428:
488:
enthusiasm for Irish independence and the person's use of
American phraseology. He proposed that Childers had "the qualities to carry off such a dangerous role" and that she "consistently displayed intelligence, courage, decisiveness and single-minded determination", but acknowledged that there was no conclusive evidence. However, Foy went beyond scholarly speculation when he claimed that she was the only person who could fit the profile of the spy.
33:
494:, the daughter of Childers' son President Erskine Hamilton Childers, dismissed the evidence as "circumstantial", saying in a television interview that "it just doesn't fit with her character". She questioned the evidence that the spy was female and noted: "Up until the day she died she had photographs of
509:
said Foy's theory "does seem to fit the facts as presented", but noted that "all the other facts we know about thoroughly republican Molly suggest that it simply cannot have been true, and there are other good reasons to be cautious". Hart noted that the inaccuracy of some of the intelligence
487:
had been passing intelligence to the
British forces. However, the name of the agent had been obscured by blue pencil. The author noted circumstantial evidence which, in his opinion, suggested that Childers might have been the spy, including the assertion that she had not shared her husband's
282:
from the age of three following a skating accident, Childers was educated at home and was not mobile for the first 12 years of her life. Eventually she was able to move enough to ride horses, but she was never capable of walking without crutches. Her father, Dr Osgood, was a student of Dr
476:. Foy speculated that she had volunteered for British intelligence before the couple moved to Ireland in 1918. The claim was described by reviewers in Irish newspapers as "dramatic", "sensational" and "a bottle of smoke".
1296:
810:
319:. Childers spent years of her childhood inside this library, reading for hours every day; several members of the Osgood family were among the first proprietors of the institution.
412:
367:
displaced by the conflict were at the centre of a cross-channel tug-of-war over the supply of desperately needed aid. She raised funds for them alongside her sister and mother.
540:
1050:
721:
375:
408:
1306:
705:
1017:
953:
1301:
311:
encouraged her to read and to pursue a life in academia, as her disability would hinder other careers. The Osgood family home on
1281:
1256:
1251:
937:
894:
336:
988:
608:
Register of the
Proprietors of the Boston Athenaeum from Its Foundation to December 31, 1897 According the Certificate Book
383:
832:
1291:
499:
379:
295:. It was this research with Pasteur that enabled him to bring the first rabies antitoxin back to Boston, and in turn the
502:
on her bedside and she revered them. It doesn't follow that such a person could have put those people's lives at risk."
654:
275:
243:
1212:
1189:
1170:
1149:
1286:
1246:
360:
427:
910:
347:
in Boston. One Boston newspaper described their wedding as the most "distinguished gathering" of the season.
1241:
1109:
1081:
340:
606:
1261:
215:
1266:
473:
332:
328:
255:
251:
155:
128:
270:
Childers, affectionately called "Molly", was born into a reputable
Bostonian family that lived at 8
1271:
1022:
116:
869:
855:
789:
629:
519:
344:
308:
239:
193:
171:
1027:
222:
1276:
506:
247:
187:
480:
930:
Michael
Collins's Intelligence War: The Struggle Between the British and the IRA – 1919–1921
1236:
1231:
259:
470:
Michael
Collins's Intelligence War: The Struggle Between The British and the IRA 1919–1921
8:
849:
623:
312:
794:
687:
472:, in which he suggested that Childers might have been a spy for the British during the
510:
suggested a source trying to tell
British "hardliners just what they wanted to hear".
316:
1208:
1185:
1166:
1160:
1145:
1139:
958:
933:
660:
650:
449:
439:
404:
From 1916 to 1918, Childers was honorary secretary of the
Chelsea War Refugees Fund.
