An Evening of Entertainment Tuam December 1915

The Connacht Tribune 1 January 1916

Despite the fact that membership in the Irish Volunteers was severely depleted and they had to train almost in secret in Tuam following the split in the force, the support for nationalism was still evident in Tuam (Langley WS805).  Local organisers, including Liam Langley, ran events under different guises.  One such event is recorded in the Connacht Tribune on 1st January 1916.  They report that an 'entertainment' event was held in the Town Hall under the 'auspices of the Tuam Sports Committee' on 19th December 1915.  Irish dancing, recitation, a short drama, and musical performances were all on the programme for the the evening.The local Stockwell sisters were active in performing that evening.  There were a number of performers  from Athenry who had obviously come to support the 'Irish Ireland' cause in Tuam.  Liam, showing his cultural interest in Ireland, had a part in the short drama and recited a poem 'Brian Boy McGee' by Ethna Carbery.  

To the right is the full newspaper account of the evening's entertainment

The Connacht Tribune Front Page
1 January 1916

Setting up The Irish Volunteers Tuam Feb 1914

Notice sent by Liam Langley inviting people to a meeting to discuss setting up the Irish Volunteers in Tuam 1st February 1914.  The Irish version of Liam's name, U (Uilliam) T. O' Laonglach was used on this notice.

Liam Langley often wrote up extracts of interest relating to the progress of the Fianna and the Irish Volunteers in north County Galway from various publications.

The following is an extract from 'The Irish Volunteer'  of  21 February 1914.  An account of the above meeting is recorded in this extract.

At a Volunteer meeting held on Sunday, 8^th February 1914, the following were present: Messrs Butler, Stafford, O’Malley, Nolan, and Walsh, representing the A.O.H., Messrs Burke, Stockwell and Fahy, representing the I.N.F.;  Messrs Hare, Browne and Creedon, the G.A.A.;  Mr T. Sloyan, The U.I.L., and Messrs P. Daly and W. Langley, Na Fianna Eireann; Dr. T. B. Costello, Messrs McHugh, Donnellan, Cannon, Mullins, Roche, Kennedy, Forde & co.

Dr Costello presided and explained the business of the meeting.

Mr. Sloyan, the Secretary of the North Galway U.I.L. said that the League would back the movement to a man, and he added that he was sure the same spirit was abroad in Ireland today as that which fought in Clontarf, at the Yellow Ford and on the field of Fontenoy and which started the Volunteer movement in 1782, and he urged them to go ahead in Tuam and fall in with their rest of their countrymen.

A committee was then formed to start the Volunteers in Tuam on a firm basis. (Vol. 1; No. 3; 21 February 1914)

A.O.H Ancient Order of Hibernians
I.N.F. Irish National Foresters
G.A.A. Gaelic Athletic Association
U.I.L. United Irish League

Irish Volunteers Training Camp An Coosan, Athlone 1915

To give themselves practice in simulated fighting conditions, the Volunteers regularly held manoeuvres.  To this end in September 1915 Liam attended a three week training camp which  was held at Coosan, Athlone.  Here intense training was undertaken by participants.  

'The first week was devoted to simple drill movements and  tactical exercises, scouting expeditions as well as communications and signalling.  The second week was spent on strenuous marches and much more vigorous drills and exercises. The Volunteers marched to the vicinity of Galway City where exercises were staged with the local Volunteers. On route there was even some real life drama.  One day after a tenant gave the Volunteers permission to pitch camp, his landlord ordered them off the site.  They refused to move and serious sentry duty was required that night to ensure their safety' (Gialanella Valiulis 1992 p.10). 

BMH Statement WSO563 Michael Cremen

Portrait of a Revolutionary: General Richard Mulcahy and the Founding of the Irish Free State
 By Maryann Gialanella Valiulis 1992

AN COOSAN TRAINING CAMP SEPTEMBER 1915

L to R: William Mullins, Richard Mulcahy Sean Lester, Unknown, Donal Barrett, Terence McSwiney, John Griffin, Pierce McCann, Liam T Langley, Austin Stack.

Reprinted from: Maire MacSwiney Brugha, History’s Daughter, A Memoir from the only child of Terence MacSwiney, P.280.

Bottom two photographs An Cosantoir, The Irish Defence Journal, February 1989

Tuam Stars GAA Club and the Irish Volunteers March 1914

Tuam Stars Gaelic Football Team

Liam Langley standing left in suit and hat.

