In 1869 (October 4th) a Timothy O’CALLAGHAN was a signatory to the letter to the Cork Mayor, William Hegarty, published in the Irish Examiner. The letter called on the Mayor to convene a meeting to urge the government to grant amnesty to the ‘Political Prisoners.’ As Timothy’s children were still being baptised around this time with the name CALLAGHAN this may have been another Timothy O’CALLAGHAN.
However, in 1881 Timothy contributed 10s to the Political Prisoners Maintenance Fund, as reported in the Cork Examiner 24/12/1881. I have not been able to find out what exactly this related to, but there was ongoing political unrest and disorder at that time and funds were collected throughout Co. Cork.
An Irish Examiner article of Monday November 28, 1892 described the ongoing honouring of deceased nationalists:
Yesterday the 25th anniversary of the Manchester Martyrs was celebrated in a befitting manner by City Nationalists. The occasion – as has been the custom for the last few years – was also availed of to honour the men who suffered and died for the National principles during the years “59,” “65” and “67.” The celebration took the form of a procession to Str Joseph’s Cemetery from the South Terrace, where upwards of 5,000 people had assembled at 1 o’clock, with the following bands – Barrack Street, Butter Exchange, Barrack Steam, Fair Lane Fife and Drum, and St Peter and Paul’s Fife and Drum. The processionists having formed four abreast, a start was made for the Cemetery, the bands playing quick marching tunes until Turner’s Cross was reached…detectives who are usually present on such occasions were conspicuous by their absence.
The procession reached the Cemetery at two o’clock…Amongst those present were…. Timothy O’Callaghan, P Leonard, W Nagle ….
Could this W. Nagle have been connected to Timothy’s apprentice?
The graves of ‘the patriots’ were decorated with a green board, bordered with black and bearing the inscription, ‘A tribute of respect and esteem from his country to a true Irishman.’
A Timothy CALLAGHAN is named on the memorial to the 1867 uprising on the National Monument, Grand Parade, Cork city. This was unveiled in 1906. While there has been a belief that this is our Timothy, I am not convinced. The monument was planned for those who had died fighting for Ireland’s freedom. The Cork Young Ireland’s Society assumed responsibility for the monument’s construction and funding (Beecher, 1992). The Irish Examiner (May 13, 1893) had reported a ‘largely-attended meeting of Cork nationalists of all sections’ held in the Mechanics Hall, Grattan St, presided over by the then Mayor. The meeting related to a movement to erect a monument to the three Manchester Martyrs – ALLEN, LARKIN and O’BRIEN. It was reported that Timothy O’CALLAGHAN, South Main Street was present – our Timothy. Few others had their addresses included in the list, which suggests more than one Timothy O’CALLAGHAN. Another was on the list named as T. O’Callaghan. At the meeting the following resolution was passed unanimously:
“That love of liberty being deeply implanted in Irish hearts it is a patriotic duty to honour the memories of the men who strove to make Ireland an independent nation (hear hear). He said there was no land which had given more true men to the cause of human liberty and human progress than Ireland had (applause). He believed the men who had done much to bring the Irish cause to its present stage were the men who had given up their lives in the revolutionary efforts of the century (applause).
The Tailor’s Society guaranteed £20.00. The Mr. T. O’Callaghan seconded another motion, and was described as ‘a companion of Michael O’Brien and as a ’65 and ’67 man…’
I have never found any record of Timothy in newspaper articles from the time covering Fenian activities and reports of arrests to suggest he played a lead role in the ’67 uprising warranting naming on the National Monument. It seems that our Timothy was, however, involved in fundraising for the monument. It was unveiled on St Patrick’s Day, 1906 after a procession and in front of thousands.[3]
A Cork Examiner article published on 23 November 1896 reported on attendance at Martyr’s Day procession which include two T O’CALLAGHANs. This annual day was set aside to do honour to the memories of the Manchester Martyrs and the departed ones who participated in the ’48, ’65, and ’67 movements.
Decades after the Fenian uprising, Timothy remained politically engaged. He was active in the Cork Young Ireland Society and Old Guard Union, who met weekly on a Sunday evening. The Irish Examiner, on Tuesday December 17, 1907 carried a story about the death of the wife of one of their ‘friends and supporters’ and the subsequent adjournment of the meeting ‘without carrying out their weekly programme.’ A Mr. T O’CALLAGHAN had supported the motion.
The Examiner of Thursday, January 16, 1908 carried a story headlined Death of a ’67 Man and sub headed Impressive Funeral. It described the funeral of Charles O’Connell. His pall bearers included Timothy O’CALLAGHAN. Timothy was also listed as a representative of the Old Guard Union.[4] The list of attendees reads as a who’s who of republican activists.
Later that year, on Thursday June 4th, the Irish Examiner reported on a meeting acknowledging the death of the brother of their Hon. Vice President Alderman O’Callaghan.[5]
Mr. Timothy O’Callaghan moved, and Mr T. Lyons seconded: ‘That all members of the Cork Young Ireland Society and Old Guard Union hereby express our sincere regret at the death of Mr. O’Callaghan, brother of our patriotic Vice-president…
The meeting was adjourned as a mark of respect.
The Irish Republican Brotherhood survived to take a leading part in the 1916 uprising.
[4] I believe this is our Timothy as his funeral notice made reference to the Old Guard Union.
[5] I have not found any evidence of a family link between Alderman O’Callaghan and our Timothy.
In Search of Thomas Davis 