The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-03-01
bIR[HO..Y OF EMMET
RECALLS HIS VAL0R
Young, Brave and Patriotic, He
offered His Life Gladly
for His Country.
Dying on the Gallows at the Age
OF Is. tie Will Ever Live
in Irish History.
His Devotion to His Sweetheart
Inspired Many of Moore's
Sweetest Melodies.

OWGcleSL MClOGleS.
Although Robert Emmett in his last
public utterance requested that his
epitaph be not written until Ireland
takes her place among the nations of
the earth, the return of the anniver-
spire eulogies wherever there are
Irshmen to relate his deeds. The
story of Emmets life is brief and too
we'll known to need detailed mention.
Robert Emmett was born in Dub
lin in 177S. He was a school-felloW
of the roet Thomas Moore and his
senior by a year at Trinity College.
He was a member of the Irish His
torical society and carly showed a
deep interest in the affairs OF his
country. The dark story of the tyr
amy that had been practiced on his
ancestors, the suffering and the un-
rest that then kept the country in a
constant state of turmoil, sank deeply
into his spirit. He was bright stu
dent, of quick grasp and broad conf
prehenson. He saw his country laid
waste by a tyrannical government. He
threw his sympathies with the peo-
pie at the very beginning of his prom
Using career and his aff1liation with
< cd e 1Ftsn iftignf when sshe was
only twenty years of age lead to his
expulsion from college.
Freedom from his college duties
only gave him more time to devote to
the cause of his country. He soon
threw his whole life and energy into
the work of bringing about great
uprising through which he hoped to
free Ireland forever from the power
of England. He went to France for
aid and returned in 1902 to carry out
y his plan.
! On July 2S, 1903. he planned to
have his followers take up arms
overwhelm the enemy and take Dub
| lin castle. If successful in that he
hoped that his meager army would be
strengthened by patriotic recruits
who, inspired by the taste of victory
would enable him to wrest the coun-
try from it's hated oppressor.
But Emmett undertook a task for
which he was poorly prepared. His
followers, weak and unorganized
were routed by the first volley and
the uprising came to an untimely
end. Emmett fed to the Wicklow
mountains and realizing that his task
was hopeless, prepared to flee to the
continent
. But great as the danger of his be.
ing captured was, and though real.
| izing that death on the gallows would
be his fate if captured, he would moi
leave without one last meeting witt
J his betrothed, Sarah Curran, the
rister. The inevitable happened. HI
was apprehended, tried for high trea.
son and condemned to the gallows. L
, was in the dock when his mock tria
} was over and the judge asked hin
: what he had to say why sentence
} should not be passed OH him accord
, ing to the law, that he made tina
, ever-memorable address, closing will
, these words: when Ireland take,
her place among the nations of tn,
: earth, then and not till then let m,
: epitaph be written. l have DONE"
The story of Emmets life is one O
the most tragic in Irish history
2 Young, brave and patriotic, he gladl!
7 gave his last breath for the cause o
8 his country. Though his epitaph Il
: still unwritten, his name lives on ant
!, will live while the names of noble
: self-sacrif1cing men and women ar
perpetuated. In the words of his col
| lege mate, Thomas Moore, we ma,
say:
3 o breathe not his name, let it slee]
| in the shade.
] Where cold and unhonored his relic
e are laid;
:, Sad, silent and dark. be the tear
/ that we shed,
J, AS the night dew that falls on tn
II grass DER his head.
e
But the night dew that falls. though