Myles Byrne
Encyclopedia
Myles Byrne was a leader in the Irish Rebellion of 1798
and chef de bataillon in Napoleon’s Irish Legion.
, County Wexford
, Ireland
, 20 March 1780, into a Catholic
family.
, the Battle of Vinegar Hill
, Castlecomer and Ballygullen. He was aged only 18 years at the time. After the Wexford Rebellion was over, he joined Michael Dwyer
and Joseph Holt
in the Wicklow mountains, continuing to fight on. Next he settled in Dublin. While there he was also involved in the Emmet Rebellion (1803).
In his Memoirs he describes a meeting he arranged between Robert Emmet
and Thomas Cloney
(of Moneyhore, Co. Wexford) at Harold's Cross Green, Dublin, just prior to Emmet's Rebellion:
"I can never forget the impression this meeting made on me at the time - to see two heroic patriots, equally devoted to poor Ireland, discussing the best means of obtaining her freedom."
. In France
he eventually became Brigadier General and leader of Napoleon’s Irish Brigade, and was awarded the Legion of Honour. He fought in Spain
and Greece
. In his later years he wrote his memoirs, Memoirs of Miles Byrne, which are an account of his participation in the Irish rebellion and his time in the Irish Brigade. These were first published in three volumes in 1863 (under the direction of his widow, Fanny), but there have been many subsequent reprints.
Stephen Gwynn who edited and published a new edition of Byrne’s Memoirs in 1907 stated in his Introduction to Volume 1:
“I owe my acquaintance with these Memoirs to Mr. John Dillon
, who spoke of them as the best of all books dealing with Ireland; and a reading of the volumes left me inclined to agree with him.”
For those areas and battles that it covers, Byrne's is the best source for the 1798 Rebellion.
In Paris
, Byrne frequently met many other 'exiled' Irish - including Thomas Addis Emmet
(brother of the above Robert) and James Devereux (of Carrigmannon, Co. Wexford).
to Fanny Horner (originally from George Square, Edinburgh
, Scotland
) but they had no children. She is not so well known, as few details emerge about her in Byrne's Memoirs. However, she was a Presbyterian, and this may partially explain the void. Fanny Horner's father was John Horner, a "merchant of Edinburgh", and her mother was Joanna Baillie. They were married 6 October 1776. She had 3 brothers and 2 sisters. One of her brothers was Francis Horner
(1778 - 1817), a well known Whig MP
, and another was Leonard Horner
(1785 - 1864), a well known Scottish geologist.
, the residence of the President of Ireland
, in Dublin.
John Mitchel
visited Byrne when he was 80 years old and described him as "One of those rare beings who never grow old".
), Paris
, Friday, 24 January 1862, and was buried in Montmartre Cemetery
. His grave there is marked by a Celtic Cross
- but this headstone
appears to be a replacement for an earlier one, the new headstone being erected sometime in the 1950s. The inscription to his original headstone appears in his Memoirs.
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
and chef de bataillon in Napoleon’s Irish Legion.
Early life
Myles (or 'Miles') Byrne was born in the townland of Ballylusk near MonaseedMonaseed
Monaseed is a hamlet in North County Wexford.The tiny village centre comprises a Primary National School, a Catholic church, a Community Hall and a public house. Recent housing development has taken place outside the village boundary, which is itself very extensive relative to population. The...
, County Wexford
County Wexford
County Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, 20 March 1780, into a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
family.
1798 Rebellion & Aftermath
Byrne participated in preparations for the 1798 Rebellion, fought at Oulart, Enniscorthy, the Battle of Clough (or Battle of Tubberneering), the Battle of ArklowBattle of Arklow
The second Battle of Arklow took place during the Irish Rebellion of 1798 on 9 June when a force of United Irishmen from Wexford, estimated at 10,000 strong, launched an assault into County Wicklow, on the British-held town of Arklow, in an attempt to spread the rebellion into Wicklow and to...
, the Battle of Vinegar Hill
Battle of Vinegar Hill
The Battle of Vinegar Hill was an engagement during the Irish Rebellion of 1798 on 21 June 1798 when over 15,000 British soldiers launched an attack on Vinegar Hill outside Enniscorthy, County Wexford, the largest camp and headquarters of the Wexford United Irish rebels...
, Castlecomer and Ballygullen. He was aged only 18 years at the time. After the Wexford Rebellion was over, he joined Michael Dwyer
Michael Dwyer
Michael Dwyer was a Society of the United Irishmen leader in the 1798 rebellion. He later fought a guerilla campaign against the British Army in the Wicklow Mountains from 1798-1803.-Early life:...
and Joseph Holt
Joseph Holt
General Joseph Holt was a leading member of the Buchanan administration and was Judge Advocate General of the United States Army, most notably during the Lincoln assassination trials.-Early life:...
in the Wicklow mountains, continuing to fight on. Next he settled in Dublin. While there he was also involved in the Emmet Rebellion (1803).
