On Sunday 22 September the 15th Annual Anne Devlin Commemoration took place, with a brief eulogy by Mícheál Ó Doibhilín after 12.00 noon mass in St. Catherine’s Catholic Church, Meath Street.
The weather did not bode well for the afternoon’s ceremony, however, with heavy rain and strong winds but, by 2.30 pm all was sunshine again and the ceremony passed off in glorious weather – the 15th successive year without rain!
The ceremony began at 3.00 pm at the graveside of Anne Devlin in Glasnevin Cemetery, with a colour party from The Dublin Brigade, Irish Volunteers, History & Re-enactment Group as a mark of respect and honour.
Mícheál Ó Doibhilín opened the proceedings by welcoming everyone, and introducing the Guest of Honour, Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Paul McCauliffe. The Lord Mayor spoke passionately about Anne, the hardship of her life and the importance of remembering her before laying a wreath on behalf of the people of Dublin. Next, Mícheál introduced the special guest, author and columnist Martina Devlin, who spoke about the influence of Anne Devlin on her as a young girl growing up on in County Tyrone, before laying a wreath on the grave. But, as she did so, she invited Millie McCauliffe, the Lord Mayor’s daughter, to help her.
Mícheál thanked both speakers before speaking about Anne and her loyal husband William Campbell. He also gave an update on the campaign to reunite William and Anne in the one grave. He has written to John Green, CEO of Glasnevin Trust, seeking permission to move William, and is
hopeful of a favourable reply soon. He explained that Frank Callery was unable to attend this year to sing his wonderful tribute “Not every hero waves a flag”, but promised that he would try to attend again next year.
Mícheál called on Liz Gillis, Secretary of Cuimhní Anne Devlin (organisers of the commemoration) to lay a wreath on their behalf. He then laid one on his own, personal behalf and asked Millie McAuliffe to lay one donated by Glasnevin Cemetery Florists, after which others then laid flowers on the grave, including Kevin Devlin and his wife.
Many retired to the Cemetery Café for coffee/tea and conversation until it was time to go home.
Next year’s commemoration will be on Sunday 20th of September, at 12.00 noon mass in St. Catherine’s of Meath Street, and at 3.00 pm at Anne’s grave in Glasnevin. Of course, it is our hope that by then it will be the grave of Anne and her husband William, reunited after 167 years.
On September 18, 166 years ago, Anne Devlin was buried, after 48 years’ struggle against the mightiest empire in the world.
She died proud but in agony, starving, in a garret flat devoid of possessions long ago sold to the pawn shop, angry, alone
… and forgotten.
Angry,
because she had been abandoned by those she was
protecting, those involved in Robert Emmet’s failed 1803 Rebellion.
Starving,
because she was widowed, ill, unable to work and
unsupported by the so-called Republicans she protected.
In agony,
because she was still suffering – after 45 years –
the effects of her time as a “guest of the nation” in Kilmainham Gaol, and the
evil attention of Dr. Edward Trevor.
Alone,
because the Administration deemed her so dangerous a
policeman followed her everywhere, every day of her life, from the day she was released
from prison so that she could not collude with anyone, and those who might
speak to her were marked as ‘Trouble’ and interrogated.
Alone,
because only she was brave enough to resist the
British Empire and refuse its bribes and ignore its tortures.
Poor,
because she spent her last money honouring her faithful
husband by buying him a grave in Glasnevin and, unable to work due to
rheumatism and erysipelas, she had pawned every stick of furniture, every rag,
for a few crumbs of bread.
Forgotten,
because no-one wanted to be seen to be associated
with her.
Proud,
because she stood, alone, against the British
administration and preserved the spinal chord of Irish Nationalism through the
Young Irelanders, the Fenians, up to the men and women of 1916 and beyond, and
the ultimate overthrow of the invader on the bulk of this island..
Anne was buried in a pauper’s coffin in an unmarked grave in Glasnevin. Eventually, the historian RR Madden raised a headstone and unwittingly committed the final insult when he described Anne Devlin as Robert Emmet’s “faithful servant”, which she was not. No, she was Emmet’s co-conspirator and the proud bearer of his ideals until her death. She was Ireland’s first female prisoner … and today has been forgotten by almost everyone.
