He also describes attending a monster Land League rally at Minane Bridge at which William O'Brien and Dr. Charles Tanner MP spoke.

In an open competitive examination he secured a place as a "Boy Clerk" at the Mount Pleasant money order office, London.

Mount Pleasant would play a very significant part in the growth of the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB), because it was here that individuals such as Collins and Sam Maguire first became acquainted.

It was this role which would bring him to the attention of the Clan na Gael leadership of John Devoy and Judge Daniel F. Cohalan, two of the most important figures in Irish-American politics.

Lynch's persuasive powers influenced Cohalan to accept "that the propagation of the language, instead of hindering the objective of the Clan, was essential to its achievement".

Before he returned to Ireland in 1907, he could boast a circle of friends that included Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa, Dr Thomas Addis Emmet, Ricard O'Sullivan Burke, John J. Breslin and Tom Clarke.

He had been back in 1902 for a short period, when, with the aid of Liam de Róiste, he had organised an Irish cultural feis at Minane Bridge.

After Eoin MacNeill cancelled the orders for the planned manoeuvres over the Easter period, Lynch attended a hastily arranged meeting at 27 Hardwick Street, which also included Pearse, Thomas MacDonagh, Joseph Mary Plunkett and Seán Mac Diarmada, at which it was decided to go ahead with the Rising.

[citation needed] While this was not the recognition of the Irish Republic that Lynch, Devoy and Colohan had sought, it was a call for Ireland to present its case at the Versailles Peace Conference.

[11] In it he said: "Differences have arisen since July 1919, between de Valera and the recognised leaders of the movement here as to the proper conduct of the campaign in America for the recognition of the Irish Republic and these circumstances have governed my actions in resigning.

[citation needed] Lynch played no part in the Irish Civil War, but along with his IRB comrade Seán O'Hegarty made several unsuccessful attempts to stop it.

In an impassioned letter, written in 1922 to the members of Friends of Irish Freedom, he wrote: "Our influence may be exercised towards securing for Ireland the greatest need of the moment – Peace."

He contributed to the work of the Bureau of Military History in collecting witness statements from those who had taken part in the War of Independence and in reviewing historical publications.