I posted this previously unknown photo recently of 1916 rising leader Sean MacDiarmada with his sisters Rose and Bridget/Bessie. The Photo was taken in 1912 when Sean was in the US to attend the Clan Na Gael convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The reaction on X was huge the post reached over thirty-eight thousand views, and I received lots of messages.  I decided to write this blog to explain how I came across this photo along with a lot more MacDermott family material here in New York.

Back in July I received a message from a friend in New York, Claudia Flynn. Not just a friend, we both grew up in the village of Rhode in County Offaly. She had seen a post on the Irish Mammie’s Facebook Group here in NY and asked was I interested.

The post mentions: “Hi ladies I am wondering if anyone can help. The house I grew up in was owned by Rose MacDermott, a sister of the 1916 rising patriot Sean MacDermott, we have a stack of old periodicals as well as some old books, one signed by Sean. I’d really like for someone to archive anything of historical importance or to take a look /take them away as none of us can take them and it would be a shame to dump them.”

Of course I jumped at the chance and arranged to visit the home the next day along with my wife Anne and our son Daniel. It was here we met the homeowner Nuala Gill. Nuala is originally from Killorglin, County Kerry and has lived in Brooklyn since the mid-sixties. Her husband Brendan Gill was also from Killorglin. In fact, they both grew up on the same street.

They purchased the home from Rose McDermott although Rose stayed on living in the house in a separate apartment. Sadly, Brendan died tragically in 2019 when he was knocked down by a truck crossing the street near his home.

The house was originally owned by Rose’s sister Mary MacDermott who was married to William Dick. Both of Mary’s sisters, Catherine and Rose lived in the home along with their brother Donal/Daniel. The MacDermott family members resided in this home from the early 1920s. The last MacDermott connection to the house was Rose who passed away in 1968. Catherine died in 1955, Donal in 1959 and Mary in 1961.

Sean MacDiarmada was the 8th child of ten children born to Daniel MacDermott and Mary McMorrow. Many of the MacDermott family emigrated prior to the 1916 rising. They were involved with Clan Na Gael, Cumann Na Mban and other Irish groups over the years. Another brother James or Seamus was the editor and publisher of The Gaelic American Newspaper which was described as the chief organ in America for Irish Independence. This newspaper was owned and edited by John Devoy. Devoy was one of only a few people who played a role in the Fenian Rising of 1867, the Easter Rising of 1916 and the Irish War of Independence 1919-1921.

In October 1916 six months after the rising a huge fund raiser was held in Madison Square Garden, New York. It was called The Irish Relief Fund Bazaar for the benefit of the Families of the Irish Martyrs and Prisoners. The Irish flag was raised on the roof of MSG for this event by Nora Connolly, daughter of another executed leader James Connolly. Nora visited her father in Dublin Castle the night before his execution. By her side when she raised the flag was Agnes Newman, a sister of Roger Casement and Kate MacDermott. The certificate below was among the Items in the Brooklyn home.

Also in the collection of material are ten handwritten pages by Nora Connolly. They are rough drafts for her 1917 book “The Irish Rebellion of 1916, or The Unbroken Tradition”. Her book provides a detailed personal account of the events which led to the rising.

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The MacDermott sisters were Involved with Cumann Na Mban right from its founding in 1914. The collection has a lot of CNM material, letters, and periodicals. Another amazing artifact in this collection is the original Cumann Na Mban banner. Although in need of repair, the fact it has survived at all is a credit to the Gill family.

Rose also worked in The Mission of Our lady of the Rosary for the protection of Irish Immigrant Girls on State Street in the Battery Park area of Manhattan. She was known as the Rose of State Street. The Mission was set up in 1883 to provide support for young Irish female immigrants arriving in the City. Reverend Patrick Temple was the director at the time. He came from Shannon Harbor in County Offaly.

Last month I visited the MacDermott family plot in St. Charles Cemetery, Farmingdale, New York. James/Seamus and Daniel/Donal are buried here along with their sisters Mary and Rose although the sisters names are not on the headstone. I hope to rectify this.

To sum up this collection in a short blog is impossible. It also has two letters from Sean written to his family in Brooklyn and a signed book of his. (pic)

What has struck a cord with many is the photo of Sean with his sisters. You can see the pride in his sisters  faces and the youthful  innocent look of a twenty nine year old Sean. It also hides the fact that Sean MacDiarmada wasn’t well. He is seated in the photo which is another indication of this. One year before the photo was taken Sean had contracted Polio which left him with a permanent disability and required the use of a cane. On May 12^th 1916 when it came time for his execution by firing squad in Kilmainham jail, Sean was carried to the execution site .

I’m hoping to have an exhibition of the material here in New York early in 2027. The material should be digitized and made public. It would be great to have the same exhibition in Ireland at some point, and I believe some items in the collection should go back to Ireland.

All credit goes to the Gill family who have taken care of it for all these years. I want to thank Nuala Gill, her daughter Deirdre, and sons Kevin and Brendan for entrusting me with the collection.  Also a special mention to Brendan Gill Snr. (RIP).

Many will walk by this Brooklyn home and not know its significance in Irish History. It was a meeting place for many dignitaries over the years. People like John Devoy, Eamonn De Valera, Justice Daniel Cohalan ,Cumann na Mban founder Sarah McKelvey and many more.

I plan to visit the MacDermott family homeplace in Kiltyclogher ,County Leitrim early in 2027. Stay tuned for more on this collection in the near future.

Danny Leavy .