Rare sighting of a smiling Eamon de Valera
Bild von National Library of Ireland on The Commons
According to our catalogue, this was the Irish Republican Party (Sinn Féin) photographed on Monday, 10 July 1922 presumably in Dublin. However, as Cathal Brugha is present in this photo (thanks to Yellabelly* for identification), and he died on Friday, 7 July 1922 then we need help to ascertain the correct date for this photo.
Some of the figures are readily identifiable, most obviously Eamon de Valera captured smiling. That is Margaret Pearse, mother of Patrick Pearse, partially obscured by the newsreel camera, but would like to identify other people. Also, it looks as if the film cameraman may be Gordon Lewis, who by this date was working in Dublin for Pathé Gazette.
People identified thanks to you:
Cathal Brugha (by Yellabelly*)
Count George Noble Plunkett (by Seuss.)
Joseph MacDonagh TD for Nth Tipp (by gs2014)
Robert Barton (by sensibleken)
Date: Tuesday, 10 January 1922
NLI Ref.: HOG235
That Dev lurking in at the side of the camera Carol?
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/photoken04] Definitely Eamon de Valera! Hoping that’s Margaret Pearse on the other side of the newsreel camera. Also hoping for help in identifying others…
That is Cathal Brugha front and centre with the hat and mac. Brugha died of wounds received in action against Free State troops on 7th July, 1922. Either Wikipedia is wrong with his date of death or the date in the catalogue is incorrect. Worthy of further research methinks.
Cheers Carol. Interesting of who might be who in this collective of political & Social Irish personnel of the time!
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/theyellabelly] Thanks, should have recognized Cathal Brugha myself. You’re absolutely right – Brugha died on Friday, 7 July 1922, so that blows our original dating out of the water…
Is that Willie O Dea on the far right!
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/int0lerant] Knew someone’d suggest him!
Perhaps his grandfather?
If we saw any (and I do mean that in a non party political way!) of the current lot smiling like that I think we’d stone them!
Seuss. has identified the bearded gentleman at the back as Count George Noble Plunkett. Fairly sure this is correct, although there are very few photos of Plunkett about that we can check against. However, Plunkett was Minister for Fine Arts (outside the cabinet) from August 1921 to January 1922, and was certainly involved with Eamon de Valera so it would make sense for him to be part of this group.
Looking at the faces it is easy to imagine names but that does not make them right. I thought one looked like Erskine Childers Snr. but googling him shows a very different gentleman. The Willie O’Dea lookalike could be Frank Aiken or Sean Lemass but as Lemass was just a youth he may not have had a moustache as good as that one. The elderly lady is definitely Margaret Pearse as you will see from any of the photos that come up in Google! As you say, it’s not often the Long Fellow is seen in such a relaxed mood. I have a feeling that the movie clip that is shown being taken is in the archives somewhere and may have appeared in the likes of Mise Eire? If I remember correctly this was taken after the decision to break with the Pro-Treaty groupings and before the actual outbreak of hostilities. Brugha and Collins thoroughly detested each other and Cathal was never likely to take Collins side in anything.
Joseph MacDonagh TD for Nth Tipp in front with hands in coat pocket
There is another photo of the same gathering on the National Library website, at least it’s very similar with the same people in the same spots, Brugha is holding his hat and coat and the lady on the left of shot is also there with her coat. if there is a larger copy of that available perhaps it lists the people in the shot
catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000218977
It also has a publish date of 10th July 1922
Nice one descramble, that debunks my theory that the guy with the moustache might be Frank Aiken because big Frank is on the left of that picture with the hat on his head! The chap with the ‘tache is in more or less the same position which supports your thinking!
pointy nose man could be Desmon Fitzgerald and Mr big face at the back behind Plunkett could be Patrick Maloney or Sean O’Mahony. hat guy beside point nose guy at the back looks like Ernest Blythe. Baldy guy in front row could be Robert Barton.
Could this have been the announcement of Cumann na Poblachta on 15 March 1922?
actually Robert Barton is the guy in the waistcoat and hankerchief just behind Cathal Brugha
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/74533356@N08] Thanks for the Joseph McDonagh, T.D. I.D.
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/decsramble] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/swordscookie] Absolutely happy that the photo you mention was taken on the same day in the same location, but unfortunately has no list of names (and again, our catalogue is wrong on the date – Cathal Brugha was dead by 10 July 1922). Was thinking we could all cut our teeth on this one, and then maybe graduate to the other…
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/25230525@N06] Thanks, have added a note for Robert Barton above! Looking at your other I.D.s…
Some people on Broadsheet have suggestions that seem correct:
Top Row third looks like Liam Mellows
http://www.generalmichaelcollins.com/WEB_Photo_Folder/2.Album/2….
How about Rory O’Connor for top row 8th, (beside guy half hidden by flag)
multitext.ucc.ie/d/Markievicz_with_Rory_OConnor_at_Bodens…
Looking at both pictures, and trying to find pics of anti-treaty TDs in the 3rd Dail, a last guess to end the night: Brian O’Higgins 2nd Row 1st Partly hidden. If we could see a large scan of the whole group I think he’s looking at the camera and both kind of look like they could be him.
freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ccfgpw/ban-195…
Update: I don’t think it’s him anymore. The hair looks wrong?
catalogue.nli.ie/Record/KE_091
and in a drawing from the 1919 First Dail poster his hairline is far back (bottom row above "90th") so I think he might have had less hair in 1922???
irishelectionliterature.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/1stda…
Update again: having looked at the larger photo I think it’s him again
Above Dev, Con Collins?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Con_Collins.jpg
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/decsramble] And you’re back! Can’t stay away, eh? Thanks for all the notes, info, etc. Trying to grab a few minutes here at Library Towers to compare faces/names…
I’ll admit I’m very curious and would love to see names attached to all the faces
I’ve been looking at this list of Anti-Treaty candidates and looking for photos of them then trying to find a match in this photo
electionsireland.org/party.cfm?election=1922&party=ASF
Nice group; all smiling for the camera !
Front left, laughing, could be Sean Moylan
http://www.generalmichaelcollins.com/WEB_Photo_Folder/2.Album/2….
http://www.amazon.com/Sean-Moylan-Leader-Aideen-Carroll/dp/18563...
http://www.irishdemocrat.co.uk/features/sean-moylan-soldier-poli...