My ancestors - Flanagan - Contents

Frank Flanagan

• References:
  • Frank Flanagan's unpublished memoirs, 1965.
  • They Shall Grow Not Old: Irish Soldiers and the Great War, Myles Dungan, Four Courts Press, 1997.
  • Frank Flanagan grave, Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin. Location: oC 102. Go in gate, go to RHS, right beside wall.

  • Was supposed to be reference to Flanagan in this but I can't find it:
    • As I was going down Sackville Street, Oliver St.John Gogarty, 1937 (and subsequent reprints).

• Sources yet to be consulted:
  • Records of Frank's time with the Jesuits, Irish Jesuit Archives, 35 Leeson St, Dublin.
  • References to Frank Flanagan in [O'Connor, 1963].
  • Growing up in Crumlin village, Billy French.

  • Frank Flanagan WWI service record.
    • He was in Royal Artillery, joined Dec 1914. He was a Captain. "My Colonel's name was Rainsford" (an Irishman). They might be the LVII (57th) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (see below).
    • He declined to draw a pension for his service. He is not found in British Army WWI Pension Records 1914-1920.

   
(Left) Frank Flanagan.
(Right) Nora Stack. See full size.

Frank Flanagan, "The Pope Flanagan",
gentleman, born 11th Dec 1886,
educ Clongowes boarding school (Jesuits), Co.Kildare,
he was at school with Fonso Carton,
got the name "The Pope" at Clongowes because he was so religious,
he is listed at boarding school in Clongowes in [Census, 1901],
must have left Clongowes summer 1904,
joined the Jesuits 7 Sept 1904 (age 17), was planning to become a priest and go on the missions,
stayed for 3 years, eventually decided wasn't suited, left apparently 1907,
his parents gave an inscribed monstrance to the Jesuits, it is now at the Jesuit Manresa House, Clontarf Rd, Dublin, (todo) photograph inscription,
didn't go to university,
"I had no incentive to work. Father told me I need not take up a profession, as he had sufficient land and property to ensure my future.",
hunted with his brother The Bird around SW Co.Dublin (then open country, now all built over), founder member of South County Dublin Harriers 1906, also hunted with the Ward Hounds, and generally lived the high life on his father's money, "riding around his many farms on horseback to supervise his workers and hunting twice a week did not help me to realise that life meant more than idling my life away",

after leaving the Jesuits he went to America, he was in the US around 1907-08,
there is a picture of Thomas Addis Emmet, "regards to F.C. Flanagan", 24th Dec 1907,
he met US President Theodore Roosevelt, "who kindly gave me a signed photo", dated 20th Jan 1908,
he stayed friends with his son Kermit Roosevelt,
a postcard May 1908 shows him living at Portmahon House,
he worked as an insurance broker for a while, listed as such in Census 1911,
in [Census, 2 April 1911] he is listed at Portmahon House with his father,
and he also must be "Francis Flanagan", "market gardener", age 24, who is listed as an overnight visitor to a Catholic community (occupied by a number of priests and laybrothers) at 49 Sandford Road, Ranelagh,
think Sandford Road were Jesuits, perhaps he was on some kind of retreat,
he became a friend of Fonso Carton's older cousin, the writer, conversationalist and Dublin character Oliver St.John Gogarty,
through Gogarty he met Joyce, but he was not a fan of Joyce or his writings,
Joyce's father was at Frank's mother's funeral 1910,
he stayed friends with Gogarty all his life, he would have stayed with Gogarty - not at the Martello Tower, where Gogarty lived only for a brief time in 1904 - but rather at Renvyle in Connemara,

like his father, he was in Irish Parliamentary Party / Nationalist Party,
he was in the Redmond wing of the Irish Volunteers,
he helped create a brief diversion to distract British troops during the Howth gun-running, 26th July 1914,
Bulmer Hobson recalled: "They went off in all directions and a scene of great activity ensued, which was further enlivened by the arrival of a gentleman, locally known as 'The Pope Flanagan', on horseback. Mr.Flanagan, at my request, galloped his horse off at a furious pace and added to the noise." [Hobson, 1964],
Frank was good friends with T.P. O'Connor (Nationalist MP),
also friend of the nationalist politician Tom Kettle (their fathers were friends), [Frank's memoirs] recall that "Life was pleasant in Dublin before 1914 and if one had a bit of money there was not much need to work. Tom and I played billiards very often in the mornings", and would then go for a few early drinks in a hotel bar, or in the pubs on the Dublin docks,

