What is the the ‘Blood Pact’
The object known as the ‘Blood Pact’, is a document in a wooden frame with a glass protective barrier, that was intended to be hung on a wall. The document in the frame was reputedly written in the blood of, and signed by, Thomas Francis Meagher (1823-1867) and William Smith O’Brien (1803-64) in Clonmel Gaol in October 1848. Both were advanced nationalists and members of the Young Irelanders organisation. The signatures are written on highly intricate embossed paper.
Who were these men?
William Smith O’Brien was from Dromoland Castle and a direct descendant of Brian Boru. A Protestant, he was in favour of Catholic emancipation and was initially a supporter of Daniel O’Connell, before becoming involved with the Young Ireland group. In 1848, the group were involved in a skirmish with crown forces in County Tipperary and he was eventually captured in Thurles and incarcerated in Clonmel. A few days after signing this document, he was sentenced to death, but was subsequently transported to Van Diemen’s Land – the colonial name for Tasmania, Australia. He was eventually pardoned and died in Wales in 1867.
Thomas Francis Meagher was born in Waterford to a well off Catholic and politically nationalist family. He was a supporter of O’Connell, but subsequently became a Young Irelander, seeking armed insurrection. After the skirmish in 1848, he was arrested in Cashel and was taken to join O’Brien in Clonmel Jail. He was also transported to Australia but escaped to the United States in 1852. He would make a name for himself in Irish-American circles, especially during the American Civil War when he led the 69th Irish Regiment from New York. He later became Acting Governor of Montana territory and died in 1861 when he fell overboard from a steamer on the Missouri River.
History of the object
The ‘Blood Pact’ had been donated to a museum in Bindon Street in the mid-1960s by Mary Maguire of the Spa Hotel in Lisdoonvarna. It was transferred to the new de Valera library and museum, when it opened in Ennis in 1975, and was subsequently inherited by Clare Museum in Ennis when that collection was transferred in 2000.
The object was photographed in 2001. In the summer of 2021, the condition of the ‘Blood Pact’ was spot checked. When it was compared to the 2001 photograph, some differences became apparent, but it was possible that these differences may have been due to the exposure of the photograph. In the end it was decided that it would be best to have it sent for conservation. This turned out to be a wise decision.
Conservation
Conservation was undertaken by the Paper Conservation Studio in Dublin. When the conservator inspected the ‘Blood Pact’, she was able to tell us a great deal more about it. Overall, in her assessment, the condition of the ‘Blood Pact’ was that it was in poor condition:
- It had suffered significant UV and light damage. What appears to be pink coloured staining was probably the original tone of the paper. On the removal of the document from the frame, the verso (reverse) was found to be a vibrant pink colour. This original colour has faded over time due to UV/Light exposure which pre-dates its arrival at Clare Museum.
- The surface dirt was heavy and covered the entire recto (front) of the document.
- Water staining was visible on the recto and verso. This water damage had caused undulation throughout the piece and is not flat.
- There was a large grey diagonal mark reaching from the upper righthand corner to the lower left.
Treatment of the object, the conservator informed the museum, was likely to be difficult but the safest and least risky course of action would be taken, based on the outcome of some tests.
The treatment involved eight stages:
- Document: The piece will be removed from its frame and photographed to document its condition
- Surface cleaning: A sable brush was used to remove the heaviest surface dirt, and a combination of grated eraser and chemical sponge were used to remove further particulates. This brightened up the paper.
- Testing: The object was tested with water and alcohol to see how the pink colour of the paper and pigment reacted and whether it is stable or not. This informs the course of treatment that is safe to undergo.
- Aqueous: A procedure to introduce moisture via suction to reduce the visible tide line on the recto in a controlled way was carried out. The intention for this would be to reduce the visual disturbance caused by the tide line
- Flattening: In order to retain the embossed aspect of the piece, the object could not be pressed. A gradual process of gentle flattening of the image was employed using a Kairi Bari drying board, where the piece is humidified and its drying controlled to facilitate its flattening.
Interestingly, there was no evidence in the conservation report that the ‘Blood Pact’ signatures of Thomas Francis Meagher or William Smith O’Brien are, in fact, written in blood. It remains anecdotal.
Conclusion
It is important to carry out spot checks on your collection, even on items on display in your showcase that you see everyday. There are also benefits to photographing your items in your collection, so that their condition can be monitored over time. One of the benefits of sending an item to a conservator is that they can provide new information about the object and, in this case, we were very surprised to discover that the original colour of the paper was pink!