The Irish standard., 1897-07-03
WHERE THE GERALDINE DIED,
The Great Power and Wealth of
the Gallant Hero.
WAS OWNER OF BROAD ACRES,
With Fine Mansions and Castles
Almost Innumerable.

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In recent issue of the Chicago Citi-
@ writer answers the question
Where did Desmond die?" in the fol-
lowing interesting manner:
The writer of the present article is
1ot actuated by any desire for mere ar
Gument in entering into the disputed
matter. If this article throws any light
even the faintest CLEAN, upon the un-
happy spot which saw the elimination
Of state plot long planned by Eng
lands Elizabeth and her cunning ad-
visers both in England and Ireland, that
opened the way for a swarm of cut
throat adventurers to possess lands and
titles, many of whose descendants are
curse to Ireland down to this very hour,
and which has stained its authors with
an infamy as enduring as Ireland itself
the only motive of it's writer shall be
accomplished. Why not take an interest
in the graves of our heroes? Argument
concerning them is desirable. 1t stimu-
lates study of Irish history, study
too sadly neglected. True, many of
these graves are obscure and unknown.
Many causes are responsible for this,
and tradition alone is in many cases the
only guide we have to go by Never
theless, are not those immortal graves
far dearer to lis than the proudest mar
bic England could bestow? ireland
is their monument, she has taken them
to her bosom, and what nobler or better
could they have?
Many years of the writer's boyhood
were spent in the South of Ireland.
During the summer and autumn months
a good weeks attendance at school was
generally rewarded on Sunday with
visit to Killarney, Mallow or some other
lovely spot. Glengariffe, Brandon
Mountain, the Blackwater - these were
familiar places before the age of twelve
was reached. A desire to know the his
tory of each place grew with time.
This was once Desmonds country. His
ruined homes were scattered up and
down Cork and Kerry. Indeed his
name still clings to an old grey keep -
Castle Desmond. Traditions of him still
live among the country people, and
among them much Of my time was
passed. Small wonder that l turned to
history to learn its lessons regarding
him.
1t Is presumed that most readers of
The Citizen are acquainted with the
events of the life and the tragic ending
of Gerald. the last Earl of Desmond.
To break down the power of the Nor
man-Irish chieftains was early the set
tied policy of England. The native po-
pulation was to be rooted out and Ire
land planted" with "goodly English
men inclined to civility" - that is, in
clined to the work of the government in
England. Long years of residence has
softened the harsh feeling between Celt
and Norman. Intermingling evolved
the Irishman. If not Milesian, the &C.
raldines were surely Irishmen. And
were not many of them patriotic enough
for the most exacting? How could 1t be
otherwise? The child of the Norman
warrior and the Irish mother, saw and
thought and felt like most Irish children.
He spoke his mothers not his fathers
tongue. If he raided the older O'Carroll
or O'Moore, Mccarthy or O'Byrne it was
because English policy stirred him up,
fearful that united the two peoples
would make a powerful nation fatal to
her own power, and that in the end, the
disunion and weakness of both would
prove their ruin.
Summed up in few Words the cause
of the war upon Desmond was confisca-
ton, pure and simple. The religious
test was applied, and Desmond remained
faithful. Fire and sword were then
carried into Munster. The war, If war
It can be called, ragged with ferocity
the equal of which can only be found in
Turkey today. Spanish cruelty is kind
ness beside it. The country became a
solitude. The lowing of COW, or the
voice of ploughman could scarcely be
heard from Dunqueen in South Kerry
to Cashel in Tipperary. "They (the
1rish) were brought to such wretched-
ness,' writes Spencer, "as that any
stoney heart would have rued the same
They did eat dead cartons, happy where
they could find them; yea and one
another soon after, insomuch that they
spared not the very carcasses which
they scraped out of their graves" Not
that this sweet cut-throat had any SYM
pathy for them. He was one Of the pri-
vate crew drawn thither by hopes OF
plumber He advised the determination
to be kept up in the winter as we'll as in
the summer. "for then" says he, "the