The welfare of Irish political prisoners in Dundalk Gaol in the aftermath of Thomas Ashe’s death, Oct 1917 - Jul 1918 Ailbhe Rogers Women praying outside Mountjoy Prison for Kevin Barry, 1920 (National Library of Ireland) Dundalk Gaol (National Library of Ireland) Background: Various political prisoner autographs from Inside B Wing of Dundalk Gaol (Louth County Council) Dundalk Gaol 1917-18 (Kilmainham Gaol Archives) Matthews family pictured with Mrs. Margaret Pearse (Military Archives) Dundalk Cumann na mBan posing with bandoliers, rifles and cigarettes (Private possession) Dundalk Gaol autograph book (Kilmainham Gaol Museum) Advert for Carroll’s Silk Cut cigarettes (Nationality, 1917) Patriotic Christmas card (Military Archives) Dundalk Gaol, 1918. Back Row (L-R): Diarmuid Lynch, Ernest Blythe, Terence MacSwiney, Dick McKee, Michael Colivet Front Row (L-R): Frank Thornton, Bertie Hunt, Michael Brennan (Kilmainham Gaol Archives/Military Archives) Máire, Muriel and Terence MacSwiney (Cork Public Museum) Kathleen and Diarmuid Lynch (Lynch Family Archive) Taken from inside a Dundalk Gaol cell, 1918 (L-R) Frank Thornton, Joseph Berrill, Patrick J. Flynn, James Toal (Kilmainham gaol Archives) ‘I wish to convey to yourself and the Dundalk people.. our thanks for their efforts on our behalf. Certainly ye went to an enormous amount of trouble and we.. can never forget it.. Be sure you convey to them my deepest gratitude.’ – Austin Stack, Tralee, 1917. ‘Thank you very much for your kindness to the boys as we have heard what good the Cumann na mBan of Dundalk has done for the prisoners.’ – Éilis Ryan, INAVDF, Dublin, 1918 ‘I have been ordered to extend our gratitude to you all for the eggs you brought us in honour of Easter Sunday. The soldiers here now know the meaning of good cooking.’ - Diarmuid Lynch, 1918 (translated from Irish) I enclose a brief tribute to the wonderful and touching sympathy shown by the crowds in the street of Dundalk on the night of the first release. I have described the scene to friends in Dublin here as one of the most wonderful I have witnessed in recent years. Give my kind regards to the Cumann in Dúndealgan, your helpers in the womanly and patriotic branch of true nationalism - Alice Milligan, 1917 I will never forget the reception we got from the people of Dundalk and we will remember it forever. -Nicholas Treacy, 1918 .