“Nine Famous Irishmen”
In the Young Irish disorders, in Ireland in 1848 the following nine men were captured, tried and convicted of treason against Her Majesty, the Queen and were sentenced to death. John Mitchell, Morris Lyene, Pat Donahue, Thomas McGee, Charles Duffy, Thomas Meagher, Richard O’Gorman, Terrence McManus and Michael Ireland.
Before passing a 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 and do better next time. And next time – sure we won’t be fools and get caught.”
Thereupon the indignant judge sentenced them all to be hanged by the neck until dead and drawn and quartered. Passionate protest from all the world forced Queen Victoria to commute the sentence to transportation for life to far away wild Australia. In 1874, the word reached astounded Queen Victoria that Sir Charles Duffy has been elected Prime Minister of Australia was the same Charles Duffy who has been transported 25 years before. On the Queen’s demand, the records of the rest of the transported men were revealed and this is what was uncovered:
- Thomas Francs 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, in which office Michale Ireland succeeded him
- Thomas D’Arcy McGee, Member of Parliament, Montreal and Minister of Agriculture and President Council, Dominion of Canada.
- John Mitchell, Prominent New York politician. This man was the father of John Purroy Mitchell, Mayor of New York at the outbreak of World War I.
