The Irish standard., 1898-03-05
published in the early part of the cen
turv tho lipoc nrrur-

AL stands for Lysaght, who loves a
good Joke,
M for McNally, who lives by the rope
The writer, of course, only meant that
McNally was retained in a great number
Of cases to defend prisoners. The pa
triotic counsel, however, lived by the
rope" In far more real sense. A hun
dred years ago this month Father
O'Coigley, Arthur O'Connor, and others
were arrested for treason in England
and Father O'Coigley was hanged. MIR
Leonard McNally In his letters which
have been unearthed in the Castle vaults
had given information Of Father O'Coig-
ley's presence in Ireland a few weeks be-
fore. And he must have been, even after
the arrest, consulted as to the defense,
for he furnished to the Castle u COM
plete list Of the witnesses for the pris-
oncrs and what they were expected to
prove. One of his first victims was the
Rev. MIR. Jackson II parson who came, to
Ireland on Il secret mission from France
and was sentenced to death. McNally
was his confidant then and for Il long
time before. Mr. Jackson was never
executed but as he was about being sen
fenced took poison and died in the dock
clasping McNally's hand. Mr.. I.ecky
thus describes what hnppcned-'Juck.
son, shortly before his death, found an
opportunity of writing four short letters,
recommending his wife and child, and Il
child who was still unborn, to two or
three friends, and to the caro- of the
French nation, and he also drew up Il
will leaving all he possessed to his wife
and cntrusting McNally with the protec-
tion of her interests. He wrote at the
bottom Of ii, "Sgncd and sealed in tho
presence OF my dearest friend whose
heart and principles ought to recommend
him as worthy citizcn-l.eonard Nc
Nally.' These precious documents he
entrusted when dying to his friend, and
Jackson, McNally placed them In the
hands of the Irish government"
We have this last fact under tho hand
of the notorious Lord Camden, who, in
forwarding the letters to England Il few
days later, wrotc:-'Thc paper which ac-
companies this was delivered to Counsel
lor McNally, from whom the government
received It,"
This was in 1894. But McNally had
been at the game for many years before.
lie was counsel for Nappcr Tnndy in his
action against the Niccroy in 1890, and
he disclosed the whole case beforehand
to the crown.
In after years he. as the friend OF
James Tandy, saw all the letters which
came from Napner Tnndy, and communi.
Gated them to his paymastcrs. 10 sci!
his clients was II regular thing The
government archives contain several of
his briefs annotated with his own hand
But still he was unslspcrtcd. His "hand
some expressive countcnnncc and fine
sparkling dark eyes made him favor
it", and his dcclamatory style went down
with the populacc. He would brook no
insult as to patriotism. Sir Jonah Bar
rineton in 1897 spoke sliIhtingly of the
United Irshmrn McNally called him
out, and was accompanied to tho field by
the Brothers Shc;rcs and l,ngcnal lInr-
vcy, all three of whom were hanged in
the following years, possibly In sonln
degree owing to the reliability of Me.
Nnlly's information. At this very time
he was sending careful reports nbou,
kcogh Lord Edward, Arthur O'Connur
and others. He lived near the Domin-
can Friary in DOminirlt street, and i'm
proved his leisure hours by reporting on
the movements of the frlnrs. three OF
whom were arrested and compelled tn
leave the country. Even Currnn, who
showcrrd kindnnsscs on him. was moi, cx-
cmpt from the attentions of the spy. In
| lD1 he wrote to the Castle and this
| was probably Il lic-"Grattan and Curran
arc completely in the secret lIvcryt hing
that's done. or intended. is communicate
ed to thcm;" and this same letter ends
| with the words, 'Cllrrnn gives IL dinner
at his house. viii be there" Yet so
| little was he suspected that almost the
last thoughts of Cllrran were upon him.
and the great orator wrote him, as late
as lSlO, slngulafly affecting letter cx-
pressing sOlcitudr for his health
! 81 am the more solictous upon this
i point tMc Wrotc) from having made
| this charge which see will make us
awaited for in heaven longer than per-
haps they looked for. If you do not
make sc me prctcxi for lingering you can
have NJ chance of conveying me to the
whcrry. and tho truth is do not like
surviving old friends"
This "old friend" however, did survive
C,lrran, and having failed to hang him,
assisted his son to compile his biography
| In proportion as he betrayed so did pub
| lie admiration for him rise With each
| fresh betrayal he became more spark ling,
more flambuOyant, and more gushing. He
| was associated with Curran in many of
his greatest dcfcnscs: amongst, other
cases In which he assisted" Curran were
those against the Dublin Defenders (ln.
ncy for high trcAson), Henry Shcarcs,
| and ISipartv Lt i,t,