My ancestors - Humphrys - Contents

Dr. David Humphreys

• References:
  • "Clanwilliam House and Mount Street Bridge", 1916 Rising online exhibition, [NLI].
  • Letter from Nell Humphreys to Dr.David's sister, Nora Humphrys the nun, after 1916 Rising. Rev. Mother sent letter back, Sighle had it, excerpt from it published in [O'Rahilly, 1991], (todo) read full letter.
  • Among those present .. (article on 50th anniversary of 1st Dail), Ita Mallon, Irish Independent, Tue 21st Jan 1969.
  • Survivors, ed. Uinseann Mac Eoin, 1980, reprinted 1987.

• Sources yet to be consulted:
  • Limerick workhouse records.
  • [CSORP, 1916, Carton 25873], Parliamentary Question regarding arrest of Mrs Humphreys on the charge of being a sister of one of the leaders shot in Dublin.

   
(Left) Dr. David Humphreys, Quinsborough, c.1900. See full size and a second almost identical shot.
(Right) Nell Rahilly, c.1900. See full size.

Dr. David Humphrys (later Humphreys),
bapt "Humphrys", 30th Mar 1861,
think went to Jesuit school, Crescent College, The Crescent, Limerick city (or was it his son Dick who went there?),
doctor, MD, registered physician and surgeon, educ Royal College of Surgeons, St.Stephen's Green, Dublin,
LRCSI (Licentiate of Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland),
LKQCPI (Licentiate of King's and Queen's College of Physicians of Ireland), this became Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and he is listed as LRCPI (Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland),
Licentiate in Midwifery,
listed as of Glenstal (just qualified) in [Thoms, 1887],
he became Visiting Medical Officer of Limerick workhouse, this was a public hospital for the poor (didn't charge), middle class wouldn't use it,
he is listed as "David Humphrys", doctor, Workhouse, Limerick, in [Thoms] from 1888 on,

he got to know the O'Maras in Limerick in 1880s-90s: he was doctor at Limerick workhouse when David Sheahan was Master of the workhouse, he knew James O'Mara when both were single in Limerick, early 1890s, he must be "David Humphreys" who wit the mar of James' young uncle Dr. Frank O'Mara in 1894, they were both from Limerick, same age, both studied medicine in Dublin (perhaps together), both returned to practice in Limerick, in 1895 James O'Mara married Agnes Cashel, niece of the Limerick workhouse Master David Sheahan, Dr.David's son would eventually marry the dau of James O'Mara and Agnes Cashel in 1929,

he is listed as "Resident Medical Officer", Limerick Poor Law Union, in [Thoms, 1893] and [Guy's, 1893],
also had private practice at his house, 18 The Crescent, Limerick city, living there before mar 1895,
he was an ophthalmic surgeon (eye specialist), obituary says he was a specialist in the treatment of ophthalmia,
[Mallon, 1969] says he was asked to join the (British) Army by a relative, "who put the proposal to him as normal family procedure" (really? no other Humphrys joined the British military, though a Rahilly doctor did), he answered "When Ireland has an army, I'll join it",
as young doctor in Limerick, at medical dinner, toast to Queen Victoria, he stopped it,
he was close friends with Nell's brother, The O'Rahilly, whose nationalism is first seen c.1899 (wonder was David an influence),

mar 1895 to Nell Rahilly [born 27 Apr 1871],
still spelt "Humphrys" at marriage [GROI],
although there is a gift, a clock "Presented to Dr.Humphreys by his friends in Limerick on the occasion of his marriage February 1895",
[Thoms, 1895] lists "David Humphrys", Workhouse, Limerick,
spelt "Humphrys" in [Slater's street directory, 1895, 1896],
he was into horse riding,
he sent a telegram 1898 to The O'Rahilly, who had won a Ballylongford horse race, "Congrats to mare and trainer",
Nell's mother and sister Anno moved to nearby Quinsborough House, Co.Clare 1898,
[Dermot Humphreys] says David and Anno used go out hunting from Quinsborough,
he adopted spelling "Humphreys", sporadically at first, consistently by time of his death,
it is not known why, he was the first from Glenstal to do so,
William Humphreys, the rich gentleman of Glentworth St, Limerick, was spelling it that way, but none of the Glenstal family were,
his will dated 16 Dec 1899,
[Thom's, 1901] lists "David Humphreys" as Visiting Medical Officer, Limerick Union,

