St Patrick’s Day 1917 was more of a bleak affair than previous years. The country was still under the dark cloud of the uprising of the previous year. In Achill it was no different but with the added extra of the deportation of Darrell Figgis, a prominent member of the Gaelic League in Achiil and indeed Mayo.
The celebrations went on in spite of all and a Ceili was held in the hall Emily had commissioned a few years earlier in Dooagh on the night of the 17th of March. The event proved lucrative and £5 was raised for the Gaelic League. 
