The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-07-30
OUR NEWTOWN
 NEWS LETTER
Death of Thomas Mccarthy FinneIl, An Irish Rebel Who Resided in Newtown Follow ing His Release From a Brit ish Penal Colony.
Special to me glarner.)

NSewtown. July so-nErz Peter car roll of zoar received copies of the local newspapers Of Elnnira. N r.. this week which contain striking olbif- l1ary notices Of the death Of Thomas Mccarthy Finnel, an Irish rebel in the Fenian uprising of 1861, who died lately in that city. This political ref -ugee is a nephew Of Mrs Carroll and came to NeWtoxn after his release from the British Penal Colony Of Van Diemen's Land in 1g73 After seizing the English soldiers forts and bar racks in his native County Clare Ire land, with the aid Of two score pari- ots and holding them for three days against repeated attempts to recover them by a force superior in numbers, he was compelled to withdrew his. forces. Then his band in trying So join the main aggregation of rebels was fired upon. by British ga1nboats, which shelled the hills where they lay for five dayss and, their food giving out, they were compelled to separate or be captured Iieutenant Fdnnea and a few Of the officers were cap tured. They were tried, round guilty of treason and condemned to be shot Throughs the efforts Of Father White, the parish priest their sentences was changed to Imprisonment for life. Of the six hundred political prisoners sent out on his ship to the penal pens Of Van Diemen,s Land, over three hundred died on the Journey MO Carthy F1nnell survived the ship hor- TOTS and spent four years in the chain gangs. One of his fellow prisoners on the ship was John Boyle O,Reily, the poet, and the two became fast friends Fdnnells faithful friend Father White, was fndefatigafole in his efforts for the release of his favorite altar boy. and finally secured pardon for him. This however, made the Fenian of Clare an expatriate from his na- tive land forever. so he came to Americas to Newtown. While on his4 island prison he studied the forts and made mental pictures of the water approaches to the pens and armed with this knowledge he approached the Irishmen of New York and Con necticut, who made use Of his plans in the rescue Of John Boyle OgReilly and the other Irish prisoners from these slave pens Of Britain F1nnelI married his wife in Danbury about 1878, and later went to E1Hnfra N Y.1 where he prospered and raised a fam fly. one son Of whom became assistant secretary of the state of New York Although the English laws governing ibanshment from Ireland for political crimes were much modified in later years, and he could have returned to his native soil safely. the Fenian rebel repressed his 1ongings to do so. say
 
 1t was free. He did not live to see home rule even, but 1t Is thought by kis intimates that his prayer for Ire land was always the aspiration of Robert Ehmmet, When Ireland should take her place among the nations of the earth A few of the Boys of '67 who stool shoulder to shoulder with the heroic leader along the banks of the Shannon and who escaped cap 9ures still live in Rzewtown and these old "reminiscences will doubtless stir their hearts. while they sorrow for the death Of their loved leader Many Celtic families Tn this New England town claim kindred blood with Thom- as AHcc.arthy Finnel1. and reJoice in his glory.
 F,IRE1AfErJ WILL HAVE EOIIDAY.
 Inc Dodgingtown f1rennen have ac- cepteS an invitation to attend the fire mems pslrade which takes place at Greenwich the second week in At1- gust After the parade the company expect to go in a body to New York for another day's outing. A commit tee afe now arranging the details of the holiday in the metropolis.
 MT. and Mrs. D. Keane enjoyed an company with Mr. and Mrs. William Cannon Of that city. The party at- tended the sheep roast at the Bronx
 MT. and Mrs. William Ryan of New York are sllmmering with William Ryan, Sr., of Boston.
 w A. Tomlinson of Bridgeport the noted tenor singer. completes this eek a. months engagement at the Newtown Inn and goes next week for an engagement during August In Vermont hosteIry He expects to spend September in New Hampshire
 The crowe-Keane button shop was closeda three days last week for the midsummer inventory
 John Papos the returned Seryfan patriot who is engaged in mercantile pursuits here this summer added a1l- ering and shipping ferns to Boston and New York florists. For the months of June and July he shipped over 10000 pounds from Newtown station.
 A J. Summers and Irving Water house are collaborating in the work of their hayfieIds this season.
 Miss Daisy AGcKenna and Miss Ne1- lie Steppe of Bridgeport are recent guests of the Convent Of Mercy.
 OLD CRONIEs MrEET
 Owen Burns. Thomas Maloney and Patrick O'Dea, old workers in the Rubber shops, now living in different parts of the town, got together last Monday at the home of the former, for a reunion after the haying is over They spent a pleasant day together, and all resolved to repeat the festivfty next year if all are alive. and invite some other choice spirits to join them in these reunions.
 Plans for the new Brooklawn coun- try c1ub-house not being ready for discussion of the members the board of governors last night postponed ac- ceptance until a late date to be set by the architect.