Forgotten Rebels of 1848

Citation

Tasmania, Home for Tasmania’s Forgotten Young Irelander Rebels of 1848, in ed. Brownrigg et al, Echoes of Irish Australian – Rebellion to Republic: A collection of essays. Canberra, 2007.

Outline

Not all of the Young Irelander Rebels of the 1848 Irish uprising who were transported to Van Diemen’s Land escaped or were repatriated. The fate of the lesser-known and poorer men is followed up here.

Excerpt

Prior to leaving Tasmania in 1854, John Martin, an idealistic leader in the Young Ireland Movement, wrote a “valedictory letter” to the Examiner newspaper which had supported their cause. Martin, like Smith O’Brien and O’Donaghue , had stayed in Tasmania to complete his sentence for involvement in the 1848 insurrection, rather than escape as Mitchell and Meagher had done. After giving thanks for the attention received from “all the respectable families in whose neighbourhood he was detained” and to the “frank and generous native youths (and) fair and gentle girls,” the romantic John Martin listed “’48” men who were still in the island prison.[1] They included rebels, WP Dowling, John Walsh, James Lyons, Richard Bryan, Thomas Donovan, Thomas Wall, James Casey, and Edward Tobin, while other research indicates that Cornelius Keeffe and Edmund Sheafy were also sentenced for related crimes: nine neglected rebels from those tumultuous times.

Some of these men stayed in Tasmania while the fate of others is uncertain. Interest in their fate continued into the late Victoria period. In 1895, a visiting Irish Home Rule delegation visited Tasmania led by Michael Davitt. At a public meeting in Hobart, another touring member, Quaker Home Rule MP, Alfred Webb ‘wished to learn about the 1848 rebels.’[2] What he discovered is uncertain. The first contemporary scholars to raise questions of their fate were, Tasmanian historian John Williams in 1972, (dec.), followed by Prof George Rudé, then more recently, Dr Richard Davis.[3] Although two of these men were known to have remained in Tasmania, what became of these and their fellow Irishmen has been a mystery.[4] Now, 110 years further on, this is an attempt to find what became of some these forgotten rebels.

The seven leaders of the Young Ireland movement, including William O’Brien, Kevin O’Dogherty and Thomas Meagher, came to their island prison of Van Diemen’s Land or Tasmania for a few brief but eventful years. In 1848-9 O’Brien and Lalor were joined by illiterate sympathisers, mostly farm labourers, caught in the fervour and anguish of the Famine years. These attackers were gradually rounded up by the British, and, like their leaders, transported to the Australian colony of Van Diemen’s Land. Unlike O’Brien and his peers who either escaped or were Pardoned, these men of ’48 were left in the island colony, and although not initially forgotten by their leaders, they gradually became overlooked. The neglect is indicative of their lack of communication skills and social influence. By contrast, the seven ring-leader’s colonial experiences were widely publicised. They also wrote letters profusely, kept journals, and were supported by strategically placed leaders in British, Irish and colonial society.

Tasmania, the island state of Australia, was colonized by the British in 1803. First known as Van Diemen’s Land, the colony became home to an increasing population of convicts. Until transportation ceased in 1854, nearly 70,000 prisoners, including 15,000 women (just under half the Australian intake) made Tasmania a temporary – and at times a permanent – home. Included in that number were Irish social rebels transported for overtly political crimes, participants in the 1798 rebellion, White-boys and Ribbon-men, British Chartists, and those involved in the Young Ireland Movement of the 1840’s.

Hobart, the capital, is in the south, and situated on the Derwent River, with a back-drop of low mountains. Here the prison ships unloaded their cargo. Today the population of the city is 200,000, but in 1850 it was only 30,000, and the total island population was less than 100,000, while the current figure stands at 450,000. The northern town of Launceston houses over 60,000, and is the centre of the island’s agricultural industries. Then, as now, this was based on fine wool and mixed farming. Timber milling, fishing and, more recently, mining, also provide employment. Relatively unspoilt today, many of the districts and towns known to the Young Irelanders and other Irish prisoners, appear little changed from the 1850’s.

