DEVOY COMMITTEE SCHOLARSHIP

Nationalist & Leinster Times 1 March 1968

Devoy Committee Scholarship

A meeting of the John Devoy memorial committee was held in Naas on Wednesday night. The Committee decided to award a scholarship for a prize valued at about £75 for a thesis on some aspect of Modern Irish History that would involve the writers in considerable research into some interesting item, occurrence or event in Irish History.

It is hoped to arrange an inter-county football match to boost the funds and the committee have decided to investigate the possibility of founding a Fenian museum in Naas. Mr. Frank Robbins, trustee, was elected chairman – Mr Michael Smyth, P.C., Kildare, having indicated that he did not wish to go forward again but he wished to remain a member of the committee and promised full support to all future efforts.

Mr. Robbins, a veteran of 1916, who took a prominent part in the fighting in St. Stephen’s Green, is a long-serving and hard-working member of the committee.  He appealed for county-wide support for the cause of John Devoy and he felt that all the principal towns should have representatives who would attend the central meetings at Naas – the town nearest to the birth-place of the patriot.

Mr. James Dunne, Ballymore Road, Naas, a close relative of John Devoy, was elected vice-chairman. Capt. Tadhg MacLoinsig, due to pressure of business, was unable to continue as secretary and Mr. Michael O’Spiolain, a new member of the committee, was elected hon. secretary.

The chairman paid tribute to the great work done by Capt. MacLoinsig during his term of office, particularly his fruitful work in the erection of the monument at the site of the old cottage in Kill which was the birth-place of Devoy.

Mr. Stephen Rynne, the well-known writer agreed to continue in the capacity of hon. treasurer, and new member Mr. Eddie Marum was welcomed to the committee. Mr. Frank Robbins and Lt. Col. William Rea were re-elected trustees.

A vote of sympathy was passed to Mrs. Behan, Greystones on the death of her brother Peter Devoy, nephew of John Devoy.