THE STORY OF IRELAND

New Zealand Tablet, 16 October 1919, Page 9

THE STORY OF IRELAND

(By A. M. Sullivan.)

CHAPTER XXXVI. —(Continued.) Meanwhile, in Ireland, the air was thick with rumors, vague and furtive, that James was “on the sea,” and soon to land with a liberating expedition. The Government was, of course, on the alert, fastening its gaze with lynx-eyed vigilance on all men likely to joint the “foreign emissaries,” as the returning Irish and their friends were styled ; and around the south-western coast of Ireland was instantly drawn a line of British cruisers. The Government fain would have seized upon the Earl of Desmond and his brothers, but it was not certain whether this would aid or retard the apprehended revolt ; for, so far, these Geraldines protested their opposition to it, and to them — t’o the Earl in particular—the population of the south looked for leadership. Yet, in sooth, tho English might have believed the Earl, who, hoping nothing of the revolt, yet sympathising secretly with his kinsman, was in a sad plight what to do, anxious to be “neutral,” and trying to convince the Lord President that he was well affected. Tho Government party, on the other hand, trusting him nought, seemed anxious to goad him into some “overt act” that would put him utterly in their power. While all was excitement about the expected expedition, lo ! three suspicious strangers were landed at Dingle from a Spanish ship ! They were seized as “foreign emissaries,” and were brought first before the Earl of Desmond. Glad of an opportunity for showing the Government his zeal, he forthwith sent them prisoners to the Lord President at Kilmallock. In vain they protested that they were not conspirators or invaders. And indeed they were not, though they were what was just as bad in the eyes of the law—namely, Catholic ecclesiastics, one of them being Dr. O’Haly, Bishop of Mayo, and another Father Cornelius O’Rorke. To reveal what they really were would serve them little; inasmuch as hanging and beheading as “rebels” was in no way different from hanging and beheading as “Popish ecclesiastics.” Yet would the authorities insist that they were vile foreign emissaries. They spoke with a Spanish accent; they wore their beard in the Spanish fashion, and their boots were of Spanish cut. So to force a confession of what was not truth out of them, no effort was spared. They were “put to every conceivable torture,” says the historian, “in order to extract intelligence of Fitzmaurice’s movements.” After their thighs had been broken with hammers they were hanged on a tree, and their bodies used .as targets by the soldiery.

By this time James, all unconscious of Stukcly's defection, had embarked from Spain for Ireland, with a few score Spanish soldiers in three small ships. Ho brought with him Dr. Saunders, Papal Legate, the Bishop of Killaloe, and Dr. Allen. The little fleet, after surviving shipwreck on the coast of Galicia, sailed into Dingle Harbor on July 17, 1579. Here James first tasted disheartening disillusion. His great kinsman the Earl, so far from marching to welcome him and summoning the country to rise, "sent him neither sign of friendship nor promise of co-operation."' This was discouragement indeed; yet Fitzmaurico was not without hope that when in a few days tho main expedition under Stukely would arrive, the Earl might think more hopefully of the enterprise, and rally to it that power which he alone could assemble in Minister. So, weighing anchor, James steered for a spot which no doubt lie had long previously noted and marked as pre-eminently suited by Nature for such a purpose as this of his just nowlllan-an-Oir, or Golden Island, in Smerwick Harbor, on the north-west Kerry coast, destined to be famed in story as Fort del Ore. This was a singular rock, a diminutive Gibraltar, jutting intb tho harbor or bay of Smerwick. Even previously its natural strength as a site for a fort had been noticed, and a rudo fortification of some sort crowned the rock. Hero James landed his small force, threw up an earthwork across the narrow neck of land connecting the "Isle of Gold" with the mainland, and waited for news of Stukely. But Stukely never came! . There did come, however, unfortunately for James, an English man-of-war, which had little difficulty in capturing his transports within sight of the helpless fort. All hope of the expected expedition soon fled, or mayhap its fate became known, and matters grew desperate on Illan-an-Oir. Still the Earl made no sign. His brothers, John and James, however, less timid or more true to kinship, had chivalrously hastened to join Fitzmaurice. But it was clear the enterprise was lost. The Government forces were mustering throughout Minister, and nowhere was help being organised. In this strait it was decided to quit the fort and endeavor

to reach the old fastnesses amidst the Galtecs. The little band in their eastward march were actually pursued by the _ Earl' of Desmond, not very much in earnest indeed in downright sham, the English said, yet in truth severely enough to compel them to divide into three fugitive groups, the Papal Legate and the other dignitaries remaining with Fitzmaurice. Making a desperate push to reach the Shimon, his horses utterly exhausted, the brave Geraldine was obliged to impress into his service some horses belonging to Sir Willianf Burke, through whose lands he was then passing. Burke, indeed, was a relative of his, and Fitzmaurice thought that revealing his name would silence all objection. On the contrary, however, this miserable Burke assembled a force, pursued the fugitives, and fell upon them as “few and faint,” jaded and outworn, they had halted at the little river Mulkern in Limerick Co. Fitzmaurice was wounded mortally early in the tray, yet his ancient) prowess flashed out with all its native brilliancy at the last. Dashing into tho midst of ins dastard foes, at one blow ho clove to earth Theobald Burke, and in another instant laid the brother-of Theobald mortally wounded at Ins feet. The assailants, though 10 to one, at once turned and fled. But alas! vain was the victory Janies Geraldine had received his death wound' Calmly receiving the last rites of the Church at tho hands of Dr. Allen, and having with his last breath dictated a message to his kinsmen enjoining them to take up tho banner fallen in Ins hand, and to fight to the last in the holy war naming his cousin John of Desmond as leader to succeed him the chivalrous Fitzmaurice breathed his last sigh. “Such,” says the historian, “was tho fate of the glorious hopes of Sir James Fitzmaurice! So ended in a squabble with churls about cattle, on tho banks of an insignificant stream, a career which had drawn the attention of Europe, and had inspired with apprehension tho lion-hearted English Queen!” (To bo continued.)