IRL-KERRY-L Archives

From: Helen M Ashe <>
Subject: [KER] Easter Uprising
Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2002 14:53:42 -0700

In recent discussions on the Easter Uprising, several Co. Kerry names
have been mentioned. Let me
add one more. Tomas Aghas (Thomas Ashe) from Kinard, Co. Kerry, was
commandant of the Fifth
Battalion of the Fingal Volunteers. Details of his life and the
activities leading up to that fateful Sunday,
April 23, 1916, can be found in a small booklet that may still be
available in some of the Kerry bookstores.
The book is titled simply THOMAS ASHE, 1885 - 1917. Tom was imprisoned
twice, the first time at
Kilmainham with Eamon DeValera , Thomas Hunter and others who were
sentenced to death by a court martial. They served six months at
Dartmoor then were transferred to Lewes Prison where they
served six more months. Under pressure, Prime Minister David Lloyd
George released the Irish
prisoners on June 15, 1917 and they returned to Ireland.

Tom remained active in speaking out for the freedom he so ardently
desired . After only two months of freedom, he was arrested again and
was imprisoned with, among ohers, Austin Stack and
Fionan Lynch. At Mountjoy prison they were treated as ordinary
criminals. Insisting that
they were political prisoners and should be treated as such, their
demands were refused so they
went on a hunger strike in protest. After several days, Tom Ashe was
force-fed and later reports were
that an inept person did not insert the tube properly and food went into
Tom's lungs. He became quite
ill and was taken to Mater Hospital in Dublin where he died on September
25, 1917.

Thus the life of a dedicated and very talented man came to a tragic end
- much too soon. He was a
beloved teacher, a poet and musician, social idealist, an activist in
the restoration of the Gaelic language.
A man willing to give his life for the freedom of his beloved Ireland.

Sean O Luing, I DIE IN A GOOD CAUSE a study of Thomas Ashe, idealist
and revolutionary,
Anvil Books, 1970 gives a detailed account of the life and activities of
this remarkable man.

Thomas Ashe, just one more of the many patriots Co. Kerry can take pride
in.

Submitted by:
Helen Ashe, a name I proudly bear.

This thread:

• [KER] Easter Uprising by Helen M Ashe <>