In the absence of photocopiers and scanners Liam often typed up items and articles that interested him.  He typed up many extracts from the 'Irish Volunteer' relating to the progress of the Fianna and the Irish Volunteers in North County Galway.

Extract from the ‘Irish Volunteers’  Vol.1, No. 8 March 28 1914

Tuam Football Club Enrolls

A meeting of the above club was held in the Town Hall on Friday March 13^th.  In the absence of the President, Mr. P.M. Ryan, the chair was taken by Mr. Denis Creedon, V/P. Also present:  Messrs. F.Fore, M.Naughton, Tom Nipton, Tom Commins, E. O’Connor, T. Ryan, Frank Farrell, James Burke and W. Cannon, Hon. Sec.

The following resolution was passed on the motion of the Secretary seconded by the Chairman:-

“That as the National Volunteer movement in its contribution and aims merits the support of every member of the G.A.A., it is henceforth made a rule that every member of the Tuam Star Football Club shall become a member of the Tuam Volunteer Corps, attend its drills and bear arms in pursuance of its objects”.

After some discussion it was decided to hold the next meeting in the Town Hall on Friday evening at one o’clock.

Na Fianna Éireann Football Match

Na Fianna Éireann Tuam
going to a match
Photo from Tuam Stars: 

Thomas Nohilly (WS1437) in his witness statement recounts the journey from a Fianna Éireann match, perhaps this is the team on the cart above!

'We travelled about a good deal to football matches and concerts, and on those journeys we were always followed by two members of the R.I.C. on bicycles.  On one occasion, after a football match in Dunmore, we were returning to Tuam by brake, accompanied as usual by two R.I.C. on bicycles.  One of the two hung on to the brake as he cycled along, to hear what was being talked about, but one of our number carrying the tricolour hit him with the flagstaff until he was forced to let go of his hold.' 

Na Fianna Éireann Ard Fheiseanna

Na Fianna Eireann Ard Fheis July 1913

Liam Langley standing 3rd to left of Countess Markievicz

Behind Sean Heuston

Close up of Fianna Ard Fheis 1913

Liam Langley 2nd row with girls hands 

on his shoulders standing behind 

Sean Heuston

Na Fianna Eireann Ard Fheis
July 1915 Mansion House Dublin
Laim Langley second row seated fourth
from left arms folded

Ard Fheis 1915

Left to right Barney Mellows, Gary Holohan

Sean Heuston, Liam Langley

Ard Fheis 1919

Liam Langley middle row standing 2nd from rigtht

Activities of Tuam Company, Tuam Battalion, Irish Volunteers, Co. Galway, 1914-1916

Liam Langley was a central figure in the preparation leading up to and the maneuvers in Tuam during Easter Week 1916.  An account of their activities is given in the Witness Statement 1437 of Thomas Nohilly,  Company Captain. Battalion Adjutant.

‘My first association with the national movement was in the year 19l14 when I joined Fianna Eireann in Tuam. Liam Mellows was the first organiser of the Fianna in Tuam, and when he had complete the organising work, Liam Langley, afterwards head of the Fianna in Dublin, took charge. Our strength was about thirty-five, and the majority were apprentices serving their time as shop assistants in various business houses in the town. We did our training about a mile outside the town, near the village of Cluainthoo, in a field owned by William Concannon who charged us no rent. Our training was under the supervision of Liam Langley, and consisted of some foot drill and arms drill with .22 rifles. We also had target practice once a week with the .22 rifles. We organised football matches and sports meetings. At one of our sports meetings in Tuam, I remember that special trains were run from Galway City, Gort and Claremorris. I remember that, on this occasion, Larry Lardner from Athenry afterwards one of the leaders of the County Galway Volunteers during Easter Week 1916 was handicapper. We had a revolver as one of the prizes.

Meetings of the I.R.B. were held in Connolly's forge in High Street. I cannot remember anything of the meetings except that Liam Langley presided at them. As far as I know, he was head centre for the whole North Galway area. Other members of the I.R.B. I remember from that time were Thomas Kilgarriff, afterwards Brigade I.0., North Galway brigade, Con Kennedy of Dunmore and John Costello of Killower, and two brothers named Connolly who owned the forge where the meetings were held.

