John Lynch (Fenian)

John Lynch (c1832 - 1866) was an Irish nationalist. He was a resident of the city of Cork and an alleged member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood.

John was very active in the early days of the Cork fenian movement.[1] He organised nationalist celebrations on St. Patrick's night 1862 at the Athenaeum club, Cork.[2] After the 10 March 1863 riots in Cork, he was tried together with fenian leader James Mountain for their involvement.[3] Both were acquitted due to lack of evidence.[3]

He was arrested in Sept 1865 based on information provided by John Warner, an ex-military pensioner.[4][5] The trial of John Lynch and co-defendant Brian Dillon starting on 18 December 1865 with Isaac Butt as their legal counsel.[6] The charges were "in one indictment with having conspired to depose the Queen, &c., and with illegally drilling and being drilled in furtherance of that design".[6] Lynch was accused of being a captain (denoted as "B") in the Irish Republican Brotherhood.[4] Both were found guilty, based primarily on the testimony of informants [5] although John Warner's account was very weak and unsatisfactory under cross examination.[7] At this time, John Lynch was seriously ill from tuberculosis.[5] At his sentencing, John disputed the testimony of John Warner, saying he had never learned to use a rifle and said "If, having served my country honestly and sincerely be treason, I am not ashamed of it. I am now prepared to receive any punishment British law can inflict on me." [6] Both defendants were sentenced to 10 years' penal servitude.[6]

In January 1866, he was transferred from Mountjoy Prison, Dublin to Pentonville Prison, London [8] where the conditions were very harsh.[9] Because of his condition, he was transferred to Woking Prison hospital, Surrey, where he died on 2 June 1866. He is commemorated on the National Memorial in the city of Cork [10] and at Brookwood Cemetery, UK where he is buried.

External links

Description of 10 March 1863 riot in The Tablet, Page 12, 21 March 1863

References

  1. ↑ Recollections of an Irish rebel, John Devoy, Irish University Press, 1969
  2. ↑ Rossa's Recollections, 1838 to 1898: Memoirs of an Irish Revolutionary, Rossa O'Donovan
  3. 1 2
  4. 1 2 New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 647, 8 December 1865, Page 5
  5. 1 2 3 "Speeches from the Dock" by T. D., A.M., and D. B. Sullivan
  6. 1 2 3 4 The Brisbane Courier, Thursday 22 February 1866
  7. ↑ New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 677, 12 January 1866, Page 6
  8. ↑ Fenianism - Transmission of Fenian Convicts; The Belfast News-Letter, Thursday, 18 January 1866; CMSIED 201167
  9. ↑ John Sarsfield Casey, "The Galtee Boy: A Fenian Prison Narrative" University College Dublin Press, 2005
  10. ↑
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