The Infiltrators
The Ring Brothers
This is the story of two Valentia Island telegraph brothers who acted as liaison officers between Padraig Pearse and John Devoy, leader of republican Clan Na Gael in the United States.
The two Ring brothers, were operating from the most closely guarded communications centre of the British Empire during the First World War, as the station was the important for Europe before and at the outbreak of the war.
Tim and Eugene Ring of Valentia had been telegraphers from their early youth with the 'cable' being in the family tradition. Their grandfather operated as a telegrapher in the formative years with their father Jeremiah being one of the cable company's executives in Valentia. This was a world before radio, T.V. and as the British were capturing and censoring mail being sent by sea it became more difficult for the volunteer movement in Ireland to communicate with their American brothers in arms, Clan Na Gael.
The Staff, Including Eugene and Tim Ring at Valentia Island Telegrah Station
In what was probably the first clandestine/pirate broadcast in the world, the rebels transmission reached America where the papers printed headlines “Revolt in Ireland” while the British press operated under a information blackout about the Rising in Dublin.
the code read–
“Irish Republic declared in Dublin today. Irish troops have captured city and are in full possession. Enemy cannot move in city. The whole country rising.”
.. .-. .. ... .... .-. . .--. ..- -... .-.. .. -.-. -.. . -.-. .-.. .- .-. . -.. .. -. -.. ..- -... .-.. .. -. - --- -.. .- -.-- .-.-.- .. .-. .. ... .... - .-. --- --- .--. ... .... .- ...- . -.-. .- .--. - ..- .-. . -.. -.-. .. - -.-- .- -. -.. .- .-. . .. -. ..-. ..- .-.. .-.. .--. --- ... ... . ... ... .. --- -. .-.-.- . -. . -- -.-- -.-. .- -. -. --- - -- --- ...- . .. -. -.-. .. - -.-- .-.-.- - .... . .-- .... --- .-.. . -.-. --- ..- -. - .-. -.-- .-. .. ... .. -. --. .-.-.-
(the message in morse code)
Miss McGowan was employed as a housekeeper-secretary by John Devoy, the leader of Clan Na Gael in America. On the morning of Easter Monday she received the coded message from Valentia: 'Mother operated on successfully today'. Also Initialled T.R (Tim Ring) as all telegrams had to have the initials of the sender
The Ring brothers had got their message across but, unfortunately, British intelligence received information that the leak came from a small village off the west coast of Ireland. They investigated the Cable Station, resulting in the arrest of the brothers, who were among the few native Irish on the staff. Tim was jailed with his 1916 colleagues in Frongoch which was a concentration camp in wales where he met many other incarcerated republicans. Eugene was imprisoned in Caherciveen barracks.
After being released Eugene went on the run, later fighting the Black and Tans in the War of Independence and taking the republican side in the Civil War. He later became deeply involved in the GAA, holding a number of administrative roles and was the first secretary of the Valentia Young Islanders GAA club, founded in 1905.
Years later Tim was reinstated to his job in the Cable Station and was the father of Diarmaid Ring of Knightstown who currently resides there with his wife, Clare