his health deteriorated, obituary says his bad health was blamed on "a chill after a bicycle ride while staying at Kilkee" around winter 1900-01, death cert says he had "abscess of lung (several years)", his bad health forced him to abandon his practice in The Crescent, and resign as Visiting Medical Officer at Limerick Union, he and Nell and children went to live with her mother and Anno at Quinsborough, there is no census return for 18 The Crescent in [Census, 31 Mar 1901], the Enumerator's abstract says the house is "uninhabited", Dick and Sighle are at Quinsborough in that census, but their parents are not found anywhere in Ireland, maybe they are travelling, they are living Quinsborough as at [Deed, Sept 1902], listed as "Humphrys", living Quinsborough as at Emmet's birth Oct 1902, he is meant to have subscribed to the building of the new parish church in Murroe (collection began in 1902), (todo) see list of subscribers, see Childhood of Dick, Sighle and Emmet in Quinsborough, went to Egypt to try to recover, Sighle remembered "absolutely charming man", on boat to Egypt, she'd see a little group of men, she knew papa'd be in the middle of it, Aodogán thought they might have stayed at Shepheard's Hotel in Cairo (beside the Pyramids, an Anglo-Irish haunt, old building burnt down 1952), David died on way home from Cairo, morning of Wed 13th May 1903, The Home Hospital, 16 Fitzroy Square, London, age 42 yrs, of "abscess of lung (several years)" and "septicaemia (some weeks)" [GRO.UK], see obituary in Limerick Chronicle, Thur 14th May 1903, spelt "Humphreys" in newspaper reports of illness, death, funeral notice, and in admin of estate, body transported to Ireland, funeral Fri 15th May 1903 from Boher railway station, bur Abington, Co.Limerick, funeral list in Limerick Leader, May 1903, in admin of his estate he is described as of The Crescent, but Nell is described as of Quinsborough, estate of about £4000 (about £1m in today's money) [NAI], or £5588 [other admin papers] granted to "Nell Humphreys of Quinsborough",

Nell and children carried on living Quinsborough with mother and Anno,
her mother died Dec 1903, she and children and Anno lived there,
David's mother (the last grandparent) died Feb 1909,
Nell left Quinsborough, took family to Dublin c.Mar 1909, Anno with them, stayed in hotel for while,
apparently lived Pembroke Rd, Ballsbridge, but must have been very brief since already listed as living Northumberland Rd in 1909,
she and Anno settled 54 Northumberland Rd, Ballsbridge, listed as living there in St.Enda's accounts 1909, listed there in [Thoms] 1910 to 1917,
Nell and Anno's brother The O'Rahilly returned to Ireland, and came to Dublin totally independently, May 1909,
Nell and family only settled a few weeks, May 1909, maid said "Mr.Brown to see you", Nell said "Who?", Sighle curious, it was The O'Rahilly, who had arrived from Philadelphia a day or two before [O'Rahilly, 1991], the children were delighted - knew no one in Dublin, now 3 American cousins to play with [Sighle],
The O'Rahilly moved to 40 Herbert Park, Ballsbridge, 1910, close to Nell and Anno on Northumberland Rd, Nell's children grew up with O'Rahilly relations, not Humphrys,

The O'Rahilly soon became a prominent revolutionary in Dublin, Nell's family too became very republican, fell out with the Limerick Humphrys, who were more Free State/Fine Gael, Nell sent her son Dick to the radical St.Enda's school, entered Sept 1909, her family reverted to the old spelling "O'Rahilly" from c.1911 onwards (though obviously her surname was now "Humphreys"), see entry at 54 Northumberland Rd in [Census, 2 April 1911], Nell and Anno and children live with 2 servants, Dick away at St.Enda's, whole family speaks Irish, they filled out the census form in Irish, fine house with 12 rooms, Northumberland Rd was used as address for purchase of arms, The 1916 Rising: The O'Rahilly was a leader of the 1916 Rising, died in action, Dick fought with his uncle in 1916, imprisoned, the family was still living 54 Northumberland Rd at time of 1916 Rising, from their house they witnessed the slaughter at Mount St Bridge, Wed 26th Apr 1916, "Here in our own road two men held a house and there were over 90 soldiers killed or wounded. Anna and Sighle saw nearly all who fell" [Nell, 1916], this was the rebels' most successful engagement of the Rising, soldiers arrived at Northumberland Rd, searched it for 4 hrs, Nell arrested, Nell was imprisoned for c. 3 weeks, at first under day-arrest in grounds of RDS, returning home each night, then she was transferred to Kilmainham, later Mountjoy [Mallon, 1969], "We have been shunned by almost all our society acquaintances" [Nell, 1916], both Nell and Anno were revolutionaries in 1916-23 period, [Ernie O'Malley letters, 1991] says of his group of volunteers: "One night in 1917 .. our Captain stopped the drill and said 'There is a lady, a sister of The O'Rahilly, about to inspect the parade and if I see a smile on any of your faces, God help you when she leaves' .. Mrs. Ellen Humphreys came into the room and gave each of us a medal of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour .. It was hard to keep from laughing as our Company was a 'tough' one", family moved to 14 Herbert Park, prob. 1917, listed there in [Thoms] 1918 to 1921, British raid on their house 1919, Dick imprisoned, this was supposed to be Northumberland Rd, but they were in Herbert Park by then, Nell built house at 36 Ailesbury Rd 1920, listed there in [Thoms] from 1922 edn on, house on Ailesbury Rd was safe house in War of Independence, raided by British 1920, Dick and Emmet arrested, Nell was elected a Republican member of Pembroke Urban District Council in 1920, see undated letter to Nell from Constance Markiewicz, written from Kathleen Lynn's house, 9 Belgrave Rd, Rathmines, Nell and family took republican side in Civil War (June 1922 - May 1923), house on Ailesbury Rd was raided by the Free State in the Civil War, Nov 1922, Anno shot by accident, whole family arrested, Nell jailed, in Mountjoy prison in 1922 with Sighle, Nell later imprisoned Kilmainham, and North Dublin Union, Nell in prison until Aug 1923,

