03-20-2023, 07:56 AM
Citizen Lord: The Life of Edward Fitzgerald by Stella Tillyard
There is a coda to the title as well: Irish Revolutionary
Lord Edward Fitzgerald group as a part of the privileged Anglican group of Irish leaders during the late 1700s. His former home for instance, Leinster House, is currently the seat of the Irish Congress. Fitzgerald became enamored by the writings of Thomas Paine and the French Revolution and he wanted to have the same sort of revolution for Ireland to free it from English rule. But alas. Irish revolutions are full of problems. In this case, the Irish really wanted the French Army to come in and help the Irish peasants, the Irish peasants only having pikes and no munitions. The French tried to come but their fleet got scattered by a storm and the half that did make it to Bantry Bay were afraid to land because no one was there to greet them.
The Irish persisted in the their planning, always in the hope the French would return. The French never did but the Irish eventually tried to go on without them. But on the eve of the planned date of the rebellion May 23, 1798, the leaders of the rebellion were arrested. All their plans were thrown into disarray. Fitzgerald was the last man arrested, turned in by a spy. He was shot during the capture. Fitzgerald managed to kill one of his arresting officers. Rather than give Fitzgerald medical treatment, his captors let his wound get infected. He died from the wound several days later. His captors thought it would be better for him to die rather than have to stand trial.
Fitzgerald himself comes off as rather an ineffectual figure. He was an army officer and did have some training. But nothing in the story shows him as a man to be followed. But that was never a role he sought for himself. He just wanted to help but towards the end he found himself in charge.
I can't say after reading the book I have much admiration for Fitzgerald. There are probably better books out there to discuss the United Irishman uprising of 1798.
There is a coda to the title as well: Irish Revolutionary
Lord Edward Fitzgerald group as a part of the privileged Anglican group of Irish leaders during the late 1700s. His former home for instance, Leinster House, is currently the seat of the Irish Congress. Fitzgerald became enamored by the writings of Thomas Paine and the French Revolution and he wanted to have the same sort of revolution for Ireland to free it from English rule. But alas. Irish revolutions are full of problems. In this case, the Irish really wanted the French Army to come in and help the Irish peasants, the Irish peasants only having pikes and no munitions. The French tried to come but their fleet got scattered by a storm and the half that did make it to Bantry Bay were afraid to land because no one was there to greet them.
The Irish persisted in the their planning, always in the hope the French would return. The French never did but the Irish eventually tried to go on without them. But on the eve of the planned date of the rebellion May 23, 1798, the leaders of the rebellion were arrested. All their plans were thrown into disarray. Fitzgerald was the last man arrested, turned in by a spy. He was shot during the capture. Fitzgerald managed to kill one of his arresting officers. Rather than give Fitzgerald medical treatment, his captors let his wound get infected. He died from the wound several days later. His captors thought it would be better for him to die rather than have to stand trial.
Fitzgerald himself comes off as rather an ineffectual figure. He was an army officer and did have some training. But nothing in the story shows him as a man to be followed. But that was never a role he sought for himself. He just wanted to help but towards the end he found himself in charge.
I can't say after reading the book I have much admiration for Fitzgerald. There are probably better books out there to discuss the United Irishman uprising of 1798.
As a matter of fact, my anger does keep me warm