A Year of Broken Promises (Book 2--An Irish Family Saga) by Jean Reinhardt

Author:Jean Reinhardt
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: irish historical fiction historical family saga historical romance victorian ireland irish famine emigrants victorian sunderland blackrock dundalk louth
Publisher: Jean Reinhardt

Chapter Eighteen

The failed uprising of the Young Irelanders in 1848 saw some of them going to America and others to France. James Stephens, John O’Mahoney and Michael Doheny, among them. Stephens came back to Ireland from Paris in 1858 and established the Irish Republican Brotherhood, a counterpart to the Fenian Brotherhood which had been formed in America by John O’Mahoney and Michael Doheny. They believed that armed insurrection was the only way to end British rule over Ireland and their members came to be known as Fenians.

It was to a secret meeting in a room at the back of Paddy Mac’s that Matthew Clarke brought his son Daniel and his friend John McDermott. The young men had confided in him about certain activities that had been taking place in the locality – activities they were deeply involved in.

“Sit down, men,” the voice of the man standing by the window was mellow but commanding.

Matthew had already explained to the young men that there would be no introductions as names were not important and better left unknown. As John and Daniel sat nervously waiting to be questioned, a dark figure outside moved across the window and seconds later a knock was heard on the door.

“All clear, sir. We’re in our positions outside, ready for a signal,” a boy who looked to be sixteen had entered the room.

“Good man, you can wait outside. This won’t take long,” said the mellow voice. “Your father tells me you have both been up to no good,” this was said to John and Daniel as soon as the door closed.

“Well, to be fair to them, they were under the impression it was all in a good cause,” said Matthew.

“Oh, the cause is indeed a very good one but their ignorance and naivety has created a big problem and led to a family’s unnecessary suffering,” the stranger with the mellow voice remained standing, his back to the window. “I know that both you young men are aware of how the Brotherhood is organized and that names are not given outside of your own circle, and I am an outsider. However, I have been told about a local man who has been trying to gain a lot of favour and recognition in the Brotherhood because of the large amounts of money he has been contributing to the cause. This particular person is a man of little means, yet seems to have raised prolific funds from his trips to England, where he claims he receives money from supporters of the Brotherhood. He has the same name as the man you have been working for.”

John and Daniel looked at each other, beads of sweat forming on their foreheads. A turf fire was burning but not so hot that it would cause them to overheat. Daniel looked anxiously at his father, who was standing to the right of the man speaking to them.

“Do you not realize that most of the money we raise comes from bonds sold to our supporters, and from donations generously made to the Brotherhood?” the voice was becoming less mellow.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.