Reading Jail - Prison Record 1916

PRISON RECORD - READING PRISON
11 July 1916 - 24 December 1916

Langley was arrested on Monday May 8th 1916 at 4.30am.  The local RIC surrounded his house on Cloonthoo Road Tuam and brought both his mother and Langley to the barracks for questioning.  Margaret Langley was released, Liam was then transferred to Galway prison.  On Friday 12 May he was moved to Richmond Barracks, Dublin.  On June 1st he was marched up tehe quay in Dublin with fellow prisoners and loaded on cattle boats which were bound for England.  On June 2nd he arrived in Wakefield Prison, from there he was moved to Frongoch, North Wales.  On 11 July Liam Langley was moved to Reading Prison where he was interned under the Defence of the Realm Act |(DORA).  On Christmas Eve 1916 he was released from Reading.

Poem written in Reading Jail Dec 1916

Liam Langley was interned in Reading Jail from 11 July 1916 until 24 Dec 1916.  He was arrested in Tuam on Sunday 30th April 1916.  His route to Reading brought him through Tuam Barracks, Galway Prison, Richmond Barracks Dublin, Wakefield Prison, Frongoch North Wales and finally Reading.

The following poem was an entry in the Autograph Book of John Scollan a fellow internee.  The Autograph Book is held in the National Library of Ireland.

READING JAIL

22/XII/1916

Poem written in Reading Jail 1916

Oh, comrade dear, you’ve asked me here

To write a line for you:

This toast I’ll write, that when the fight

Will start, my comrades true

Will do or die, but never fly

Before a hireling band,

But will fight on, till breaks the dawn

Of Freedom o’er our land:

Here’s to the dear little Isle of Green,

And the men who would set her free;

Here’s to the day that will see her Queen,

Champion of Faith and Liberty.

And here’s to the downfall of England,

And the men who will strike the blow;

For long has she tried hard to crush us

To Hell! with vile Albion – our foe.

Liam T. Langley

Cptn I.R.A. & V.P. Na Fianna Eireann

Cloontho Road,

Tuam,

Co Glaway

Na Fianna Tuam Sluagh Visits Dublin c.1913

Sean O'Neill in his witness statement recounts a visit to Dublin of the Tuam Sluagh Na Fianna Éireann organised by Liam Langley (WS1219):

'Under the leadership of Liam Langley about twenty of us went to Dublin. When we reached the city and saw O'Connell's tower as we passed Glasnevin and the big buildings, it was an awe-inspiring sight. Our guide insisted that we must see the monuments. We saw a great bulky man with a cloak on him on an edifice in Sackville Street who we were informed  was "O'Connell, the Liberator". Burke and Father Matthew were here too and Oliver Goldsmith.  Parnell was impressive. His dignified demeanour and with his right hand extended seemed to greet us. The towering pinnacle of Nelson - the one-eyed English Admiral, was a challenge to all this, and we felt we could have blasted him out of the centre of the city!

It was only when we reached the home of, Countess Markievicz of Rathmines, that my mental equilibrium returned to normal. Here all of us from Tuam were entertained and put up for the night. And as that vivacious lady conversed with us, and principally with our leader Liam Langley, we felt we were in a sort of paradise.  I can recall one memorable remark, "I hope the day is not far distant when I shall see those Red Coats swept into the Liffey".

Liam Langley (top)
Con Colbert
1913

Indeed, before we met the Countess we saw scores of those red-coated soldiers sitting on the Liffey wall or hanging over O'Connell Bridge, or swaggering around, cane in hand, at street corners in their gaudy dress of Saxon red. Our Chief Scout - Madame – kept the Tuam Sluagh enthralled with her conversation and stories. I clearly remember the face of James Connolly there. He was pointed out to me by Liam Langley.

During our stay in Dublin we visited Fianna Headquarters. Here we met Con Colbert. To me Colbert was, what I might term, a keen, energetic sort of genius who meant business, business without frills.  Seán Heuston we also met, and with his genial smile he greeted us, and happiness radiated from his countenance when we entered the office. They were both in Fianna uniform.

We also  held a picnic on the Hill of Howth overlooking that beautiful bay.

At night we attended a concert in the Mansion House. And here I saw for the first time a man smartly dressed in Volunteer uniform. For no other purpose, I presume, than to show himself or, more precisely, his uniform he stepped out smartly before the footlights and got a thunderous applause. His uniform was, I think, of dark green material made up in the fashion of an American or Canadian outfit. A pair of green puttees and Sam Browne belt completed his attire. The Volunteer Officer (or Private) was, I think, Pierce Beasley.'

