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ECHO OF EXECUTION

SINN FEINER'S LAST LETTER EFFORT TO SECURE DELIVERY POLICE CHIEF AND *DE VALERA. Through a police chief's, goodwill a letter written by a man just before hi? execution 18 years ago may at last be restored to the person to whom it was Shortly' before Christmas, Captain. Athelstan Popkess, chief constable >of Nottingham, sent to Mr de Valera, president of the Irish Free State, the last letter of one of the Sinn Feinners who were executed for their share in the 1916 rising. , Captain Popkess* also sent the following covering letter to Mr de Valera:— "My dear President,— During the postwar troublous times in Ireland, I was in Ireland with my regiment, during which, if I remember, rightly, my duties included a hunt for yourself. Probably the most repugnant duty of the soldier is the carrying out of raids upon civilian householders. During one of these I came by the last letter of a patriot written before his execution. To-day, when going throui;.! an old box, I discovered it. "This is the season of peace and good-, will. Mr President, and I return Heuston s letter in that spirit for disposal as you may think fit. 'May I also hope that this action may help to promote a better feeling between races who, though secretly admiring each other, have tragically misunderstood each other for so long? The chief constable received the following letter in reply:—Dear Sir,—l have received your letter and enclosure, for which I am very grateful. I, too, look forward to the 'establishment: of relations of cordial friendship between our two peoples, and.l am glad to have evidence that there are Englishmen ot the same mind. I shall endeavour to trace Mr Walsh (mentioned in,the letter), to whom Sean' Heuston's letter was addressed, and restore the precious document to him. Wishing you a very happy ( Christmas and New Year—Yours sincerely, ' ',_ .■ ■ „ E anion de Valera.

The letter which the -chief constable sent to Mr de Valera was as follows:—: "Kilmainham Prison, Sunday, May 7, 1916. , , "Dear Mr Walsh,—Before this note reaches you I shall have said farewell to this vale of tears, and have departed for what I trust to be a much better world than this. "I take this last opportunity of thanking you and all my railway friends for their.kindness over the past year. I ask you all to forgive me any offences which I may have committed against you, and I ask you to pray for the repose of my soul. '. ' , "Whatever I have done, I have done it as a soldier of Ireland, in what I believed to be my country's best interest. I thank God I have no vain regrets. After all, "It is better to be a corpse than a coward.'- ,' ' .- " Will you see that my mother gets all the assistance you can get her, and refund her. the money from the superannuation fund? She will badly need it all.—Gratefully yours, . ;..■.■•■.. H. J. Heuston."

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19350225.2.157

Bibliographic details

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22505, 25 February 1935, Page 18

Word Count
494

ECHO OF EXECUTION Otago Daily Times, Issue 22505, 25 February 1935, Page 18

ECHO OF EXECUTION Otago Daily Times, Issue 22505, 25 February 1935, Page 18