390:
300:
235:
541:"Childers, Mary Alden Osgood (1875-1964) American born writer and Irish nationalist"
483:
a series of intelligence reports to indicate that a woman with high-level access to
411:(WILPF), one of the world's oldest peace organisations, later to be merged into the
457:
446:
431:
364:
1086:
394:
304:
1204:
1055:
491:
453:
435:
416:
199:
363:. Due to the changing diplomatic situation with Germany during 1915–1918, the
307:, and Childers was very proud and outspoken about this connection. Her mother
1225:
761:
707:
Annual Record of the
Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts
371:
296:
284:
271:
397:, she as a trustee, and he as a member of its executive committee. Activist
664:
495:
484:
343:. By January 1904, after some weeks of courtship, the two were married at
32:
356:
292:
691:
1051:"IRA has good historical reasons to be obsessed with spies in the camp"
984:
398:
279:
76:
649:(1st ed.). Hicksville, N.Y.: Exposition Press. 1975. p. 32.
895:
Queen Mary
University of London website, Meaning of Service section,
88:
678:
Wilkinson, Burke (1974). "Erskine Childers: The Boston Connection".
710:. Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts. 1900.
647:
Damned Englishman : a study of Erskine Childers (1870-1922)
359:, Childers was involved in politically difficult work with the
288:
57:
854:. New York: American Committee for Relief in Ireland. p.
1075:
1073:
1297:
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom people
1182:
The Riddle of Erskine Childers: Unionist & Republican
1070:
847:
587:
1201:
Erskine H. Childers, President of Ireland: a biography
911:"Molly Childers at the wheel of the Asgard, July 1914"
1082:"Grandmother no spy, says daughter of late president"
538:
954:"Mother of former president 'was a spy for British'"
908:
851:
Report of the Irish White Cross to 31st August, 1922
770:
468:
In 2006, historian Michael T. Foy published a book,
456:. A photograph taken at the time with fellow-sailor
680:
Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society
575:
551:
250:. She married fellow Irish writer and nationalist,
1018:"Collins book's startling claim on Molly Childers"
563:
460:shows her beside the rifles and ammunition boxes.
409:Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
16:American-Irish writer and nationalist (1875–1964)
1223:
1011:
1009:
378:on her for this work. She was also awarded the
299:. The Osgood's ancestry was directly linked to
230:; 14 December 1875 – 1 January 1964), known as
979:
977:
946:
932:. Stroud, Gloucestershire: The History Press.
798:(3rd supplement). 4 January 1918. p. 392.
331:at a dinner given by her aunt on Beacon Hill.
897:Chelsea War Refugees' fund booklet, 1918-1920
407:After the Great War, in 1920, she joined the
1006:
422:
1101:
974:
764:An Espionage Classic and a Fascinating Life
327:In late 1903, Childers was seated next to
31:
1179:
808:
677:
401:was also a member of this organisation.
788:
426:
389:She and her husband were members of the
335:was in Boston on a ceremonial trip with
265:
234:, was an American-born Irish writer and
463:
238:. A daughter of Dr Hamilton Osgood and
143: 1904; died 1922)
1307:Alumni of the University of Nottingham
1224:
621:
1198:
1165:. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
1158:
1137:
1048:
1015:
989:"Molly, the alleged of Collins's war"
983:
828:
826:
824:
809:Brosnahan, Seán G (29 October 2016).
776:
757:
755:
611:. Boston Athenaeum. 1898. p. 25.
593:
581:
569:
557:
221:
1107:
1079:
1110:"Piecing the intelligence together"
927:
393:Society, which existed before the
13:
848:Irish White Cross Society (1923).
821:
752:
276:Beacon Hill, Boston, Massachusetts
244:Beacon Hill, Boston, Massachusetts
14:
1318:
1016:Kehoe, Emmanuel (16 April 2006).
835:The Love Life of Erskine Childers
445:She was central to the July 1914
622:Bolton, Charles Knowles (1907).
1302:People from Beacon Hill, Boston
1162:The Mount Vernon Street Warrens
1131:
1042:
921:
902:
888:
862:
841:
802:
782:
740:
714:
698:
452:on her and her husband's yacht
361:Committee for Relief in Belgium
140:
1141:The Riddle of Erskine Childers
928:Foy, Michael T. (March 2006).
