William Mackey Lomasney
Encyclopedia
William Mackey Lomasney was a member of the Fenian Brotherhood
and the Clan na Gael who, during the Fenian dynamite campaign
organized by Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa
, was killed in a failed attempt to dynamite London Bridge
.
Born the son of Irish immigrants in Cincinnati, Ohio
(although other accounts claim he emigrated with his parents to Detroit, Michigan at the age of 3), Mackey served in the American Civil War
and later became involved in the Irish nationalist movement. Travelling to Ireland to take part in the Fenian Rising
in 1865, he was arrested by British authorities in Cork and ordered to leave the country along with John McCafferty
.
However, upon his return two years later, he and James X. O'Brien participated in the capture of the Ballyknockane Constabulary barracks. He also briefly captured and held the Monning Martello tower near Fota Island
in Cork Harbour; this tower is believed to have been the only Martello tower
ever captured. After the rebellion's end, he continued raiding gunshops and coastguard stations throughout Cork for over twelve months before his eventual capture by authorities on February 7, 1868.
Tried for murder and treasonous felony, he was sentenced to twelve years penal servitude on March 21, 1868. While imprisoned in Millbank Prison
, he became acquainted with John Devoy
. He was released under a general amnesty in 1871 on condition that he return to his native country.
Upon his return to the United States, he settled in Detroit, Michigan
and opened a book and stationery store. A later member of the American Land League, he became involved in the Clan na Gael
and had been in France to make a withdrawal from the treasury of the Irish Republican Brotherhood
from which he was to return to Ireland to plan for a possible rebellion with Devoy. However, as a wave of dynamite bombings occurred in Great Britain during early 1881, he and Devoy would correspond with each other both condemning Rossa's actions and the idea for a "bloodless revolution" in Ireland.
On the night of December 13, 1884, Mackey rowed out in a boat with his brother and John Fleming
with the intention of destroying London bridge when the dynamite they had been carrying had exploded prematurely. While none of the bodies were ever found, the Clan na Gael paid a pension to his widow and four children.
Fenian Brotherhood
The Fenian Brotherhood was an Irish republican organization founded in the United States in 1858 by John O'Mahony and Michael Doheny. It was a precursor to Clan na Gael, a sister organization to the Irish Republican Brotherhood. Members were commonly known as "Fenians"...
and the Clan na Gael who, during the Fenian dynamite campaign
Fenian dynamite campaign
The Fenian dynamite campaign was a bombing campaign that took place in Great Britain from 1881 to 1885. It was carried out by the Irish Republican Brotherhood , nicknamed the "Fenians", who launched attacks on infrastructure as well as government, military and police...
organized by Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa
Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa
Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa , was an Irish Fenian leader and prominent member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. His life as an Irish Fenian is well documented but he is perhaps known best in death for the graveside oration given at his funeral by Pádraig Pearse.-Life in Ireland:He was born at...
, was killed in a failed attempt to dynamite London Bridge
London Bridge
London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...
.
Born the son of Irish immigrants in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
(although other accounts claim he emigrated with his parents to Detroit, Michigan at the age of 3), Mackey served in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and later became involved in the Irish nationalist movement. Travelling to Ireland to take part in the Fenian Rising
Fenian Rising
The Fenian Rising of 1867 was a rebellion against British rule in Ireland, organised by the Irish Republican Brotherhood .After the suppression of the Irish People newspaper, disaffection among Irish radical nationalists had continued to smoulder, and during the later part of 1866 IRB leader James...
in 1865, he was arrested by British authorities in Cork and ordered to leave the country along with John McCafferty
John McCafferty
John McCafferty is a British scientist, one of the founders of Cambridge Antibody Technology, well known as one of the inventors of scFv antibody fragment phage display, a technology that revolutionised the monoclonal antibody drug discovery...
.
However, upon his return two years later, he and James X. O'Brien participated in the capture of the Ballyknockane Constabulary barracks. He also briefly captured and held the Monning Martello tower near Fota Island
Fota Island
Fota Island is a small island in Cork Harbour, Ireland, just north of the larger island of Great Island. The name "Fota" is derived from the Irish "Fód te" meaning warm soil...
in Cork Harbour; this tower is believed to have been the only Martello tower
Martello tower
Martello towers are small defensive forts built in several countries of the British Empire during the 19th century, from the time of the Napoleonic Wars onwards....
ever captured. After the rebellion's end, he continued raiding gunshops and coastguard stations throughout Cork for over twelve months before his eventual capture by authorities on February 7, 1868.
Tried for murder and treasonous felony, he was sentenced to twelve years penal servitude on March 21, 1868. While imprisoned in Millbank Prison
Millbank Prison
Millbank Prison was a prison in Millbank, Pimlico, London, originally constructed as the National Penitentiary, and which for part of its history served as a holding facility for convicted prisoners before they were transported to Australia...
, he became acquainted with John Devoy
John Devoy
John Devoy was an Irish rebel leader and exile.-Early life:Devoy was born near Kill, County Kildare. In 1861 he travelled to France with an introduction from T. D. Sullivan to John Mitchel...
. He was released under a general amnesty in 1871 on condition that he return to his native country.
Upon his return to the United States, he settled in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
and opened a book and stationery store. A later member of the American Land League, he became involved in the Clan na Gael
Clan na Gael
The Clan na Gael was an Irish republican organization in the United States in the late 19th and 20th centuries, successor to the Fenian Brotherhood and a sister organization to the Irish Republican Brotherhood...
and had been in France to make a withdrawal from the treasury of the Irish Republican Brotherhood
Irish Republican Brotherhood
The Irish Republican Brotherhood was a secret oath-bound fraternal organisation dedicated to the establishment of an "independent democratic republic" in Ireland during the second half of the 19th century and the start of the 20th century...
from which he was to return to Ireland to plan for a possible rebellion with Devoy. However, as a wave of dynamite bombings occurred in Great Britain during early 1881, he and Devoy would correspond with each other both condemning Rossa's actions and the idea for a "bloodless revolution" in Ireland.
On the night of December 13, 1884, Mackey rowed out in a boat with his brother and John Fleming
John Fleming
John Fleming was a judge in Cumberland County, Virginia who served in the Virginia House of Burgesses for more than a decade, working with John Robinson and Peyton Randolph. In 1764, he worked with Patrick Henry, George Johnston and Robert Munford on the Virginia Stamp Act Resolutions...
with the intention of destroying London bridge when the dynamite they had been carrying had exploded prematurely. While none of the bodies were ever found, the Clan na Gael paid a pension to his widow and four children.