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Christmas Card

Christmas card, Let Erin Remember message, green and orange decorative border, small photograph of Seán Mac Diarmada, from Peadar Clancy

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Christmas card, printed, colours, green and orange, possibly added by hand. Folded card, front decorated with interlace border on three sides, top border thicker, broad central interlace with two circles, each showing triskele type design. Beneath the top border are two Irish flags on poles which are crossed at the centre and overlying the poles is a banner reading “LET ERIN REMEMBER”. Under banner and flags is a black printed circle into which a photograph of head and shoulders of Sean Mac Diarmaida, has been inserted. Beneath this is a verse reading “They rose to guard their fatherland -/In stern resolve they rose,/In bearing firm, in purpose grand,/They met their country’s foes.” Beneath this is a black cameo of an easter lily, under which is the following Christmas greenting in Irish language and script with a translation in brackets underneath, as follows: “Go dtugaidh Dia/Nodlaig Mhaith Dhuit./(May God give you a Happy Christmas.)”. Printed inside the folded card on the left side is the following: “Ó/Ph. Mac Fhlannchaidh,/94 Sráid Thalbóidh, Áth Cliath.” The paper contains a watermark which extends lengthwise across the unfolded card, the watermark image is a harp surmounted by a five pointed crown, rising out from the front of the harp is the upper body of a woman dressed in loose robes and wearing some form of low headress, possibly a crown.

This card commemorates the leaders who lost their lives in the 1916 Rising, in particularly this card contains a photograph of Sean McDermott, one of the leaders executed. The card was sent by Peadar Clancy, born in Cranny, Co. Clare in 1894. He took part in the Easter Rising in Dublin and was originally sentenced to death but had this sentence commuted to 10 years penal servitude.

After the amnesty in 1917 he returned to Dublin where he opened a drapery business in Talbot Street. He was murdered by the Auxiliaries and Black and Tans while in their custody on Bloody Sunday, 22nd November 1920.

Collection: Ellen D. Murphy

Category: Communication Equipment

2003.0039 (5445)