"The dominant note on internal life in Frongoch Camp is Militarism - you turn a corner unexpectedly and find yourself face to face with militarism and the mailed fist. Some of it is practical militarism but much of it is merely farcical" - wrote Joe Stanley in his papers.
The men themselves quickly formed an administrative Council which they audaciously called The General Council of the Civil Government of the Irish Republic of Frongoch - it did not last long as it was soon established that a civilian based administration was at variance with the facts that the men considered themselves to be political prisoners. Senior Republican officers soon formed a military administration and took control of the day to day running of the camp.
There were many activities; sports, education, languages and militarism, hikes, and theatrical drama and of course Camp Time table of Duties (5am) and Ash Pit chores and Ash Pit confrontations.
Censorship of letters in and home was an ongoing interference by the camp authorities. Letters were often smuggled out in the sandwiches of a prisoner being released and a signal was later sent via a letter back in reply that it was successfully received. Whole sentences were blocked out if the content was contrary to the Defense of The Realm Act and newspaper at home were forbidden to print anything about the conditions of prisoners in Frongoch. In one letter in Annie told Joe that "Mrs H" was asking about the boys who soldiered with Jack" (Sean Heuston) and it was duly blocked as shown below - an old fashioned form of redaction perhaps !.