The Irish standard., 1894-07-07
A SOLEMN HOUR.
Thomas Francis Meagher in the
Dock on tire, Evening Of Octo-
ber %, 1848.
THE NEWS OF HIS CONVICTION
Causes the Utmost Sorrow to His
Fellow Prisoners in Clon-
mel Jail.

Fellow Prisoners in Clon-
mel jail.
The following interesting and thrilling
account of the young 1relanders in prison
appeared in the Dublin Nation of October
S, 1850.
There were heavy hearts in Clonmel
Jail on Saturday evening, October e.
1848 Thomas Meagher was in the dock
awaiting the verdict of the jury who had
tried him. The large cell at the top OF
the building, which was the sleeping
apartment of McManus, O'Donohoe and
Leyne, and the common saloon during
the day of some twenty others, was silent
and cheerless. The central table was
covered with miscellaneous equipage of
'carousal. Glasses of all shapes and
sizes, cups, mugs, jugs and contraband
black bottles, containing specimens of
irish resources, prescribed by the Board
were seditiously introduced for the COM
fort and jolliication of a very boisterous
gang Of Irish rebels. Ordinarily, at the
hour, Meagher presided at our evening
festivity. And such capital president
as he made! He was the life Of our circle
80 frank, gifted and beloved. His
humor, his eloquence, which stirred us
even there, and his intrepldlty were the
sunshine that made the old walls seem
brighter than palace. Oh! around that
board have had as glorious visions and
teltt as riotously happy as il no cloud
were resting upon Ireland--as il no chain
were clanking at my feet. Manya grand
old Irish song was sung there; many a
gallant sentiment was uttered; many an
inspiring ballad recited; many broken
voiced lament whispered for the failure,
and many prophesy Of future success
rapturousIy epplauded. Within the four
seas there wss NOT, at times, SO disorderly
q body of crimlnals, mad with merriment;
and, when the tit had passed, oh! but
there were deep and earnest comms1n>'
ings on the past and cobjectures OF tho
future of our dear Ireland. On one
night we listened TO fiery speeches, full
of the old spirit and burning eloquence
that had roased tho heart Of the nation,
the words falling like the fiery tongues
on the apostles. On another we mas
queraded al concert, Meagher leading
the band On his clarionet, accompanied
by twenty manly voices and every vari
ETY. of sound that could be extracted
from aQcerdions, kettles, tins and tongs.
On he:next, we foa9ht at the barricades.
A heavy table used to be placed in the
centre of the room and taken possession
of by half the detachment, the other
moiety stormed the garrison. We fought
with pillows-very formidable and de-
etructive weapons, if properly handled.
Such charges, such shouts, such blows,
such defensee, such drubbings! I think
j should be invaluable as q. barricade
man after that warm practice and invig-
Grating discipline. I would engage to
tumble the most stalwart member of the
"B" division, il I Had choice Of my
weapon-a short, hard. .crammed pillow,
or symmetrical bolster that would swing
like Boadicea's fail. The contest lasted
till We could fight no more.
To spectator the meetings round
that mess table would have worn the ap-
pearance of the festive gathering of an
insurgent camp, not the poor prison rev.
els of conquered rebels. Lord, how we
frightened the jail from it's propriety
And then, as the approach of one Of the
prison officers was heard, all the eyi-
dences Of seditious enjoyment used to
disappear with miraculous celebrity, and
on the entrance Of the grave governor
(who was good fellow at hearth one
half Of us would be found buried in
books, the other devoted to the innocent
and improving combinations Of the pro-
found science Of backgammon. The re-
monstrance Of the governor or his noble
eouled, generous. deputy, would be lis
tened to in affeesed respect and hypo-
critical silence. On his disappearance
good, jealous man, convinced that he
had converted us to 'peace, law and
order'--the revolutionary mania would
break forth again and Clonmel Jail bs
changed into "a model prison" !" accord
ing to. our contumaclous notions Of
sphysicap' enjoyment. All, these hours
Of prison life had tbeir own 1oysl They
bore flowers that Tor some of us shall
ever bloom. They ripened friendships
which the cold artificial world of intrigue
and fashion y knows not, with 81 it's rigid:
formalities and gentee stupid tiles
This y Saturday night there. are no rev
els. Mesgh y plaoss : j Bnt ha