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Papers: List of Papers 2002-04 |
The Coasting Trade Terry Conlan |
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Matthias Derham - Irish Volunteer, 1883 - 1959 |
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Skerries Historical Society had a very interesting paper entitled Matthias Derham - Irish Volunteer, 1883 - 1959 from Frank Whearity at our November meeting. There was a large attendance of Derhams and other family connections, all of whom thoroughly enjoyed the talk and the social occasion. Matthias Derham was born in Quay St., Skerries in 1883 and worked in the town during his lifetime as a carpenter, undertaker and builder. He joined the Irish Volunteers and was mobilised in 1916, but missed the action in Dublin as the roads were blocked and Derham and comrades could not gain entry to the city before the surrender. Instead they turned back and cycled to Ashbourne only to find that the "battle of Ashbourne" was over. Derham and the other volunteers surrendered and were interned in Frongoch. Matt. spent some months in prison and then went to America for a year. He returned to Ireland and married in 1919. |
The following year, when the Black and Tans were on the rampage, they called at his house Shamrock Cottage in New Street. Matthias was at home but managed to escape in the confusion of darkness and was put up at a safe house, Dowlings of Church St. Shamrock Cottage was looted and burnt down. Through Matt's efforts, Thomas Hand's widow received assistance from the White Cross Fund, which had been set up by Maud Gonne McBride. Matt was always conscious of his friends and neighbours and ever ready to help them. He died in 1959 and posthumously, in 1966, was awarded the 1916 medal. . At the end of the talk Tom Derham, a nephew of Matt.spoke about his recollections of his uncle and was generous in praise of Frank Whearity's meticulous research. Tom said that long ago the Derhams had lived on the borders of England and Scotland and had refused to bow the knee when the English took over their area. Instead they had migrated to Ireland and had come over the hill into Skerries playing the bagpipes. This does not agree with another account of their Skerries origins as heard in a tape earlier in the night! . |