Let My Epitaph Be Written
In this spot Robert Emmet was hanged and beheaded in 1803 following his failed rebellion in August. Since his death his speech has gone down in history as a valiant and rousing defense of liberty. The following is an abridged version of that famous speech from the docks, performed by the brilliant actor Elliot Moriarty who previously performed as Robert Emmet in the play 'Green Street'.
More about this story
Emmet's uprising was a distaster on many fronts. The plan was to seize a few strategic positions within the city of Dublin and then wait for others to rebel. Their main target was Dublin Castle which was reported to be lightly guarded but was a highly symbolic target as the seat of British government in Ireland since the Lordship of King John. The main combat of the rebellion took place on Thomas street where a major riot broke out. There, Robert Emmet witnessed a British dragoon be pulled from his horse and executed. Upon seeing the brutality of those who had risen up, Emmet called off the rebellion, but he had command of only the original contingent of men who rebelled. At one point, the rebels on Thomas Street saw the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, Lord Kilwarden, reviled as chief prosecutor of William Orr in 1797, but also the judge who granted habeas corpus to Wolfe Tone in 1798. He was dragged from his carriage and hacked to death. Sporadic clashes continued into the night until finally quelled by the military at the estimated cost of twenty military and fifty rebel dead.