Seven of the men sailed on the Hyderabad 3. Six of these – Bryan, Casey, Lyons, Tobin, Wall and Walsh, all from County Waterford – were charged with the same offence, documented (with slight variations) on each of their conduct records. All were tried at Waterford on 13 July 1850. They were charged with “attacking the police barracks,” and ‘soliciting to attack or ‘persuading others to attack.’[5] However, in addition, Donovan’s offence is specified as’ soliciting to attack (the) Police Barracks.. Stated this offence, Attacking the Police with Smith O’Brien,’ suggesting he was the ring-leader.’ Dr Davis disputes this, as, at the time the Waterford men were charged in July 1850, O’Brien and the other leaders were on their way to Van Diemen’s Land. However, is it not possible that the lower ranks were on the run, and able to hide from authorities for a longer time? Others, like Edward Tobin, was accused of “persuading others to attack the police … with Brian (sic) and Walsh, on board,” with no barracks specified. Richard Bryan (tried with Walsh, Tobin and Donovan and others on board) in defence claimed, “I do not know what it was for [the attack on the police barracks] a policeman was killed”.[6] Thomas Wall was “tried with Casey, & Lyons” at Waterford on 17/7/1850. Casey and Wall were transported for 14 years, and Donovan for 7 years.

Edward Sheafy, who arrived separately in October 1851 on the Blenheim 4, had actually been convicted earlier (7 January1849)., suggesting he was held for a longer period than the other men, being a Pass holder when he arrived. Sheafy has a record which specifies that he was involved in ‘Attacking a police barracks on September 12 1848 with Smith O’Brien, property (of the) Government.’[7] Richard Davis suggests these men attacked another police barracks at Cappoquin in Co Waterford, perhaps inspired by O’Brien’s example, and they may have also been involved in the affray led by O’Brien.[8]

The other rebels, Davis believes, were involved in an extended conspiracy involving James Fintan Lalor, whose brother was later a leader in the Eureka Rebellion in the goldfields of Victoria. Cornelius Keeffe, the last rebel supporter to be tried, admitted on arrival in Hobart Town on the Lord Dalhousie in August 1852, to ‘Being under arms under Smith O’Brien.’[9] Davis is again doubtful of this claim, as Keeffe’s Irish record refers to his ‘appearing under arms and perpetrating a theft.’

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End of Excerpt

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Footnotes for this excerpt

[1]Launceston Examiner, 25/7/1854, p. 2 c. 4.

[2]Davis, Richard Irish Traces on Tasmanian History 1803-2004, Hobart, 2005, p. 76.

[3]Davis, Richard Unpublicised Young Ireland Prisoners in Van Diemen’s Land, in P&P Tasmanian Historical Research Association, December 1991, pp. 131-137.

[4]Williams, John Irish Convicts and Van Diemen’s Land, in P&P, Tasmanian Historical Research Association, September 1972; Rudé, George Protest and Punishment, Oxford, 1978. (An edited version of Williams ground-breaking thesis on the Irish in Tasmania has been published posthumously by Dr Richard Davis and the University of Tasmania. Williams, John Ordered to the Island, Centre for Tasmanian Studies, University of Tasmania, 2004.)

[5]Con 77/10, Archives Office of Tasmania.

[6]Con 14/43.

[7]Con 14/42, Archives Office of Tasmania.

[8]Davis, Richard, 1991, p. 134ff.

[9]Con 14/45, Archives Office of Tasmania.

