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

Wedding Photos

 Liam married Mary Kelly (Mollie) on 4th July1927 in the Church of Our Lady of the Visitation, Fairview, Dublin 3. 

Wedding Party
Liam and Mollie seated centre,

Seated front right Lawrence Kelly, Mollie's Father;

Seated second from left Margaret Langley (nee Cavanagh),

Liam's mother; best man Barney Mellows left of Liam

Mollie and Liam bride and groom,
Kathleen Kelly (sister Mollie) bridesmaid,
Barney Mellows bestman