THE CORRAN HERALD A Ballymote Heritage Group Production Issue No.6 NOVEMBER EDITION 1986 PRICE 30p ALEC M C CABE 1st 1866 - 1972 Anniversary As a student: he was diligent, HIS EARLY LIFE with a fondness for learning, Issue winning a scholarship to Alasdair McCabe St. Patrick's Training received his primary With this issue, the College, Dublin and achieving education in a humble Corran Herald celebrates a teacher's diploma at one roomed school in Keash. its first anniversary. During U.C.D. He continued his education the year it has established at Summerhill College, for itself a readership As a teacher: he was Sligo where he developed of about 700 per issue. unsurpassed, loved and a great love for reading It has proved to be a popular respected by both pupil history books, a love that paper whose every and parent who boycotted was nutured by Father appearance is eagerly the N.S. at Drumnagranchy Michael O'Flanagan, the anticipated and the Heritage when he was dismissed patriot priest employed Group is proud of its success. as a result of his involvement there at the time. A boy During this first with the Republican with great intellectual - year the paper has concent movement. ability he won a scholar rated very largely on items -ship to St. Patricks raining of a heritage interest. As elected Sinn Fein member College in Dublin, and Very special thanks is due of Parliament and of the it was here that his interest to those authors who have first Dail formed in 1918, in the Sinn Fein movement contributed so generously he was a most prominent was born. and so extensively to its and active member, suffering His training completed, pages. We look forward imprisonment and abuse he returned as principal to continuing contributions. in the fight for the freedom of Drumnagranchy N.S. We would like to of his beloved country. where he remained for also publish items of current six years. He was an topical interest each month. As one of the founder outstanding teacher of We again invite all local member of the E.B.S. the maths, history and English, organisations to use the first building Society open borne out to this day by paper as a platform in to the members of the a former pupil, now over which to advertise their general public he gave 80 years, Mrs. Bridget activities and their plans generously of his time, Kielty reciting the complete and dreams for the future. unpaid and with a mere speech of Shakespeare's Letters from individuals £20 for annual expenses. Hamlet 'To be, or not to would also be welcome. A brief intorduction to be, that is the question; - We thank our advertis a man who was born in and many mathematical ers. Without their generous Keash in 1886 and who theorems and definations. support the paper could went on to become one In 1913 he was slected not exist. of the best known figures to study for a diploma We ask you the reader in Irish history during the in Education at U.C.D. for your continued support. troubled years 1914 - 1922 and this gave him the oppor- We promise you plenty and finally becoming a tunity of being present of interesting material highly respected businessman at the inaugural meeting and wish you many hours in Dublin's business circles. cont. page 2. of happy reading. 2 Pictured from left: MAY 1970 ALEC MCCABE Prof. John Carroll, D.Sc., Chairman E.B.S. cant. from page 1. Mr. Alasdair McCabe, former Secretary & of the Irish Volunteers Managing Director E.B.S. in the Rotunda on November' Dr. J. J. Ho gan. President U.C.D . 25th 1913. He was also' active in canvassing for' Dr. Patrick McCurtan, who with the later president of Ire land Mr. Sean T. O'Kelly was the first Sinn Fein member to be elected to Dublin corporation. At this time he first met Arthur Griffiths whose famous pamphlet "The Ressurection of Hungary" had already been a great inspiration to him, enhancing his sense of nationality and the need to fight for Irish Freedom. ACTIVITY IN THE VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT On completion of his diploma course in Dublin Alec McCabe returned At: Presentation of cheque for "The Alasdair to his native Keash where McCabe Prize" at School of Architecture UCD he became actively involved THE FIRST OF MANY He spent a few weeks in Sligo prison. No comrade in recruiting new members PRISON SENTENCES came near him or for the Irish Volunteer. communicated with him In 1914 he was elected In the summer of during these weeks because a member of the Supreme 1915 Alec McCabe went the police authorities circled Council of the I.R.B. In to a merchant in Sligo a rumour that he was swearing in volunteers to purchase gelignite follow-- suspected German spy, no diary could be kept ing a directive from I.R.B. and it was being suggested for fear of being discovered headquarters in Dublin. that the I.R.B. was being so Alec depended on his He had dealt with this bought over by the Germans. memory to record the merchant for many years, The Great War (1914 1918) various heads of centres frequently buying fishing was going on in Europe he had sworn in. This was tackle and catridges. He at this time. In an interview made easier by the fact ordered a few stone of to the Irish Press 5th May that he was a member gelignite and told the prop-- 1970 Alec McCabe spoke of the Sligo County team rietor he wanted it for of conditions in prison G.A.A. circles. Because fishing. "It was too much and society in the early of this involvement Alec to order at one time, it days of the relolutionary McCabe was dismissed was stupid" in Alec's own movement (1915) for the from his post as teacher later words. Alec trusted benefit of, and I quote, by the parish priest in his merchant of long standing 'our rising generation'. 1913. However the parents although of a different He said "I slept in a cold of the children attending persuasion and did not cell with a straw mattress the school decided to boycott expect that he would report and washed out the floor in support of their teacher him to the police. However every morning. I had a and within a few weeks he did just that and as strange experience at Mass he was reinstated by none a result Alec was arrested in the prison chapel when other than the Bishop of at Sligo station with a I found myself sitting beside Achonry himself, Dr. Gladstone bag of gelignite a man under sentence of Morrisoe. in his possession. death. 3 He was an Italian Besides, Spring 1916, who had murdered his wife. they insisted, ,their priests he met Sean McDermott, A servant girl assisted were against such like Pearce and Connolly, and him in the murder and and they were good plans for the rising were she too was under sentence Catholics. The judge named discussed. He returned of death in the female Kenny dismissed the to Ballymote on learning section of the prison. I neighbours' evidence and that a reception had been took particular interest pointed to the Gladstone planned in his honour. He in the case as the girls bag and its contents which awaited word from his was from Ballymote and McCabe had in his possession superiors in Dublin and her sister was a servant at the time of arrest. when no word came he in my in-laws family in The jury resigned took a teacher's job in that town there were no and returned a few hours Killybegs industrial school, maids at that period except later with a verdict of as he had no money at in the higher echolors of 'not guilty' much to all. society. In defence to the everyones' amazement, On reading the Easter fact that there was no no least McCabe himself. Saturday paper he saw capital punishment in Italy, He was even taken back that Casement had been the Italian was deported, to Mountjoy prison pending arrested so he carefully a gesture intended to a further trial but was made his way to Dublin strengthen the political released a fortnight later, where Pearce and Connolly entente. the British authorities told him that the rising Following this fearing further had been arranged. McCabe dispensation it was only embarrasment by a second was directd to go down in the nature of things accquital be fore the country and organise that his accomplice would a jury of sumpathisers the local Sligo Volunteers be reprieved and I'm happy to the case. and disrupt communication to say that later I got the throughout the North West: poor unfortunate released Telegraph communication on ticket of leave on giving Alec McCabe made between Boyle and Sligo, a gaurantee that she would history on two counts at and Sligo and Galway were get employment in a family this period in his life: disrupted and the Sligo- that would look after her". 2.1. He was the first Limerick railway line was McCabe was transferr-- Sinn Fein man to made impassable at ed to Mountjoy jail pending be tried in Green Tubbercurry. his trial in Green Street Street court. under the British regime. His was the last trial The day of the trial arrived, by jury under the OBTAINING RIFLES McCabe was visited in British regime. This FOR KEASH I.R.B.