home contact me
O'Gorman History Irish History Maps Of Ireland Family Tree Gallery

Here’s The Story of Nine Famous Irishmen

In the young Irish disorders, in Ireland in 1848, the following nine men were captured, tried and convicted for treason against Her Majesty, The Queen, and were sentenced to death:
John Mitchell, Morris Leyne, Pat Donahue, Thomas McGee, Charles Duffy, Thomas Meagher, Richard O’Gorman, Terrance McManus and Michael Ireland.

Before passing sentence, the judge asked if there were anything that anyone wished to say. Meagher, speaking for all, said, “My Lord, this is our first offence, but not our last. If you will be easy with us, this once we promise, on our word as gentlemen, to try to do better next time. And next time • sure we won’t be fools to get caught.”

Thereupon, the indignant judge sentenced them all to be hanged by the neck until dead, and drawn and
quartered. Passionate protest from all the world forced Queen Victoria to commute the sentence to
transportation for life to far, wild Australia.

In 1874, word reached an astonished Queen Victoria that the Sir Charles Duffy who had been elected Prime Minister of Australia, was the same Charles Duffy who had been transported 25 years before. On the Queens demand, the records of the rest of the transported men were revealed and this is what was uncovered:
Thomas Francis Meagher: Governor of Montana • Terrance McManus:Brigadier General, US Army
Patrick Donahue: Brigadier General, US Army • Richard O’Gorman: Governor General of Newfoundland
Morris Leyne:Attorney General of Australia in which office Michael Ireland suceeded him.
Thomas D’Archy McGee: Member of Parliament, montreal, minister of Agriculture and President of Council Dominion of Canada • John Mitchell: prominent New York Politician, father of John Purroy Mitchell Mayor of New York when World War I broke out...



MORE TO COME (aug/03)