The Shanachie Volume 4

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The Shanachie Volume 4 Volume IV, Number 1 Connecticut Irish-American Historical Society January-February 1992 Feb. 22 meeting 'h,onored patriots of two nations An Irish-American celebration in Haven. Introduced as a representative of New Haven on Feb. 22, 1882 commemo­ a race '''which long oppressed, is fast rated the memory oftwo great revolution­ developing intellectual powers equal to aries, one American and one Irish. any, " Chambers was, if anything, more Honored at a mass meeting that eve­ vehement in his denunciation of English ning at Loomis Temple of Music were imperialism than the Irish-American George Washington, the father ofAmeri­ speakers. can independence, and Henry Grattan, He described English treatment ofIre­ the father of a short-lived Irish inde­ land as "iniquitous, barbarous and hell­ pendence in the late 18th century. ish," and said that English Prime Just 100 years before, Grattan had Minister Gladstone "raved like an infuri­ successfully lobbied for the Irish Parlia­ ated ass against the spirit of the age and ment to pass an Irish Declaration of Inde­ roared like a madman against the inevita­ pendence. The declaration was accepted Henry Grattan ble progress ofevents... by the English government and was fol­ Irishmen all ovp,r the world, he con­ lowed by the repeal of earlier English and give liberally for the Irish cause. " If tinued, should swear that England shall laws which affirmed the right of England they did this, their country's inde­ have no rest until Ireland is free. to legislate for Ireland. pendence would surely be achieved. "The Irish." he said, "deserve the Unlike the independence fought for Another speaker, James G. Pigott, highest praise for their msterly self-con­ by Washington, the Irish independence also alluded to the connection between the trol and should maintain it until the occa­ did not lead to complete separation from American Revolution and the movement sion came and there should be sent forth England and was wiped out by the union for Irish independence in the 1780s. blistering burning bolts of hellfire that of 1800 which once again placed Ireland "Great Britain," he said, "granted Ire­ would sweep away every vestige of Brit­ under complete control of the English land legislative independence because ish rule." Parliament. she had a war with this country on hand, Chambers predicted that the time One of the speakers at the meeting at and because the Irish people were armed would come when all of its colonies Loomis Hall, Cornelius T. Driscoll said, and in a position to enforce their rights. would rise up against England and at that according to the New Haven Register, The situation was one which ought to time blacks, Irishmen and men of other "that it seemed eminently fitting that this afford a lesson as to their policy at the races and ethnic groups would fight double celebration in commemoration of present time. The Irish people should be shoulder to shoulder for freedom. Washington and Grattan should be held. again armed and drilled so as to take Chambers, reported the Register, At the time of the American Revolution, advantage of any opportunity that Eng­ '''was given several rounds of hearty ap­ the English soldiers in Ireland were with­ land's trouble with other nations might plause when he finished and when he drawn to fight the rebellious Americans. offer. ... Europe is probably on the eve of walked down the aisle toward the door In 1778, Ireland being threatened with an a great war which might give Ireland the many stopped him to shake his hands and invasion by France, organized a home favorable opportunity desired. Armed re­ offer their congratulations... militia force of48,000 men. The spirit of sistance is not to be thought of at the Aurelius MacSwynie of Hartford also liberty spread fast among the soldiers and present time with 65,000 (English) troops made an eloquent plea in favor ofcontinu­ civilians and, in 1782 Grattan carried in Ireland, but the people should be sup­ ation of the struggle for Irish inde­ through the British Parliament a resolu­ plied with arms and ammunition so that pendence. tion giving Ireland a legislature of her when there is an opening they might After the speeches, Miss Kitty O'Don­ own." strike with effect. " nell sang "Kathleen Mavourneen" in Abolish landlordism, Driscoll contin­ One of the speakers that evening was "pleasing style and responded to an en­ ued, and native legislative independence an African-American clergyman, the core with another patriotic selection. " would follow. He urged Irish men and Rev. A.J. Chambers, r ..:;(or of the Afri­ women in America to "meet frequently can Methodist Episcopal Church in New (New Haven Register, Feb. 23, 1882.) Page 3 Explosion in Dublin had reverberatlions in New Haven On New Year's Eve 1891, Dublin dent, "this fellow had been allowed to Castle, the headquarters of the English raise the American flag on the official administration in Ireland, was rocked by standard of the City of New Haven to an explosion. celebrate the succes~ of a parcel of cow­ The explosion occurred in an office ardly rascals in their attempts by violence directly under the meeting room of the to frighten the authorities of a friendly Privy Council, the highest administrative power.