Liam Mellows Commemoration 1928 Pilgrimage to Castletown Cemetery Oration given by Liam Langley Chief Scout Na Fianna Éireann Article written by Liam Langley for distribution to newspapers

The Annual Pilgrimage to the grave of the late MajorGeneral Liam Mellows in Castletown Cemetery, County Wexford, took place on Sunday under the auspices of Fianna Éireann. A large number travelled from Dublin both by rail and road. Hundreds came by road from Wexford, Gorey, Arklow, Courtown and neighbouring villages to Inch, where at 1.30pm a procession for formed. The Eamon Ceannt Pipers’ Band and the Fianna Bugle Band, both from Dublin, headed the procession, while over a hundred Fianna Boys from Dublin and Wexford, wearing their regalia and carrying their colours followed. As the procession passed along, its numbers increased, and by the time it reached the village the number taking part was about 2,000. Shortly before arriving at the graveyard the ‘Dead March’ was played by the pipers’ band, when the cemetery was reached a guard of honour was formed around the grave. The Rosary was recited in Irish by the Revd. J. O’Keeffe, C.C. Castletown, the large throng of people taking up the responses. Amongst those present were: Mrs. Mellows (Liam’s mother), Mr Barney Mellows (brother), Mrs. O’Loughlin, Mrs, Corcoran, Miss Jordan (aunts); Mr. Wm Whitmore (uncle), Revd. Laurence O’Flanagan O.C.C. New York, Commissioner General of the Carmelites. Revd. M. O’Flanagan C.C. Bray, Revd. J. O'Keeffe C.C. Castletown, Mr & Mrs. O’Reilly, Messrs, Joe Begley, Sean O’Mahony T.D., Bob Briscoe T.D., Charlie Murphy T.D., Mr & Mrs Liam Pedlar, Simon Donnelly, Andy McDonnell, Miss Conroy, Miss Murray, Mrs. O’Byrne, Seamus Cole, Mr Ward, Mr. J. Groome (representing the Republican Swimming Club), Messrs, L. O’Doherty, D. MacNeill and many others from Dublin. Mr & Mrs A Woods, Donnybrook, Miss Maura Comerford, Mount St, Benedict, Gorey, Mr R. Moran, Wexford, &c. &c. Mr. P. Connick, Wexford, introduced the Chief Scout, Liam Langley, who delivered the oration. He reminded those present that pilgrimages to holy places were made by the faithful all over the world to obtain strength and encouragement for those left behind in their fight against the powers of darkness, and they had made that pilgrimage to that holy spot so that they also might derive strength and encouragement. He directed their attention for a few moments to the difficulties that Liam Mellows had to contend with from the time when as a little boy he joined Fianna Eireann (the Boy Scouts of Ireland). He detailed how he started a Sluagh in Inchicore and afterwards was appointed District Secretary to the Dublin Fianna. How, feeling, even in this position he was not doing all he should for his country, and knowing how weak the organisation was all over Ireland, he gave up his work in the counting-house of a big firm in Dublin, and without reward or remuneration, took up the work of organising the Fianna. How he travelled the country from end to end, his mission being attended with the greatest success. He

became much attached to the people of the West and they to him. When, four years after the Fianna, came the Irish Volunteers, and Liam was appointed Volunteer Organiser. How he had been on the Provisional Committee of the latter body and as such had a lot to do with the landing of the arms at Howth and Kilcool. After Liam returned from the West others were sent to take his place, but they did not get on as he did. The men of the west wanted Liam back and he was sent down for a week and was finally given leave to stay in Connacht altogether. Those in attendance were reminded of his arrest on St. Patrick’s Day 1916 in Athenry, his deportation to England and his dramatic escape from his guards. They all knew the history of 1916 in the Western province and how badly equipped were the men under Liam. How in Easter Week people tried to persuade him that his fight was hopeless, and that it was sheer madness to continue the struggle further. But his answer to that was that he “was out to fight and not to run away”. And that was Liam’s motto to the day he died. They would also remember how Liam and his comrades had to fly to the hills of Clare and the great stand they made there although the British military and Marines had the countryside combed for the fugitives. How after some months Liam escaped to America and what great work he did there for the cause and played a great part in consigning of arms from that country to this. He returned to Ireland during the Black and Tan war and was appointed on the General Headquarters’ Staff of the Republican Army. His speech against the Treaty in the Dail will never be forgotten, his determined stand afterwards, leading up to his incarceration in Mountjoy after the attack on the Four Courts, is still fresh in the memory of the youngest amongst us. The Chief Scout referred to that sad morning of the 8th December 1922 when, he, along with the other prisoners of war were awaiting the arrival of their guards in their respective divisions of the prison. They were looking forward to the usual meeting of Liam (Mellows) and his comrades in the prison chapel. Little did they know what the volley they had heard signified. They were soon enlightened, for in a few minutes it was announced from the Altar that “four of their comrades had just been sent before their God”. And when the names were read out, there was a deathlike silence. It was some time before the full purport of the announcement was realised. It was then that strong men sobbed and little boys with clenched fists vowed vengeance. Langley continued that men like Mellows whom they were honouring that day would never be forgotten, those who devoted their lives to their country’s service and remained faithful to the last. Liam’s life may be summed up in his motto: “out to fight, not to run away”. Liam Mellows had led the way, and it was for them to follow. He had given his life for the love of the land that bore him. It was for them to walk the trail that he had made, for them to follow in his hallowed footsteps till their country was free. There was none more true to the cause that had so much at heart as the young brave soldier of freedom, whose remains now rested at their feet. He never deserted them or the cause for a moment of his young life which he gave up that his country might be free. Some of his brave comrades were sleeping their last sleep in the graveyards around, some in Kilcavan, Liam Kavanagh here beside him and his own dear friend Sean Etchingham, Sean who died of a broken heart after hearing of Liam’s end, lies on the other side of Tara Hill in Ardamine. Langley said that Liam spoke to them there from his lonely grave. He called on them to follow the straight path that he (Mellows) had trod. Concluding, the speaker made a strong appeal in the words of Liam Mellows, to take up the Fianna Ideal, not to indulge in mean reprisal, but to strive for unity, when brothers in blood would again be brothers in arms against the old common enemy until the whole thirty-two counties of Ireland were absolutely free. The Last Post having been sounded by the Fianna Buglers the large crowd separated. A number of beautiful wreaths were placed on the grave, amongst them being one from the Central Executive, Fianna Eireann, one from the boys of the Dublin Fianna and another from the Wexford Sluaighte.

THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE APPEARED IN THE IRISH INDEPENDENT 31ST MAY 1918 IN RELATION TO THE ABOVE EVENT. This is a much shortened version of the full article written by Liam Langley.

(Newspaper cutting Eamon Murphy History Na Fianna Éireann)