Nell had summer house in W Co.Kerry Gaelteacht,
like her brother The O'Rahilly, she made Irish the spoken language of her home,
her will dated 23 Jan 1939,
she died Thur morning 8th June 1939, 36 Ailesbury Rd, age 68 yrs,
obituary in Irish Press, Fri 9th June,
see death notice in Irish Times, June 9, 1939,
funeral Sat 10th June, bur Abington, Co.Limerick,
funeral list in Irish Press, Mon 12th June,
the Taoiseach de Valera, 3 Ministers and the President of the High Court attended the funeral,
estate of £4159,
had issue:

1. Dick Humphreys,
   Richard, born 23rd Apr 1896, 18 The Crescent, Limerick,
   NOT 19th Apr - date on birth cert in [GROI] is error, the correct date is on his passport,
   Dr.David was very careless with dates, registered both Dick's and Sighle's dates wrong, Anno registered Emmet's birth and hence it is correct,
   named after his grandfather Richard Rahilly, who had just died, and who was named after his grandfather Richard McEllistrem, so Richard as family name goes back to at least c.1780,
   listed as "R.P." Humphreys in George Duggan's funeral list, "R.H. Humphreys" after Leinster 100 in 1923, "Richard H. Humphreys" in [Motor Reg.],
   registered using the old spelling "Humphrys".

   
   

2. Sighle Humphreys, revolutionary,
   "Sighle" is the Irish spelling of "Sheila", pronounced the same, think she also used the alternate Irish form "Síle", she NEVER used "Sheila",
   born 26th Feb 1899, 18 The Crescent, Limerick,
   NOT 12th Mar - birth date on birth cert in [GROI] is wrong,
   NOT 29th Feb 1900 - sometimes claimed to be a leap year baby, 1900 was not a leap year anyway,
   at time of birth her mother was at Limerick workhouse, where Dr.David was working, they said "Sighle was nearly born in the workhouse",
   registered as "Margaret" at birth, and still listed as such at marriage [GROI],
   apparently bapt "Margaret Mary" after her grandmother Ryan, (todo) confirm birth date by seeing baptism,
   registered using the new spelling "Humphreys".

   
   

3. Emmet Humphreys,
   Emmet David, born 3rd Oct 1902, Quinsborough (where his father was now living) [GROI], NOT 1903,
   named after Robert Emmet, whose centenary was due the next year in 1903,
   his father very sick at the time, said "call him Emmet", shows how nationalist family was even in Dr.David's time, Dr.David ran up green flag on flagpole at Quinsborough when Emmet born,
   couldn't be baptised Emmet, baptised Claude, after the saint [this must be St. Claude La Colombiere, confessor to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (or here), and chaplain to the Catholic wife of James II, imprisoned by the British - Claude and Margaret Mary were co-founders of the feast of the Sacred Heart. Though neither was yet a saint at this time, this was a popular feast in Ireland and think Claude is who Emmet is named after, while Margaret Mary may be connection to Sighle's name. Margaret Mary's death was Oct 17th - close to Emmet's birth.],
   never knew his father, kept his father's death anniversary faithfully all his life,
   registered as "Humphreys".

Nell, Dr.David,
Dick, Sighle,
c.1902.

   
The O'Rahilly, Dr. David.
This is NOT Quinsborough.
See full size.

 

Dr. David and think his mother-in-law Ellen Mangan.

(Left to Right): Anno, Dr.David, Nell, c.1900.

A cup won by Dr. David Humphreys with his horse "Jacob" at the Dublin Agricultural Show (Spring Show), RDS, Dublin, Apr 1897.
The show was held 20-23 Apr 1897.
[Irish Times, 23 Apr 1897] shows Dr. David and "Jacob" in a jumping competition on 22 Apr for cobs under 15 hands.
Irish Times does not however indicate that he won (or was placed). Yet this cup exists.
"M. Humphreys" of Dublin is found coming 2nd in another competition on same day, with the horse "Navan". This might be his brother Mick.

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"One of my most bitter thoughts was - Would David be ashamed of me, making such a muddle of my life that I was in one prison and Dick in another?"
- Nell, after 1916 Rising.

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• 1916-23 period

• William Bulfin, "Rambles in Eirinn", 1907.