By Dan Walsh
On Thursday night Gorey Library facilitated the official launch of Wicklow Gaol Comrades – A Civil War Autograph Book – authored and researched by Aaron O Maonaigh in a collaboration between Wicklow and Wexford County Councils.
This innovative collaboration between the archive services of Wexford and Wicklow County Councils centres on a small autograph book (part of Wexford County Archive’s Civil War collection).
It was owned by Patrick Fitzpatrick from Kiltealy, a member of North Wexford IRA’s flying column who was imprisoned in Wicklow Gaol in late 1922, and following his escape and subsequent recapture, was interned again, including at Tintown Camp B, Co. Kildare until his release on 24 December 1923. The autograph book includes signatories of fellow internees from Fitzpatrick’s time in both places of detention.
This project was supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media under the Decade of Centenaries programme 2012-23, and by the Archive Services of Wexford and Wicklow County Councils
“Congratulations to all concerned who made this possible and brought a humble 100-year-old autograph book back to life,” said Cllr John Fleming, Cathaoirleach Wexford County Council.
It is a most impressive book and available at Gorey Library where the exhibition will be on display for a week and will be available over the next few months in other libraries across counties Wicklow and Wexford.
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