by a
volley from the police and dispersed. One party had captured the police
barracks at Glencullen and Stepaside, and disarmed the police, but on
approaching Tallaght, and hearing that all was over, they too dispersed.

While most of the Irish-American officers bore the marks of their
profession rather too prominently for safety against the observance of a
trained detective, General Halpin was the last man in the world anyone
would, from his appearance, take to be a soldier. He looked far more
like a comfortable Irish parish priest. And yet he was, perhaps, the
most thoroughly scientific soldier of all those that crossed the
Atlantic at this time.

Reading the evidence of Corydon in one of the trials, I find he
described Edmond O'Donovan as helping Halpin to make maps for use when
the Rising would take place. Knowing both men so well, I can say that
none better could be found for planning out a campaign. They were
thoroughly scientific men, and always anxious to impart their knowledge
to other Irishmen for the good of the Cause.

I remember Halpin one night, at what was a kind of select social
gathering, giving a number of us enthusiastic young men a lecture on the
construction of fortifications and earthworks.

We bade him farewell when he was leaving Liverpool after the Rising, and
thought he had got safely away to America, but, unfortunately, he was
identified at Queenstown in the outgoing steamer. He was arrested, put
upon his trial, and met the same fate as so many of his comrades.

Among the men I knew long ago, who afterwards became connected with
Fenianism, was Stephen Joseph Meany. He was for many years a journalist
in Liverpool, having been sub-editor of the "Daily Post" under Michael
James Whitty. He was an earnest and active Repealer and Young Irelander.
When I first came in contact with him he was starting the "Lancashire
Free Press," which, after passing through several hands and several
changes, of name, ultimately became the "Catholic Times," which was for
three years, when Father Nugent became the proprietor, under my
direction. Meany was a man of fine presence and handsome countenance, a
brilliant writer and an eloquent speaker. He went to America in 1860,
where he followed his original profession of journalism for several
years. He returned to this country again, and was arrested in 1867 on a
charge of Fenianism, and sentenced to fifteen years imprisonment.

Liverpool was flooded with refugees