Stephen O'Mara,
Lot of travel: Family letters shows that in the 1870s and 1880s Stephen went to Liverpool and London a lot on business. Ellen kept the business running in Limerick while he was away. Many letters also show either Stephen or Ellen on long breaks out of Limerick, usually in Kilkee or Lisdoonvarna, Co.Clare. They also used telegrams to communicate when separated.
Murder case: In 1879, Stephen gave evidence at the murder of one of O'Mara's customers in a mugging. He is not yet described as a councillor. The murder victim, Michael Maher, a general dealer, age nearly 70, had come from Thurles to Limerick with plenty of cash on his person. He purchased bacon and other goods from O'Mara's on Roches St on Fri 10 Oct 1879, at which time he had a bit of drink taken. That evening he was robbed, beaten and thrown into the Shannon to drown. Stephen O'Mara gave evidence at identification of the body on Sat 11 Oct 1879. See Irish Times, October 13, 1879.
Irish nationalist politics:
Stephen pledged his support to the
Land League
at its founding, Oct 1879.
Charles Stewart Parnell was president.
See
item
in Irish Times,
October 22, 1879.
He became a Town Councillor (T.C.) on Limerick Corporation.
[DIB]
says he was elected T.C. 1881.
He is listed as Town Councillor
for Shannon Ward
in
[Thoms]
at least 1882 to 1898.
Stephen and Ellen were
living 31 Roches St
from at least Nell's birth
1882
to
1886
[family letters].
While in Limerick Corporation, he successfully opposed the imposition of an
RIC tax on the ratepayers.
Nationalists were opposed to the RIC.
Parnell
in 1882 reformed the Home Rule party as the
Irish Parliamentary Party
(also called the Nationalist Party, the Home Rule party
and the Parnellite party).
Stephen became a supporter, and later an MP.
Stephen was living 31 Roches St when he reported death of his 1st cousin
Mary Anne Lynch
in Aug 1883.
He
was executor of her will.
In letter of
8 Oct 1883
he is in London, and
"Called on Mr. Parnell"
and is meeting him again.
He is
listed as "TC" (Town Councillor)
at dinner to celebrate
the granting of the Freedom of Limerick to
Michael Davitt
in 1884.
See Politics
and Speech by Michael Davitt
in [McMahon and Flynn, 1996].
He was
Mayor of Limerick 1885 (would be approximately the calendar year, Jan 1885 - Jan 1886).
See the
Town Hall, Limerick.
He was the first Mayor of Limerick
elected on a Nationalist ticket.
He criticised the running of
The Limerick Athenaeum in 1885, saying:
"The Athenaeum is for the general benefit of the citizens .. not a closed borough".
See Quotations
in [McMahon and Flynn, 1996].
The Prince of Wales story:
While he was Mayor,
the Prince of Wales
(future Edward VII)
came to Ireland on a visit
(must be the Royal visit to Ireland, 8-27 April 1885).
The
luggage train was sent on to Limerick in advance.
[Pat Lavelle] says:
"Grandfather met the train and talked to the
equerry
in his quiet, friendly way,
and explained again quite firmly that there would be no question of a civic welcome.
The luggage was not derailed. The Prince of Wales did not visit Limerick.
Grandfather had no opportunity to refuse a knighthood
and practically nobody knew anything about the incident then or later."
About 15 years later, his brother the opera singer
was introduced to the same Prince of Wales when he sang in London.
Mayor of Limerick 1886 (second term,
would be approximately the calendar year, Jan 1886 - Jan 1887).
During his second term as Mayor, he became an MP.
He
lived Hartstonge House, Limerick,
from 1886 [family letters]
to at least 1908 [date on a photo].
Kate Sullivan, the wife of
Timothy Daniel Sullivan, Lord Mayor of Dublin,
wrote to Ellen, 25 Sept 1886, asking her to join a delegation of the wives of
leading Irish nationalists in making a presentation to
Gladstone
on 4 Oct at Chester,
of the
"Women of Ireland's declaration in favour of Home Rule".
It is later clear that Stephen went to Chester but Ellen did not.
