18th September 1867

Emily Arabella Maynard Burke was born on September 1867 at Windsor Terrace, in the quiet little town of Edenderry, Co. Offaly, then King’s County. In the year of her birth one of the major uprisings against British Rule in Ireland took place, the Fenian Rising of 1867. It failed. Many of the leaders were arrested and imprisoned in the UK.

Later on that year, in the aftermath of the uprising, which took place on the very day of Emily’s birth an event took place in Manchester, England:

Manchester Martyrs
“On 18 September 1867 about 50 Irish Fenians, led by William Allen, attacked a prison van guarded by a large number of unarmed police at Hyde Road in Manchester, England. Their aim was to release two important Fenian prisoners, Thomas J. Kelly and Timothy Deasy.” Read more

https://www.historyireland.com/18th-19th-century-history/who-were-the-manchester-martyrs/

https://www.rte.ie/archives/2017/0301/856444-ceremonies-honour-fenian-rising/

18th September 1867 is documented in Fenian Folklore as the day of the “Smashing of the Van.” Interestingly enough, nearly fifty years later Emily was imprisoned for her attempt to take part in the Uprising of Easter 1916, which had roots in that of 1867. In 1922 Ireland won her freedom, a tiny part of that could be attributed to Emily. A lifelong Nationalist her favorite song was Bold Fenian Men also called, Down by the Glenside. Penned in the wake of the 1916 Rising by Peadar Kearney who also wrote the Irish National Anthem, The Soldier Song. No doubt his and Emily’s paths crossed occasionally. Perhaps she got to complement him personally for penning her favorite song.

Happy Birthday Emily

Sources

Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser 18 September 1867 https://www.rte.ie/archives/2017/1011/911615-fenian-rising-centenary/ https://www.historyireland.com/18th-19th-century-history/who-were-the-manchester-martyrs/

https://www.bellsirishlyrics.com/bold-fenian-men.html