Barney Mellows, Gary Holohan, Sean Heuston, Liam Langley
1915 Na Fianna Ard Fheis

Liam Mellows Escape 1916 & Fianna/Volunteers Council 1920

Na Fianna and Volunteers Composite Council 1920

As the War of Independence escalated it was recognised that a common military policy would be of benefit to both the Volunteers (now the official army of the Republic) and Na Fianna. Negotiations between the Department of Defence and Fianna Headquarters Staff  resulted in an agreement between the two groups in December 1920.

As a result of this agreement a Composite Council was set up comprising three G.H.Q. Officers of the Fianna - Barney Mellows, Adjutant-General, Garry Holohan, Q.M.G.  0/C. Brigade and Liam Langley, Director of Organisation; and three G.H.Q. Officers of the Irish Volunteers -  Dermot O’Hegarty, Gearóid O’Sullivan, and Bob Price. The function of the Composite Council was to ensure smooth co-operation between the Volunteers and Na Fianna. The meetings of the composite council were presided over by the Minister for Defence, Cathal Brugha, or someone nominated by him. The council at once addressed itself to the situation in the capital and instructed that Na Fianna’s Dublin Brigade be re-organised into five Battalions corresponding to the structure of the Volunteers in the city.

It also discussed in detail the practical implications of the partnership, agreeing procedures which were circulated to all companies by Fianna’s Adjutant General, Barney Mellows.   Within a month of the companies receiving Mellows’ memorandum the British had captured documents of Collins that referred to the Council decisions and were aware of the imminent ‘linking up’ of the two organisations.

Account of Composite Council typed and signed by Liam Langley

Witness statements Joseph Reynolds WS 0191 and Gearoid Ua h-Uallachain WS0336, 

John Watts, A Case Study of a Political Youth Organisation Na Fianna Éireann, University of Glasgow.

FIANNA May 1926 Mellows Commemoration Number

The Fianna was a magazine issued by Na Fianna Éireann.  After a four year lapse a copy was issued in May 1926 in an attempt to resurrect the publication. This was a 'Mellows Commemoration Number'. At this time Liam Langley was on the Central Executive of the organisation, Constance de Markievicz was the Chief Scout.  Included in this issue is an article on Page 2 by  Constance de Markievicz regarding Liam Mellows, there is also a poem dedicated to Mellows written by de Markievicz on Page 3.  Below are images of the issue, the articles and poem.

                                                                       

Cover

Extract from Fianna May 1928 - Article and Poem written by Constance de Markievicz honouring Liam Mellows:

Liam Mellows Graveside Oration by Liam Langley 1928

Liam Langley Chief Scout Na Fianna Éireann

Liam Langley and Liam Mellows were firm friends.  Mellows often stayed in the Langley home in Tuam prior to 1916.  Mellows was executed in Mountjoy Jail Dec 8th 1922 along with Joe McKelvey, Rory O'Connor and Richard Barrett.  Liam Langley was interned with Mellows in Mountjoy Jail at the time. He was devastated at the loss of his comrades and in particular Liam Mellows.  The bodies of the four comrades were released to their families in late 1924. Liam Langley, then Chief Scout Fianna Éireann seen in the photographs below giving an oration at the graveside of Liam Mellows in Castletown, Co. Wicklow, the occasion was the Annual Liam Mellows Pilgrimmage 1928.

Liam Langley Chief Scout Na Fianna Éireann giving the oration

In his oration Langley describes when they were told of the executions in Mountjoy Jail December 8th 1922:

'On the morning of December 8th myself along with other prisoners of war were awaiting the arrival of their guards in their respective divisions of the prison.  We were looking forward to the usual meeting of Liam and our comrades in the prison chapel.  Little did we know what the volley we heard earlier signified.  We were soon enlightened, for in a few minutes it was announced from the Altar that "four of our comrades had just been sent before God".  And when the names were read out, there was a deathlike silence. It was some time before the full purport of the announcement was realised.  It was then that strong men sobbed and little boys with clenched fists vowed vengeance.  Men like him would never be forgotten, those who devoted their lives to their's country's service and remained faithful to the last.  Liam's life may be summed up in his motto: "out to fight, not to run away".  He had given his life for the love of the land that bore him'. (Liam Langley Na Fianna Éireann Chief Scout 1928)

Irish Independent 31 May 1928
This is an extract from the full article written by
Liam Langley
(Newspaper Cutting Eamon Murphy - History of Na Fianna Éireann)

Full details of the article written by Langley can be read below:

The Rising in Galway 1916 - Interview on RTE's Féach

An interview Volunteer Sean Concannon, Claregalway broadcast on RTE in 1970. It was on the prgoramme Féach and is concerned with activities in Galway during Easter Week 1916.

