John Lynch (c. 1832 − 2 June 1866) was an

Irish nationalist Irish nationalism is a nationalist political movement which, in its broadest sense, asserts that the people of Ireland should govern Ireland as a sovereign state. Since the mid-19th century, Irish nationalism has largely taken the form of cu ...

. He was a resident of the city of

Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

and an alleged member of the

Irish Republican Brotherhood The Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB; ) was a secret oath-bound fraternal organisation dedicated to the establishment of an "independent democratic republic" in Ireland between 1858 and 1924.McGee, p. 15. Its counterpart in the United States ...

. John was very active in the early days of the Cork

Fenian The word ''Fenian'' () served as an umbrella term for the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) and their affiliate in the United States, the Fenian Brotherhood, secret political organisations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries dedicated ...

movement.Recollections of an Irish rebel, John Devoy, Irish University Press, 1969 He organised nationalist celebrations on St. Patrick's night 1862 at the Athenaeum club, Cork.Rossa's Recollections, 1838 to 1898: Memoirs of an Irish Revolutionary, Rossa O'Donovan Lynch worked as an accountant. The marriage of the Prince of Wales (later

Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria an ...

) and

Alexandra of Denmark Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 22 January 1901 to 6 May 1910 as the wife of King ...

on 10 March 1863 was an occasion for loyalist celebrations in Cork. Houses and shops had their windows illuminated. This increased nationalistic unrest, with windows being smashed and the mayor being roughly handled. Several rioters were prosecuted, including Lynch and James Mountaine. Both were acquitted due to lack of evidence. He was again arrested in Sept 1865, as part of the general purge of Fenian leaders, based on information provided by John Warner, an ex-military pensioner.New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 647, 8 December 1865, Page 5
/ref>
/ref> The trial of John Lynch and co-defendant

Brian Dillon Brian Dillon (also spelled Bryan Dillon) (1830 – 17 August 1872) was an Ireland, Irish Irish republicanism, republican leader and a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. He was a central figure in the Cork (city), Cork Fenian movement. ...

starting on 18 December 1865 with

Isaac Butt Isaac Butt (6 September 1813 – 5 May 1879) was an Irish barrister, editor, politician, Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, economist and the founder and first leader of a number of Irish nationalist parti ...

as their legal counsel. The charges were "in one indictment with having conspired to depose the Queen, &c., and with illegally drilling and being drilled in furtherance of that design". Lynch was accused of being a captain (denoted as "B") in the

. Both were found guilty, based primarily on the testimony of informants although John Warner's account was very weak and unsatisfactory under cross examination.New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 677, 12 January 1866, Page 6
/ref> At this time, John Lynch was seriously ill from

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...

. At his sentencing, John disputed the testimony of John Warner, saying he had never learned to use a rifle and said "If, having served my country honestly and sincerely be treason, I am not ashamed of it. I am now prepared to receive any punishment British law can inflict on me." Both defendants were sentenced to 10 years' penal servitude.The Brisbane Courier, Thursday 22 February 1866
/ref> In January 1866, he was transferred from

Mountjoy Prison Mountjoy Prison ( ga, Príosún Mhuinseo), founded as Mountjoy Gaol and nicknamed ''The Joy'', is a medium security men's prison located in Phibsborough in the centre of Dublin, Ireland. The current prison Governor is Edward Mullins. History ...

, Dublin to

Pentonville Prison HM Prison Pentonville (informally "The Ville") is an English Category B men's prison, operated by His Majesty's Prison Service. Pentonville Prison is not in Pentonville, but is located further north, on the Caledonian Road in the Barnsbury ar ...

, London Fenianism - Transmission of Fenian Convicts; The Belfast News-Letter, Thursday, 18 January 1866; CMSIED 20116

/ref> where the conditions were very harsh.John Sarsfield Casey, "The Galtee Boy: A Fenian Prison Narrative" University College Dublin Press, 2005 Because of his condition, he was transferred to Woking Convict Invalid Prison, Woking Prison hospital, Surrey, where he died on 2 June 1866 recordedly aged 34. He is commemorated on the National Memorial in the city of Cork http://www.irishwarmemorials.ie/html/getPDF.php?memorialID=263 and at

Brookwood Cemetery Brookwood Cemetery, also known as the London Necropolis, is a burial ground in Brookwood, Surrey, England. It is the largest cemetery in the United Kingdom and one of the largest in Europe. The cemetery is listed a Grade I site in the Regist ...

, UK where he is buried.

References

External links

Description of 10 March 1863 riot in The Tablet, Page 12, 21 March 1863
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lynch, John 1832 births 1866 deaths Members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood People from Cork (city) 19th-century deaths from tuberculosis Tuberculosis deaths in England