The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1888-04-14
irish GRAVES IN ENGLAND.
BY MICHAEL M'DONAGH.
HENRY GRATTAN.

HENRY GRATTAN.
There are, am sure, thousands Of
the Irish race at home and abroad who
are under the impression that Henry
Grattan is buried in Ireland. If inter-
rogated Oh the subject they should of
course, plead ignorance Of the exact
spot in Ireland in which the patriot
sleeps. but that somewhere or other his
dust is mingled with the kindred clay
of the land he served SO well and SO
long will they fondly believe until
shocked with proofs to the contrary. 1t
is indeed difficult to CONCEIVE all at once
that England, and not Ireland, holds
the ashes Of Henry Grattan. Does 1t
not cause shock to the home-loving in
stincts of the Irish race to think that in
an obscure and almost unnoticed grave
in Westminster Abbey lies the orator
who crowned Ireland, after six centur
les OF bondage. With the lal1rels Of ma
ton Though short. u'as was the time
they hourished), and who proclaimed
her rights and denounced her wrongs
with imprisoned eloquence The like OF
which has rarely thrilled the world?
Gle lived the life, be died the death,
but he does not sleep in the tomb OF al
Irish patriot" exclaimed Sir Jonah Bar
r1ngton.
Over and over again Grattan ax pressed
desire 70 be buried on the estate al
Moyanna. Queens County. which was
presented to him III 1782--the year OF
ENTHUSIASTICALLY grateful nation.
This desire he repeated TO his doctor
before setting out in 1920 from Ireland
for London.-a journey which, with q
tue presentlment. he felt would be his
last--to appeal to the British Parlia-
mant, as Representative of Dublin, Will,
bis dying breath, for the suffering Cath
olics, and this desire he reiterated again
and again on lis deathbed. "Remem-
ber.'' said he to DR.. Berwick at Tinna-
hinch, lis residence in county Wicklow,
Remember, [ wish to be buried i'll the
chnrchyard al Moyanna." When he 81
rived in London aud was Informed by
the doctors that his end was approach
Ing. he again said 5s to my person, [
wish TO be laid in Moyanna. ! would
rather be buried there Clearly, then,
it was strongly desired by Grattau that
be should he laid at rest i'll Ireland. A
most curious fact is that he asked his
medical advisers that this desire should
be kept 81 secret from his family, for he
doubtless feared, if they came to know
it while he was alive, they would try to
induce him to change his mind. Ii this
idea was in the OLD m;.n's thoughts sub
sequent events went to prove how true
was his conjecture. His SON, Or. Henry
Grattan (who afterwards became his
fathers bicgraptev and succeeded him
III the representation Of 1>ublin), writing
Of time towards his fathers end, says
81 often told him it WAS the intention
to place him in Westminster Abbey.'
"Oh," said he, :'that will not be--atter
all, would rather have Moyanna. It
is evident from the tone Ut DR., Grattan's
remarks iii the chapter dealing with his
fathers death that the family esteemed
it q high honor for the Irish patriot to
get a grave in Westminster Abbey.
THE patriots first, best grave is in his
own dear land, and Henry Grattan, like
a true patriot, asked fer such grave.
His son, pnffed up with despicabls vani-
ty, seems to have had no desire that
the dying wish Of his illustrious father
should be obeyed, and SO we find that
on the fourth OF June 1920, the day be-
fore Grattan died, the son again in
formed him it was the wish Of the Duke
OF Sussex that his remains should be
taken to- Westminster Abbey. "Well,"
said the dying patriot, in an impatiens
tone, annoyed no doubt by those persjs-
tent opportunities" Well, Westmins~
ter Abbey be it," And so the Duke Of
Sussex, some Insignificant parsonage of
the day. now aforementioned, triumphed,
and Irishmen will for all ages to come
have to go to the English Walhalla to
visit the grave of one so dear to them as
Henry (;rattan.
slrJohn Darlington in his personal
Kecollections'' has some pertinent re-
marks on the subject which are we'll
worth quotieg here. He says
"Why, and for what good reason, with
what policy, or on what feeling, are the
bones of the most illustrous Of Irishmen
suffered to moulder in the same ground |
with his country's enemies? Why s,1f-
fer him to be escorted to the grave by
mock pageantry of those whose vices
and corruptions banished from Ireland
everything which his talents and integ-
ritv had obtained for her. Who sent |