Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1913-02-15
Said to BE I'm Dying Condition
at Staten Island
Home.
Collected Vast Sums i'm America
For His COuntry's
Cause.
WAS LEADER AMONG FENIANS

When jeremiah Donovan, the
Irish patriot, adopted the name
"O'Donovan Rosa" fifty years ago
and collected a sum said to have ex-
oeeded 100000, much of it from
Irish girls throughout the United
States, he promised to free Ireland
by drastic measures. The avowed aim
of his life and purpose of the fund
was the liberation of Ireland from
English rule. O'Donovan Rosa,
now nearing his eighty-third year, is
said by the New York papers to be
dying at 1914 Richmond terrace, New
Brighton, Staten Island, where he
lives in a queer ramshackle cottage
with his wife and three daughters.
At the end of a stormy life he is in
comparative poverty, and the Irish
societies are about to give him a
substantial testimonial in recognition
of his perfervid patriotism, which
led to Imprisonment and Punishment.
In his "Life in Prison." published
in 1899, Rosa wrote: England has
proclaimed war against me and for
bids me to tread my native land,
and, so help me God, 1 will wage war
against It until It is stricken to its
knees or till l am stricken to my
grave"
O'Donovan Rosa is as uncompro-
missing today as he was in the days
when he was confined in a dungeon
with his hands tied behind his back,
eating his scant rations from the
floor. He was always physical
force man, having little sympathy
with those who sought Tor ana
gained compromises. Continually at
war with those who disagreed with
him and his ideas, here and in Ire
land, and fighting against odds, he
never ran up the white flag.
Born in County Cork in 1881, his
father. who was in fairly good cir
cumstances, sent him to school until
1874. Then came crop failures and
agitations. troublous times in Ire
lend. He became part of the Young
ireland movement. His mother,
brothers and sisters emigrated to
Philadelphia, and he was left alone
at Ski0bereen, apprenticed to a
kinsman who had store. In a short
time young Donovan had store OF
his own and was a leader in the
patriotic movement, famed by the
Fenian leaders. In 1858 he became
full member in the Irish Revolu-
tionary Brotherhood, and next year
served his first term in Cork jail.
His business was ruined, his country
denoralized. Still in the revolution
ary movement he travelled over
Ireland, England and Scotland
organizing Fenian bands.
1 ION nor
far him. he came here on visit. He
went back after a few monshs, De
came involved in an aggressive cam
paign and fell into the hands OF tne
English authorities and from 1900
to 1871 he was in jail. He was re-
LEASED only 20 be banished from
Great Britain and her possessions
In this country he published news
paper. wrote books, Travelled anu leo,
tnred Through correspondence and
Influence and funds he collected Ne
still kept things stirred up IN hls
native land, although thousahus VI
miles away from it. :,
The New York newspapers ol
February g, 1885, recounted the
shooting of Rosa in ChampeTs
street by Yseulte Dudley, an Engllsn
t.ained nurse. who resented his Ut
tarances at a meeting held in .Dyha-
,,ita ROW" which was near ROSA
nffice In 1891 the edict OF banlsn,,
r,ant was raised and Rosa returned
~ cork where he was made CLERK
70 tba County Council at com
Sortahle salary. Queen Victoria, az
a inbilee favor, granted him lui t
nardon. But even the atmosphere %
Cork was not congenial to tne or ~
firebrand. and he came back mere "a "a
end his days in reminiscence am
1i i've pursuits. He is as interest
,ne TODAY as an antique in colie''
tion of firearms.