High Sheriff of Limerick city 1888:
He was
High Sheriff of Limerick City
for 1888,
succeeding his father.
See appointment
reported
in Irish Times,
December 21, 1887.
And heading.
Visits America in May-June 1888:
He was wealthy enough to visit America on business in the 1880s, and see relations, and come back.
See
letters during his visit.
He
went on the
RMS Umbria
from Liverpool to New York.
He got on at Liverpool, Sat 12 May 1888.
It stopped at
Queenstown on the way.
Arrived New York on Sun 20 May 1888.
He kept a diary on board ship.
He
visited Pigott relations in New York.
When he arrived in New York he left his card with
Sir Thomas Esmonde, 11th Baronet,
who was staying there.
He
visited O'Mara relations in Canada.
His visit was noted
on p.5 of The Catholic Record, 9 June 1888.
Letter of 18 June says he struggles to describe America:
"to me it seems one busy seething mass of human beings in the cities,
and in the country there is a vastness and grandeur indescribable."
He returned in late June 1888.
There is some confusion about his jailing:
[Lavelle, 1961]
said that Stephen was summoned to court
before Ballyneety Petty Sessions,
with Edward Carson
as prosecutor.
He was asked as a Crown witness
to disclose what was said at a meeting of the Irish Party
leaders at which Parnell presided.
He refused, and was jailed.
This does not fit with what the newspaper says though.
His
obituary said he was jailed
"under the Forster regime"
(William Edward Forster,
Chief Secretary for Ireland
1880-82, died 1886).
This also does not fit.
Alderman of Limerick.
He is listed as "provision merchant and
Alderman"
at Kat's birth Sept 1889
[GROI].
He was a friend of
William Abraham,
Irish Parliamentary Party MP.
Letters from Abraham to him in
Dec 1889 to 1892 survive.
[Guiry, 2016, p.23]
says Abraham was a partner of the O'Maras in the Russian Bacon Company.
He was
made one of the 3 trustees of the Irish Parliamentary Party funds 1890.
When Irish Parliamentary Party
split over
Parnell
in 1890-91,
he remained loyal to Parnell.
He met Parnell after his fall, alone at a railway station, with no one to meet him,
"who but a year before, had been the idol of thousands"
[Lavelle, 1961].
He
was at
Parnell's deathbed
in Brighton, 6th Oct 1891,
"and was one of the Members who accompanied his coffin to Dublin".
After the Parnell split,
he remained as trustee of Irish Parliamentary Party funds,
devoted himself to the reunion of Nationalist forces
(which occurred under Redmond
in 1900).
He is in London on political business at the House of Lords
in letters of
17 and 18 May 1892.
And see letters of
19 and 20 May 1892.
He
was admitted as a member of the
Catholic Institute, Limerick
at meeting of 10 June 1892.
After the Parnell split,
Stephen continued as Town Councillor (now Alderman) on Limerick Corporation,
and bacon merchant.
He is
listed as "Alderman" at his brother Jim's death and
funeral in July 1893.
"Stephen O'Mara" sp bapt of his niece
Nora O'Mara 1897.
"Ellen O'Mara" sp bapt of her niece
Susan O'Mara 1898.
He is
listed as Alderman for Shannon Ward, Limerick,
in
[Thoms, 1898].
He was re-elected to Limerick City Council Jan 1899.
[Modern Ireland, 1899]
describes him as head of
O'Mara's bacon company,
and
says he was also a member of the
Limerick Harbour Commissioners,
a Limerick
Poor Law Guardian,
a Governor of
Barrington's Hospital
and
St.John's Fever Hospital,
and a Trustee of the Limerick Savings Bank.
He is
listed as "Alderman" at time of his son James'
election as an MP 1900.
They are
listed
in 1901 census at
Hartstonge House.
He is "bacon merchant".
Two servants living with the family.
He attended Dr. David Humphreys' funeral 1903
(their families knew each other,
but they were not yet joined by marriage).
He is
listed as "Alderman".
Described as Alderman at funeral of his sister Nannie 1905.
He
purchased Donnelly's bacon factory, Dublin, 1906.
He was one of the promoters of the
Munster-Connaught Exhibition,
Limerick, 1906.
