 | |
| Type | weekly newspaper |
|---|---|
| Founded | 24 June 1848 (1848-06-24) |
| Political alignment | Irish nationalism |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | Dublin |
The Irish Felon was a nationalist weekly journal printed inDublin in 1848. Only five issues were published before its suppression by theBritish Government.
TheUnited Irishman was arepublican journal printed and published byJohn Mitchel from February 1848. Mitchel had written forThe Nation, which supportedDaniel O'Connell'sRepeal Association, but resigned to create his more radical paper, advocating sedition. Another member ofYoung Ireland,John Martin, contributed to Mitchel's paper. Mitchel was arrested, initially charged with sedition but was then charged with the new crime oftreason felony and on 21 May was sentenced to 14 years inVan Diemen's Land.[1][2][3]
Martin aimed to carry on Mitchel's political message. The gap for a more radical publication was first filled byThe Irish Tribune, which appeared on 10 June and contained a memoir of Mitchel, however the first issue also contained an advertisement for Martin's new journal with a claim that it was the "successor to theUnited Irishman" and would be assisted by two other Young Irelanders,Thomas Devin Reilly andJames Fintan Lalor. It was also stated that the journal would be "selected and compiled in the same manner as theUnited Irishman" and that "subscribers to theUnited Irishman will be supplied with "The Irish Felon" to the expiration of their respective Terms of Subscription."[4]The Irish Felon duly appeared on 24 June. Martin also established The Felon Club, one of many nationalist clubs. Reilly had previously provided articles for theUnited Irishman and Lalor had been a regular contributor toThe Nation. Articles continued to cover therevolutionary unrest in Europe of the period. Martin, like Mitchel, printed and published the paper himself from the same address, 12 Trinity Street.[5]
Members of theHouse of Commons and theHouse of Lords debated concerns about thefamine, failed prosecutions for sedition, so-called "monster meetings" and Irish revolutionary opinion in general, including its effect onGreat Britain. TheCrown and Government Security Bill had gone from its first reading to law in the month of April, mentioning Mitchel and resulting in theAct of Parliament under which he had been charged. A seditious article of Lalor's fromThe Irish Felon was quoted on 22 July by theprime minister,John Russell, who additionally referred toThe Nation. Lalor was quoted by theMarquess of Lansdowne andBaron Kerry,Henry Petty-FitzMaurice, two days later in the House of Lords, after which theHabeas Corpus Suspension (Ireland) Bill was passed. Martin had handed himself in on 8 July 1848 after a warrant was issued for his arrest.Kevin Izod O'Doherty andRichard D'Alton Williams, two proprietors of The Irish Tribune, were arrested two days later. The press was stopped and the type and press seized on 28 July and future publication suspended.[6][7][8][9][10]
Martin was charged with treason felony. Lalor wrote to theUnder-Secretary saying that he had written the articles which had been used as evidence against Martin. His appeal was rejected and he himself was arrested. Martin was given a 10-year sentence in Van Diemen's Land on 18 August. Lalor suffered from ill health in prison and was released some months later. He died the following year frombronchitis. Reilly escaped arrest and fled to the US.[11][12]
