The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-10-16
Dcats, ofn Noted PRINTER and Patriot

Tho Irish papers come to us filed with obituary
notices of Thomas ')F'lanagan, u distinguished
member OF the Typographical profession, and an !l
ardent and devoted friend to and aborrr for IRISH
nationality. Tie rccantl? deceased i'll the city o. OF
Dublin, at:h riao old ageof ninety years AS
his lie has bee1la strangely cventful one, even ''s
q mtmher o. tkezcraft, whore member, usually
| lead more stranac and eyentfu lives han niosS
ot,cr men. we have Thought that o brlef Do
| graphical notice wond not be without interrsi
.OAiug to the fact }l1t the British Goyernmart,
init sdesioiic rucnl roorold IrcIand has tn usllE
lit the part=of wisdom to prohibit the registry nt
marriages, births and deaths among its Gathol;
subjects i'll that unfortunate countrv we ere ll-
bic to discover anthenicrdces of his birth, clsa-
hood and youth. The first information "e nave
OF him is az composoron the Press, ~ .;ss " $,
paper Of Dnl.lin thon tho organ Of tho "oll'ca Gu
Ir;shmen." That was seventy Years ago ana ne 1'.
was then in hie twentieth year. Flo re41oi11ly
used to boast that he had, with li'o"n llaa.'
@'set up the manuscript of the gallant DlS ''i,lol
tunate Lord Edward Fitzgerald Otltnasat.l, "f .f
that time. as sworn member OF inc ,"l'Ivd Lodv.
guard the Geraldine, and took part II an
fer with Major sirr and his force II the
hood of Thonas-street, Dublin On one 80 occaslo ~
he saved Major Srl'a life when one OF auu ,rndnw w
fectod was about to fire upon MN 1loa a sasnssi
bv striking the pistol from e wonldoe rhnl.
hand After the collapse OF the 1ll-omeeu
lion of 09 OFlanaghn .pent many or I!1u na suon
quent years his life il, London ana M ned =, Of
SDOuBlDlC pUSltluI ny d ClilCl PA ri
The Morning Chronicle in its best days lo i
been acquainted with Lord Edward flezSelaau.' aa.
NJ nor Tandy, Arthur O'Conncr and Emme.'
dnriur ono Irish crisis so WAS ho at later p' pe-
rinl S1n=1S49, flmjliarly known to GAVIN lyuns,
lr1omas Ds v:; ard John Mitchell as one OF the
nti.nsl staff In 1913 lie was arrested, along
with others employed Oh the paper, when 1t was
seized, and on tho eve Of the Ballingary emeute
after tho suspension of the Ha6eas Corpus
Act, but was detained in prison only
few DAYS. there being no charge against him or
his fellow printers of completely i'll the insurrec-
tioD. When shortly afterwards an entertainment
was given by his colleagues to celebrate his ff-
ticlh anniversary as q journeyman printer, it was
not supposed that he would retain his physical
and mental powers, and be able to earn his daily |
bread, as he did for close upon twenty yoars. He
vas regarded with marked affection by his employ
ors and daily associates, on account OF his yener /
able age. intelligence, and amability. He WAS ac-
lively employed as compostor up to literally |
within a few hours of his death, on tho Nation |
newspaper, whose Irish ''patrio!ic" opinions he
fully shared.
The good old patriot has been gathered to his
Pathers regretted, mourned, and honored, for he /
vas an exemplary citizen, an honorable man, and,
let US hope, q true Christian also.
The earth may cover more kingly heads
And stone may bear more honored namcs
But never, yet more gallant dead
vas laid to rest beneath tho shadows of "Dub'in
spires' than the old printer-patriot, Thomas
D O'Flanagan. ...-