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Archiver > MAYO > 2001-04 > 0987640136


From: "conaught" <>
Subject: [MAYO] Easter Week Series #11
Date: Wed, 18 Apr 2001 17:28:56 -0700


Harry Boland - (1887-1922). He was a tailor and had a shop on Middle Abbey
Street, Dublin. He was a close friend and personal confidante of Michael
Collins. For several years they were inseparable and as close as brothers.
He was also a close friend of Eamon de Valera. He took part in the Easter
Rising in 1916 and was in Dartmoor Prison with de Valera until de Valera
was transferred to Maidstone Jail. Austin Stack and Thomas Ashe were also
in Dartmoor Prison with Boland. He served as Secretary in Sinn Fein;
Republican envoy to the U.S.; secretary to de Valera and lieutenant to
Michael Collins. He helped bring about the Pact that led to the signing of
the Treaty of 1921. During the War of Independence he worked closely with
Collins.

Boland was President of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. Along with de
Valera and Collins he was probably one of the most influential people during
this critical time in Ireland's history. According to Tim Pat Coogan 's
book about Michael Collins, without Boland, the "Sinn Fein effort would have
collapsed." With Collins he helped de Valera escape from Lincoln Prison in
England. He served as Deputy from Roscommon in Dail Eireann. Although he
held high office in the Irish Republican Brotherhood he voted against the
Treaty. After the fall of the Four Courts he helped reorganize the Irish
Republican Army in the Province of Leinster.

While in America he was replaced as Sinn Fein National Secretary by Hannah
Sheehy-Skefffington (the widow of the slain pacifist Francis
Sheehy-Skeffington who was killed while in prison during the 1916 Easter
Uprising). Collins had been concerned about the Executive Committee of Sinn
Fein and it's moderation and lack of willingness to be more militant and
felt there was a lot of hostility towards himself and those of the more
militant. This move against Harry Boland was proof of Collin's suspicions.
The Committee wanted to have more moderates and Boland didn't fit in with
their philosophy.

Both Harry and Michael Collins were in love with the same woman, Kitty
Kiernan. When Harry went on his mission to America he thought he was going
to marry Kitty and mentioned in a letter to her about honeymooning in
America. Upon his return from America he not only learned about the Treaty
but that Kitty was engaged to Michael Collins. He learned of this news
from Michael Collins.

When Collins signed the Treaty he knew there was a lot of intrigue and he
did not know who he could trust and these were men whom he had fought with
towards the realization of a free and independent Ireland. Collins wrote to
Boland warning him to beware that changes were taking place and to be
cautious of whom he trusted. Collins was unaware at this point that Boland
had come under the influence of de Valera in America and nowwas his
supporter.

On the night of July 31, 1922 while sleeping in a hotel room, soldiers of
the Free State Army broke into his room to arrest him. An inexperienced
soldier shot him. He died three days later.


© 2001
Margaret Kristich

All rights reserved

References:
The Irish Republic by Dorothy Macardle;Corgi Books 1968; London

The Green Flag Volume III Ourselves Alone by Robert Kee Penguin Books,
London.1972

Michael Collins, The Man Who Made Ireland by Tim Pat Coogan; p 124; Roberts
Rinehart Publishers; 1992; Boulder, Colorado

Michael Collins, The Man Who Won the War by T. Ryle Dwyer;Mercier Press,
Cork; 1990





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