Na Fianna Éireann: The Lost Boys of the Irish Revolution

In May 1915 Sinead Callanan won the All-Island Schools History Competition.  Her essay explored the historically important role played by Na Fianna during the period 1912 - 22. It looked at the role played by Bulmer Hobson and Countess Markievicz in their formation and at how Na Fianna were structured and the types of activities in which they engaged. It also explores the relationship between the Fianna and the Irish Volunteers and the role played by the organisation during the 1916 rising and Civil War.
The Irish Examiner published her essay as part of their Centenary Commerations

The full project can be found on the Scoilnet website

Na Fianna Éireann: The Lost Boys of the Irish Revolution

Monday, March 21, 2016

Sinéad Callanan, a student of Castletroy College in Limerick, was a prizewinner in the all-island Decade of Centenaries schools essay competition for this study of Na Fianna Éireann

When men come to write the history of the freeing of Ireland, they shall have to record that the boys of Na Fianna Éireann stood in the battle gap until the Volunteers armed …

So said Patrick Pearse in To the Boys of Ireland. Why, then, does it seem that he was mistaken?

Na Fianna, or the Irish National Boy Scouts, played a vital role in the events of 1912 to 1922, yet have been largely overlooked in most modern accounts of this time. Pearse goes further still, asserting that ‘if the Fianna had not been founded in 1909, the Volunteers of 1913 would never have arisen’.

He was speaking at the beginning of 1914, barely four years into the Fianna’s existence, and before many of the major events of the Irish Revolution. The Fianna was instrumental in the formation and success of the Irish Volunteers, and the arming of the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB), but they are rarely praised or even mentioned anymore.

Fianna Éireann Ard Fheis 1915 Mansion House
Liam Langaley seated fourth from left next to Sean Heuston

The Typewriter

Liam was a proficient typist.  He transcribed many articles from newspapers and pamphlets.  He also wrote a numbers of articles, poems and a play.  This is the typewriter he used for many years, it is held with Liam's papers.  Liam also learned Pitman shorthand, some of his notes are in shorthand and are thus quite difficult to transcribe.

REMOVAL OF BANNER FROM GPO APPEALING FOR RECRUITS FOR THE BRITISH NAVY

Extract from Statement Gearoid Ua h-Uallachain (Gary Holohan) Fianna Éireann Dublin Brigade.

Liam Langley, along with a group of Na Fianna members, was involved in the removal of  a British Navy recruiting banner from the columns of the GPO around 1918 (date uncertain). This story was often recounted at home by Liam to his family.  He added that the following day a large crowd gathered to look a the burnt banner.  Liam and the group cycled back into O'Connell Street to survey the outcome of their actions.

The following is Holohan's account of the incident:  "There is just one incident that comes to mind which took place after 1916. As if to add insult to injury, the British authorities erected a large scroll or banner of bunting across the top of the columns or the G.P.O. on which was painted 'An appeal for recruits for His Brittanic Majesty's Navy'. This was too much for us, so we organised a party of the Fianna. There were about twenty of us, including Liam Langley, Hugo MacNeill and Thee Fitzgerald. We met with bicycles at George's Pocket. We had a supply of twine with lead weights attached, and several sods of turf soaked in paraffin oil. We cycled into O'Connell Street at about half-past eleven, held up the policeman on duty at the point of a revolver, threw the lead weights over the banner, hauled up the burning sods of turf and the whole thing was in ashes in a few minutes. It was never replaced."

Na Fianna Gaeilge Training Camp Portmarknock 1920

Na Fianna Irish language training camp
Portmarknock 1920
Photo taken by Liam Langley

In his role as Director of Organisation and Education (1918-1921) Liam Langley taught the Irish language. In 1920 he organised an Irish Language training camp in Portmarknock. Fianna members learned the Irish language and Irish history as well as participating in drill and route marching. Fianna members also learned signalling, first aid and other scouting skills such as map reading, path-finding and camping.




