SEARC'S WEB GUIDE - Kevin Izod O'Doherty (1823-1905)

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Searc's Web Guide to Kevin Izod O'Doherty (1823-1905)

Kevin Izod O'Doherty was born in Dublin. He was educated at Wall's School and at the Catholic University where he studied medicine and joined the Young Ireland movement. In 1848 O'Doherty founded the Irish Tribune newspaper in protest at John Mitchel's imprisonment and was himself arrested on a charge of High Treason on publication of the first issue which contained articles supporting the Irish Confederation. At O'Doherty's trial Mr Justice Crampton stated that he had 'never read any publication more dangerous, more wicked, more clearly designed to excite insurrection, rebellion and revolution'.
Following the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act on January 1st, 1849 O'Doherty was sentenced to ten years penal servitude in Tasmania (then Van Dieman's Land). O'Doherty was pardoned in 1854 and returned to Dublin via Paris where he married Mary Kelly, a popular political poetess known as 'Eva of The Nation'.
In Dublin O'Doherty completed his medical studies and the couple emigrated to Queensland, Australia in 1862. O'Doherty practised medicine until 1877 when he was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly.
In 1885 O'Doherty and 'Eva' returned to Ireland where O'Doherty became a member of Charles Stewart Parnell's Irish Party and was elected a Member of Parliament for North Meath. In 1888 the O'Dohertys returned to Brisbane, Australia where they later died impoverished. This extract is from O'Doherty's editorial to the Irish Tribune, June 10th, 1848.©

Kevin Izod O'Doherty

Ireland may practically be said not to be under any other rule than that of military sway, for never did a government rule less in the hearts of a people than that of Ireland this day, - a reign of terror, of police inspectors and Dragoons of 'detectives and Light Infantry', a Lord Lieutenant [Earl of Clarendon] alternately answering addresses manufactured for the occasion, and writing pamphlets against Repeal; lecturing farmers on cropping and citizens on trade, one without interest and the other without capital; an overwhelming military force, pouring its surplus into colleges, Royal societies, vice-regal rooms and even disputing pauper accommodation; a vigilant and over-active police, with a legion of spies and detectives in all grades of society, misinforming and misleading the authorities, constitute the machinery of a free government - Free! the word is a mockery - we are slaves without the fetters; for as Mr Holmes has so ably declared 'a great mistake is made by many people to the effect that there cannot be slavery, that no man can be a slave unless he be in chains, or subject to the lash of the planter like the negroes'; but the slavery of which I speak is, the slavery of the people, which consists in this, that they do not make their own laws themselves - that they do not make the laws by which they are governed but that those laws are made by others; and I say it boldly, that a people so circumstanced, are in a state of slavery...
We hear on many sides aristocratic snears against a government which shall fully represent the people; the finger of scorn is pointed towards France and we are asked is it republicanism you seek? To these it means general insecurity - a few hours pillage, a nation constantly in arms, neglected commerce and financial ruin.
Now all responsible people know that France is passing through a period of transition, caused by the bad government of her last tyrant which sooner or later would have brought a bankruptcy on that nation; but out of this chaos she will again arise and the republic will then present many of the valuable features of a republic, the system of government most in accordance with the spirit of Christianity...
Europe is in a fermenting state, [Pope] Pius threw in some new leven which has effectively stirred up the old mass and despotism that appeared more impregnable than feudal castles and to have the stamp of endurance through a series of ages to come has crumbled down before unarmed citizens and untrained citizens have been found more than equal to veterans and ordinances. The wave which commenced in Rome, which has augmented as it spread, which holds a great nation in its sifting bosom, must ultimately reach our shores. © Searc's Web Guide 1997-2008

19th Century Ireland
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