John Kenny (Clan-na-Gael) facts for kids
John Kenny (1847–1924) was an important Irish-American leader who helped Irish rebels fight for independence from Britain. He was a long-time member and president of an organization called the Clan-na-Gael. This group supported Irish rebels, especially leading up to the Easter Rising in 1916.
Kenny was a close friend and partner of John Devoy, another major Irish-American leader. They worked together for many years in New York. John Kenny often traveled between America and Ireland, secretly carrying messages and plans between the Clan-na-Gael and the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) in Ireland. In 1914, he even traveled to Germany to ask for guns and help for the Irish rebels.
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John Kenny's Early Life and the Clan-na-Gael
John Kenny was born in 1847 in Kilcock, a town in County Kildare, Ireland. His family were successful farmers. Before moving to America, he spent some time gold mining in Australia. In 1870, he moved to New York and joined an Irish-American group called Napper Tandy. This group was connected to the Clan-na-Gael.
Kenny played a big part in the Catalpa rescue. This was a daring plan by the Clan-na-Gael in 1873 to rescue six Irish prisoners from a British prison in Australia. This rescue helped to bring new energy and hope to Irish organizations in America, which had been struggling.
In 1882, when Kenny was president of the Clan-na-Gael, he welcomed a new 23-year-old member named Thomas B. Clarke. Clarke became the group's secretary, and he and Kenny became lifelong friends. Their friendship lasted 34 years, until Clarke was executed as a leader of the Easter Rising in 1916.
In 1883, Kenny helped Clarke volunteer for a Clan-na-Gael plan to bomb targets in London. This plan, created by Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa, did not work out. Clarke was caught and spent over 15 years in British prisons.
Helping Ireland from New York
After some time in Ireland, John Kenny moved his family back to New York in 1890. He continued to be a very active leader in the Irish-American community.
By 1914, Kenny was again the president of the Clan-na-Gael. He was also involved in many other important groups:
- He was the vice-president of the I.R.B. Veterans.
- He helped start the Irish Volunteers Committee, which aimed to arm the Irish Volunteers in Ireland.
- He was a founder of the Land League and later the Friends of Irish Freedom.
- He strongly supported Padraic Pearse's St. Enda's School and the women's group, the Cumann na mBan.
- He was also the Business Manager for the Gaelic American newspaper.
Kenny often traveled between Ireland and New York. He acted as a secret messenger between the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) in Ireland and the Clan-na-Gael in America.
Secret Mission to Germany for Guns
When World War I started in August 1914, England and Germany became enemies. Sir Roger Casement and John Devoy arranged a meeting in New York. They met with a top German diplomat, Count von Bernstorff, and leaders from the Clan-na-Gael.
The Clan-na-Gael leaders suggested a plan: if Germany would sell guns to the Irish rebels and send military leaders, the Irish would start a rebellion against England. This would force England to send troops and attention away from the war with Germany. The German diplomat seemed interested and promised to tell his government in Berlin.
Since England controlled the seas and had cut transatlantic communication cables, someone had to deliver the message in person. John Kenny was chosen for this very important mission. He was trusted, educated, and had traveled often between New York and Ireland for business. This made him less likely to be noticed by British spies.
Kenny left for Italy on August 21, 1914. After some difficulty, he reached the German Embassy in Rome. To his surprise, he got an immediate meeting with the German ambassador, von Flutow. Kenny gave him the plan written by Devoy and Casement. The ambassador was very interested, especially since an Irish leader, John Redmond, had promised Irish loyalty to England. He also asked many questions about Casement's idea to recruit Irish prisoners of war into the German army.
Before Kenny left, the ambassador gave him a special pass to travel freely in Germany. This pass was meant to help him meet the Kaiser (the German Emperor). Kenny tried to meet the Kaiser, traveling across Europe by troop train and even on foot. The war made travel very difficult. He never quite met the Kaiser, but he did meet Prince von Beulow, a German diplomat. Kenny explained the Clan's plan again.
Kenny decided he had completed his mission to tell the German government about the plan. He then tried to return to America. However, the war had spread, blocking his way back. He ended up traveling through England and arrived in Dublin, Ireland.
In Dublin, he met with Tom Clarke. Clarke told Kenny that British spies were following him. Clarke gave Kenny important messages to tell Devoy back in New York. He also asked Kenny to get the opinions of other Irish leaders, like Padraic Pearse, on their plans. Kenny reported all these views back to Devoy.
Bringing Money for Guns to Ireland
When Kenny returned to New York, Sir Roger Casement and John Devoy were very happy with his trip.
In November 1914, Kenny was asked to go on another mission. This time, he was to deliver money and promises of support to Ireland. He also needed to bring back reports and messages from the "Home Office" (the IRB). He left New York on November 14, 1914. He successfully passed through British checkpoints and arrived safely in Dublin on November 28. He sent a secret telegram saying "Arrived well" to confirm his safe arrival.
He delivered £3000 (a large sum of money at the time) to The O'Rahilly at the Irish Volunteers Headquarters in Dublin. Owen MacNeill gave him receipts for the money. These receipts were not sent by mail to avoid being intercepted by the British. It was decided that all future money from America should be sent to Owen MacNeill, even if it was for the IRB, because IRB money could be taken by the British.
Over the next few weeks, Kenny met with many important Irish leaders, including Tom Clarke, Padraig Pearse, The O'Rahilly, Thomas MacDonagh, Joseph Mary Plunkett, Diarmuid Lynch, and Bulmer Hobson. The IRB leaders in Ireland were counting on the Clan-na-Gael in New York for guns, ammunition, money, and military help for the planned rebellion.
A recent event where 1700 rifles were secretly brought into Howth had caused the British to stop all gun shipments and manufacturing in Ireland. So, plans were made to smuggle guns through other secret locations. They also needed men who knew how to use explosives and trained military officers.
Communication between Ireland and America was very difficult. Newspapers were being shut down or fined, and telegrams were changed to hide their messages. All important messages had to be carried by trusted messengers, who had to memorize everything because nothing could be written down.
The Irish leaders in Dublin believed that the British would soon force Irish men to join the British army. They also feared that the British would arrest all the IRB and Irish Volunteers leaders. To prepare, Clarke and McDermott sent the names of backup leaders to the Clan-na-Gael in New York. Kenny also memorized a list of trusted contacts in London for the Clan to use.
Kenny returned to New York on December 19, 1914. Sadly, almost everyone Kenny met in Dublin during this mission, except for Eoin MacNeill, would be executed after the Easter Rising in April 1916. Kenny later wrote about these brave men and women, saying they were heroes and martyrs who fought for Ireland's freedom.
John Kenny's Later Life
John Kenny lived the rest of his life in New York City. He continued to work as the business manager of the Gaelic American newspaper until about 1921. He remained active in Irish political affairs and kept publishing his writings.
He passed away at the age of 77 on December 27, 1924, in St. Vincent's Hospital in Manhattan. Many Irish organizations in New York mourned his death. The Cumann na mBan, a women's organization, held a special Mass for him. They wrote that in John Kenny's death, they had lost "one of their most valued friends" and "one of the sincerest, noblest, and most intelligent friends of Ireland." They remembered him as someone who was always ready to help and who did not care much about money or material things.
Images for kids
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John Kenny
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John Kenny - taken in Brooklyn
