John Lynch The Fenian
Posted on 17 September 2009
A plaque on a wall on Devonshire Street in Cork records the capture of a Fenian in 1865.
JOHN LYNCH THE FENIAN
CAPTURED HERE SEPTEMBER 1865
DIED WOKING PRISON JANUARY 1866
There’s more, this page has quite a bit on him, but also gives a different date for his death.
John Lynch was a widower and publican who lodged in Cork City and became involved with the Cork City Fenians. He was convicted on the word of an informer, John Warner, who stated that Lynch was a colonel in the Fenian organisation in Cork. Lynch was convicted of treason and felony by Judge Keogh in December 1865. Overall the evidence used to convict Lynch was rather weak for the sentence of 10 years penal servitude.
UCC has a photo of him in their archive but unfortunately it’s not online. I’d love to see that and scan it in or take a photo (sans flash) of the photo. Anyone got contacts in the Boole Library? Wouldn’t it be great to see those archived online on pix.ie or flickr?
Lynch, John. Head and shoulders frontal shot in prison garb. Covering folder notes “Died in Woking Prison Hospital 2/6/66. was one of the “Centres” for Cork City. Organizer of St. Patrick’s Day nationalist demonstrations in Athenaeum Club in the 60’s”. [2 items : 16cm x 12cm]
3 responses to John Lynch The Fenian
Great shot about what all our heroes died for.
Hi,
There are photos of the prominent fenians accessible and can be downloaded from the NYPL (New York Public Library) digital collection. If you type fenian into their search engine, you will get photos of them in their prison garb, if my memory serves me right, John Lynch is included.
Slan
Kieran
Nice! Thank you Kieran. Here’s the image!