Tone's Grave facts for kids

Tone's Grave, often called Bodenstown Churchyard, is a well-known poem. It was written by Thomas Davis (1814-1845). Davis was a leader of the Young Ireland movement. The poem first appeared in their newspaper, "The Nation."

Davis wrote the poem around 1843. He had visited the grave of Wolfe Tone in Bodenstown, County Kildare. Wolfe Tone was a very important Irish leader. Davis found Tone's grave unmarked, meaning it had no headstone. A local blacksmith was guarding the grave. He would not let anyone step on it.

The poem expresses sadness about the failure of the United Irishmen. This was a group that fought for Irish independence. It also mourns the loss of leaders like Wolfe Tone. But the poem also suggests that Irish people would soon feel a strong sense of national pride. This was a big hope for the Young Ireland movement.

Who Was Wolfe Tone?

Theobald Wolfe Tone (1763-1798) was a key figure in Irish history. He was a leader of the United Irishmen. This group wanted Ireland to be independent from British rule. They also wanted equal rights for all people in Ireland. Tone believed that Irish people of all religions should work together.

Wolfe Tone tried to get help from France to achieve Irish independence. He led several attempts to invade Ireland with French support. However, these attempts were not successful. He was eventually captured by the British. Wolfe Tone is remembered as a hero by many in Ireland. He is seen as a symbol of the fight for freedom.

The Young Ireland Movement

The Young Ireland movement was a political group in the 1840s. They were mostly young, educated people. They wanted to achieve greater rights and eventually independence for Ireland. They used newspapers, poems, and songs to share their ideas.

Thomas Davis was one of the most important leaders of Young Ireland. He believed in Irish culture, history, and language. The movement wanted to inspire Irish people to be proud of their heritage. They hoped to unite people to work for a better future for Ireland. "Tone's Grave" is a great example of how they used poetry to spread their message.

What the Poem Means

"Tone's Grave" is more than just a poem about a burial site. It's a powerful message about remembering history and hoping for the future.

• Remembering the Past: The poem starts by describing Wolfe Tone's unmarked grave. This shows how his efforts for Ireland were not fully recognized at the time. It reminds readers of the struggles and sacrifices made by earlier Irish patriots.
• A Call for Action: Even though the grave is simple, people come to visit it. They are students, farmers, and even children. This shows that the memory of Wolfe Tone is still alive. The poem suggests that people are ready to honor him properly.
• Hope for the Future: The poem ends with the idea that Ireland will one day be a nation. When that happens, a proper tomb can be built for Wolfe Tone. This gives a feeling of hope and determination. It suggests that the fight for Irish independence will continue until it is achieved.

The poem uses the image of the grave to connect the past with the future. It tells us that even when things seem lost, hope can remain. It encourages people to keep working for their country's freedom and identity.

Lyrics of Tone's Grave

In Bodenstown churchyard there is a green grave,
And wildly around it the winter winds rave;
Small shelter I ween are the ruined walls there
When the storm sweeps down on the plains of Kildare.

Once I lay on that sod it lies over Wolfe Tone
And thought how he perished in prison alone,
His friends unavenged and his country unfreed
"Oh, bitter," I cried, "is the patriots meed.

"For in him the heart of a woman combined
With heroic spirit and a governing mind
A martyr for Ireland, his grave has no stone
His name seldom named, and his virtues unknown."

I was woke from my dream by the voices and tread
Of a band who came into the home of the dead;
They carried no corpse, and they carried no stone,
And they stopped when they came to the grave of Wolfe Tone.

There were students and peasants, the wise and the brave,
And an old man who knew him from cradle to grave,
And children who thought me hard-hearted, for they
On that sanctified sod were forbidden to play.

But the old man, who saw I was mourning there, said:
"We come, sir, to weep where young Wolfe Tone is laid,
And we're going to raise him a monument, too
A plain one, yet fit for the simple and true."

My heart overflowed, and I clasped his old hand,
And I blessed him, and blessed every one of his band:
"Sweet, sweet tis to find that such faith can remain
To the cause and the man so long vanquished and slain."

In Bodenstown churchyard there is a green grave,
And freely around it let winter winds rave
Far better they suit him the ruin and gloom
Till Ireland, a nation, can build him a tomb.