Rossa's Recollections, 1838 to 1898 / Childhood, boyhood, manhood; customs, habits and manners of the Irish people; Erinach and Sassenach; Catholic and protestant; Englishman and Irishman; English religion; Irish plunder; social life and prison life; the Fenian movement; Travels in Ireland, England, Scotland and America

by Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa

Was granting “commissions of death,” ex-officio,

To remain Barrack officers of the militia.

And it sickened the heart of myself who have seen

The starved and the murdered of Skull and Skibbereen,

To see those McCarthys, O’Mahonys, O’Flynns,

And also O’Donoghue, Chief of the Glens.

All sworn—disgraceful to all our traditions—

To command the militia instead of Milesians.

I also should tell you that while at the races,

I made my companions scan hundreds of faces,