President of
Limerick Chamber of Commerce.
Leaving the Home Rule Party:
His son
James
resigned from the Home Rule Party (the Irish Parliamentary Party) in June 1907 and joined
Sinn Fein.
Stephen says in
letters in June 1907
that he understands James' decision.
Stephen
resigned trusteeship of Home Rule Party funds in 1908,
broadly agreeing with his son James' position.
He says in letter of 8 Apr 1908:
"I have sent my resignation to Redmond."
(John Redmond was party leader.)
He would have resigned as Town Councillor (and Alderman) in 1908.
They are still at
Hartstonge House
as at
letter of 11 June 1908.
They
moved c.1909 to
Strand House,
Limerick.
They were
living Strand House as at
letter of 25 Jan 1910.
At Strand House
when Ellen's marriage was announced in Aug 1910.
See telegrams in
Aug 1910 and
Sept 1910.
See photos of her wedding day at Strand House
on 11 Oct 1910.
Stephen is
listed
at Strand House in
[Census, 1911].
He is "chairman of bacon factory".
His widowed daughter
Mary Rynne
is there with him.
High Sheriff of Limerick city 1913 and 1914:
He was
High Sheriff of Limerick City
for 1913 and 1914.
He is
described as "City High Sheriff" at funeral of
William de Courcy
1 May 1915.
His grand-dau
Pat Lavelle in
[PAT/1, p.4]
recalled him as
"slight and finely made with a reddish beard and grey blue eyes that saw a lot."
He
"owned a broughm
and a dogcart
and a sidecar".
His grandchildren used to love riding in the sidecar over the cobbled streets of Limerick.
He co-founded the
Irish Nation League
with
Patrick Little
in
1916,
as an alternative to the Home Rule party
in response to the 1916 Rising.
[DIB]
says:
"The League was established to cater for those who were disillusioned with Redmond and his followers
but were reluctant to support the doctrine of physical force."
Not to be confused with Parnell's earlier movement, the
Irish National League.
In Apr 1917 he was elected member of organizing committee of the National Council
to put Ireland's case before proposed
post-war Peace Conference
(which did not happen until Jan 1919).
Change to Sinn Fein, 1918:
His son James helped persuade
the
Irish Nation League to merge with
Sinn Fein in 1918.
"Just prior to the
General Elections of 1918"
[Dec 1918]
"when the Irish Party were so signally defeated by Sinn Fein, Mr.O'Mara
had espoused the latter side in politics, and to use his own words,
he 'broke with life long ties', giving all his support and encouragement to the new movement,
subscribing to its funds with his usual characteristic liberality".
War of Independence:
See Apr 1921 interview,
during the War of Independence.
In May 1921, in a time of great strain, his son James
was
attempting to resign from his position in the US.
Stephen would not hear of it:
"Tell Jim not to stab his country in the hour of her agony. I am hurt beyond words".
But his son, for once, would not listen to him.
He lived to see Irish independence.
The Treaty, 1921:
On 5 Dec 1921, De Valera
was
staying the night in
Strand House,
as the Treaty
was being signed in London.
Talking in the drawing room, Dev asked:
"I have always wanted to know, Mr. O'Mara, what you thought of Parnell".
Stephen:
"I'll tell you what I thought of Parnell
- if he and I were walking across
Sarsfield Bridge
together
and he said to me
jump in the river
I would jump in".
He was strongly pro-Treaty.
He was a senior figure at the
Irish peace conference, Dublin, 13 April 1922,
hoping to make peace between pro and anti Treaty factions.
He is
described as an "ex-Alderman" in
his son's biography, 1923.
He was
called "the Governor" as a pet name by his own family.
He lived to see one great-grandchild,
Ruaire Lavelle (born 1924).
See 4 generations photo.
Free State Senator, 1925-1926:
He was a Free State Senator
from Sept 1925
to death July 1926.
Elected to
Free State Senate
in
Sept 1925 election.
See his 1925 election leaflet.
Stephen dies, 1926:
He
died Mon 26 July 1926, Limerick, age 81 yrs.
