Wedding in Dundalk Goal recalled in film
A secret wedding which took place in Dundalk Goal in 1918 is recalled in the new film by local documentary film maker Marcus Howard.
A multimedia and business teacher at O Fiaich Institute of Further Education and co-author of the Louth Volunteers 1916 book, he has completed his film ‘Michael Collins Part 2 1918 Acquisition and Analysis.
‘ The Irish War of Independence which began in 1919 could not have happened without the pre-planning and organisation carried out in 1918,’ says Marcus who has made over 100 films about the Easter Rising and its aftermath, which can be seen on his YouTube channel.
This new feature length film covers 1918, presenting Michael Collins never seen before with new information, unseen photographs, and interviews with his close relatives such as Pól O’Murchú, Aengus O’Malley and Mary Clare Collins Powell. Interesting historical perspectives are given by respected published historians and film also features interviews the Lord Mayor of Dublin Mícheál Mac Donncha, Ronnie Daly and Liam Neeson. ‘ This film presents Collins, the administrative genius who ran the revolution as a modern day CEO,’ says Marcus.
It includes details of about the secret marriage of Diarmuid Lynch who was in prison in Dundalk Gaol, which Collins helped to plan. Lynch was very close to Collins, having collaborated on the revision of the Sinn Fein Constitution, the IRB Constitution. Lynch was arrested in February 1918 for seizing and slaughtering pigs and when he learned that he was to be deported to the USA he asked for permission to marry Kathleen ‘Kit’ Quinn so she could travel with him to the US as his wife. This was refused , so with the help of his Republican comrades he secretly made the marriage arrangements in Dundalk Gaol. After he announced his marriage Lynch was immediately moved to Dublin where he was met by Collins, De Valera and Harry Boland at Connolly Station. Collins and Boland had marched in front of the car that took Lynch to the Bridewell and on the following day Collins also joined Lynch as he was brought to Kingstown before leaving Ireland.