Series 6 - Michael Doheny letter

124pp

Kerby A. Miller created his transcript and letter abstracts from the original manuscript held in the William Smith O'Brien Papers at the National Library of Ireland [call number MS 466, item 3058].

Kerby A. Miller's abstracts and transcript of Young Ireland member and Fenian leader Michael Doheny's 20 August 1858 letter from New York to Young Ireland leader William Smith O'Brien; Miller's research notes on Doheny and Young Ireland colleague Richard O'Gorman [see P155/48/5]; and photographs and census notes compiled by Bruce D. Boling.
Michael Doheny (1805–1862) was a prominent Irish nationalist, lawyer, and revolutionary leader who co-founded the Fenian Brotherhood and the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB). Born in County Tipperary, Doheny overcame early poverty to become a successful barrister. He initially supported Daniel O'Connell’s peaceful Repeal Association but grew frustrated with its conservative approach. Aligning with the radical Young Ireland movement, he wrote for The Nation newspaper and helped lead the failed 1848 Young Irelander Rebellion. After a dramatic escape from a massive police manhunt, he fled to New York. In exile, Doheny emerged as a vital organizer for the Irish-American community. He co-founded the 69th New York Infantry Regiment to provide military training for future Irish liberation. Alongside John O'Mahony, he established the Emmet Monument Association, which laid the groundwork for the Fenian movement and built a powerful transatlantic revolutionary network.

Letters to William Smith O'Brien written by other exiles are found in P155/62/4 and P155/65/35.