Ireland's OWN: History

 

The Four Martyrs* —by Brian O hUiginn Part II There is a tendency these days among our writers and speakers to ignore the 1922 period. Almost all their autobiographies and histories and plays and novels stop short at 1921, the idea seeming to be to make people forget all that followed and to accept the present deplorable national position and freedom and as the outcome of the War of Independence. Erskine Childers, the Four Martyrs and their comrades are being held up day by day to the young people in our secondary schools and university colleges as criminals who were properly and lawfully put to death, and there is not a single protest against it from any organised body. For four years, under a pretended "Republican administration" that crime against the nation; that attempted murder of the reputation of brave men who are dead had been allowed to go unchecked and unheeded while with our eyes on the ends of the earth like fools, we hold up our hands in horror at outrages that are said to be committed in other countries. Taking a man's life is a terrible thing, but infinitely worse is the crime of killing his good name when he is dead. That this worst of crimes is allowed to be perpetrated every day in the week in our schools and colleges is the most eloquent testimony that can be given as to the true status of the mongrel "Free State." And who were the Four Martyrs who are presented to the future men and women of Ireland as lawless criminals? Rory O'Connor Rory O'Connor, who held the rank of Commandant-General in the Army of the Republic and who was first in command at the Four Courts, had seen long and active and constant service in the cause of independence. He was reserved, thoughtful and gentle, but his face could light with merriment and his eyes could flash with anger, and those who knew him best loved him for his manly qualities, his unwavering sincerity and transparent truth. He was a close friend of Joseph Plunkett who was executed after Easter Week 1916, and with him devoted long days and many sleepless nights to the task of preparing for the Rising. He was an engineer, with gifts and talents far about average, and these were devoted without reserve to the cause of Irish independence. He was on the Headquarters Staff in the G.P.O. in 1916, was wounded while engaged in some activity outside, was brought to a city hospital, and escaped out of it before a search was made by  the British for wounded Republicans. In the years that followed, his activities increased and he was one of Cathal Brugha's right-hand men. Because of the position he held he was privileged to attend the secret meetings of Dáil Éireann during the Black-and-Tan campaign and had the confidence of all the Army chiefs and Ministers. In 1920, he was arrested by the British force known as the Auxiliaries, taken to Dublin Castle, and savagely tortured. Afterwards he was sent as a prisoner to the Curragh but escaped and resumed with more energy than ever; the work which ended in Mountjoy Jail on 8 December 1922. At 9am on Wednesday, 28 June 1922, he sent this message out from the Four Courts. It was published the same day in a Stop Press edition of Poblacht na hÉireann: "At 4.40 this morning, we received a note from Tom Ennis demanding on behalf of 'the Government' our surrender at 4am, when he would attack. "He opened attack in the name of his 'Government,' with rifle, machine and field pieces. "The boys are glorious, and will fight for the Republic to the end. "How long will our misguided former comrades outside attack those who stand for Ireland alone? Three casualties so far, all slight. Father Albert and Father Dominic with us here. "Our love to all comrades outside, and the brave boys especially of the Dublin Brigade. (Signed) Rory O'Connor, Major General, IRA." In a letter written from Mountjoy Jail a couple of months later, Rory O'Connor revealed the fact that the Republican forces were never asked to evacuate the Four Courts until 25 minutes before it was attacked with cannon begged from the British. Only a few days previously, the head of the "Free State" Army sat in friendly council with Rory O'Connor, Liam Mellows and Liam Lynch, and discussed with them a plan for concerted action against the British garrison in North East Ulster. The man who then sat in friendly council with them as comrades and brothers-in-arms, a few  days later ordered an attack on their position when he himself and his colleagues had received orders from the British Government to attack the Republic of Ireland by armed force or to clear out. They took their orders from London and commenced their rebellion against the Republic they had sworn to defend, and the campaign of slaughter of brave and innocent men that will be a cause of shame to Ireland for evermore. Rory O'Connor died like a true soldier of Ireland and a true Christian on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and one hour before he was hurled into eternity, he wrote these remarkable words in a letter to this sister: "Were you aware that the devotion of my life has been to the Blessed Virgin? This day I have just finished a Novena in honour of the Immaculate Conception, the anniversary of my First Communion." Can we doubt for a moment that Mary Immaculate, who was remembered so faithfully by this loyal lover of hers for nine days before her Feast and his death, flung wide the Gate of Heaven in answer to his Novena, and welcomed him home even before the report of the volley that killed him had cease to echo through the prison of Mountjoy? *A lecture delivered in Cork, 8 December 1936. Page updated 18 Aug 2008 Ireland's OWN Logo by Eamann Website Design and Celtic Background by Míchealín Daugherty Copyright © 2008 Ireland's OWN All Rights Reserved.