870:"First Meeting of White Cross"
671:
639:
615:
599:
532:
380:Médaille de la Reine Elisabeth
1:
1282:American women in World War I
1257:Burials at Glasnevin Cemetery
1252:People of the Irish Civil War
1184:. Dublin: E & T O'Brien.
525:
481:the British national archives
479:The author had discovered in
1080:Reid, Liam (24 April 2006).
766:, article dated July 3, 2021
628:. Boston Athenaeum. p.
350:
341:Honourable Artillery Company
7:
1180:McInerney, Michael (1971).
1049:Dwyer, Ryle (3 June 2006).
539:Trinity College Cambridge.
513:
322:
287:and spent time with him in
10:
1323:
1144:. London, UK: Hutchinson.
1108:Hart, Peter (6 May 2006).
909:Photo Album of the Irish.
837:, article by Peter Garland
384:Queen Elisabeth of Belgium
474:Irish War of Independence
423:Ireland and Republicanism
256:Erskine Hamilton Childers
180:
161:
156:Erskine Hamilton Childers
150:
122:
112:
95:
91:, County Wicklow, Ireland
84:
65:
39:
30:
23:
1023:The Sunday Business Post
915:photoalbumoftheirish.com
434:and Childers aboard the
365:Belgian wartime refugees
117:University of Nottingham
1287:Women in war in Ireland
1199:Young, John N. (1985).
833:Galway Review website,
762:Bromley House website,
625:The Athenaeum Centenary
545:archives.trin.cam.ac.uk
520:List of peace activists
309:Margaret Cushing Osgood
246:, her older sister was
240:Margaret Cushing Osgood
194:Erskine Barton Childers
172:Margaret Cushing Osgood
1292:Women in war 1945–1999
1247:Irish-American history
1159:Green, Martin (1989).
1138:Boyle, Andrew (1977).
811:"Women Behind The War"
442:
188:Gretchen Osgood Warren
430:
315:was next door to the
266:Early life and family
60:, Massachusetts, U.S.
464:Allegation of spying
260:President of Ireland
258:, became the fourth
1242:Writers from Boston
722:"Childers - Osgood"
596:, pp. 121–123.
280:Physically disabled
212:Mary Alden Childers
1262:Irish nationalists
795:The London Gazette
726:The New York Times
443:
1267:Irish republicans
993:Irish Independent
987:(29 April 2006).
959:Irish Independent
939:978-0-7509-4267-6
815:Otago Daily Times
749:, 6 January 1904.
498:, Liam Brady and
450:Howth gun-running
440:Howth gun-running
391:Irish White Cross
370:In January 1918,
301:John Quincy Adams
209:
208:
79:, Dublin, Ireland
44:Mary Alden Osgood
1314:
1218:
1207:: Colin Smythe.
1195:
1176:
1155:
1125:
1124:
1122:
1120:
1105:
1099:
1098:
1096:
1094:
1077:
1068:
1067:
1065:
1063:
1046:
1040:
1039:
1037:
1035:
1026:. Archived from
1013:
1004:
1003:
1001:
999:
981:
972:
971:
969:
967:
950:
944:
943:
925:
919:
918:
906:
900:
892:
886:
885:
883:
881:
866:
860:
859:
845:
839:
830:
819:
818:
806:
800:
799:
786:
780:
774:
768:
759:
750:
747:The Boston Globe
744:
738:
737:
735:
733:
728:. 6 January 1904
718:
712:
711:
702:
696:
695:
675:
669:
668:
643:
637:
636:
619:
613:
612:
603:
597:
591:
585:
579:
573:
567:
561:
555:
549:
548:
536:
458:Mary Spring Rice
447:Irish Volunteers
432:Mary Spring Rice
329:Erskine Childers
252:Erskine Childers
225:
218:
144:
142:
129:Erskine Childers
72:
54:14 December 1875
53:
51:
35:
21:
20:
1322:
1321:
1317:
1316:
1315:
1313:
1312:
1311:
1272:Childers family
1222:
1221:
1215:
1192:
1173:
1152:
1134:
1129:
1128:
1118:
1116:
1114:The Irish Times
1106:
1102:
1092:
1090:
1087:The Irish Times
1078:
1071:
1061:
1059:
1047:
1043:
1033:
1031:
1030:on 2 April 2009
1014:
1007:
997:
995:
982:
975:
965:
963:
952:
951:
947:
940:
926:
922:
907:
903:
893:
889:
879:
877:
868:
867:
863:
846:
842:
831:
822:
807:
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787:
783:
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771:
760:
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745:
741:
731:
729:
720:
719:
715:
704:
703:
699:
676:
672:
657:
645:
644:
640:
620:
616:
605:
604:
600:
592:
588:
580:
576:
568:
564:
560:, pp. 5–7.
