The Irish standard., 1894-12-08
WHERE HE ESLEEPS
Mystery Enshrouding Emmet's Un-
marked Grave Said to Have
Been Cleared Away. (

marked Grave Said to Have
1. Been Cleared Away.
ALMOST A SETTLED BELIEF
That the Remains Of the Irish Pa
triot Rest in st. GATHERINGS
Churohyard, Dublin.
Oh, breathe not his name let it sleep In the
shade,
Where, cold end unhonc red, his relies are laid
Sad. silent, and dark be the tears that we shed
AS the night dew that falls on the grass Ger his
| head.
THOMAS MOORE.
The mystery ensh1ouding Emmet'e
grave threatens to become almost as i'm.
penetrable as that which shall never
darken the last resting place of Moses
if one may without profanity name both
subjects in the same breath, says J. w
Fitzpatrick in Il late issue of the Dublin
Freeman's Journal. Several graveyards
have been pointed to from time to time
as enshrining the mortal part of Robert
Emmett, but careful inquiry on my part
has failed to establish satisfactorily these
claims My researches on the subject
began thirty years ago. A thick port
folio of original Ms. notes records the
testimony of men who are no longer
amongst us to tell what they knes. I
willingly yield to the suggestion kindly
offered by q cultured Irishman to put jn
print the result of my inquiries. ST
Michan's, st. James, st. Peters, olF
Glasnevin, even Bully's Acre, have beeh
named as the place of E,nmet's sepul.
cbre, and in succeeding paper l pro
pose to deal with their claims. The pres.
ent, as will be seen, has to do with st
GATHERINGS.
One day in 1866 g letter reached nde
from the late J. Houston Caulfeld, D. Il
father of Col. Caul6eld, now Viscount
Charlemont, but his claims TO respeeaesi peas
rested not op hereditary descent. Hs
was man of culture, who took deer
interest in the romantic story of Robert
Emmett, especially in his love for Sarah
Curran. Caulfeld happened to be
churchwarden of st. GATHERINGS in 1866
and told me- that according to what he
bad heard, Emmett was buried in itf
graveyard IN a leaden coffin. A proffel
of facilities to open the grave and seek
to settle the vexed question by an ex
animation of the remains was the result
of an interview with Caulield, but w
both concurred as to the expediency o.
keeping the operation private. Before
taking the proposed step, I wrote t.
elicit the impression of the then Vicar o
St. GATHERINGS, who thus replied:
| Dublin, "A Blackhall street, Octobe
Il, 1866.
Dear Sir: In reply to your inquir,
about Emmet's grave, there is not n!
mention IN the registry OF burials be-
longing to st. GATHERINGS Churchyard
and there is not any stone or other visible
memorial in the graveyard to testify tht
event. I am yours faithfully,
ROBERT VANCE.
William J. Fitzpatrick, Esq.
/ But in a personal communication te
the author, Mr.. Vance. said that tradi
tion of Emmet's burial inst. Gathering
was, preserved by it's then sexton, who
had. heard it from his predecessor, and
that some persons had even gone so ia,
as to point out the spot.
On asking Mr.. Hamilton, the sexton
who, like Mr.. Vance, is since dead, the
grounds of his Impressions, they seem t<
be these: Gan old man named Henry
CLANCY, who had formerly been in the
yeomanry, and had afterward acted az
gravedigger at St. GATHERINGS, sought
him in 1850, and, having pointed out the
spot where he said Emmet reposed, ex
psessed wish that when his own hour
came he should be buried beside it. He
said that over Emmet's grave weeping
ash had been planted, which, like the
mourning girl to whom he was be-
trothed, pined away and died."
| The old man, who seemed in bad
fhealth, having stated his last wishes, tot
tered from the scene, and not long aftel
his own corpse arrived for interment.
In digging the grave for Chaney moth
ling particular turned up; but subee
quently interring q man named Saul close
to the spot, the sexton came upon 9
leaden coffin, although no stone marked
the spot above. This was regarded as
very unusual circumstance in that burial
place; and it was argued that any person
who could afford leaden coffin could
very we'll afford tombstone.
!. Though / had great doubts myself on
the subject, I felt it my duty to make
every possible Investigation. A day was
named for the disinterment, and with
locked gates and closed doors operations