George A. Birmingham

“ There isn't a loyaler man in Ireland. You'd know that if you'd ever seen him singing 'God Save the King.' He swells out an inch all over when he's doing it."
"If he's as loyal as all that," said Waterhouse, "he wouldn't consult with rebels."
"My dad, though loyal, has some sense, and so, as it happened, had O'Farrell. Neither one nor other of them wanted to have a battle fought in the streets of Ballymaher. You've seen battles, Waterhouse, and you know what they're like—messy things. You can understand my father's feelings. O'Farrell was awfully nice about it. ”

“ At twenty-five past seven he stopped O'Farrell and said they couldn't have an Irish republic just yet, though they might later on—on account of the gun the soldiers had on top of the hill. Then he asked them again to say exactly what they wanted, republics being considered a washout for the moment. You'd have been surprised if you'd heard the answer he got. Every man in the place stood up and shouted that he asked nothing better than to die for Ireland. They meant it, too. I thought it was all up and that Father Conway was done. ”

“ Though I should think hanging is the proper death for a rebel."
"He wasn't shot, either," said Power. "He's alive still and quite well. He's going about the country making speeches. He was down in Ballymaher about a fortnight ago and called on my dad to thank him for all he'd done during the last rebellion. He inquired after me in the kindest way. The old dad was greatly touched, especially when a crowd of about a thousand men—all O'Farrell's original army and a few new recruits—gathered round the house and cheered, first for an Irish republic, and then for dad. ”