Obituary describes him as "head" of
O'Mara's bacon company,
says he was walking at mid-day from his office in Limerick to
Strand House when he collapsed,
taken home and died.
[Muffie de Courcy]
said he
collapsed coming over
Sarsfield Bridge
(the bridge leading to Strand House).
See
obituary
and
photo
in
Irish Times,
July 27, 1926.
See
item
in
Irish Times,
July 28, 1926.
This
says the flag is at half mast at
Limerick town hall,
and notes messages of sympathy from
W.T. Cosgrave and
Sir Thomas Esmonde, 11th Baronet and
Mary MacSwiney
and
Cardinal O'Donnell
(a fellow trustee of Irish Parliamentary Party funds).
Funeral Wed 28 July 1926,
bur Mount St. Lawrence cemetery, Limerick.
Funeral
attendance included De Valera,
William Redmond and
Thomas Westropp Bennett and
Patrick Clancy and
James Ledden and
John Nolan
and
the Mayor of Limerick
and many other local and national politicians.
See
item
(and
heading)
in
Irish Times,
July 30, 1926.
This
notes message of sympathy from
David Keane, Bishop of Limerick.
See brief tribute in the Senate,
19 Nov 1926.
His son James in letter of
26 Nov 1926
says: "his memory pervades my thoughts every day".
Many of his letters survive.
See Rynne papers.
Stephen and Ellen had issue:
There is an
undated letter
from Stephen in Roches St
to Ellen (maybe on holiday in Co.Clare),
apparently 1871-72:
"Kiss Paddy, Mary and Jim for me ...
Your Mama and Dada
is quite well and strong, so am I."
This must be the first Paddy, Mary and Jim, rather than the second,
since Ellen's father
is alive (pre-1873).
Probably summer 1872.
As at mid-Sept 1872 they had 3 children.
One month later they had none.
All three children were dead.
Stephen O'Mara, his wife and children, must be 1890
(by age of Kat).
Back (Left to Right):
Joe,
Paddy,
Mary,
James.
Middle:
Nell,
Norrie,
Stephen O'Mara, Ellen Pigott.
Front:
Phons (born Oct 1887),
Kat (born Sept 1889),
Stephen.
The house where Parnell died in 1891, 10 Walsingham Terrace, Hove, Brighton.
Stephen O'Mara was at his deathbed.
Walsingham Terrace was what is now the stretch of Kingsway between Carlisle Road and Walsingham Road
(see map).
It is now re-developed.
The Parnell house is gone,
but there is a plaque
on the apartment block at the site.
See street view of plaque.
Image from here
at English Heritage.
Baptism of James O'Mara,
8 Aug 1873 [St.Michael's, Limerick].
Stephen O'Mara's son, the younger
Stephen O'Mara, the new Mayor of Limerick,
had just been arrested, on the morning of this interview.
Ewart quotes old Stephen O'Mara as saying,
looking back on the last 5 years:
"The rising of 1916 gave a new soul to Ireland; she found her soul that day."
Old Stephen O'Mara
says that if a settlement is reached:
"Ireland can be counted on as a loyal friend.
England, you must bear in mind, is our natural market for eggs, butter, bacon, cattle, and linen.
We might find other markets for ourselves, but England is the natural one and
always will be."
AI animation of Ellen Pigott in
1905 photo.
"I have got a letter"
[when ship stopped at
Queenstown]
"from my dear wife, full of cheerfulness,
sanguine
and hopeful, so like herself, unselfish.
I know she forced herself to write in that strain,
for she always loved her Stout,
...
I wonder what would become of me if I had not met her,
most likely an early death, for I had no good in me when she married me
and whatever is in me now, is due to her gentle and long influence"
- Diary of Stephen O'Mara on board ship
on his trip to America, 1888.
"Thank God that we lived to see Jem's birthday ...
May you and I live to celebrate his 21st birthday as content and as happy as we are today.
It may be that God may not leave him to us, if so welcome be His Holy Will."
- Stephen in letter of 7 Aug 1877 to his wife,
just after the 4th birthday of James (the second James).
After the death of their children, they do not know what the future holds.
In fact, they both did live to see James' 21st birthday in 1894.
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