Alice Cashel

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# Alice Cashel

"After Aunt Al's return from jail" (1920 or 1921), with the O'Mara's.
think Back (Left to Right): Una, Maureen, Eileen (NOT the other way round), Steen,
and Middle (Left to Right): Sheila, Eithne.
Front: Alice Cashel.
Cashel House. See full size.

Alice Cashel, Sinn Fein activist and County Councillor,
born 17th July 1878,
apparently educ at University of Cambridge, poss. women's BA, must be either Girton College (est 1869) or Newnham College (est 1871),
member of Gaelic League (est 1893),
wit her sister Kathleen's mar 1904,

supporter of Sinn Fein as early as her brother-in-law James O'Mara c.1907 [Lavelle, 1961],
early member of Cumann na mBan (est 1914),
her and her sister Kathleen were great friends with the Cork republican family, the MacSwiney's,
Al took part with the MacSwiney's in plans for the 1916 Rising in Cork, later countermanded,
appointed full-time organiser of Cumann na mBan, Feb 1918 [Ward, 1983],
campaigned for Arthur Griffith (of Sinn Fein, in jail at the time) in East Cavan by-election June 1918 (in which Griffith was elected),
acted as judge in Sinn Fein courts in War of Independence,

elected Sinn Fein member of Galway County Council 15th Jan 1920, she became "Vice-Chairman" of the Co. Council,
Cashel House was raided by the British military, Apr 1920, she escaped through the woods behind the house and away up the mountain, captured in raid a week later, spent 1 week in Galway Gaol, returned to great reception,
Al spent much time "on the run" in Connemara, Cashel House raided again a few times in summer of 1920,
Eithne O'Mara remembered c.1920, age c.12, Cashel House raided, Aunt Al fled up Cashel Hill, Eithne trekking up hill, bringing food up to her, only to find she had headed off the other side down to a friend in the next valley, Eithne most annoyed,
taught in Mary MacSwiney's school, St. Ita's School for girls, Cork when Mary MacSwiney was in the US on republican work (end 1920 - end 1921),
Galway County Council passed a famous peace resolution 3rd Dec 1920, repudiating the authority of the Dail and calling on the Dail to negotiate a truce with the British,
she led successful attempt to overturn this resolution,
she was arrested again Feb 1921, held in Galway Gaol, sentenced to 6 months, Mar 1921, "but we were proud of her - an aunt important enough to be in prison" [Pat Lavelle], her sister Agnes wrote from the US, "You are splendid. I wish I could go and see you.",
obituary says she spent 1 year in Galway Jail,
she opposed the Treaty, Dec 1921,

lived Cashel Cottage, nr Cashel House,
lectured in UCG, poss. taught subject on H.Dip. course, didn't marry,
she wrote novels,
author of The lights of Leaca Bán (or Lackabawn), think fiction, Dublin, 1935, [NLI] Ir 82389 c90, was used in schools,
translated into Irish as An Leaca Bhán, 1946, [TCD] Santry 97.s.223,
worked for a time in the Revenue Department, Dublin Castle,
later lived Roundstone, Connemara, Co.Galway (heading W out of Roundstone, house was in the middle of a small block on the RHS, still there),
her nephew Steen O'Mara (who didn't marry) stayed with her a lot [Muffie de Courcy],

[Pat Lavelle] remembered her and Jim Sullivan arguing over who had a claim to the Blennerhassett estate in Co.Kerry,
she had her unproven Cashel descent from Blennerhassett, while he maintained that the old castle belonged to his family (presumably the ancient O'Sullivans, but Ballyseedy and Ballycarty were Desmond castles before the Blennerhassetts),
of course it was all hot air on both sides, since neither could prove they were actually connected to either family,
his Sullivans weren't even from the Tralee area, but rather were from the Killarney area,

living Roundstone at death,
died 22nd Feb 1958, Regional Hospital, Galway, age 79 yrs [GROI].
See obituary, 1958.

Alice Cashel. See full size.

Back: Eithne, Dick, ---.
Front: Alice Cashel.
1932.

Alice Cashel's house in Roundstone (middle house of block), c.1940. See full size.

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