Index for complete paper

1798 rebellion………………………………. 3

Andrewartha, Rev J…………………… 12

Bacon, John……………………………….. 10

Balfe, JD…………………………………….. 18

Bishop, George…………………………… 11

Bothwell……………………………………. 15

Boyd, J…………………………………… 7, 11

British Chartists…………………………… 3

British Hotel………………………………… 9

Brooks, Malcolm………………………… 16

Bryan, Kathleen (Mrs Rodger)…….. 12

Bryan, Mick……………………………….. 12

Bryan, Richard…………….. 2, 4, 6, 7, 12

Bryan, Rodger……………………………. 12

Campbell Street. Hobart……………… 10

Cappoquin………………………………….. 5

Carter, William……………………………. 8

Cascade Road, Hobart……………….. 11

Cascades Female Factory……………. 10

Cascades, Hobart…………………………. 7

Casey, Ann (Mrs James)……………… 18

Casey, Anne (Mrs James)……………. 19

Casey, Biddy……………………………… 13

Casey, James 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12, 18, 19

Casey, James sr………………………….. 12

Castle Forbes Bay……………………….. 17

Cora Lynn…………………………………… 12

County Cork……………………………… 14

County Tipperary…………………… 5, 14

County Waterford………………. 4, 5, 19

Cygnet……………………………. 14, 16, 20

Davis, Richard……………………… 4, 5, 8

Davitt, Michael………………………. 2, 20

de Veux, Juliana See Dowling, Juliana (Mrs William)

Denison, Lt Gov William………………. 8

Devonport, ?……………………………….. 7

Donovan, ?………………………………. 4, 5

Donovan, Bridget (Mrs Thomas) 17, 18

Donovan, Mary…………………………. 17

Donovan, Peter………………………….. 17

Donovan, Thomas 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 17, 18

Dowling, Juliana (Mrs William)…… 11

Dowling, William Paul………. 2, 10, 11

Dungavin………………………………….. 19

Dwyer, Honora See Wall, Honora (Mrs Thomas)

Dwyer, Honora snr……………………. 14

Dwyer, Margaret……………………….. 14

Dwyer, Patrick…………………………… 14

Dwyer, Timothy…………………………. 14

Dwyer, William………………………….. 14

Elizabeth St, Hobart…………………….. 9

Elizabeth Street, Hobart……………….. 7

Eureka Rebellion………………………….. 5

Eva……………………………………………. 16

Evandale……………………………… 12, 18

Factory Gang……………………………….. 7

Fitzpatrick, Matthew…………….. 15, 16

Fitzroy Place, Hobart………………….. 11

Fogarty, Anne See Tobin, Anne (Mrs Edward)

Franklin………………………….. 14, 17, 18

Freemason’s Hotel……………………….. 8

Hall, Father ?…………………………….. 17

Harrison, Ann See Casey, Ann (Mrs James)

Harrison, Anne See Casey, Anne (Mrs James)

Hartnett, Ellen See Keeffe, Ellen (Mrs Cornelius)

Hobart Prisoners’ Barracks……………. 7

Hobart Town Rivulet…………………… 8

Holehan, Father James……………….. 16

Hood, Robin Lloyd……………….. 10, 11

Hood, Sarah (Mrs Robin)………. 10, 11

Horne, ?…………………………………….. 11

House of Correction, Hobart………. 10

Hunter, Father ?………………………… 17

Hunter, Henry…………………………… 16

Huon Valley………………………………. 18

Impression Bay……….. See Premaydena

Irish Exile and Freedom’s Advocate….. 9

Irish Exiles…………………………………… 7

John Cullerane Square………………… 19

Johnson, Catherine…………………….. 18

Keefe, Ellen (Mrs Cornelius)………… 20

Keefe, Hannah (Mrs Cornelius)…….. 6

Keeffe, Cornelius…… 2, 5, 6, 12, 13, 20

Keeffe, Hannah (Mrs Cornelius)….. 13

Keeffe, Thomas………………………….. 13

Lalor, James Fintan…………………… 3, 5

Lalor, Peter………………………………….. 5

Latrobe……………………………………… 19

Liverpool St, Hobart…………………….. 9

Liverpool Street, Hobart………….. 8, 10

Long Bay…………………………………… 15

Lord, David…………………………………. 9

Lynch, Bridget See Donovan, Bridget (Mrs Thomas)