Langley took numerous photos of Na Fianna.  He liked people to be 'doing something' in the photos. Note the men back row one with a mallet, the person to his right pouring a cup of tea.  There are also two people 'playing frying pans'. Many of those in the picture have a badge in their right lapel, this may be The Fáinne, a gold pin worn to signify fluency and identification with the Irish language.

Margaret Langley (nee Cavanagh) - Liam's Mother

Kathleen,and May Langley Liam's 2nd cousins
with Margaret Langley

For mother's of the era life was not easy.  For Liam's mother it was particularly hard as she had no family in Ireland to support her and Liam was an only child.  Margaret left for Australia in 1866 as a baby.  On the journey over her mother passed away and was buried at sea, her father who was heading to 'the diggings' gave her up for adoption.  In 1892 Margaret, Michael, Liam's father,and Liam came back to Ireland and settled in Tuam.  Following Michael's death in 1906, Margaret was supportive of Liam's activities, she often had Liam Mellows stay and allowed their home to be used to store Na Fianna and Irish Volunteer uniforms, ammunition, guns and incriminating documents. She was arrested along with Liam on May 8th 1916 but released after questioning.  During Liam's time interned in England, May 8th - 24th December 1916 she was supported by Liam's 2nd cousins who lived in Loughrea.  The Langley's of Loughrea, cousins William, Joseph, James, John Vincent, Mary (May), Catherine (Kathleen) and Elizabeth were all very close to Liam and Margaret, they were the only family he had in Ireland.

Following release from Reading Jail, December 1916, Liam relocated to Dublin.  By April 1917 Margaret and Liam were living in Phibsborough.  Again she supported his endeavours and got to know other mothers of the Volunteers and Na Fianna. During Liam's period of internment in Mountjoy and Newbridge, August 1922 - December 1923 Margaret wrote many letters to him, took home  his washing and sent him parcels.  Having no family in Dublin she became close to the Gary and Paddy Holohan's mother who lived nearby.  Liam's friends and associates in Na Fianna and the Volunteers (IRA) were very supportive of her during his incarceration. 

Margaret's house was ransacked by the Free State Army shortly after his arrest.  She was alone at the time.  All of Liam's  belongings were taken out of the house and dumped on the street.  Documents and personal belongings were confiscated.  Subsequent to this event Margaret got a large dog or a 'four footed beast' as she described him.  In one of her letters to Liam, in prison, she says she was 'thinking about getting a set of harness and a small trap' for the dog to 'carry all the parcels from place to place'.  Fittingly Margaret called her new cormpanion 'Kangaroo'!

Margaret was constantly in correspondence with her family and friends in Australia.  She missed both dearly  and always wanted to return to her home in Australia.  When Liam married Mollie they cared for Margaret in Avondale Ave until she passed away in 1929 never having fulfilled her dream to visit Australia again.

Na Fianna Officers Training Camp Loughlinstown 1921

Na Fianna Officers training camp Loughlinstown 1921

 Liam Langley left of centre standing talking to another officer head down on left 

Mollie Langley (nee Kelly)

Liam married Mary Kelly (Mollie) on 4th July 1927 in the Church of Our Lady of the Visitation, Fairview, Dublin 3.  His friend Barney Mellows was his best man.
Liam and Mary had 6 children, one of whom died in infancy.  Two of his children married, there are 14 grandchildren. 
Currently there are 29 great grandchildren and 2 great, great grandchildren.
During his time interned in Newbridge Mollie sent many letters to Liam. She did her best to keep his spirits up in extremely difficult times.  Mollie and her sister Kathleen kept watch for Liam's release, firstly outside Mountjoy where Liam was help until 31 Dec 1922.  Instead of release he was sent to Newbridge internment camp on New Year's Eve 1922.  Both women kept up the watch going to Amiens Street train station on a daily basis to see if he appeared on the train bringing released prisoners up from Kildare.  Mollie and Kathleen took turns with one of them watching the afternoon train and the other the evening train.  The prisoners were released without warning and thus could not advise relatives that they were on the way home.  Liam's release did not come until after he spent time on hunger strike along with other Republican internees.  Liam was released from Newbridge Internment Camp on 14 Dec 1923.

