On September 25 (2016) we remember Thomas
Patrick Ashe (b. 12th January 1885 – d. 25th September 1917) who was a member
of the Gaelic League, the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) and a
founding member of the Irish Volunteers.
Thomas
was born in Lispole, Co. Kerry. Having entered De La Salle Training
College, Waterford in 1905 he began his teaching career as principal of
Corduff National School, Lusk, Co. Dublin, in 1908. He spent his last
years before his death teaching children in Lusk, where he founded the
award-winning Lusk Black Raven Pipe Band as well as Round Towers Lusk
Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club in 1906. During the summer of
1913, Douglas Hyde, president of the Gaelic League, attempted to expel
him and other members.
Commanding
the Finglas battalion of the Irish Volunteers, Ashe took a major part
in the 1916 Easter Rising outside the capital city. Ashe was commandant
of 5th battalion of the Dublin brigade; a force of 60–70 men engaged
British forces around north Co. Dublin during the rising. Ashe was sent a
messenger Mollie Adrian by Pearse ordered to hold the main road from
Fairyhouse. She was sent back to report to Connolly, who returned an
order to send 40 men to the GPO. He was to contact 1st battalion at
Cross Guns Bridge, although he found no one there because
vice-commandant Piaras Beaslai knew nothing of this plan. The area was
dominated by the central feature of Broadstone station, at the end of
the line to Athlone, an important British army barracks.
But
for some reason they decided not to occupy and garrison the station;
similarly the Citizens Army had been confusingly required to withdraw
from Mallin. The lack of co-operative communication was later discussed
in Piaras Beaslai's books, the research for which included taking
accounts from Thomas Ashe whilst they were incarcerated. The failure of
inexperienced volunteers to properly co-ordinate their deployments was a
critical factor at defeat. Ashe himself had only been appointed
commandant shortly before Easter. They were armed only with a few
rounds, about a dozen service rifles, a dozen Mausers, and a dozen
Martini carbines; some had only a shotgun against well-equipped army
regulars.
The
battalion won a major victory in Ashbourne, Co. Meath where they
engaged a much larger force capturing a significant quantity of arms and
up to 20 Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) vehicles. Eleven RIC members,
including County Inspector Alexander Gray, and two volunteers were
killed during the five-and-a-half-hour battle. Twenty-four hours after
the rising collapsed, Ashe's battalion surrendered on the orders of
Patrick Pearse. On 8th May 1916, Ashe and Éamon de Valera were
court-martialled and both were sentenced to death. The sentences were
commuted to penal servitude for life. Ashe was imprisoned in Lewes
Prison in England.
With
the entry of the US into World War I in April 1917, the British
government was put under more pressure to solve the 'Irish problem'. De
Valera, Ashe and Thomas Hunter led a prisoner hunger strike on 28th May
1917 to add to this pressure. With accounts of prison mistreatment
appearing in the Irish press and mounting protests in Ireland, Ashe and
the remaining prisoners were freed on 18th June 1917 by Lloyd George as
part of a general amnesty.
Upon
release, Ashe returned to Ireland and began a series of speaking
engagements. In August 1917, Ashe was arrested and charged with sedition
for a speech that he made in Ballinalee, Co. Longford where Michael
Collins had also been speaking. He was detained at the Curragh but was
then transferred to Mountjoy Prison in Dublin. He was convicted and
sentenced to two years hard labour. Ashe and other prisoners, including
Austin Stack, demanded prisoner of war status. As this protest evolved
Ashe again went on hunger strike on 20th September 1917. On 25th
September 1917, he died at the Mater Hospital after being force-fed by
prison authorities. At the inquest into his death, the jury condemned
the staff at the prison for the "inhuman and dangerous operation
performed on the prisoner, and other acts of unfeeling and barbaric
conduct".
Ashe's death had a significant impact
on the country, increasing Republican recruitment. His body lay in
state at Dublin City Hall, and was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery in
Dublin.
-Brenda Rector, American Irish of Woodbridge - Celtic Corner Correspondent
