Diarmuid Lynch

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Diarmuid Lynch (10 January 1878–9 November 1950) was a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood and Sinn Féin member of the First Dáil.

He was born as Jeremiah Lynch at Granig, Tracton, Co Cork. His mother died while he was young and his father, who had remarried, died when his son was thirteen.

Lynch in his autobiography recalls been taken to a meeting in Cork by his father which was addressed by Charles Stewart Parnell in 1886. He also describes attending a monster Land League meeting at Minane Bridge which was addressed by William O'Brien and Dr Charles Tanner. He was also influenced by his teachers, particularly Michael McCarthy, the head master at Knocknamana National School.

Lynch entered work in the Post Office. He originally began working as a sorting clerk in the Cork GPO, but having studied at Skerry’s College for entrance to the British Civil Service and in an open examination secured a place as a "Boy Clerk" with an appointment at Mount Pleasant money order office, London. Mount Pleasant would play a very significant part in the growth of the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB), because it was here that individuals such as Michael Collins, Sam Maguire and others first became acquainted. Lynch himself would become a member of the IRB Supreme Council.

Lynch played hurling with the London Gaels. He later accepted an offer of employment from his uncle Cornelius Dunlea in New York. His skill as an organiser was almost recognised immediately having joined the New York Philo-Celtic Society in the summer of 1897, and by December of that year, he had been elected secretary. Within a short period membership had almost quadrupled. The primary function of the society was the preservation of both the Irish language and culture. Lynch "was convinced that restoration of the Irish language would increase the self respect of the Irish people." His activities in New York, and in particular his work for the Irish language, saw him elevated to the position: of the State President of the Gaelic League of the State of New York, and it was this role which would bring Lynch to the attention of Clan na Gael and its leadership of John Devoy and Daniel F. Colohan, two of the most important figures in Irish-American politics at the time. It was Lynch and his persuasive powers that influenced Judge Colahan to accept "that the propagation of the language instead of hindering the objective of the Clan was essential to its achievement."

As Lynch's reputation grew so did his sphere of influence and before he returned to Ireland in 1907, he could boast a circle of friends which included: Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa, Dr Thomas Addis Emmet, Col Richard O'Sullivan Burke, John J. Breslin and Thomas Clarke, who would later become one of the signatories of the 1916 Proclamation and who with Lynch would serve in the General Post Office during the Easter Rising.

Having spent almost eleven years in America, Lynch decided to return home. He had returned in 1902 for a short period, during which, with the aid of Liam de Róiste had organised an Irish cultural feis at Minane Bridge.

He employment on his return with Thomas McKenzie & Sons, Dublin. He later joined the IRB at the invitation of Seán T. O'Kelly. By 1911 he had been appointed to the IRB Supreme Council.

Lynch played a role in the planning of the Rising. He was chosen by Patrick Pearse go to the Tralee area and identify the best area to land arms. Lynch reported directly back to Pearse that Fenit would be the most secure location. Lynch was the only member of the IRB Supreme Council to attend meetings of the even more secret IRB Military Council.

After Eoin MacNeill cancelled the orders for the planned manoeuvres over the Easter period, Lynch attended a hastily arranged meeting at 27 Hardwick Street, which also included Pearse, Thomas McDonagh, Joseph Mary Plunkett, Seán Mac Diarmada, at which it was decided to go head with the Rising.

Lynch was aide-de-comp to James Connolly in the GPO during the Rising. Initially sentenced to death, his sentence was, like Éamon de Valera's, commuted to life, because of his American citizenship. Lynch was sent to prison in England, but was released from Pentonville Prison on 16 June 1917.

Almost immediately Lynch became active again, and along with Michael Collins and Thomas Ashe, participated in the reorganisation the IRB. After the 1917 Sinn Féin Ard Fheis, Lynch, like Collins, held three senior posts in the IRB, Sinn Féin and in the Irish Volunteers.

His position as Sinn Féin food controller which resulted in his deportation in 1918. During this period much of the Irish agricultural produce was being sent to Britain to support the war effort. Lynch ordered that a specific shipment of pigs at the North wall ready for shipment to England be slaughtered for the Irish market and the money given to owners of the stock. Lynch was arrested and sentenced to deportation, but before he could be deported, his girlfriend Mary Quinn and a priest were smuggled into Dundalk Jail and Lynch was married much to the annoyance of the British who had originally refused permission for the marriage, and this proved to be some what of a publicity coup.

In America, he was appointed Secretary of the Friends of Irish Freedom, originally set up to raise funds and lobby in Washington DC to promote the Irish cause. Under his tenure the organisation became a nation-wide organisation, and as a result of its lobbying, Congress voted 216 to 41, on 4 March 1919, to adopt the following motion: "That it is the earnest hope of the United states of America that the peace conference, now sitting in Paris, in passing upon the rights of various peoples, will favourably consider the claims of Ireland to the right of self-determination." While this was not what the recognition of the Irish Republic which Lynch, Devoy and Colohan had sought, it was a call for Ireland to present its case at the Versailles Peace Conference.

In the 1918 general election, Lynch was elected in abstenia Teachta Dála to the First Dáil for Cork South East.

The arrival of Éamon de Valera to America was followed by the establishment of a rival organisation to the Friends of Irish Freedom. On 6 August 1920, Lynch resigned his Dáil seat in disgust, stating that: "Differences have arisen since July 1919, between De Valera and the recognised leaders of the movement here as to the proper conduct of the campaign in America for the recognition of the Irish Republic and these circumstances have governed my actions in resigning."

De Valera and Lynch would again become embroiled in a bitter battle in which began 1929, when associates of De Valera tried unsuccessful to claim the funds which the Friends of Irish Freedom had since raised in 1919 and 1920 and which had remained unused. De Valera sought to claim this money to establish the [Irish Press]. Lynch's eventual victory in the case was attributable to his record-keeping and organisational skills.

Lynch played no part in the Irish Civil War, but along with his IRB comrade Seán O'Hegarty, made several unsuccessful attempts to stop it. In an impassioned letter, written in 1922 to the members of Friends of Irish Freedom, he wrote: "Our influence may be exercised towards securing for Ireland the greatest need of the moment – Peace."

In 1933 he returned to Ireland, settling in Tracton. He contributed to the work of the Bureau of Military History in collecting witness statements from those who had taken part in the War of Independence.

[edit] References

• Diarmuid Lynch & Florence O'Donoghue, The IRB and the 1916 insurrection: a record of the preparations for the Rising, with comments on published works relating thereto, and a report on operations in the GPO garrison area during Easter Week, 1916, Cork: Mercier Press, 1957.

This page incorporates information from the Oireachtas Members Database