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The Bold Fenian Men
Twas down by the glenside, I met an old woman
A-plucking young nettles, she ne’er saw me coming
I listened a while to the song she was humming
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men
'Tis fifty long years since I saw the moon beaming
On strong manly forms, on eyes with hope gleaming
I see them again, sure, in all my sad dreaming
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men.
When I was a young girl, their marching and drilling
Awoke in the glenside sounds awesome and thrilling
They loved poor old Ireland, to die they were willing
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men.
Tis nearly a hundred years since Peadar Kearney wrote those words about The Bold Fenian Men, and a century-and-a-half since seven Irish exiles, in New York City, got together to do something which was revolutionary from the start. Revolutionary from the start in that recent, previous Irish risings against English rule had begun as reform movements, and had developed into physical force revolution only after reform was frustrated and/or the English occupation government had, often intentionally, provoked such action, in order to be able to chose the time of action. The United Irishmen of 1798 had begun as such reformers. Though the Irish Parliament which had sat at College Green in Dublin was achieved without revolution in Ireland, it was the result of intimidation by the Irish Volunteers during the American War for Independence. Even this reform was corrupted and done away with by English bribery and intrigue, in the same manner as the Scottish Parliament in 1707 (“Such a parcel of rogues in a nation,” poet Robert Burns would later call them). Daniel O’Connell’s movement to Repeal the “Act of Union,” though inherently, and emphatically, non-violent, was confronted by the threat of military action to visit slaughter upon those unarmed Irish people who might show up at his “Monster Meeting” at Clontarf. The Young Ireland movement, which took up arms in 1848, had its roots in reform. After the failure of the Rising in 1848, the locus of Irish revolutionary activity had shifted from Dublin to New York. For the men who gathered in the law office of Michael Doheny of Tipperary (Chairman, Emmet Monument Association), as it would later be articulated by Brian O’Higgins in the Wolfe Tone Annual, the lesson of history was clear: Ireland had made progress toward freedom only through physical force, or the threat of physical force. This was the cornerstone of the purpose of The Bold Fenian Men – The Fenian Faith.
An Gorta Mór, the Great Hunger of mid-19th century Ireland, which saw the population reduced by a half, was proof positive of the necessity, as Wolfe Tone had said in the 18th century, to break the connection with England. John Mitchel would make the case in a most compelling manner that England had encouraged and aggravated the famine for the purpose of thinning the Irish population. The “Famine” period would take on, for the Irish of the mid-19th century, the same psychological significance as the Nazi period has for the Jews of the 20th and 21st.
A conspiratorial élite of Irish exiles would seek to organize and train the Irish for the purpose of the future liberation of their homeland. In part through the agency of the Emmet Monument Association, the 69th Regiment of New York had been brought into existence on 12th October 1851 (with Michael Doheny as its first Lieutenant Colonel) for the purpose training Irish exiles for the future liberation of Ireland. Nor was the 69th the only such Irish regiment in the organized militias of the several States. Realizing that any activity in America would be futile without cooperation in Ireland, these exiles, Michael Doheny, John O’Mahony, Michael Corcoran, Thomas J. Kelly, James Roche, Oliver Byrne and Patrick O’Rourke, meeting in New York, reached out to their former comrades-in-arms at home, with the result that Joseph Denieffe, Thomas Clark Luby and James Stephens brought the Irish Revolutionary/Republican Brotherhood (the IRB) into existence in Dublin on Saint Patrick's Day 1858.
The IRB, which brought about the Rising in Dublin and the Proclamation of the Irish Republic during Easter Week 1916, can trace its origin to this band of 1848 exiles, meeting first at 6 Centre Street, and then often in the Hibernian Hall managed by Michael Corcoran (of the 69th NYSM), near Saint Patrick's old Cathedral on Prince Street in New York City.
