64
161
KATHLEENMcKENNANAPOLI
[secretary to the IrishBulletin, and later toArthurGriffith and to the IrishTreaty del-
egation inLondon].
A collection including a fine photo of Arthur Griffith, signed by him to rear in Irish
and English; photos of the Treaty secretaries including Ms. McKenna; a page from a
cancelledpassportwithher photo, 1923; aminiature rolled-upTricolour flag (probably
from Treaty talks period); two books of receipt stubs, 1921 (relating probably to Irish
Bulletin expenses; an empty envelope postmarked ‘Irish Republican Post Dublin’, in-
scribed ‘1916’; a travel card issued toMs.McKenna’s spouseGen. VittorioNapoli 1978;
manuscript signed statementsofMs.McKenna’s servicebefore theTrucebyDavidNeli-
gan andPiaras Beaslai; aTLS from the EnglishwriterHilaire Belloc, saying hewishes
to continue to receive the ‘Irish Bulletin’; an ALS signed EC [Erskine Childers] dated
30.6.21 toMs.McKennaadvisingher to takea fewdaysoffdue toher illness,mentioning
problems with accounts etc. (2 pp, single sheet); a note to Erskine Childers fromD.F.
[DesmondFitzGerald]onDail notepaper, 7Sept. 1921, about a cheque for the ‘IrishBul-
letin’; twosignednotes toMs.McKenna fromRiobardOBreandain [RobertBrennan]on
SinnFeinnotepaper,Oct. 1919, offeringherwork [with the ‘IrishBulletin’]; an envelope
containing two sheets of parchment bearing colouredOriental drawings; a cyclostyled
copy of the shooting script for RTE’s production of ‘The Treaty’ by Brian Phelan; and
various other items.
KathleenMcKenna, from a staunchRepublican background, was recruited towork on
production of the clandestine ‘Irish Bulletin’, 1919-1921. She quicklymade herself in-
dispensable, andwas laterpersonal secretary toArthurGriffithduring theTreaty talks.
In the late 1920s shemarried an Italian general, and lived in Italy thereafter. Her ‘Rev-
olutionary Recollections’ have recently been published, a copy of which is included in
this lot.
As a collection,w.a.f.
Provenance: bydescent.
€600 - 800
163 TheKathleenNapoliMcKennaNewsreel
oftheTreatyDelegation1921
Anoriginal 35mmnewsreel film compiledbyPathéGazette, duration circaoneminute.
titled ‘IrishPeaceCongress/SinnFéin&Governmentdelegatesmeetandeveryonehopes
for ahappy settlement’
The filmopenswith aprolonged shot of the Irishdelegates coming from the boat train.
KathleenMcKenna (Griffith’s confidential secretary) is in the centre beside Griffith,
others in the shot includeDuggan, Barton,GavanDuffy andGriffith (identified asFor-
eignMinister) followedby “the elusiveMrCollins”, a short but very rare clipof Collins
speakingwith force and emphasis from aplatform.
Provenance: Provenance: bydescent.
€500-1000
