break the connection with England, the never failing source of all our political evils, and to assert the independence of my country’.
Pádraic Pearse, afterwards first President of the Irish Republic, took a deep interest in the movement. He gave the use of his grounds surrounding St Enda’s College, Rathfarnham, in County Dublin, to the Fianna for camping and manoeuvres, and established a Sluagh among the boys of his school. Con Colbert used to train these, cycling out from the city once a week for the purpose. The second Convention (Ard Feis) was held in July and was much more largely represented than the first. It was a splendid success, earnestness becoming the distinguishing feature. It was decided to form an Executive (Ard Coiste), to meet every three months, to direct the organisation during the year. A constitution was drawn up as follows:
Object: to establish the independence of Ireland.
Means: The training of the youth of Ireland, mentally and physically, to achieve this object by teaching scouting and military exercises, Irish history and the Irish language.
Declaration: I promise to work for the independence of Ireland, never to join England’s armed forces, and to obey my superior officers.
The Year 1912 saw the Fianna firmly established as a power for good in the land. Several incursions had taken place to the country and new branches were established in Wexford Town, Donegal, Cork and Newry, as well as several new Sluaghte in Dublin and Belfast. The training went ahead very well and the Summer was used to the greatest advantage for camping. The freedom and joyousness of the outdoor life appealed to the boys, who by now had reduced camping out to a fine art. By experience, that greatest of all teachers, they had picked up many tips for making themselves comfortable. They had become adept at lighting a fire under the most adverse circumstances, and the methods – and ingredients – of cooking were much improved. Many a rabbit, hare or bird found its way into the pot. Need it be said by what means they were secured? A good scout is necessarily a good poacher.
Once again Fianna were encamped on the mountain side, and the places made historic by Fionn and his companions were fitting spots for the new soldiers of Erin to train themselves as champions of freedom. Howth and Glen-na-Smole were the rendezvous of the Dublin boys. The Clonmel Sluagh breathed freedom on Slievenamon, and on historic Cave Hill the tents of the Belfast lads were pitched.
The green kilted bare-kneed lads were now familiar figures at all Gaelic gatherings. They sold Irish Freedom at football and hurling matches. They were ubiquitous in giving out handbills, announcing Feisanna and Emmet and Manchester Martyrs and other great commemorations, and advertising these events by marching through the streets with their pipers’ band. They collected for the Gaelic League, the Wolfe Tone Memorial and other national institutions for which money was needed.
The third annual convention or Ard Fheis was a splendid and most representative affair. It marked an epoch in the history of the movement, insomuch that it showed that a great deal had already been accomplished in work that many wiseacres and sceptics had prophesied as being impracticable and unreasonable. It was held in the second week of July 1912, in the Mansion House, Dublin, and was well attended by a throng of earnest and manly boys from the four provinces of Ireland.
Countess Markievicz presided and Dublin was strongly represented by twenty delegates. Among the delegates from Belfast, who showed up in great strength, were Joe Robinson, one of the most enthusiastic members of the Fianna, and who is now in a British prison; Alf Cotton, afterward a Volunteer organizer, who was deported from Kerry in 1915; and the Misses Nora and Ina Connolly, and several other girls representing a girls’ branch which had been established there a short time previous. Seán Heuston was the principal Limerick representative. Cork City sent Seán Ó Súilleabháin, and Kerry Edmund Leahy of Listowel. ‘Paddy’ Ramsbottom, known as ‘An Fearr Mor’ on account of his stature, voiced Athlone, and Willie Langley was the delegate from Tuam. Dozens of other places were well represented as well.
The Dublin Fianna gave a great display in August. It was held for the purpose of displaying to the public the practical work the boys were doing and also to raise funds for the movement. Exhibitions of company and ambulance drill, skirmishing, bayonet fighting, signalling and first aid were given. A splendid camp scene was presented showing how things were managed when out under canvas. This was followed by an Aeridheacht, in which a first rate programme was gone through, most of the songs, dances and recitals, etc., being contributed by the boys.
Perhaps, however, the greatest work done by the boys was their active participation in the vigorous anti-enlistment campaign. In the evidence before the ‘Royal Commission on Rebellion in Ireland’ the Fianna are mentioned: ‘The anti-recruiting campaign was continued during this year, the Irish Boy Scouts being used for the purpose a good deal. They were being organised and drilled evidently to enlist in the campaign of promoting seditious views.’
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The next year was the brightest in the history of the movement, as it was also the brightest in the history of the country for many years. It witnessed a great change in opinion among the people. At long last some result was seen of the years of drudgery and ‘spade work’ on the part of the small minority who had stood true to Ireland through thick and thin. Slowly but surely the country was being roused from the lethargic and disorganised state into which constitutionalism had thrown it. The tide was beginning to turn.
A census of the movement was taken early in the year and it was found to number over a thousand members. An excellent handbook covering every phase of Fianna activity, written by officers of the movement, was put on the market and sold at one shilling. It contained lucid and instructive articles on drill, first aid, knot-tying, rifle exercises, camping, signalling and swimming. The constitution, and hints on the management of Sluaighte gained by hard experience were given. An introduction was written by the Countess, a few passages of which are given here:
It will take the best and noblest of Ireland’s children to win Freedom, for the price of freedom is suffering and pain. It is only when the suffering is deep enough and the pain almost beyond bearing that Freedom is won. Through the long black record of England’s tyranny and oppression, empire building and robbery, many names stand out as noble souls whose lives were given in a passionate protest against their country’s wrongs. France won free, but many suffered and died nobly before the conquering sacrifice of Joan of Arc turned the tide against the oppressor and the English were swept by a flood of national love and indignation out and across the Sea.
Prophetic words these, ‘the price of freedom is suffering and pain.’ She, Ireland’s Joan of Arc, at this moment is paying the price of our freedom. P.H. Pearse contributed to the handbook a splendid article on the ‘Fianna of Fionn’ and Roger Casement wrote on ‘Chivalry.’ The latter was deeply interested in the movement and contributed to its funds in a generous and anonymous fashion. Pádraic Ó Riain edited the book; indeed, a great many of the technical articles were his and the illustrations throughout were done by Michael Lonergan, another prominent member.
The rapid growth of the organisation now demanded an organiser should be appointed, to devote his whole time to the work of inspecting and instructing sluaghte and forming new sluaghte all over Ireland. The want of proper instruction was keenly felt in most parts of the country outside Dublin, and the appointment of an organiser to instruct and push propaganda was a big step forward. A guarantee fund was opened to enable the Ard Coiste to meet the strain this imposed on it.
The services of Liam Mellows were secured for the position. He was at this time in charge of two branches in Dublin – Inchicore and Dolphin’s Barn. He started off through the country full of enthusiasm and ere a month was over had got Enniscorthy, Ferns, Waterford and a few other places going, as well as visiting and instructing the branches already existing in South Leinster.
A Great anti-enlisting crusade was carried on all over the country during