James Stephens became the Head Center of the IRB in Ireland (later succeeded by Thomas Kelly in 1867), and the scholar John O’Mahony was appointed Head Center of the organization in America. O’Mahony (who would command the 99th New York, another “Fenian” regiment, during the American Civil War – the “Phoenix Brigade”) had just finished translating Keating’s History of Ireland from Irish into English and was inspired by the example of na fianna, the élite national guard of third century Ireland. He coined the word Fenian for the brotherhood in America. Soon the terms Fenian and IRB became interchangeable. The Fenian Brotherhood grew exponentially after the refusal of Colonel Michael Corcoran to parade the 69th for the visiting (so-called) “Prince of Wales,” 11th October 1860, and the multiple (recruiting) ceremonies en route of the ’48 man, Terrence Bellew M’Manus, who died in San Francisco in 1861, and was eventually buried in Ireland. This growth was compounded in both armies during the American Civil War, as well as among Irish in the British Army. By the summer of 1865, John Devoy was convinced that the time was ripe for a rising. Professor Eoin McKiernan, former Editor of J.J. McGarrity’s The Irish Republic, and later founder of the Irish American Cultural Institute, agreed that Ireland’s best chance for freedom was probably the Fenians of the 1860s – The Bold Fenian Men. At the grave of O’Donovan Rossa in 1915, Pádraig Pearse would say,
“They have left us our Fenian dead,...”
Some died on the glenside, some died near a stranger
And wise men have told us their cause was a failure
But they fought for old Ireland and never feared danger
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men
I passed on my way, God be praised that I met her
Be life long or short, sure I'll never forget her
We may have brave men, but we'll never have better
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men
Contributed by: Liam Murphy and Charlie Laverty
The Bold Fenian Men
2
Liam Ó Murchadha, do scrí
Deliver
at the Fenian Commemoration at the Fenian Monument Calvary
Cemetery, Queens ,NY on Nov. 11 2012
An Gorta
Mór, the Great Hunger
of mid-19th century Ireland, which saw the population
reduced by a half, was proof positive of the necessity, as Wolfe
Tone had said in the 18th century, to break the
connection with England (the “evil empire” to most 19th
century Americans). John Mitchel, in An Apology for the
British Government in Ireland, as well as in the pages of
his newspaper, The United Irishman, would make the case
in a most compelling manner that England had encouraged and
aggravated the famine for the purpose of thinning the Irish
population. Archbishop “Dagger John” Hughes of New York stated
that the food, which could have fed the Irish, was “exported to
a better market, and left the people to die of famine…” [See
Thomas Gallagher, Paddy’s Lament; Christine Kinealy, A
Death-Dealing Famine: The Great Hunger in Ireland and
This Great Calamity; Thomas Keneally, The Great Shame.]
The “Famine” period would take on, for the Irish of the 19th
and 20th centuries, the same psychological
significance as the Nazi period has for the Jews of the 20th
and 21st centuries.
After the
failure of the Rising in 1848, the locus of Irish revolutionary
activity had shifted from Dublin to New York. After the
suggestion of William Smith O’Brien, a
conspiratorial élite of Irish exiles sought to create an Irish
Republican military force. Seven men, Michael Doheny,
John O’Mahony, Michael Corcoran, Thomas J. Kelly, James Roche,
Oliver Byrne and Patrick O’Rourke, gathered in the law office of Michael Doheny
(of Brookhill, near Fethard, County Tipperary - Chairman, Emmet
Monument Association), to play their part in the future
liberation of Ireland. As later articulated by Brian O’Higgins
in the Wolfe Tone Annual, the lesson of history was clear
to these men: Ireland had made progress toward freedom only
through physical force, or the threat of physical force.
This was the cornerstone of the belief and purpose of The Bold
Fenian Men – The Fenian Faith.
In part through the agency of Irish revolutionaries, the 69th Regiment
of New York had been brought into existence on 12th October 1851
(Michael Doheny its first Lieutenant Colonel). Nor
was the 69th the only such Irish revolutionary unit
in the organized militias of the several States (e.g., the
“Irish” 9th and the 75th New York).
