The Irish standard., 1898-06-11
A PRESBYTERIAN PATRIOT OF THE
NORTH OF IRELAND.
WAS EXECUTED IN BELFAST IN 1898.
ONE OF THE MOST BELOVED OF THE
UNITED IRISHMEN.
ADVOCATE OF RELIGIOUS T0LEaATlON.
THE YOUNG MANS LIFE SACRIFICED
IN ERIN's CAUSE.

or all the United Irish leaders of the
north none has lived so vividly in the
memory Of Ulster people as Henry Joy
McCracken-not even that most low
able OF men and Of martyrs, Thomas Rus
sell, nor yet young Harry Munro" him
self, though both these played equally
conspicuous parts in the struggle, writes
John McGrath in the Dublin Weekly
Freeman. Russell was the dear friend
and confidant Of Tone and Emmett; and
the battle Of Ballinahinch, where Num-
ro commanded, was in many respects a
more notable incident than the attack
on Antrim. l take it that there must
! have been something peculiarly attract
i've about McCrackcn, something of the
magnetic quality which draws people to
some men, and is half the secret in
many cases of successful leadership
either i'll peace Or war. The portrait,
! indeed, would suggest the speculation.
Keeping in mind that he was almost six
feet In height, highly prcposscssing,"
"wcll-informed," and of remarkable
! agility" note the combination of
thought and fire in the eye the express
| Two and finely-chiselled nose, with the
sensitive nostrils, the mobile, well-cut
tino lips of a man fashioned for enter
prise, the strong but graceful chin, and
over all tho smooth and ample forehead
and soldier-likc head.
McCracken was born in Belfast on
| Aug. 81, 1867. Early in life he was en-
, gagged in the linen and woolen business.
He became leader in tho north, and
| worked hard to bring about feeling of
! fraternity among the people OF that sec
ton of Ireland.
Such an influence working in Ulster,
however, would plainly not be tolerated.
Union between Catholics and Presbytcr-
ians, thought Lord Castlcrcagl, would
be 4 vastly dangerous thing indeed. So
our young apostle of fraternity found
himself in the middle Of October, 1876,
on his way to Dublin under the care OF
a military escort which carefully lodged
him in the prison Of liilmainhanl, to
which Nelson, Russell and other prOmi-
nent patriots had been taken some three
weeks previously. Here he remained for
II months, and among other things
learned, as he wrote to his sister, that
the DublnerS were "a set of gascOnders,
and in every respect unlike northcrns, !"
q not too complimentary estimate of The
people of the Irish capital in those days.
He was released, with his brother Will
liam, who had also been in Kilmainham,
on bail, on Sept s, 1898, In very much
impaired health, which for a time look
ed serious. He finally, however, got
strong again, and as soon as he was able
to go about he, enthusiastically, re-
sumed association with his old friends
in the society, and to such effect that by
tho end of February, he was again in
Dublin, this time not as prisoner but
as the agent of the northern executive
to which he presently returned with the
reference to the projected rising. This
was to take place on May 81, but ap-
parenuy no definite decision had been
taken by the northern leaders as to ac-
ton on that date. On the evening OF
tho 21st there was a musical promenade
at the Belfast Exchange rooms, which
was attended by the majority of the mil
itary officers in tho town. McCrackcn
proposed that q party should be formed
to go to the exchange rooms, seize the
officers, and hold them as hostages; but
1t was not accepted. AS matter OF
fact, the Ulster leaders hesitatcd, now
that the hour for action had arrived
They, however, arranged that general
rising should take place on juno T. Rev
Steele Dickson, of Portaferry, the adju
tant general for county Down, having
been arrested on the 4th, and the same
officer for county Antrim having resign
ed, McCracken was nominated not only
adjutant general but commandcr-in,
chief of the United Irish army of all
Ulster. This appointment was made
probably on the 5th, and the new leader
at once set to work to make his plans
and prepare for simultaneous uprisint
from Ballymena to the Mourne noun.
tains. Outbreaks were to take place al
Antrim, Randalstown, Ballyhinch
Saintsfield, Ncwtonards and Portafcrry;
and with the exception OF that of New
towards they all came off, not, how
ever, with the success expected; for
alas! the traitor had been at work, and
tho authorities were in position t.
counter the insurgents at almost every
point.
McCrackcn himself decided to fall OF
, Antrim, from which roads ran into the
counties of Down. Donegal and Tyrone
; and Of course in all directions into
county Antrim itself. On June he is
sued the following proclamation, from
his camp at Cregarogan, addressed tt
"the army Of Ulster"
Tomorrow we march on Antrim