556:
552:
537:
533:
528:
516:
466:
425:
395:Irish Red Cross
353:
325:
317:Boston Athenæum
305:Anne Hutchinson
268:
248:Gretchen Warren
214:
205:
202:(granddaughter)
176:
168:Hamilton Osgood
146:
138:
134:
131:
113:Alma mater
108:
80:
74:
70:
61:
55:
49:
47:
46:
45:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1320:
1310:
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1304:
1299:
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1279:
1274:
1269:
1264:
1259:
1254:
1249:
1244:
1239:
1234:
1220:
1219:
1213:
1205:Gerrards Cross
1196:
1190:
1177:
1171:
1156:
1150:
1133:
1130:
1127:
1126:
1100:
1069:
1056:Irish Examiner
1041:
1005:
973:
962:. 9 April 2006
945:
938:
920:
901:
887:
861:
840:
820:
801:
781:
779:, p. 239.
769:
751:
739:
713:
697:
670:
656:978-0682478212
655:
638:
614:
598:
586:
584:, p. 150.
574:
562:
550:
530:
529:
527:
524:
523:
522:
515:
512:
492:Nessa Childers
465:
462:
424:
421:
417:United Nations
352:
349:
345:Trinity Church
324:
321:
267:
264:
232:Molly Childers
207:
206:
204:
203:
200:Nessa Childers
197:
191:
184:
182:
178:
177:
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99:
97:
93:
92:
86:
82:
81:
75:
73:(aged 88)
69:1 January 1964
67:
63:
62:
56:
43:
41:
37:
36:
28:
27:
25:Molly Childers
24:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1319:
1308:
1305:
1303:
1300:
1298:
1295:
1293:
1290:
1288:
1285:
1283:
1280:
1278:
1277:Irish writers
1275:
1273:
1270:
1268:
1265:
1263:
1260:
1258:
1255:
1253:
1250:
1248:
1245:
1243:
1240:
1238:
1235:
1233:
1230:
1229:
1227:
1216:
1214:0-86140-195-6
1210:
1206:
1202:
1197:
1193:
1191:0-9502046-0-9
1187:
1183:
1178:
1174:
1172:0-684-19109-1
1168:
1164:
1163:
1157:
1153:
1151:0-09-128490-2
1147:
1143:
1142:
1136:
1135:
1115:
1111:
1104:
1089:
1088:
1083:
1076:
1074:
1058:
1057:
1052:
1045:
1029:
1025:
1024:
1019:
1012:
1010:
994:
990:
986:
980:
978:
961:
960:
955:
949:
941:
935:
931:
924:
916:
912:
905:
899:
898:
891:
875:
874:British Pathé
871:
865:
857:
853:
852:
844:
838:
836:
829:
827:
825:
816:
812:
805:
797:
796:
791:
785:
778:
773:
767:
765:
758:
756:
748:
743:
727:
723:
717:
709:
708:
701:
693:
689:
685:
681:
674:
666:
662:
658:
652:
648:
642:
635:
631:
627:
626:
618:
610:
609:
602:
595:
590:
583:
578:
572:, p. 93.
