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>>Hello there - > >I would like to make contact with Mark Day; do you >have contact data for him? > >Gordon >>==== >>IRISH FREEDOM COMMITTEE® NEWSLIST >>www.irishfreedomcommittee.net >>----------------------------- >> >>Subject: James Wilson Commemoration, Providence RI - >>TODAY >>Date: 12 07 02 >> >>The Irish Freedom Committee will co-host a >>commemorative event today in >>Providence Rhode Island marking the life and death of >>Fenian James >>Wilson, who escaped a British penal camp in Australia >>aboard the whaler >>"Catalpa" in 1876. Likened to a modern-day rescue >>from the moon, this >>fascinating voyage was the subject of a book by author >>Peter F. Stevens >>this year, and will be the subject of a feature length >>documentary by >>producer Mark Day in the near future. Peter F. >>Stevens and Mark Day >>will also be attending today's event. >> >>For more information please see the links below. >> >>The Irish Freedom Committee® >>www.irishfreedomcommittee.net >> >>************************************************ >>The Phoenix, Providence RI >>Issue Date: December 6 - 12, 2002 >> >>An Irish patriot gains new respect in Central Falls >>BY CHRISTINA BEVILACQUA >>George McLaughlin began work with Northern Irish >>political prisoners in >>the '80s, the era made famous by hunger strikers like >>Bobby Sands. >>McLaughlin, who teaches at Central Falls High School >>and spends his >>summers in Ireland, has woven a life defined by both >>countries, yet >>bounded by neither. He's an exemplar, in short, of our >>thoroughly modern >>moment, wherein international dispatches arrive >>instantly, making >>others' issues immediately our own, and planes depart >>for everywhere on >>the hour, making a Mobius strip of the concept, "Be >>here now." >> >>Appearances deceive. McLaughlin's itinerary looks >>modern because we're >>myopic, focused on up-to-the-minute machinery, when >>really it's man's >>motivation that propels things. And as McLaughlin >>himself has recently >>discovered, the motivation that characterizes his work >>as an >>Irish-American -- assisting the fight for Irish >>independence -- is an >>old one indeed. It was born in the Irish Famine's >>aftermath of >>resistance to British rule and mass emigration of >>Irish to the United >>States. It was born before Alexander Graham Bell >>himself; born, then, >>when a man's voice could be heard only by those near >>to him, when to >>depend on a communications network meant to trust not >>wires or fiber >>optics, but rather people in proximity. >> >>Recently, via just such a network, McLaughlin and a >>group of fellow >>enthusiasts serendipitously uncovered the tale of a >>famous Irish >>patriot's bafflingly infamous life in Central Falls, >>just before all >>evidence of it might have died with the last men to >>remember him. And as >>is often the case, the tale of discovery is a tale in >>itself. >> >>About a year ago, McLaughlin was talking with a member >>of Clan na Gael >>(a cultural organization), who mentioned a "Fenian" >>buried somewhere in >>New England (the Fenians were 19th-century Irish >>revolutionaries). Some >>weeks later, in a book of local history he came upon a >>photo of a >>gravestone: James Wilson, Irish Patriot, Died 1921. >>Could it be? >> >>No mere Fenian, Wilson had been one of the most famous >>prison escapees >>of all time. Arrested for taking part in a revolt >>while in the British >>Army, Wilson had been sentenced to the Australian >>penal colony, >>Fremantle, a place so desolate and remote, says >>McLaughlin, that today's >>equivalent sentence would be life on the moon. >>Desperate, Wilson wrote a >>"letter from the tomb," imploring any recipient to >>plot an escape. It >>was smuggled out to two Fenians in the US, who got a >>New Bedford whaling >>captain to agree to sail his ship, the Catalpa, to >>rescue Wilson and >>five other prisoners, and bring them to the America. >>The journey was >>filled with hair's-breadth escapes; astonishingly, the >>men were >>delivered to safety, their story told and retold. >> >>So how had Wilson disappeared in Central Falls? >>McLaughlin got help at >>the Adams Memorial Library from director Tom Shannahan >>and administrator >>Don Twohig, who share an interest in Central Falls >>history. They found >>Wilson's 1915 address: 52 Cross Street -- less than a >>block away. More >>discoveries followed, including residents who >>remembered Wilson from >>their childhoods, and the roster of researchers grew. >>Giving the story a >>wonderfully American twist, those involved include two >>Central Falls >>High School students, Thecia Faria, a Brazilian >>immigrant, and Thang >>Hyunh, from Vietnam, who explains his fascination with >>the project thus: >>"James Wilson came here looking for freedom and so did >>I." >> >>This Saturday, December 7, the Search for James Wilson >>Roundtable is >>hosting a commemoration of his life. The event starts >>at 11 a.m. with >>oration and music at his grave in Saint Mary's >>Cemetery, Pawtucket, and >>moves at 12:30 to Adams Memorial Library (205 Central >>Ave., Central >>Falls), where festivities will include a symposium, >>music, and the >>unveiling of an exhibit on Wilson's life. >> >>The organizers hope for a big, celebratory crowd. >>McLaughlin says, "In >>the modern world, we throw away the physical evidence >>of our lives while >>we're still living -- we have nothing to show our >>children. But we still >>have stories -- how this guy got here, the heartache >>of leaving an old >>life, the joy of the start of a new one. This isn't an >>Irish story; this >>country is always about hope, no matter what your >>politics. This story >>embodies that." >> >>For more information, call (401) 727-7440, (401) >>273-3935, or write to >>don@cflibrary.com or seoirse49@earthlink.net. >> >>************************************************ >> >> "The Voyage of the Catalpa" by Peter F. Stevens >>ISBN: 0-7867-0974-X >>Price: $26.00 >>Pages: 392 >>Publisher: Carroll & Graf >>Date reviewed: 2002/04 >>http://www.bookviewireland.ie/results.asp?P_Key=850 >>Bookview Ireland Reviews >>------------------------------- >>Mark Day Productions >>In Development - "The Catalpa" >>http://www.day-communications.com/in_development/index >. >>htm >> >>************************************************ >>For further information on the "The Search for James >>Wilson" >>commemorative event please go to >>http://members.freespeech.org/irishpows/bb3/james_wils >o >>n_flier.htm >>or to >>www.irishfreedomcommiittee - click on "Upcoming >>Events" and scroll down. >> >>************************************************ >>© The Irish Freedom Committee® NewsList - IFC Updates >> >>Permission to re-publish any article from this post is >>granted provided >>signature is attached and the active link back to this >>site is included. >> >>To Subscribe to this list send an email to >>IFCnews-subscribe@topica.com >>with >>SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. >> >>To view Archives, follow HELP instructions or email >>deemail@msn.com for >>assistance. >>************************************************ >> >>====================================================== >= >>====

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