Charles J. Kickham

“ A person unaccustomed to public speaking, as I am, can hardly marshal his ideas without preparation, and I have had no time for that. Few prisoners have ever been treated more unfairly than I have. Not only have I had to bear my share of calumny; but, from the commencement of the Commission, in every speech made by the counsel for the Crown, my name has been dragged in: not alone that, but judges on the bench have done it. How could I feel other than surprised when one of the judges read out from the “Executive Document” the names Luby, O’Leary and Kickham? ”

“ The first was headed ‘82’ and ‘29.’ If you take the trouble of reading through that article, you will be at a loss to see why it should have the place of honour. You may not agree with the writer; nevertheless, what he said was true that it would have been well for Ireland had the claims of the loyal Volunteers of ‘82’ been refused, for the result must have been complete Independence. If you look on the history of this country, you can see not a gleam of sun shine—nothing but the sufferings of the people, the Exodus and the rest. ”