In his Memoirs he describes a meeting he arranged between Robert Emmet
Robert Emmet
Robert Emmet was an Irish nationalist and Republican, orator and rebel leader born in Dublin, Ireland...
and Thomas Cloney
Thomas Cloney
Thomas Cloney was a County Wexford leader in the Irish Rebellion of 1798.He was the only son of Denis Cloney, a prosperous middleman, of Moneyhore, Wexford, and his wife, Mary Kavanagh , a native of Ballybeg, County Carlow, both Roman Catholics...
(of Moneyhore, Co. Wexford) at Harold's Cross Green, Dublin, just prior to Emmet's Rebellion:
"I can never forget the impression this meeting made on me at the time - to see two heroic patriots, equally devoted to poor Ireland, discussing the best means of obtaining her freedom."
France, the Irish Brigade, and Memoirs
Shortly after this he escaped to FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. In France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
he eventually became Brigadier General and leader of Napoleon’s Irish Brigade, and was awarded the Legion of Honour. He fought in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. In his later years he wrote his memoirs, Memoirs of Miles Byrne, which are an account of his participation in the Irish rebellion and his time in the Irish Brigade. These were first published in three volumes in 1863 (under the direction of his widow, Fanny), but there have been many subsequent reprints.
Stephen Gwynn who edited and published a new edition of Byrne’s Memoirs in 1907 stated in his Introduction to Volume 1:
“I owe my acquaintance with these Memoirs to Mr. John Dillon
John Dillon
John Dillon was an Irish land reform agitator from Dublin, an Irish Home Rule activist, a nationalist politician, a Member of Parliament for over 35 years, and the last leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party....
, who spoke of them as the best of all books dealing with Ireland; and a reading of the volumes left me inclined to agree with him.”
For those areas and battles that it covers, Byrne's is the best source for the 1798 Rebellion.
In Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Byrne frequently met many other 'exiled' Irish - including Thomas Addis Emmet
Thomas Addis Emmet
Thomas Addis Emmet was an Irish and American lawyer and politician. He was a senior member of the revolutionary republican group United Irishmen in the 1790s and New York State Attorney General 1812–1813.-Background:...
(brother of the above Robert) and James Devereux (of Carrigmannon, Co. Wexford).
Marriage
Byrne was married (1835) in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to Fanny Horner (originally from George Square, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
) but they had no children. She is not so well known, as few details emerge about her in Byrne's Memoirs. However, she was a Presbyterian, and this may partially explain the void. Fanny Horner's father was John Horner, a "merchant of Edinburgh", and her mother was Joanna Baillie. They were married 6 October 1776. She had 3 brothers and 2 sisters. One of her brothers was Francis Horner
Francis Horner
Francis Horner was a Scottish Whig MP for St. Ives in 1806, Wendover in 1807, and St. Mawes in 1812 ....
(1778 - 1817), a well known Whig MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, and another was Leonard Horner
Leonard Horner
Leonard Horner , Scottish geologist, brother of Francis Horner, was born in Edinburgh.Horner was a 'radical educational reformer' who was involved in the establishment of University College School....
(1785 - 1864), a well known Scottish geologist.
Photo
There is a photograph of Byrne facing opposite page 185 in Nicholas Furlong's "Fr. John Murphy of Boolavogue: 1753-1798" (Dublin, 1991). According to the author, it was taken in Paris in 1859 and is reputed to be the first photograph taken of an Irishman. The photograph is now in Aras an UachtaráinÁras an Uachtaráin
Áras an Uachtaráin , formerly the Viceregal Lodge, is the official residence of the President of Ireland. It is located in the Phoenix Park on the northside of Dublin.-Origins:...
, the residence of the President of Ireland
President of Ireland
The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
, in Dublin.
John Mitchel
John Mitchel
John Mitchel was an Irish nationalist activist, solicitor and political journalist. Born in Camnish, near Dungiven, County Londonderry, Ireland he became a leading member of both Young Ireland and the Irish Confederation...
visited Byrne when he was 80 years old and described him as "One of those rare beings who never grow old".
Death
Miles Byrne died at his house in the Rue Montaigne (now Rue Jean Mermoz, 8th arrondissement, near Champs-ÉlyséesChamps-Élysées
The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a prestigious avenue in Paris, France. With its cinemas, cafés, luxury specialty shops and clipped horse-chestnut trees, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous streets and one of the most expensive strip of real estate in the world. The name is...
), Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Friday, 24 January 1862, and was buried in Montmartre Cemetery
Montmartre Cemetery
Montmartre Cemetery is a cemetery in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, France.-History:Cemeteries had been banned from Paris since the shutting down of the Cimetière des Innocents in 1786, as they presented health hazards...
. His grave there is marked by a Celtic Cross
Celtic cross
A Celtic cross is a symbol that combines a cross with a ring surrounding the intersection. In the Celtic Christian world it was combined with the Christian cross and this design was often used for high crosses – a free-standing cross made of stone and often richly decorated...
- but this headstone
Headstone
A headstone, tombstone, or gravestone is a marker, usually stone, that is placed over a grave. In most cases they have the deceased's name, date of birth, and date of death inscribed on them, along with a personal message, or prayer.- Use :...
appears to be a replacement for an earlier one, the new headstone being erected sometime in the 1950s. The inscription to his original headstone appears in his Memoirs.