The Irish standard., 1915-02-13
EVA, sPERANZA AND MARY, H.
LUsTRIous IRISH WOMEN.

EVA, sPERANzA AND MARY, H.
LUsTRIoUs IRISH WOMEN.
CONTINUED from Page ~
deeds. No matter, that the young Ire
landers failed in their patriotic enter
prise. Will not a completion of the
aims, hopes and ambitions of the
young Irelanders continue to inspire
young Ireland when the patriots Of
the plausible tongue will have passed
from memory. So it is with the bril-.
liant trinity of Irish women, the sub
jects of this sketch-Eva, Speranza
and Mary-their names will always
inspire the men and women of their
race to deeds of bravery and self
sacrifice. They were alike and yet
not alike in their character, in tenn
permanent they varied somewhat, but
all three had one bond in common.
an intense love for Ireland, and like
all the young Irelanders, this love
came not from force of circumstances
but through an intelligent knowledge
of the history of their country. Know
ing as they did the splendid past Of
Ireland they became possessed with
an ardent desire to see her nation
again truly great among the nations
of the earth. Eva Mary Kelly was a
little older than her two brilliant con-
temporaries. A. M. Sullivan's Young
Ireland" says she was born at Head
fort, County Galway, about the year
1925, that, during the early years of
1.-The Nation" she contributed most of
her poems over the name Of Eva. y
Eva Mary Kelly" writes Mr.. Sulli-
van, could have been little more than
girl when the contributions bearing
her pseudonym began to attract atten-
ton.
"Kevin O'Doherty was at this time a
young medical student in Dublin
From admiring 'Eva's' poetry he took
to admiring-that is, loving-herself
The outbreak of 1S48, however,
brought rude interruption to Kevin's
suit. He was writing unmistakably
seditious prose, while Eva was assail-
ing the constituted or self-constituted
authorities in verse.
"Kevin was arrested and brought to
trial. Twice the jury disagreed, the
day before his third arraignment he
was offered virtual pardon-a mere.
ly nominal sentence-if he would
plead guilty. He sent for Eva and
told her Of the proposition. 1T may
seem as il did not feel the certainty
of losing you. perhaps forever said
he, but I don't like this idea of plead
ing guilty. Say, what shall do?
Do answered the poetess; why, be
a man and face the worst. I'll wait
for you, no matter how long the sen
tence may be-
Next day fortune deserted Kelvin
The jury found him guilty, the Judge
sentenced him to ten years transpor
tation. Eva was allowed to see him
in his cell once more to say adieu
She whispered in his ear, be you faith
full; I'll wait And she did. Years
flew by, the young exile was allowed
once more to tread Irish soil. Two
days after he landed at Kingstown
Eva was his BRIDE"
After her marriage she accompanied
her husband to Australia where he be
came a successful physician and poll
tician. Her poems were published in
San Francisco in 1877. That Is all the
authentic history the writer knows
about Eva" l have faint remem
brance of reading in some Irish publ
cation few years ago, that Eva OF
The Nation" was dying in poverty
some place in Australia. have re
Gently tried to verify this but those
have asked do not seem to know any
more than myself about the later his
tory of this brilliant Irish woman
Can some reader supply the missing
details?
EVA" wrote many patriotic verses
but in view of the sickening song that
we hear sung 80 often at present and
applauded, too, by some of our pat
riotic GU Irish, think for the honor
of Gallant Tipperary," my neighbor.
ing county. will quote from "Eva's''
Tlpperary.
Were you ever in sweet Tipperary,
where the fields are so sunny
/ and green,
And the heath.brown Slieve.bloom and
the Galtees, look down with SO
proud mien?
IT'S there you would see more beauty
than is on all Irish ground
God bless you my sweet Tipperary
for where could your match be
| found?
They say that your hand is fearful
| that darkness is in your eye:
But I'll not let them dare to talk SO
black and bitter lie.
Oh! No, Macushla STORM! bright
bright, and warm for you,
With hearts as bold as the men of old
to yourselves and your country