O'Donovan Rossa.

Southland Times, Issue 7051, 24 February 1885, Page 2

O'Donovan Rossa .

■..■.:•-■•- —^^-v; A correspondent writes to the Argue:— "O'Donovan Roesa can hardly be what the doctors would, call 'a good life,' as he must be getting old and has lived fast. He was born at Rosscarby, in the County of Cork, in 1830: His father was a small farmer and weaver, and young Jeremiah Donovan managed to establish himself as a provision merchant at Skibereenin County Kerry, a village of terrible fame for deaths during the famine it: 1847. It was here that he started the Phoenix conspiracy, and it was Father John O'Sullivan of Kemnare who first gave, information about Donovan's conspiracy to the. authorities in Dublin, stipulating at the same time that 'the foolish boys' who were engaged in it should be let off with « a proper fright,' which was done. James Stf phens firet made Donovan's acquaintance at Skibereen, and he became one of Stephens' most, active lieutenants. They, however, quarrelled, after the arrests and break up of the Fenian movement in 1865. Donovan married one Mary Jane Irwin of* Clonakihy, and has had seven or eight children. He was sentenced to penal servitude for life in 1865, and was sent to Chatham convict prison. One Sunday morning the governor, Major Pitt Butts. was making an inspection of the wards, each convict standing at his cell door. As the Governor came in front of Donovan's cell the iatt-r threw a bucket of slops in his face. He was not flogged, as most other prisoners no doubt would, have beeij, but was sentenced to three months' 'penal class.* which involves solitary confinement in a light cell, no labor and nothing to eat but porridge and milk. In the penal olass cells Donovan tore his clothing -and bedding to pieces, and was next kept in handcuffs for 28 days. Released from penal servi. tude in 1872, he went to New York, a; .1 sank to a very low ebb there, keeping i h eating-house at one time, which was siz< d by the sheriff for debt. The piestige o<the Land League movement gave him a chance of getting into notoriety agtia as he took to himselt the credit of ben g connected with every daring act whin was reported in the newspapers. For instance, he boasted of having caused an explosion on board a British man-of-war off the coast of South America a year or two ago, and no doubt was believed and given presents on the strength of it. He also pretended to have had a share in the Phoenix Park murders. All this has brought him fame and money again of late years. The fact is, that O'Donovan Rossa is an 'institution,' and all the ' advanced' Nationalists, of course, pay him a sort of homage, but it is very doubtful whether he has been really connected with any of the recent plots or explosions. No capable conspirators would trust him with secrets."