Ireland’s darkest day

Posted by Jim on December 7, 2016

The great Irish nationalist, Michael Flannery, recalled to me many times
that on December 8th 1922 he was sitting by the window in his cell in
Mountjoy Jail, having just finished his breakfast, when he saw a detail
of soldiers march out on to the square below, four prisoners. He didn’t
see what happened afterwards but some time later he heard a volley of
shots. After a short time he heard a single shot.

On that faithful day, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, the holiest day on the Christian
calendar, four young men, Liam Mellows from Connacht, Joe MacKelvey from
Ulster, Dick Barrett from Munster and Rory O’Connor from Leinster– from
the four corners of Ireland they came to die on Mary’s Day. Mellows, the
hero of the Fianna Na hEireann youth; O’Connor, who forfeited his claims
and privileges to a life of ease as the son of rich parents; Barrett,
the favorite soldier of the Cork boys- worthy follower of Mac Sweeney,
Rossa, MacCurtain, O’Neill, Crowley and others and a lifelong Mass
server even to the day before his death; and MacKelvey, the modern
Cuchullain of Ulster who ignored all the howling Orange mobs as he took
the straight path of his fathers, in Ireland’s cause- all died that Erin
might live.

Liam, Joe, Dick and Rory, you did not die in vein. We remember them now
as Mike would like to have them remembered and shall be remembered by
all true Irishmen and Irishwomen down through the years.

Rest in peace, you gallant soldiers of Ireland. We are proud of you.