume includes numerous letters to Fr. Senan enclosing contributions to the Montieth fund. The file includes letters from Joe McGrath, Bishop John Dignan, Canon Patrick Rogers, Domhnall Ua Buachalla, D.L. Kelleher, Daniel Joseph O’Donohoe (Sefton, Stillorgan, County Dublin), Daniel Corkery, Germaine Stockley, Fr. Bonaventure Murphy OFM Cap., Eamon Dore, Richard Hayes, Seán Mac Giobúin, Michael J. Lennon, George Gavan Duffy, M.J. MacCabe, Bishop William MacNeely, Bishop Daniel Mageean, Joseph O’Connor (‘Jocandus’), John McHenry, An t-Athair Peadar Mac Loingsigh, Tom McEllistrim, Michael MacWhite (Irish Legation, Rome), Oscar Traynor, Patrick McCartan, Doran Hurley, Robert Brennan, John Joe Sheehy, Frank Gallagher, Joseph A. McCarthy, P.C. O’Mahony, Thomas D. Sinnott, Maud Gonne MacBride, Eihblín Ní Chróinin, John English, Margaret Mary Pearse, Major General Aodh MacNeill, Agnes O’Farrelly, Seamus Campbell, Seán Brady, and Joseph Rice (Outrath, County Kilkenny). The volume also includes photographs and clippings covering a presentation ceremony organised to honour Monteith and various legal documents relating to the purchase of the house for the Monteith and his wife in Sutton in County Dublin.
General note
For biographical information on Robert Monteith (1879-1956) see https://www.dib.ie/biography/monteith-robert-a5892
Repository
Irish Capuchin Archives
Context
Irish Capuchin Archives > Papers of 'The Capuchin Annual' and the Irish Capuchin Publications Office > Papers of Fr. Senan Moynihan OFM Cap. > Bound Photographic and Document Volumes

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Sample passages

  • In reply to your letter Re Monteith fund - two years ago before he came home I tried to get something done for him. I was funch Co-operation and asked Mrs. M. W. O'Reilly, Manager,…
  • As regards Monteith's pension - Mrs DeVelesa, some years ago, brought in a "bill" to enable 1916 men if idle, too old to work, or will be paid about a 90 to 100 yearly i.e. their p…
  • I had intended when reat in Dublin. to try to see Mr. J. McClligott, Secretary Dept. of Finance, and a 1916 man, and esk him how Monteith should go about the matter. You may know M…
Full Transcript (OCR, 49 pages)

Machine-generated OCR transcript. Handwritten material may contain recognition errors.

Page 1

THE CAPUCHIN ANNUAL OFFICE Editors : Father Senan, O.F.M.Cap. Father Gerald, O.F.M.Cap. TELEPHONE: 74121. CONFIDENTIAL CHURCH STREET DUBLIN P. O. Box 105 20 October, 1948. The Capuchin Annual Bonaventura The Father Mathew Record Joseph McGrath, Esq., Cabinteely House, Cabinteely, Co. Dublin. A Chara dhil, It has come to my knowledge that after forty years of the most devoted and self-sacrificing work for Ireland — and, as we all know, not only at home but in Germany and America; and by the written and spoken word as well as in action — Captain Monteith, now over seventy years of age, is living in anything but luxury (his military pension from the Irish Government is £46 a year) in a wooden bungalow in Co. Wicklow. Brightly as the bungalow is kept by Mrs. Monteith who has always been as brave and as steadfast in the Irish cause as her husband) it is by no means a suitable residence for them at their age. It is exposed, cold and remote. They are away from their Dublin friends and though Captain Monteith is as ready THE CAPUCHIN ANNUAL OFFICE The Capuchin Annual Bonaventura The Father Mathew Record at seventy as he was at twenty to take the rough with the smooth and has not even once hinted at his difficulties to me, I have succeeded in getting some idea of how heavily they weigh upon him. Father Gerald and I have been thinking over the problem and have come to the conclusion that it could in a large part be solved if they had a warm, comfortable house in Dublin city. Such a house with the necessary furniture could, I am sure, be secured for them even at the present time for about £2,000 - £3,000. It would make all the difference to them. So I am appealing to a small number of people to make up the necessary amount to buy a suitable house as soon as reasonably possible, so that they might be settled in town by Christmas or, at the latest, early in the New Year and thus avoid spending the hardest part of the winter in a cold and remote spot. I feel I can count on you, as one who has a fine CHURCH STREET DUBLIN P. O. Box 105 The Capuchin Annual Bonaventura The Father Mathew Record sense of what is due to those who have given disinterested service to Ireland, to help to pay this debt of honour that the Irish nation owes to Captain Monteith. And, because of its urgency, you will understand why I appeal to you in this personal and private way that will make it possible to put the scheme through as quickly as possible and with the greatest advantage to the two good people whom every Irishman and woman should deem it a duty to honour. With kindest greetings to you. I should like to add that there will be no publicity in connection with this matter. But, of course, a list of subscribers and their subscriptions will be given to Captain Monteith. And the key of his new home will be formally handed to him at a function in his honour to be held in Dublin at Christmas or early in January. CHURCH STREET DUBLIN P. O. Box 105 Yours sincerely,

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