The Irish standard., 1914-09-12

aid. Before he left Ireland, how
ever. he pledged three of his chosen
companions to strive to the last for
the freedom of Ireland. Tone sue
ceeded in raising great feet to aid
him in his struggle; but fate seemed
to be against him. now as ever. for
when just about to land a storm
arose and scattered the feet and all
again returned to Brest. Meantime.
in ireland, Tones Society was con-
siderably reinforced. Lord Edward
Fitzgerald, Thomas A. Emmett, DR..
M'Nevin, O'Connor, and other lead
ing spirits Joined it. Lord Edward
then took over the command Of It's
forces. which amounte dto 100000
men. The Government. receiving
secret information az to the conspir-
acy, proclaimed martial in five Of the
Ulster counties; suppressed the
Northern STAR" the organ OF the U.
l.; and arrested some members Of its
stan.
In the year 1897 Tones hopes re-
ceived some crushing blows. and
Gen. Hoche. his most constant friend
died. ~ 49,
Early in the year 1898 the Gov
eminent by means Of spies. found out
all the secrets of the U. I. Society,
and suddenly arrested most Of the
leaders. Lord Edward baffled the
authorities = little longer. and ar
ranged the 23rd Of May as the day
on which the rising was to take
place. But before that eventful day
he was arrested in a house in Thomas
street. after a struggle in which he
laid two of his enemies low. The
brothers Sheares, who had Joined the
Society, were arrested too, and paid
the full penalty of their daring.
Martial law was now proclaimed
all over. and, in a word of one Of our
poets:
"They goaded on the peasant men,
They made hell on earth,
Nor age. nor sex was sacred then,
This fair land of our birth"
was harrassed by the intrigues of the
twin brothers of dissension, Pitt and
Castlereagh.
Although the leaders of the move
ment were thus cut off. the Rising
took place at the appointed time, and
showed what it could do had not it
been deprived of it's leaders. 1t was
in the county Wexford it gained the
most notable success.
The war lasted but a few months,
but for more devastation and blood
shed no period of the like time can
equal it. Under the leadership of
Fathers John and Michael Murphy,
Father Roche and Bagenal Harvey,
they fought with wonderful bravery.
and, as has been shown at the battle
of Wexford, the Three Rocks. the
New Ross. ALI in vain, however; a
defeat at Vinegar Hill left them
without leader. Father ]. Murphy
was arrested, and his followers now
scattered among the Wicklow noun
tains; some of them, when they saw
that all hopes were vain, crossed over
to France, where they fought-but
not for Ireland.
The outbreak in the North. though
fully as determined, and not quite
as successful. Newtownards and
Saintfield fell before the onslaught
of M'Cracken and his men, who were,
however, defeated at Ballynahinch
after a determined stand.
Two months later a French fleet
under Gen. Humbert landed here in
Killala. Telling and Mathew Tone
were with them. Killala was taken
by the gallant Frenchman, and
pushed on towards Castlebar, he de-
feated the English army under Gen.
Lake, where
We gathered to speed the good work,
boys,
The true men anear and afar;
And history can tell how we routed
The Redcoats through old Castle
But the French tarried too long at
Castlebar, and were so beset by Lord
CORVALLIS that Humbert was forced
to surrender at Ballinamuch having
successfully penetrated to the heart
of the island with his handful of
men.
A month later Tone arrived with
Gen. Hardi, of Lough Swilly. Their
ship was called the Hoche. A British
fleet attacked them. After six hours
brave fighting, in which Tone dis
played great courage. the Hoche had
to strike her flag. Betrayed by an
old friend Hoche was taken to Dub