COLLINS, Michael Catalogue of Gift Sale. Irish National Aid and Volunteers’ Dependents Fund to be held in the Mansion House.

Dublin on Friday and Saturday, 29th and 21st April [1917]. Commencing at Twelve o’clock each day. Dublin: Warren, [1917]. pp. 25. Printed wraps. Very good. Very rare.

Copac locates only TCD copy.
The cruelties of General Maxwell, the executions of fifteen and the sentencing of one hundred and twenty-two men and one women to penal servitude in English prisons fuelled national sentiment. Immediately after the executions, two national organisation came into being to provide for the dependants of those killed or imprisoned. The two organisations - the Irish National Aid Association and the Irish Volunteers Dependant’s Fund - were amalgamated into the National Aid Association. A post as paid-secretary of this Association became vacant on the resignation of Joe McGrath, Michael Collins was appointed to the post in February 1917, the organisation of this sale must have been among his early duties.

The aims of the association were “To make adequate provisions for the families and dependants of the men who were executed, of those who fell in action, and of those who were sentenced to penal- servitude in connection with the insurrection of Easter 1916 and in addition to provide for the necessities of those others who suffered”.

The Committee appealed for gifts of rare Irish books, manuscripts, autographs, prints, pictures, antique silver, china, old Waterford glass, jewellery, and curios of any description, especially anything of Irish literary, historical or antiquarian interest. The result was astonishing as we can see in this catalogue: Sixteenth century ancient Irish Rosary; De Valera’s Pocket Flask; Gerald Griffin’s Writing Desk; Dun Emer Rug; Block on which Robert Emmet was Beheaded; Robert Emmet’s Wallet; Death Mask of Edmund Burke; Piece of Lord Edward Fitzgerald’s Coffin; Major Sirr’s Sword; James Connolly’s gloves; Jack B. Yeats Drawings; Sketches by Augustus John; Paintings by Lavery and Orpen; Lithographs by AE and James Stephens; Signed Copies of the Works of W.B. Yeats, John M. Synge, Douglas Hyde and John Mitchel; Signed items by Joseph Plunkett, Padraic Pearse, etc. The donors includes: Ella Young; Susan Mitchell; Mrs. Weddall; Mrs. Darrell Figgis; Mrs. Eamonn Ceannt; Mrs. Connolly; Mrs. Mallin; Dun Emer Guild; Mme. O’Rahilly; Miss K. MacDermott; Mrs. Hone; Misses Lavery; Mrs. Hegarty; Mrs. Pearse; Helen Laird, etc.