Erin's Web > Web Weaves - The Young Irelanders

(Young Ireland and the 1848 Rebellion in Ireland - The movement grew out of the Daniel O'Connell's campaign to repeal the 1800 Irish Act of Union with Great Britain.)

The Young Irelanders
In Ireland in 1848, the following nine men were captured, tried, and convicted of an abortive rebellion and were sentenced to death: John Mitchell, Morris Lyene, Pat Donahue, Thomas MeGee, Charles Duffy, Thomas Meagher, Richard O'Gorman, Terrence McManus, Michael Ireland.

Before passing sentence the Judge asked if there was anything that anyone wished to say. Meagher, speaking for all, said: "My Lord, this is our first offense but not our last. If you will be easy with us this once, we promise, on our word as gentlemen, to try better next time -- sure we won't be fools, and get caught."

Thereupon the indignant Judge sentenced them all to be hanged by the neck till dead, drawn and quartered. Passionate protest from all over the world forced Queen Victoria to commute the sentence to transportation to the far wild of Australia, Van Diemen's Land (now known as Tasmania).

In 1874, word reached the astounded Queen Victoria that Sir Charles Duffy, who had been elected Prime Minister of Australia, was the same Charles Duffy who had been transported 25 years before. On the Queens demand, the records of the rest of the of the transported men were revealed and this is what was uncovered:

Thomas Francis Meagher: Governor of Montana;
Terrence McManus: Brigadier General, United States Army;
Patrick Donahue: Brigadier General, United States Army;
Richard O'Gorman: Governor General of Newfoundland;
Morris Lyene: Attorney General of Australia;
Thomas D'Arcy McGee: Member of Parliament, Montreal, Minister of Agriculture and president of Council Dominion of Canada;
John Mitchell: Prominent New York Politician. Father of John Purroy Mitchell, Mayor of New York, at the out break of World War I;
*Michael Ireland: Later succeeded Morris Lyene as Attorney General of Australia;