The Sun.
London, England, 1848-06-27 00:00:00

REPEAL MEETING AT DONNYBROOK.

A great meeting of the United Repealers of
Clonakeogh, Dundrum, Donnybrook, Sandymount,
and other suburba,n districts, was announced to take
plade at two o'clock this day (Sunday), on the far-
famed Green of Donnybrook. At that hour, how-
ever, but a few hundred persons were present, al-
though the combined influence of pleasure and politics
was expected to produce a very large and early at •
tendance. Ample provision was made on the green for
the amusement of its occupants previous to the com-
mencement of the proceedings; and thimblerigging, and
the usual games which are celebrated at " the Brook"
lon the occasion of a fair, were industriously pursued.
A temporary and rather crazy structure, consisting
of a few barrels overlaid with planks, served as a
platform, and held about a. hundred persons, includ-
ing Thos. F. Meagher, Esq., Charles G. Duffy, and
other conspicuous agitators.
At two o'clock the clubs began to arrive, and as
they marched in were hailed with loud acclamations,
and the numbers present continued to increase until
the close of the proceedings.
At half-past two o'clock Mr. John Vincent Ma-
grath, president of the Sandymount Club, was voted
into the chair.
The Cueiamssi advocated union, and expressed his
gratification at the spirit which prevails on this sub-
ject, and which, he trusted, would soon relieve this
country from her thraldom. Their object was to do
good to all, and injury to none, but to be in a position
to assert their rights. They believed themselves en-
titled to certain rights, privileges, and liberties.—
(Hear, hear.) They asked for those rights and privi-
leges—they insisted upon them, and, with the bless-
ing of God, they.must have them.—(Cheers). He
urged the extension of clubs and the promotion of
a fraternal spirit, and advised all present to provide
themselves with arms, as he felt it his duty to do so
himself, to protect himself against the despotism
which was abroad to trample on the people, and keep
them in subjection.
Mr. R. Dorms then proposed the first resolution as
follows
" Resolved—That, impressed with a strong convic-
tion that the divisions and dissensions fomented by
our foreign rulers, have always proved fatal to the
interests of this country, we hail with pleasure and
hope the proposed meeting of all Repealers in the for-
mation of the contemplated Irish League, and this
meeting pledges itself to give its best and most active
support in the establishment of the League."
Mr. C. Craw; DUFFY, in seconding the resolution,
referred to the enthusiastic meetings of '43, and
asked why it was they had failed to accomplish the
object they had in view ? It was because they were
not then in the right path—they were looking for
repeal by means which would never repeal the
Union.—(Hear, hear.) They were shouting for it,
spouting for it, begging and praying for it.—(Hear,
hear.) They had not then put themselves into
the only attitude before which the power against
whom their efforts were directed would yield—
the attitude of an organised and armed people.—
(Loud cheers.) Mr. Duffy then adduced the example
of Sicily, Hungary, and Italy, which he thought
afforded a lesson to struggling nations—and if they
profited by it Ireland would attain her independence,
perhaps without a shot, but at all events her freedom
would be achieved.—(Cheers.) He concluded by ex-
horting his audience to forget their differences, and
to enrol themselves in clubs that very day, and to
provide themselves with arms.—(Cheers.) He saw '
many present able to buy guns and muskets, but
there was not one who could not buy a pike.
In the course of Mr. Duffy's harangue a tri-
coloured flag, suspended from a pike, was introduced
upon the platform amid vociferous cheers.
The motion having been unanimously adopted,
Mr. GUNNING TAAFE proposed the next resolution,
which was seconded by Mr. DRUMMOND and passed.
It was to the following effect --" Resolved, that we
approve of the fundamental rules of the Irish League,
as drawn up by Sir Colman O'Loghten, Bart., and
we hail at this eventful crisis the establishment of the
League as the immediate forerunner of our indepen-
dence, and we adopt unreservedly the conditions of the
long-wished-for union of Repealers."
Mr. T. F. MEAGHER proposed the following reso-
lution, which was seconded and passed :—" Resolved,
that this meeting strongly recommend the formation
of clubs in the several neighbouring localities, to aid
the Irish League in all practical measures for work-
ing out Ireland's future destiny."
After the adoption of a formal resolution of thanks,
the meeting, which at no period mustered more than
about 600 people, quietly separated.
This demonstration—the first which has been
made by the " United " Repealers in the neighbour-
hood of Dublin—seemed by no means to have realised
the anticipations of its originators.