Mollie and Liam Wedding Photo 4th July 192

Mollie, centre back, with her parents,
brothers and sisters
(Photo Liam Langley)

Mollie and Liam late 1950s

Na Fianna Eireann Last Meetings Countess Martkievicz June 1927

Countess Markievicz continued to attend meetings of the Executive Council of Na Fianna Eireann until two weeks before she passed away.  The following are extracts from the minute book of Na Fianna Eireann Executive Council meetings that Madame attended at the time. Liam Langley Collection

Minutes of last meeting signed by
 Countess de Markievicz 14.6.27

Last meeting presided on by Madame
28.6.27

Minutes of Na Fianna Eireann Executive Council following the death of Countess Markievicz

18/7/1927

Liam Langley Presiding

         The minutes of the previous meeting haveing been read and signed the meeting adjourned after passing a vote of sympathy with Count Markievicz and family on the death of Madame Markievicz the Chief and Founder of the Organisation.

         As an additional mark of respect it was decided to postpone the Annual Ard-Fheis originally fixed for Sunday,31st July, 1927 until further notice.

                                         Liam T. O'Laonlach

Minutes of meeting passing a vote of sympathy with
Countess de Markievicz's husband 18.7.27

Countess Markiewicz

Countess Markiewicz in Fianna Éireann uniform

Photo taken by Liam Langley possibly in her home Surrey House, Rathmines.

Held in Langley Private Collection

Copywirght

COUNTESS MARKIEVICZ

Countess Markievicz (Polish: Markiewicz; née Gore-Booth; 4 February 1868 – 15 July 1927)  founder of Na Fianna Éireann, a revolutionary, nationalist, suffragette, socialist, and  an Irish Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil politician.  In December 1918, she was the first woman elected to the British House of Commons, though she did not take her seat and, along with the other Sinn Féin TDs, formed the first Dáil Éireann. She was also one of the first women in the world to hold a cabinet position (Minister for Labour of the Irish Republic, 1919–1922).

Na Fianna Éireann Usher's Quay Battalion 1917

The time in Reading Jail was not wasted as plans were made for the next stage of the battle. The seeds of the Army of the Irish Republic were sown and nurtured by the internees who were considered leaders in the rising.  As a member of the Irish Volunteers Liam held the rank of Captain  Irish Republican Army (IRA), he also held the position of  Vice President Fianna Éireann (1915/16).  

In Dec 1916 Liam Langley was released from Reading, the following April he transferred from Tuam to Dublin April.  He held a number of posts in Na Fianna over the next number of years, these included:

June 1917                                Captain  Usher’s Quay Company

Jan 1918 – March 1920          Battalion Commandant 2^nd (North Dublin) Battalion

1918-1921                               Headquarters Staff  National Director of Organisation & Education

Dec 1920 – April 1921.          Brigade Commandant (O/C) replacing Gary Holohan who was arrested 

11 July 1921 – Dec 1921        Battalion Commandant 4^th (South West Dublin) Battalion

Early 1921 – April 1921         Chief of Staff in Eamon Martin’s absence

Headquarters Staff                  Director of Organisation (Ryan p.18)

May 1921 – July  1922           Brigade Commandant (Brigade Staff Sheets p.6)

Fianna Circle IRB (1917-1922)

Centre:  Gary Holohan

Secretary: Liam Langley

Treasurer Tom Donohoe

Liam is pictured below with The Ursher's Quay Battalion Fianna Éireann, he was Captain of the Battlion from June 1917.  The photo was taken at Blessington Basin, Phibsborough where the battalion trained.  Liam Langley is seated second row third from left, he is wearing his Irish Volunteers uniform.

Christmas Cards 1916

A Christmas Card sent to Liam Langley by fellow Frongoch Internee M.J. Harris of Cork.  This card was posted on 23rd December 1916 the day before Liam's release from Reading Jail.

Statement Arrest Sean MacDiarmuid Tuam May 1915

Liam Langley's statement to the Bureau of Military History 1913-1921 in relation to the arrest of Sean MacDiarmuid.  This is the only statement Liam gave despite being involved in activities from the early 1900's up to the end of this period.  He maintained a dignified silence in relation to his involvement.  However a careful reading of this statement gives an insight into the difficulties encountered by the Nationalist movement in Tuam following the split in the Volunteers in the time preceding the 1916 Rising