• body in Ireland and sparked rumors that "It would very much interest me and a new campaign of bombings was about I think a good many others to know to be unleashed by nationalist forces. whether those who have charge ofthe flag "A number of workmen have been flying on the liberty pole were aware of employed," reported The New York the reason for which permission to fly the Times, "in making alterations lately in flag was granted. I assume, of course, and about the castle. One of the places that permission was given. If it was not which was being overhauled was the of­ can flag up the flagpole on the Green, a given, perhaps it would be well to find fice directly under the room in which the practice that at that time was reserved for out who assumes to take such liberties. " Privy Council holds its meetings ... patriotic occasions like the Fourth of Meanwhile, Detective Philip Reilly While the workmen were pursuing their July. also encountered the man raising the flag occupations, there was suddenly a ter­ It so happened that as the Irishman on the Green and when he inquired why mendous report in the office above re­ was attaching ;his American flag to the the flag was being raised was unable to ferred to, which shook the building and halyards, a prominent city lawyer, Mor­ understand what the man was saying. caused one to tum pale with fright. For­ ris F. Tyler of the firm Tyler, Ingersoll Reilly reported the incident to Capt. tunately, no one was hurt, but the force and Moran, happened to be strolling James Wrinn and the two of them con­ ofthe explosion was so great that several across the Green. Tyler asked the man cluded that the man must have received of the windows of the castle were badly if he was running the flag up because it permission to fly the flag from City Audi­ shattered. " was New Year's Day. tor Lake who was responsible for giving "All the dynamite outrages that have "Yes, it is partly that, " replied the or denying permission to fly the flag from been perpetrated in London and other man. the liberty pole. places in Great Britain are called to mind "Well," Tyler asked, 'what's the Lake said that he had not given any­ and a large number of people have no rest of it?" one permission to fly the flag and sent the other opinion than that the physical force "Well, I'll tell you," explained the police to haul it down. party has again put its policy of terrorism man. "It's because I and the boys have The identity of the Irish patriot re­ into effect. Since the thorough estab­ done a good job in Dublin. " mained a mystery with several persons lishment of the Irish Parliamentary agita­ Tyler went straight to his office and who witnessed the flag raising saying tion, the men who believe in the use of fired off a letter to Mayor J.B. Sargent. only that the perpetrator was "somewhat dynamite to force England to grant their "In other words,"he complained as ifthe aged, with gray hair and not very well demands for Ireland's legislative inde­ affair were a serious international inci- dressed." pendence have been comparatively quiet. In fact, it is believed that since the explo­ sion at London Bridge and the attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament, the Of Irish ways principal instigators ofdynamite outrages in England and Ireland have either been imprisoned or else fled the country. At any rate, there have been no outrages of that kind for a number ofyears until now, and the explosion of today has had the effect of causing far more excitement than would otherwise have been the case." Indeed, the excitement was so wide­ spread that the reverberations were felt as far away as Connecticut where the explosion caused a minor bruhaha on the New Haven Green. Turf barrows were used to carry turves, or chunks of peat, from the It seems that one exhuberant New bog where they were cut to the spread field where they were dried. One Haven Irishman was so pleased with the feature of the barrows was a large wheel strong enough to carry heavy news from Dublin that he thought it only loads over rough ground.
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