571:
566:
559:
554:
546:
542:
535:
531:
521:
518:
517:
511:
508:
503:
501:
500:Rory O'Connor
497:
493:
489:
486:
482:
477:
475:
471:
461:
459:
455:
451:
448:
441:
437:
433:
429:
420:
418:
414:
410:
405:
402:
400:
396:
392:
387:
385:
381:
377:
374:conferred an
373:
372:King George V
368:
366:
362:
358:
348:
346:
342:
338:
334:
330:
320:
318:
314:
313:Beacon Street
310:
306:
302:
298:
297:United States
294:
290:
286:
285:Louis Pasteur
281:
277:
273:
272:Beacon Street
263:
261:
257:
254:. Their son,
253:
249:
245:
241:
237:
233:
229:
226:
224:
217:
213:
201:
198:
195:
192:
189:
186:
185:
183:
179:
173:
170:
167:
166:
164:
160:
157:
154:3, including
153:
149:
130:
125:
121:
118:
115:
111:
104:
102:United States
101:
100:
98:
94:
90:
87:
85:Resting place
83:
78:
68:
64:
59:
42:
38:
34:
29:
22:
19:
1200:
1181:
1161:
1140:
1132:Bibliography
1117:. Retrieved
1113:
1103:
1091:. Retrieved
1085:
1060:. Retrieved
1054:
1044:
1032:. Retrieved
1028:the original
1021:
996:. Retrieved
992:
964:. Retrieved
957:
948:
929:
923:
914:
904:
896:
890:
878:. Retrieved
873:
864:
850:
843:
834:
814:
804:
793:
784:
777:Boyle (1977)
772:
763:
746:
742:
730:. Retrieved
725:
716:
706:
700:
683:
679:
673:
646:
641:
633:
624:
617:
607:
601:
594:Boyle (1977)
589:
582:Green (1989)
577:
570:Green (1989)
565:
558:Young (1985)
553:
544:
534:
504:
496:Liam Mellows
490:
478:
469:
467:
444:
406:
403:
388:
369:
354:
337:Lord Denbigh
326:
269:
231:
227:
220:
211:
210:
71:(1964-01-01)
18:
1237:1964 deaths
1232:1875 births
985:Dukes, Alan
880:22 November
790:"No. 30460"
438:during the
357:World War I
293:Switzerland
236:nationalist
96:Nationality
1226:Categories
526:References
507:Peter Hart
505:Historian
399:Maud Gonne
196:(grandson)
77:Sandymount
50:1875-12-14
732:24 August
686:: 53–63.
485:Sinn Féin
351:Charities
181:Relatives
89:Roundwood
1119:27 April
1093:27 April
1062:11 March
1034:27 April
998:27 April
966:27 April
692:25080758
514:See also
339:and the
323:Marriage
190:(sister)
151:Children
665:1202418
634:Osgood.
415:of the
355:During
333:Erskine
162:Parents
145:
137:
133:
105:Ireland
1211:
1188:
1169:
1148:
936:
876:. 1921
690:
663:
653:
454:Asgard
436:Asgard
413:UNESCO
289:France
228:Osgood
123:Spouse
58:Boston
688:JSTOR
382:from
139:(
135:
1209:ISBN
1186:ISBN
1167:ISBN
1146:ISBN
1121:2008
1095:2008
1064:2009
1036:2008
1000:2008
968:2008
934:ISBN
882:2018
734:2018
661:OCLC
651:ISBN
303:and
291:and
66:Died
40:Born
376:MBE
242:of
223:née
216:MBE
1228::
1203:.
1112:.
1084:.
1072:^
1053:.
1020:.
1008:^
991:.
976:^
956:.
913:.
872:.
823:^
813:.
792:.
754:^
724:.
684:86
682:.
659:.
632:.
630:89
543:.
419:.
386:.
278:.
274:,
262:.
141:m.
1217:.
1194:.
1175:.
1154:.
1123:.
1097:.
1066:.
1038:.
1002:.
970:.
942:.
917:.
884:.
858:.
856:1
817:.
736:.
694:.
667:.
547:.
219:(
52:)
48:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
