Sir, - John Keogh's letter (December 18th) refers to the treatment, in Neil Jordan's film on Michael Collins, of de Valera's reprieve from the death sentence for his part as one of the leaders of the Easter Rising. W. E. Wylie's assertion that there was no death sentence, therefore there could be no reprieve, is quoted.
This conflicts with what I have always believed to be the true posit ion. My source is my father, who died in 1947, but who several times during his lifetime spoke to me of this affair, in which he played a minor part.
My father had served briefly in the British forces in India, but had transferred to the Reserve 13 years before the Great War. He was recalled, given non combatant duties, and thus was on the staff in Dublin in Easter Week. On several occasions, he spoke of having been on duty one night during the extended period over which the execution of the leaders was spread.
He had gone into the Signals Room to check work in hand, and had found a file of unprocessed inward messages from London. Among these was an order for the reprieve of de Valera. He had realised the extreme urgency of this, and had immediately passed it on to Kilmainham Gaol. My father was an impeccable witness, and I believe him absolutely. Confirmation of his account should be available in either British or Irish archives.
He also told me of another incident featured in the Neil Jordan film. Black and Tans or Auxiliaries are seen in tenders driving through a Dublin street, shooting up buildings at random. There is no opposition, so the violence is completely unprovoked. My father had been ordered to report on precisely such an affair. He found that an elderly man had been shot dead in bed in an upstairs room.
I refer to these things not for the sake of raking over old embers, but because if ever we are to achieve the peace we so urgently need, this has to be built on a foundation of absolute truth. Only by confronting what was evil in our past can be prevent blind repetition poisoning our future. - Yours, etc.,
Carrigahorig,
Nenagh,
Co Tipperary.