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Robert Emmet: A Life
"Robert Emmet (1778-1803) was one of the most romantic of all Irish revolutionaries. His doomed relationship with Sarah Curran, his failed rebellion at the age of twenty-five and the brilliance of his speech from the dock, captured the popular imagination and created a powerful and enduring legend. W.B. Yeats declared that Emmet was the leading saint of Irish Nationalism." This book reveals for the first time the complex and ingenious plans that Emmet devised for the rebellion. His youthful idealism and military talent proved insufficient, however, and his attempt to seize Dublin on 23 July 1803 was a dramatic failure. Captured soon after, Emmet won an unlikely victory with his extraordinary speech from the dock that is rightly considered to be one of the greatest courtroom orations in history. He died bravely on the scaffold the next day.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
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About the author
Patrick M. Geoghegan
6 books2 followersPatrick M. Geoghegan is a lecturer in the Department of History at Trinity College Dublin.
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August 21, 2018
An overall good biography of the leader of the rising of 1803. It is well-researched and well-written.
However, Geoghegan focuses too much on the character of Emmet, and, in some way, is more concerned about the polemics and debates that had been raised in 1803 and less about the social, cultural and political implications of the rising. In that sense, this book was a disappointment. For instance, while he mentions the Despard connection though the character of Dowdall, Geoghegan doesn't really explore this aspect, nor the claim from Emmet that characters of a much higher stading than him were behind the rising.
To comment on his own question: was Emmet a deluded fool or a visionary? From reading this book, I would say both. Clearly, he was very right on many levels (most notably the unreliability of Bonaparte's France) but also very amateur in his approach to effecting a revolution, especially regarding the mobilisation of the popular classes.
I have yet to read Ruan O'Donnell's own take on 1803, but for the moment the history of the rising has yet to be written.
However, Geoghegan focuses too much on the character of Emmet, and, in some way, is more concerned about the polemics and debates that had been raised in 1803 and less about the social, cultural and political implications of the rising. In that sense, this book was a disappointment. For instance, while he mentions the Despard connection though the character of Dowdall, Geoghegan doesn't really explore this aspect, nor the claim from Emmet that characters of a much higher stading than him were behind the rising.
To comment on his own question: was Emmet a deluded fool or a visionary? From reading this book, I would say both. Clearly, he was very right on many levels (most notably the unreliability of Bonaparte's France) but also very amateur in his approach to effecting a revolution, especially regarding the mobilisation of the popular classes.
I have yet to read Ruan O'Donnell's own take on 1803, but for the moment the history of the rising has yet to be written.
Displaying 1 of 1 review