Edward Duffy (Fenian) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edward Duffy
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| Died | 1868 |
| Nationality | Irish |
Edward (Ned) Duffy (around 1840 – 1868) was an Irish Fenian. Fenians were a group of people who wanted Ireland to be free from British rule. Ned Duffy worked hard for this cause.
Contents
Edward Duffy: A Young Irish Patriot
Early Life and Joining the Fenians
Ned Duffy was born in Loughglynn, a village in County Roscommon, Ireland. Around 1860, he moved to Dublin. He found a job there as a clerk at a store called Pim's.
It was in Dublin that he joined the Fenians. He took an oath to the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) in March 1861. The IRB was a secret group working for Irish independence. Ned became a messenger for James Stephens, a leader of the Fenians. He sometimes stayed at the home of Joseph Denieffe, another Fenian.
Working for Irish Freedom
In early 1863, Ned was working back in Castlerea, County Roscommon. He was helping a hardware merchant named Bernard Gannon. However, James Stephens asked him to leave this job. Ned then became a full-time Fenian.
His work for the Fenians included many important tasks. He helped to share the Irish People newspaper, which spread Fenian ideas. He also recruited new members to the group. Ned helped to organize and train Fenian members. He even taught classes about the Fenian goals and beliefs.
Facing Illness and Challenges
Around this time, Ned Duffy became very ill with TB. This was a serious lung disease. Even though he was sick, he refused to slow down. He felt that the Fenian group in his home area, Connacht, was not as strong as in other parts of Ireland. He wanted to help it grow.
In 1867, Ned became engaged to a poet named Ellen O'Leary.
Arrests and Final Days
On November 11, 1865, Ned Duffy was one of several Fenians arrested. This happened at Fairfield House in Sandymount, Dublin. His trial was stopped in January 1866. The authorities believed he was very close to death because of his illness.
However, Ned managed to travel to Paris. In March, James Stephens appointed him as his main helper in Ireland. Ned's poor health made it hard for him to do this job.
In February 1867, Ned was in London. He was one of four Fenian representatives from different parts of Ireland. They met with Fenians from England and Irish-Americans. Their goal was to set up a temporary government. This was in preparation for a planned uprising on March 5, 1867.
After these meetings, Ned returned to Connacht. But he was arrested again on March 9 at O'Leary's hotel in Boyle, County Roscommon. In May, he was tried and found guilty of a serious crime against the government. He was sentenced to fifteen years of hard labor.
Ned Duffy died in Millbank prison in London on January 12, 1868. He was buried later that month in Glasnevin cemetery in Dublin. His friend and fellow Fenian, Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa, was also in Millbank prison at the time. He wrote a poem called "A Lament for Edward Duffy" to honor his friend.
