The Manchester Martyrs : Bring Them Home

The 'Manchester Martyrs', also known as 'The Three Fenians', were Irish nationalists who were executed for the killing of a policeman during a prison break. William Philip Allen from Tipperary aged 19, Michael Larkin from Lusmagh, Co. Offaly aged 30, and Michael O'Brien (aka William Gould) from Ballymacoda, Co. Cork aged 30 were hanged in Salford Prison, Manchester, England on November 23, 1867. These men were caught and convicted for their rescue of Colonel Thomas J. Kelly and Captain Timothy Deasy. The rescue took place on the Hyde Road on the borders of West Gorton and Ardwick, to the immediate south east of Manchester City Centre.


Kelly and Deasy were both Fenians who played important roles in the failed Fenian Rising that year. Kelly had been declared the chief executive of the Irish Republic at a secret Republican convention, and Deasy commanded a Fenian brigade in County Cork.

Bring Them Home
See Also - http://www.nga.ie/manchester_martyrs1.htm

The Manchester Martyrs
sung by Barrie Roberts ( English Folk Singer 1939-2007 RIP) who also worked on the appeal of the Birmingham Six as a lawyer

Attend you gallant Irishmen and listen for a while
I'll sing to you the praises of the sons of Erin's Isle
It's of those gallant heroes who voluntarily ran
To release two Irish Fenians from an English prison van.
On the eighteenth of September, it was a dreadful year,
When sorrow and excitement ran throughout all Lancashire,
At a gathering of the Irish boys they volunteered each man,
To release those Irish prisoners out of the prison van.
Kelly and Deasy were their names, I suppose you knew them well,
Remanded for a week they were in Bellevue Gaol to dwell,
When taking of the prisoners back, their trial for to stand,
To make a safe deliverance they conveyed them in a van.
William Deasy was a man of good and noted fame,
Likewise Michael Larkin, we'll never forget his name,
With young Allen and O'Brien they took a part so grand,
In that glorious liberation and the smashing of the van.
In Manchester one morning those heroes did agree,
Their leaders, Kelly and Deasy, should have their liberty,
They drank a health to Ireland, and soon made up the plan,
To meet the prisoners on the road and take and smash the van.
With courage bold those heroes went and soon the van did stop,
They cleared the guards from back and front and then smashed in the top,
But in blowing open of the lock, they chanced to kill a man,
So three must die on the scaffold high for smashing of the van.
One cold November morning in eighteen sixty-seven
These martyrs to their country's cause a sacrifice were given,
'God save Ireland,' was the cry, all through the crowd it ran,
The Lord have mercy on the boys that helped to smash the van.
So now kind friends I will conclude, I think it would be right
That all true-hearted Irishmen together should unite,
Together should sympathize, my friends, and do the best we can
To keep the memories ever green of the boys that smashed the van.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Manchester
• Martyrs
• Smashing
• Van
• Irish
• Republican
• Brotherhood
• IRB
• IRA
• Larkin
• Allen
• O'Brien
• 1867
• Ireland
• Fenian
• history

[4everLacrosse]

The great great grand-nephew of Michael Larkin. Proud to be Irish and American.

[celticsean1916]

great vid mate

[fanadhead12]

@4everLacrosse im from offaly birr and just saw your comment. my mother was from banagher.

[irishsurf25]

as a descendant of michael larkin im proud 2 be an irish- american

[TheAwnman]

god bless Ireland

[dvno69]

There is a plack dedicated to them boys near bel vue manchester on hyde road manchester xxxtake care all god bless Eire xxx

[roadend78]

we are not english we are scouse manc twats killed are fenian brothers god bless ireland .

[00JTM]

Wonderful song!!!

[AMason8634]

Great video and song.

[DarkAngelTanya]

I am a descendent of Michael O'Brien from my Grandmothers side, although I'm not sure how far down...