Frank Glasgow was born in 1902 in Limerick City. In his teens he joined Fianna Eireann, and served with the mid-Limerick Brigade. During the Tan War he was captured by the British and interned at Wandsworth Prison, where he went on hunger strike for 23 days before he was subsequently released.
He had been a close friend of Terence MacSwiney and other prominent Munster republicans.
It was said that his first love was the Irish language, and he was a member of the Gaelic League’s executive for many years. In paying a tribute to Frank Glasgow, Limerick Mayor P. Kiely stated that “he had been closely associated with the language revival since he was 17 years old, and only recently when I questioned him, he said he was a fluent English speaker at 17 but dropped it completely and has practically spoken in his native tongue since.”
He was associated with the Fianna Fail party since its foundation in 1926 and in his later years he served as a Limerick City councillor, from 1950 onwards, including one term as Mayor, in 1961 when the incumbent Mayor Mr. Donogh O’Malley was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance. He was estimated to have spent half his lifetime in the public service, in one form or another.
He was also heavily involved in local cultural organisations such as the Limerick Art Gallery committee, Féile Luimnigh and the Limerick Choral and Operatic Society.
Frank Glasgow died at the age of 71 on 30th January 1973.
Glasgow Park in Limerick City was named in his honour and in 2021 a memorial stone was unveiled at the entrance to the park.
Pictured are Jerry Ryan, Jacinta Glasgow, Margaret Glasgow and Eileen and Darren Moloney pictured with the new memorial erected in Glasgow Park. Picture: Keith Wiseman and I Love Limerick.ie
Portrait of Roger Casement by Irish Artist Sarah Purser (1848-1943)
There are many in Limerick who have personal recollections of Roger Casement: the great patriot came to Limerick in late 1913 to initiate the Volunteer Movement. One of these was Councillor Frank Glasgow. Frank was a small boy of 11 at the time, but even now, after a lapse of over half a century, he has a clear remembrance of Casement’s impressive figure and powerful personality.
Casement, during his Limerick visit, found time to call on the Fianna Eireann boys, who at the time had their headquarters in the Fianna Hall, Little Barrington Street.
As he walked up the Hall on his inspection, four of the Fianna boys from a position on the stage signalled to him in semaphore “Welcome to Sir Roger Casement“. The group included Frank Glasgow, Brian O’Brien of the City Printing Company and the late Gerard Christy, who afterwards was Organiser for Cumann na nGael.
So impressed was Casement by his reception that he later made a present of a tent to the Fianna boys of Limerick.
Many of the boys who were assembled that day in the Hall in Little Barrington St. were later prominent in the struggle for Irish independence and some of them gave their lives for the cause.
FRANK GLASGOW
Frank Glasgow became a member of Fianna Eireann in 1911 and over the past half-century the language movement has found in him an ardent advocate. Sean Heuston who, incidentally, was his tutor, in semaphore for Casement’s visit in 1913, became Secretary of the Gaelic League in 1912, and on his advice Frank joined the Eire Og classes.
Among the prominent workers in the language movement at that time were Seamus McMahon, N.T.; Seosamh Purcell, Liam O’Sullivan and E. B. Duggan, and after them came Seamus Gubbins, Seoirse Clancy and many others.
Frank won a Scholarship to the Gaeltacht 1920 and studied in the Ballingeary Irish College and a number of other institutions in the Fior Gaeltacht.
In the years between he has acted in the local branch; he was secretary in 1923, treasurer in the ‘forties and President in the late ‘forties and early ‘fifties.
To bring Irish into public life, he successfully contested the City Council elections in 1950 and was instrumental in having two other Irish speakers also elected, Sean Walsh and Christy Keyes.
In 1955, a record number of Irish speakers were elected to the Council, and with Frank Glasgow were Jack Danagher, Padraic Mulcahy and Christy Keyes.
In the last contest, Frank worked successfully for the election of Jack Danagher and Mrs Frances Condell when, owing to pressure of parliamentary work, D. В. O’Malley resigned the mayoralty in 1961. Frank Glasgow was a popular choice for the honour.
The above account appeared in the Limerick Leader newspaper in 1963.
The following account of the 1915 Munster Fianna Convention was published in the Fianna newspaper in the June 1915 edition.
The Inaugural Conference of the Sluaighte of Munster was held at the Fianna Hall, Barrington Street, Limerick, on Whit Monday (24th May 1915) at 11 o’clock.
The following centres were represented: Cork, Fermoy, Clonmel, Tipperary, Queenstown (Cobh), Foynes, Ballylanders, and Limerick.
Captains P. O’Ryan, General Secretary; Sean Maca, and C. Colbert represented the Ard Coisde. Several Dublin officers were also in attendance.
Apologies for non-attendance were received from Tralee, Waterford, and Thurles.