Lyons, ?…………………………………… 4, 5

Lyons, James……………. 2, 6, 10, 13, 20

Lyons, John……………………………….. 13

Lyons, Mary jr……………………………. 13

Lyons, Mary snr (Mrs ?)……………… 13

Lyons, Michael…………………………… 13

Martin, John……………………… 2, 13, 15

Meagher, Thomas……………….. 2, 3, 10

Mitchell, John………………………………. 2

Murphy, Bishop ?………………………. 20

Murphy, Father John………………….. 14

Neilson, ? (Mrs ?)…………………………. 9

New Norfolk……………………………….. 8

Newcastle-on-Lyne, England………. 14

O’Dogherty, Kevin…. 3, 10, 12, 15, 18

O’Donaghue, Patrick………………… 2, 9

Oatlands………………………………… 9, 12

Old Wharf, Hobart Town…………….. 7

Port Arthur…………………………………. 8

Port Cygnet……………………. See Cygnet

Premaydena………………………………. 11

Probation System……………………. 7, 12

Reeves, Isaac G…………………….. 7, 8, 9

Regan, ? (Mrs John)……………………… 8

Regan, John……………………………… 8, 9

Ribbon-men…………………………………. 3

Richmond………………………………….. 16

Ross…………………………………………… 10

Rudé, George……………………………….. 2

Sandy Bay…………………………………. 11

Schaffer, Irene……………………………. 20

Sheafy, Edmond….. See Sheafy, Edward

Sheafy, Edmund………………………….. 2

Sheafy, Edward……. 5, 6, 7, 11, 13, 19

Sheafy, Mary (Mrs Edward)……. 6, 13

Sherwood……………………………………. 19

ships

Asia (5)…………………………………… 14

Blenheim 4………………………………… 5

Hyderabad 3……………………………… 4

Lord Dalhousie…………………………… 5

Northumberland……………………….. 14

Sarah………………………………………… 8

Smith O’Brien, William.. 4, 5, 8, 10, 15

Smith O’Brien, William……………… 2, 3

Somerset House…………………………… 11

Southerwood, Father Terry…………. 17

Southerwood, Father WT……………. 16

St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Hobart 11

St Joseph’s, Hobart…………………….. 11

St Mary’s Catholic Church, Franklin: 17

St Patrick’s Church, Latrobe……….. 19

St. Josephs Catholic Church, Hobart 17

Therry, Jane………………………….. 17, 18

Thomson, JA……………………………….. 9

Ticket of Leave……………………… 10, 12

Tobin, ? (Mrs ?)………………………….. 19

Tobin, Anne (Mrs Edward)…………. 19

Tobin, Edward. 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 19

Tobin, Ellen (Mrs ?)…………………….. 13

Tobin, Ellen (Mrs Edward)……………. 6

Tobin, Kathleen………………………….. 13

Tobin, Mary……………………………….. 13

Tobin, Michael…………………………… 13

Tobin, Nancy…………………………….. 13

Wall, Arthur Thomas…………………. 15

Wall, Bridget……………………………… 13

Wall, Catherine………………………….. 15

Wall, Charles……………………………… 15

Wall, Colleen……………………………… 13

Wall, Ellen…………………………………. 13

Wall, Francis……………………………… 15

Wall, Honora (Mrs Thomas)….. 14, 15

Wall, James………………………………… 13

Wall, Joseph………………………………. 15

Wall, Martha……………………………… 15

Wall, Mary………………………………… 13

Wall, Mary Ellen………………………… 15

Wall, Mike…………………………………. 13

Wall, Nora…………………………………. 13

Wall, Richard…………………………….. 15

Wall, Thomas 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16

Walsh, ?………………………………………. 4

Walsh, Andrew………………………….. 13

Walsh, Ellen………………………………. 13

Walsh, Jane (Mrs ?)…………………….. 13

Walsh, John…………………. 2, 4, 7, 8, 13

Walsh, Joseph…………………………….. 13

Walsh, Nan……………………………….. 13

Walsh, Richard………………………….. 13

Walshe, John J……………………………. 20

Waterford, Ireland……………………….. 4

Webb, Alfred……………………………….. 2

Wellington Bridge, Hobart……………. 7

White-boys………………………………….. 3

Williams, John……………………………… 2

Willson, Bishop Robert………….. 16, 17

Wilmot, Charles…………………………. 17

Young Ireland Movement… 2, 3, 8, 18

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