joined up British Army in WW1, didn't have to, had a nice life, but "I will tell you why. I was at a loose end. I found no joy in my idle life.", he was also following the call of the Redmond party to fight for England as (somehow) part of the plan to secure Home Rule, in Dec 1914, age 28, he joined Royal Artillery, started training Mere, SW Wiltshire, because of his background (and relatively older age) he was made an officer, in charge of Irish troops, he was a Captain (higher than Lieutenant), he was in command of a Battery, conflict with his superiors at one point when he defied orders and marched Catholic soldiers off to mass when they were meant to be preparing for a visit from Lord Kitchener, he was a member of an Irish Party deputation to France to express Irish support for French in the war, he had very strong Catholic faith, many of the French he met "were born Catholics but did not practice. Coming from Ireland, where the faith is so strong, and where the churches are filled on Sundays and fairly full on week-days, gave me a great shock.", in Sept 1915 he was sent to the Western Front, on the Somme, France, "conditions were frightful in the winter ... Terrible slaughter ... and failure after failure", end of Dec 1915 they were sent to Salonica (now Thessaloniki), N Greece, they might be the LVII (57th) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, which was sent to join the 10th (Irish) Division in Greece between 16 August and 18 December 1915, Frank says "Sir Bryan Mahon" was "our C. in C.", Bryan Mahon commanded the 10th (Irish) Division, he had a number of disputes with superiors, and was also having arguments about what was happening in Ireland, after the Easter Rising, Apr 1916, on leave in London, just after Easter Rising 1916 executions, had dinner with "my old friend" T.P. O'Connor, Joe Devlin, MP and Lloyd George (who became Prime Minister Dec 1916), the Irish MPs warned Lloyd George about the growing martyr-worship of the dead rebels, urged him to try to undo the damage, late 1916 sent to Egypt, then posted to Nowshera, military station, far NW India, under British Raj (now NW Pakistan), nr Peshawar and the Khyber Pass into Afghanistan, at Peshawar he "hunted jackals over rough open country" and "life was gay", he was posted to Iraq, 1917, to join the Mesopotamian campaign against the Ottoman Empire forces (the Turks), he took part in the recapture of Kut, SE Iraq, from the Turks, in the Second Battle of Kut, 23 Feb 1917 [NOT Easter 1917], under General Maude, he "walked over the Turkish trenches littered with their dead" and felt sympathy for them, "I wondered what I was fighting for, as I took less interest than ever in Britain's wars since I left France .. but I was caught up in this bloody and tiresome business and saw no way of getting out of it", he stayed with the British advance through Iraq, the British finally entered Baghdad on March 11, 1917, he got post in British administration of Iraq, he became assistant administrator of the district round Babylon, SC Iraq, "The district to be looked after and policed was about the size of Wales", this must be in and around Hilla province, he was in command of "the best part of 1000 men", "free and easy, and sometimes dangerous life roaming around the desert", he met Gertrude Bell, he saw the German archaeological excavations at Babylon, met the famous Colonel Leachman, "He was the T.H. Lawrence of Iraq" [sic], "He and I often sat into the late night drinking scotch and soda", also "In Baghdad I met the Grand Duke Dimitri" (also here) "who had been an accomplice in the murder of Rasputin" [the previous year, 1916], Dimitri had been intended for the throne by the aristocrats who removed Rasputin, but they were overtaken by the 1917 Revolution, and he lived out his life in exile, in Babylon one time Frank entertained Admiral Sir Ernest Gaunt (commander-in-chief of the East Indies), Frank was replaced after argument with Arnold Wilson, the colonial administrator of Iraq, "within a month I had a letter returning me to my Battery", successor installed, "took over my job and house, and occupied the bedroom I used.", few days later "for no reason the Arabs shot him dead in bed.", "Wilson's action saved my life.", he went to India on leave, he was a lavishly treated guest of Admiral Sir Ernest Gaunt in Ceylon, he knew Prince Ranjitsinhji, the famous Indian cricketer, not allowed bring him into the Bombay yacht club (no Indians allowed), Ranjitsinhji later came to Ireland in 1920s, and they renewed their friendship, he also became friends with C.B. Fry,

he was living Portmahon House in 1920s, with his father and brother Michael [Liam Cosgrave],
on 31st Aug 1922 the Alderman conveyed his lands of Goldenbridge North to Frank,
like all his family, he was pro-Treaty and against De Valera,
his memoirs blame De Valera for the Civil War, and admire W.T. for successfully founding the Free State,
he was friends with the opera singer Margaret Burke Sheridan around 1923, he may have been interested in her but it seems it didn't go anywhere,
he was the only son left alive when the Alderman died 1931, inherited Portmahon House and all the lands [Alderman's will] and sold them off,
he was a very sociable person, and his memoirs are full of a list of interesting friends that he visited, dined with, and drank with,
apart from those mentioned above, he was also friends with the writers Brinsley MacNamara and Liam O'Flaherty, and the journalist Thomas Kenny of Galway,
he also lists as friends the British journalist Hannen Swaffer, and the US Democratic politician Jim Farley,
he was a friend of the painter Jack B. Yeats, bought some of his paintings very cheap when he was unknown, but unfortunately Nora didn't like them and they were sent back,
enjoyed drinking a lot when a bachelor, reformed himself and became a Pioneer before he even met Nora, and for the rest of his life never drank,
more or less stopped hunting when he married,
met Nora think July-Oct 1932, when Nora working in Co.Wicklow, Frank out for a drive round Co.Wicklow with friend, his friend said let's call in to a young doctor friend of mine where we'll get afternoon tea,
he set up home in the old Flanagan family property Walkinstown House, he is listed there in [Thom's] from 1933 to 1960,
listed as "farmer" at mar,

