Includes correspondence from Bernard O'Rourke in prison to his wife Clare (nee Clinton). Arrested on suspicion of involvement in the Easter Rising, and held in Richmond Barracks 11-28 May 1916, O'Rourke wrote every day to Clare during his imprisonment. He describes prison conditions, diet, pastimes, deportation of prisoners and rumours of release, gives instructions about the conduct of his business while he is in prison and asks Clare to write to him but only about 'family matters as all other news will be cut out'. He remarks that he is pleased that Clare has had so many visitors: 'it shows that it is not such a terrible crime after all in being the wife of a potential rebel' also mentions a fellow prisoner who `says his business will be ruined as his wife does not know it well enough and she can get no one who does. He used to cry here when he got a letter from his wife'.

Collection also contains letters from Clare to Bernard O'Rourke from Gleneven, Inniskeen, Co. Monaghan, re family and business affairs, and reporting friends' enquiries and visits; correspondence from Clare O'Rourke to Fr Stephen Glendon, containing family and local news, and information on her husband's imprisonment and political involvement: 'Thank God he was never mixed up in any of those organisations which has brought about the trouble. People were very proud of him the time he spoke up against the police ... That is the only thing they can now bring against him'.

Also, letters from Clare O'Rourke from her husband's solicitors and from friends; also postcard from Brendan O'Rourke, Richmond Barracks to Mrs Minnie Patey, Vernon Avenue, Clontarf (his sister), and letter from Minnie Patey to Fr Stephen Glendon, with news of Bernard: 'I was there yesterday morning at 9 o'c to take my place in the queue and I saw B at 3.15. You would pity all the poor women and babies standing all the time'; also letters from Bernard O'Rourke in Belfast Prison to Clare O'Rourke and to his daughter May (1920).

Also includes photographs of a Cumann na mBan/Sinn Féin meeting in Castleblayney, County Monaghan c.1919, and a copy of a poster announcing a monster St Patrick's Day demonstration in Castleblayney under the auspices of South Monaghan Cumann na mBan, to be addressed by Hanna Sheehy Skeffington and Mrs Wyse Power; also 'Songs of Freedom, Easter 1916', containing two songs, 'The call' and 'Our faith' by Countess de Markievicz.

• 1916 Rising Search Repository Site
• Anglo-Irish War Search Repository Site
• Correspondence Search Repository Site
• Family Search Repository Site
• Nationalism Search Repository Site
• Organisations Search Repository Site
• Photographs Search Repository Site
• Politics Search Repository Site
• Prisons Search Repository Site
• Republicanism Search Repository Site

A descriptive list for this collection is available here.