Mr. James Ledden presided, and in his opening address welcomed the visitors to the City of the Violated Treaty. He appealed to the delegates to throw all their energy into the work of thoroughly organising Munster and wished them every success in their undertaking.
Mr. Bulmer Hobson delivered a stirring and instructive address which was enthusiastically received by all present. He pointed out the great advantage to be gained by the formation of Sluaighte in all districts where Irish Volunteer Corps existed, and hoped that the Ard Coisde and District Councils would send as many representatives as possible to the Training Camps of the Irish Volunteers.
The following Notices of Motion were then considered :-
1. LIMERICK – “That with the view of furthering the progress of Na Fianna Eireann a Council be formed from this Convention, comprising one representative from each Sluaig in Munster, such Council to meet at least quarterly, and that the centre for all meetings be Limerick Junction.”
After a long discussion the motion was passed with the alteration “that the first meeting be held in Cork, and the Council has power to arrange for County representation”.
2. CORK – “That Na Fianna Eireann is worthy of the support of the Irish people”.
Passed, with the alteration that the word “people” be deleted, and the words “National Organisations” be inserted.
3. FERMOY – “That in the interests of the Fianna, this Conference requests the Ard Coisde to discuss the possibility of introducing the organisation to the schools and colleges of Ireland.”
A rather complicated discussion took place in connection with this motion, and it was allowed to stand for discussion at the Annual Irish Conference.
4. CLONMEL – “That we consider a Commander should be appointed for Munster, said Commander to be an ex-officio member of the Ard Coisde.”
The General Secretary having pointed out the power given to a Commander, it was decided to alter the word to “Inspector” the Council to fill the appointment at its first meeting.
5. QUEENSTOWN (COBH) – “That a fund be started for the purpose of organising Munster, as we consider same urgent.“
This motion was allowed to stand pending the receipt of copies of the Scheme already under the consideration of the Ard Coisde,
It was decided that every support should be given to the monthly journal FIANNA.
Capt. J. A. Dalton was unanimously appointed Hon. Sec. to the Council and all Munster, to whom all communications should be addressed to 18 Catherine St., Limerick.
THE WHIT SUNDAY RIOT
The Fianna convention was scheduled for Whit Weekend 1915 to coincide with the Irish Volunteer National Rally, which was to take place in Limerick that weekend.
Leading Irish Volunteers and Republicans from across the country arrived in Limerick for the event. Some of those who made the journey included Tom Clarke, Padraig Pearse, Sean MacDiarmada, Thomas MacDonagh, Bulmer Hobson, Tomas MacCurtain, Terence MacSwiney, Cathal Brugha, Liam Mellows, Eamon Martin, and as mentioned above, Con Colbert and Padraig O’Riain.
According to historian Dr. Matthew Potter around “1,100 Volunteers and 220 members of the Fianna took part in the march through the city centre which passed without incident. However, they were attacked twice, first as they marched through the Irish-town area, and secondly as they approached the railway station. During the riot, bottles and stones were hurled at the marchers. Large numbers of soldiers’ families lived in both areas and the wives, sisters and mothers of men serving on the Western Front and Gallipoli were furious at what they regarded as the disrespect to their men shown by the anti-war Volunteers. On the other hand, the Volunteers and their supporters accused the rioters of being ‘intoxicated rowdies’, drunk with alcohol provided by pro-British elements.”
FIANNA HALL, BARRINGTON STREET, LIMERICK
The Fianna Hall was a purpose built hall donated by Fenian John Daly in 1912. It was located at the rear of John Daly’s 15 Barrington Street home.
Bulmer Hobson officially opened the hall at a ceremony on December 13, 1912. The hall was used as a classroom, drill hall and also as a gymnasium.
The hall played host to many prominent republicans over the years. Patrick Pearse, Sean MacDermott, Roger Casement, Terence MacSwiney and many others gave speeches at this significant Limerick address.
The hall, which was also used by the Irish Volunteers and Cumann na mBan at various stages, was burned down by the Black and Tans on 29th November, 1920, during the War of Independence.
The Daly residence, an attached end-of-terrace four-storey over basement townhouse, built circa 1835 still stands to this day and was most recently occupied by a dental practice, with living quarters above.
The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) described the building as “a very fine late Georgian townhouse, which forms part of a terrace of four houses. Retaining many important external features, this house is still in mostly residential use and retains an intact coach house. The terrace as a whole is one of the finest in the city“.
The photograph was taken in 1910 in the Rotunda Gardens, Dublin, where a Gaelic festival was being held.
At back (left to right); Mr. Finlay, Mr. Kennedy, Robinson brothers, Mr. Seamus Kavanagh and Mr. Roberts. In front with Markievicz are Mr. Walpole, Mr. A. P. Reynolds and his brother.
The History of Na Fianna Éireann 