On Sunday, September 24th, we marked her life as we have done for the previous 12 years, first at 12 noon mass in St. Catherine’s Church, Meath Street (where she was married and her children were baptised) and then, at 3.00 pm, at her graveside in Glasnevin, where many joined with us to remember and honour one of our greatest.
To commemorate the life of Anne Devlin, one of our greatest heroes and first female political prisoner, Cuimhní Anne Devlin commissioned this beautiful plaque from Artist Joram (“Jerome”) Drori and cast by him in his workshop and bronze finished in a limited edition of just 71 - one for each year of her life.
Now you can be the proud owner of this limited edition tribute to a great Irish patriot. Click here for further details.
William Campbell Reinterment
Unfortunately, through a misunderstanding, they left Anne’s husband William Campbell behind in the original grave.
This act by Dr. Madden and others, while carried out with the best of intentions, was a crime on a couple of levels.
Second, it was a crime against one of our greatest heroes, that her ultimate wish – to be buried with her husband – should be frustrated.
For 15 years we have sought to have this crime redressed. As William lies in a forgotten, unmarked grave (see photo), we have desired that he be moved to Anne’s one which is marked by a magnificent Celtic cross provided by the board of Glasnevin cemetery.
We are hopeful of a swift approval so that this wrong can be righted eventually and that Anne can finally rest at ease with her friend, partner, lover and supporter of 35 years as she intended.
Further updates will be given as we get them.
UPDATE Thursday, 11 January, 2019:
And so the dance begins. Having been passed to the Dept. of Local Government from the Department of Justice, we have just now been informed that "graves have been rejigged" and are now the remit of Michael Ring, the Minister for Rural & Community Development!
Presumably the paperwork will get there in due course and someone will act.
Update: Friday 12 January, 2019:
173 years ago, on this day, 12 January, 1846, William Campbell was buried in a grave in Glasnevin which
his wife of 35 years had purchased so that she could later be buried with him. And do it was that 5 years later, on September 19, 1851, Anne Devlin Campbell was buried as she wished.
But not for long. Just 6 months later, 11 March, 1852, the noted historian of the United Irishmen RR Madden illegally moved Anne from her grave to another. This crime against one of our greatest heroes has never been redressed.
After 15 years research and campaigning for this to happen, we are finally hopeful that Anne's husband William will be moved to her current grave.
Our application to this affect, we are told, has been moved to the office of Michael Ring, Minister for Rural and Community Development - the minister currently responsible for graves we are told. The application is "is with the officials" of this department, we were told in response to a query today.
UPDATE Tuesday 15 Jan. 2019:
We have been told that this application is not within the remit of Minister Ring's department, but must be sent to Fingal County Council direct. This, despite a formal application form being available separate to the County Council one.
It appears that the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing in these matters.
However, undeterred, we will now approach Fingal County Council and seek an order there.
This is far too important a matter to let drop at any hurdle and we will persist until we achieve our aim, no matter how long it takes.
UPDATE: Monday 27 Jan. 2019
Our revised application was sent to Fingal County Council on Friday 24 Jan. by registered post. We await a speedy reply, and will keep you all posted.
UPDATE:Wednesday February 6, 2019
Well, hopefully this is the last time we have to do this. We have now submitted an application for a licence to exhume William Campbell from his grave in Glasnevin and to re-inter him in the grave of his wife, Anne Devlin. This time, following the instructions we received from Fingal County Council, we have spplied to Dublin City Council.
William lived in the area under this Council for all 72 yearsof his life, while Anne lived there from her release from Kilmainham Gaol in 1806 to her death in a miserable slum in 1851 - 46 years.
They couple were married in St. Catherine's Church, Meath Street on April 17 1811, and we hope to have them finally reunited by the 208th anniversary of this this year.
We have the support of Lord Mayor Cllr. Nial Ring and oyher members of the Council, so hopefully this time we succeed.
If a licence is issued, we then need to apply to Glasnevin Cemetery for final approval from there.
Le cúnamh Dé beidh an masla a tugadh do duine den'ár laochra ba mhó réitithe go luath.
