OPW battles to preserve prisoners' works during War of Independence
Td Old Eddie Courthouse At Moynihan The In Cells Michael The Kanturk Prison O'hare Picture:
The OPW has stepped in "to buy time" in a battle to preserve writings and drawings created by IRA prisoners on plastered walls in a jail during the War of Independence.
The slates on the roof of the former Bridewell jail in Kanturk, Co Cork, are missing and water has seeped into the plaster exposing a number of drawings and messages, but unfortunately destroying others.
A special committee has been set up to seek the best ways to preserve what is left, which includes drawings of what's believed to be leading nationalists Countess Markievicz and Arthur Griffith.
Many IRA prisoners wrote their names on the walls and these are still clearly visible today. They include Denis Hickey, Main Street Charleville, Co Cork; Fred Healy, Glenflesk, Co Kerry; John Anderson, Midleton, Co Cork; and John Cronin, Coolinarne, Millstreet, Co Cork.
There are also a number of references to the famous Sean Moylan, including one which suggests the British had a bounty on his head at the time of €1,000. He had proved a thorn in their side, delivering fiery anti-British speeches.
Another inscription says 'Up Sean Moylan,' who went on to become a government minister.
Moylan himself was held in the jail for a short period, according to local Fianna Fáil TD Michael Moynihan, who is part of the committee trying to preserve what remains there.
Moylan later pretended to be mad and was sent to the mental asylum in Cork. He escaped from there after one of the staff, Peggy Aherne, told British soldiers standing on guard nearby that she was taking him for a walk. Peggy was Taoiseach Micheál Martin's grandmother.
Two drawings on the wall, which are very detailed, have puzzled historians because they don't appear to have any association with the War of Independence, but seem to have been done around the same time. They are of British warships HMS Lion and HMS Nelson.
There is also a drawing of a soldier in uniform. An inscription also reads: 'Give up hope all who enter here for the devil's angels will [ineligible] unto you.'
There were 12 cells in all at the jail at the time, which is to the rear of the former Kanturk courthouse. Six were for men and six were for women.
These buildings were constructed about 1825. Court sittings were discontinued there in 2010 when they moved to Mallow. Although the buildings are unoccupied, they remain in the care of the Courts Service. It has sent the OPW in to clean them up.
The 30-strong committee set up to take action to preserve the writings and drawings includes Mr Moynihan.
Among its members are noted historians Richard Wood and Deirdre Hunt, Arthur Montgomery, who was instrumental in the restoration of Doneraile House, Pat Wallace, a former director of the National Museum, and members of Kanturk Community Council.
“This is of huge historic significance. If this was Kilmainham Gaol there would be an outcry to have it preserved for future generations who could reflect on that very difficult period in our history,” Mr Moynihan said.
He and the committee know they are in a race against time, but are grateful for the OPW's intervention and promise to secure the roof.
Mr Moynihan said the hope was that the buildings would eventually be handed over for public use and could incorporate a museum dedicated to the immense history in the area.
“First though, we have to preserve what we have here and then we'll see where we go from there,” he said.