Sir,
—I bought your magazine for the first time recently while waitingfor a train at Heuston Station. I really enjoyed it, but theoutstanding article was by Charlie McGuire on Seán McLoughlin. What afascinating account of this man, and, of course, the epilogue had mereally purring! But can we have more, please? What became of SeánMcLoughlin’s five siblings, and what became of his wife and twochildren in Sheffield? In all the coverage of 1916, the one thing thatI find is constantly missing in all the articles and papers is thefollow-up on the personal level. How did all those young widows withchildren manage to survive, and who put bread and butter on theirtables?
Yours etc.,
DAN BOLAND
Milltown
Co. Kildare
Sean McLoughlin’s first wife, Isa Barr, died in 1922, as did his son,Terence McSwiney Sean McLoughlin. He married again in 1927 in England,to Blanche Burnup and had two further children, Jack and June. Both hiswife and his two children are still alive. McLoughlin’s 15-year-oldsister, Mary, took part in the rising. She died in 1956. His brotherDanny, two years older than Seán, fought for the British army in theFirst World War and was blinded at Ypres. He loved music and was atalented clarinet player. He formed a band that was well known inDublin dance halls. He died in 1962 and had, I believe, a goodrelationship with Seán. Seán also had a brother two years younger,Patrick, who joined the IRA during the War of Independence. He died in1966. The two others are Christina and Christopher, eight and ten yearshis junior respectively. Christy died around 1995, and was both amember of Fianna Fáil and the Irish Transport and General Workers Union.
CHARLIE McGUIRE