mar 31 July 1933 to Dr. Nora Stack [born 29th June 1903],
honeymoon in Lourdes and France, in France as at 2nd Aug 1933,
they nearly went to live in Drimnagh Castle (just around the corner from Walkinstown House), Deirdre Flanagan thought this was at time of their marriage 1933, although the castle did not actually become vacant until 1954,
he was a friend of Frank Duff (founder of Legion of Mary),
the Flanagan lands of SW Co.Dublin were disposed of in his lifetime as the suburbs expanded into what was countryside, it is not the best area of Dublin, but still worth a lot more than the lands were let go for,
Drimnagh Castle became vacant 1954, the school was built on Frank's land, though he didn't own the castle itself,
Nora died of cancer, St.Vincent's private nursing home, 96 Lr Leeson St (nr St.Stephen's Green), Dublin, 3rd Dec 1957, age 54 yrs,
see death notice, Irish Times, December 5, 1957,
obituary, in unknown newspaper, Dec 1957,
funeral 5 Dec, bur Glasnevin,

Frank moved 1959 or 1960 to "Glenade", 65 Mount Merrion Ave, Mount Merrion/Blackrock, Co.Dublin,
died Fri 23rd Oct 1970, "Glenade", age 83 yrs,
see death notice, Irish Times, October 26, 1970,
funeral Mon 26th Oct, Booterstown church, bur Glasnevin with wife,
had issue:

1. Margaret Flanagan ["Peggy"], born 23rd Aug 1934.
   Peggy's christening present is part of a story about the lost Caravaggio.

   
   

2. Deirdre Flanagan, mar Richard Humphreys and had issue.

   
   

3. Finola Flanagan, mar Kieran Kennedy and had issue.

   
(Left) Think Frank Flanagan as a boy, Dublin.
(Right) Frank Flanagan, Dublin, c.1905 (age c.18).

The re-capture of Kut by British forces under General Maude, Iraq, Feb 1917.
From here.
See satellite view today.

British forces under General Maude march into Baghdad, Iraq, Mar 1917.
From here.

(Left) Brigadier General Dayrell Talbot Hammond, born 1855, served with the Connaught Rangers (Irish regiment of British Army) in Zulu War, Boer War and on staff in WWI, died 9 Jan 1942, aged 86.

(Centre) W.T. Cosgrave.

(Right) Frank Flanagan.

Riding out to the hunt, c.1929-30.
Written on back of this picture (think by Peggy) is: "Daddy, Uncle Willie and General Hammond (a Catholic and good friend)".
The person on the left is NOT Wilfred Fitzgerald.
Photo reprinted in [Norton, 1991].

Portrait of Frank Flanagan.
Portrait is by the painter Simon Coleman (born 1916), who was a friend of Frank's.
See larger and full size.
See similar shot and wider shot and wider shot.

   
Frank Flanagan and Nora Stack, in the drawing room, Walkinstown House, both pictures 14th Mar 1948.

Frank Flanagan's grave, Glasnevin. Photo 2006. See full size.
Photo courtesy of Richard Humphreys.

---

 
"Davy Byrne's in Duke Street, the Bailey Restaurant nearly opposite, and the underground Bodega in Dame Street are licensed tabernacles sanctified by the past attendances of people with names like ... the Bird Flanagan and his relative, the Pope. (Who will pretend that these are not ordinary surnames that can be borne by anybody?) All three still open their doors at ten o'clock and possibly shelter to-day the makings of a second fame ... The premises bear openly the marks of their departed guests, like traces of fresh stout found in a glass by a policeman after hours"
- "The trade in Dublin", by Flann O'Brien, The Bell, vol.1, no.2, Nov 1940, pp.6-15, [DCU] PER 941.5.
The legendary drinkers referred to are my grandfather The Pope Flanagan and his brother The Bird Flanagan.

"To-day, I modestly invite knowledgeable readers to share with me the plan of producing an extended memoir of one who was comparable with Trojan Hector or Finn MacCool himself. I mean the Bird Flanagan with, perhaps, a supplement on his brother, the Pope Flanagan."
- [Myles na gCopaleen, 1962].

"One may ask why I joined the British Army. ... I was in the Irish Volunteers and a follower of John Redmond, and he asked us to join up and fight, thinking the British Government would give us Home Rule as promised. Many of my friends left the Redmond party and founded their own army which fought in 1916. The fight led to the founding of the Irish Free State. They were right."
- Frank's rather sad judgement in 1965 on his WWI service.

---