Realizing that activity in America would be futile without
cooperation in Ireland, these exiles, the executive committee of
the Emmet Monument Association, meeting in New York, reached out
to their former comrades-in-arms at home, with the result that
Joseph Denieffe, Thomas Clarke Luby and James Stephens brought
into existence the Irish Revolutionary / Republican Brotherhood
(the IRB) in Dublin, Saint Patrick's Day 1858.
The IRB, which brought about the Rising in Dublin and the
Proclamation of the Irish Republic during Easter Week 1916, can
trace its origin to this band of 1848 “Young Ireland” exiles, in
New York City, meeting at 6 Centre Street, and then in the
Hibernian Hall managed by Michael Corcoran (of the 69th
New York State Militia), near Saint Patrick's old Cathedral on
Prince Street.
“The Wandering Hawk” Stephens became the Head Center of the IRB
in Ireland, and the scholar O’Mahony was Head Center of the
organization in America.
O’Mahony, would later command the 99th New York State Militia “Phoenix
Brigade” in the American Civil War. It was another “Fenian”
regiment, but of brigade strength, consisting of some forty (40)
independent companies. O’Mahony (from Kilbeheny, County Limerick),
in 1858, was already a scholar of international repute, thanks in part
to the wide acclaim for his translation of Geoffrey Keating’s History of
Ireland from early classical modern Irish into English. He was
inspired by the example of na fianna, the élite national guard of third
century Ireland. He coined the word Fenian for the brotherhood in
America. Soon the terms Fenian and IRB became interchangeable.
The Fenian Brotherhood grew exponentially after the refusal of Colonel
Michael Corcoran to parade the 69th for the visiting (so-called) “Prince
of Wales,” 11th October 1860, and the many ceremonies en route of the
’48 man, Terrence Bellew M’Manus, who died in San Francisco in 1861, and
was eventually buried in Ireland. This growth was compounded in
both armies during the American Civil War, as well as, thanks in large
part to the exertions of John Devoy, among Irish in the British Army
With the
end of the American Civil War in 1865, the Fenian Brotherhood in
America sent its most trusted military officer, Captain Thomas
Kelly (formerly of the 75th New York State Militia,
later part of the 69th - veteran of the “green flag”
“Bloody 10th” Ohio Infantry, later Chief Signal
Officer, XIV Corps, US Army of the Cumberland), home to Ireland
to assess the prospects for a Rising, and to advise on military
matters. By summer
1865, John Devoy was convinced that the time was ripe for a
rising.
The Fenian Chief, James Stephens, was captured in Dublin; Kelly,
with John Devoy and others, rescued Stephens from Richmond Gaol
– much to the consternation of Dublin Castle.
Kelly
arranged their harrowing escape from Ireland, via a collier to
Kilmarnock in Scotland, thence by rail to London, whence to
Paris and ultimately to America. In May 1866 Stephens, then in
New York, appointed Thomas Kelly of New York (from Mountbellew,
County Galway), his deputy. After the visionary organizer
Stephens stepped down on 29th December 1866, now
Colonel Kelly, FB, the pragmatic military man, became Chief
Organizer of the Irish Republic (Virtually Established) and
leader of the Fenian Brotherhood / IRB. Kelly promptly sailed,
from New York, for England and Ireland in January 1867, to
assess the situation, organize, and plan for a Rising.
Of the Fenian Brotherhood / IRB, co-founded, and, for a time,
led by Thomas Kelly, American soldier and Irish revolutionary,
it can truly be said, “Is iad a do an tine beo”- It is they who lit
the everlasting fire. It is the fire they lit which continues
to inspire. Professor Eoin
McKiernan, former Editor of J.J. McGarrity’s newspaper The
Irish Republic, and later founder of the Irish American
Cultural Institute, felt that Ireland’s best chance for freedom
was probably the Fenians – The Bold Fenian Men.
As Pádraic Pearse would say, in his oration at the grave of the
Fenian, O’Donovan Rossa, on Lá Lughnasa 1915, “… the seeds sewn
by the young men of ’65 and ’67 are coming to their miraculous
ripening today.” They would bear fruit during Easter Week,
1916.
Ar dheis lámh Dé go raibh a n-anama uasaile
Go saoradh Dia Éire!
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