It was while she was in Dublin that she became friends with the Ryan family, who were strong nationalists as well as interested in the Gaelic League and Sinn Féin.

The communications with the Aud went wrong when the car carrying the Volunteers went off a pier and the occupants were drowned.

[1][2] In Ballyshannon she experienced the early expressions of support and sympathy, but Portstewart was a Unionist enclave with many houses flying union flags on polling day in 1918.

[2][3] Cregan was a member of Cumann na mBan and with them was active during the Irish War of Independence.

The house was often raided when the British soldiers were looking for her husband and Cregan herself was arrested in February 1921 for refusing to put up Martial law posters.

Later the family sold the house, and remained mobile while she worked for the Sinn Féin Government and her husband was in prison.

[4] Her first book for children was Old John and gained Cregan considerable international success and attention.