Timothy “Tadgh” Lynch owned a general drapers business in Kinsale, County Cork. He was a member of the Irish Republican Army, and was twice interned during the War of Independence for various offences under the Defense Of The Realm Act (DORA). Lynch was 38 years old when he was first interned in the H.M. Male Prison Cork and Mountjoy Prison from 1918-1919. He was arrested on 14 March, 1918, for leading a party of men who assaulted an RIC officer, named E. Russell, and took his rifle, ammunition, and equipment. He was then later interned the second time in Belfast and Ballykinlar from 1920-1921. Lynch returned to Kinsale after the War of Independence. He would later serve in the Irish Defence Forces, from 1940-1946, on emergency service during the Second World War.

The letters in this collection date from the 1918-1921 period, and were part of the prison correspondence that Lynch conducted during his various internments. These letters help to highlight an important aspect of the Irish Revolution, by showcasing what life was like for those interned during the conflict.

Select a letter below to explore its contents in full.