James Keily

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Dianne Jones on 26th September 2021

1866, September: Some time after his removal from Kilmainham, James Kiely was sent to Mountjoy prison. The mug shot referred to above is attributed to his time there. His transfer from Mountjoy to England in early September, along with that of six other men, was noted in the Pilot newspaper, of 29 September, p3 – although he is incorrectly called Reilly: “Departure of Fenian Prisoners.— Thomas Darragh, Charles McCarthy, James Reilly [this is actually James Kiely], Thomas Chambers, Robert Cranston, Michael Harrington, and Joseph O’Reilly, the soldiers who were recently convicted of treason-felony, left Kingstown on Tuesday morning [4 September], per the steamer Connaught, Capt. Kendal, for Holyhead, en route to Pentonville Penitentiary, there to undergo their several terms of imprisonment. They were handcuffed two and two, and were in charge of Captain Farquharson, Deputy Governor of Pentonville Prison, and Chief Warder Maguire, of Mountjoy. A party of marines from the Royal George, under Lieutenant Tier, formed the escort to Holyhead.” (https://newspapers.bc.edu/)

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Dianne Jones on 26th September 2021

1866, 18 June: At his court martial at the Royal Military barracks, in Dublin, he was convicted and sentenced to penal servitude for life for “not informing of a mutiny”. This report of his trial was published in the Queensland Times, in August 1866 (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/123333265): “… Another prisoner arraigned at the Dublin court martial on June 15 - Private James Keilly, of the [53rd] regiment… - is charged with having in January last, at Carrick-on-Suir, become acquainted with an intended mutiny, and with concealing it from his commanding officer. The prisoner was advised by his counsel to object to the competency of the court, on the ground that the president must needs have formed an opinion on the testimony of [Constable Thomas] Talbot, who was examined against [the soldier tried previously, Charles] McCarthy; and the same person's evidence was to be tendered against him. On this objection being disallowed the lawyers employed for Keilly retired, and the court was adjourned, to allow him to consider whether he would seek other assistance. On June l6, when it sat again, the prisoner renewed his objection, and when called upon to plead did not open his mouth. The court put in a plea of not guilty upon his behalf, and proceeded with the case. The charges were that the prisoner assisted the conspirators to obtain false keys to the doors of a government building wherein warlike stores were placed for safe keeping, to enable them to be used against his more loyal comrades, and that he also solicited, on more than one occasion, a young soldier in his regiment to join the Fenian conspiracy. He is also stated to have been intimately acquainted with, and to have taken part in organising, an intended mutiny at Clonmel in January last. The detective policeman Talbot was again the principal witness, and mentioned that Keilly had been introduced to him when he himself was considered a Fenian [Centre, called John Kelly], as one of 32 soldiers prepared to be sworn in. Keilly had told him that his two uncles had two nests of pikes concealed in Dungarvan. Unless the police barracks were given up several magistrates were to be disposed of when the outbreak occurred. Keilly declined to examine Talbot. Lance-Corporal Brennan gave testimony that he had seen the keys, and that Keilly had acquainted him with his intention of trying them when placed on guard.” --0--

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Dianne Jones on 26th September 2021

1860: James Kiely enlisted in the British Army’s 53rd Regiment of Foot. “Over the following years he was stationed in England, briefly, as well as Kildare, [Ireland] but… ended up [in] Clonmel in 1865. It was during this time that Kiely became interested in the Fenian movement. He attended nine Fenian meetings and… agreed to undertake the fabrication of a skeleton key which would allow the Fenians access to the town armoury. Before the task could be undertaken, an informer spread news of the plot to the local police and Kiely was arrested.” (www.facebook.com/TipperaryCountyMuseum) --0-- 1866, 3 February: Private James Kiely was admitted to Clonmel jail, County Tipperary, having been committed by S Hanna Esq at Carrick. No charge appears on his record. Prisoner #78, he was listed as 26, illiterate, Catholic, 5’7”, with grey eyes, brown hair and a fresh complexion (Ireland, Prison Registers, 1790-1924; Tipperary, Clonmel, 1851-1870). --0-- 1866, 13 February: James Kiely was committed at Clonmel by D McDermot Esq on a charge of treason-felony. He was then sent 114 miles north to Dublin and admitted to Kilmainham prison. Prisoner #109, he was listed as a soldier with the 53rd Regiment, aged 26, and a Roman Catholic. He was from Colligan, County Waterford [this is at odds with other records]. He could not read or write. He was 5’7½” tall with brown hair, grey eyes and a fair complexion. He was “given into military custody” on April 7 (Ireland, Prison Registers, 1790-1924; Dublin, Kilmainham, 1850-1871). --0--

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Dianne Jones on 26th September 2021

Note: It’s apparent from his various records and stories about him that James Kiely’s date of birth is open to debate. This bio goes with 1834, as given on his death record. Also, the various spellings of his surname are used "as found" in the various sources. --00--

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Dianne Jones on 30th July 2021

PHOTO of JAMES KEILEY / KEILY: Taken in 1866 while he was an inmate of Mounjoy Prison, Dublin, and labelled Image ID 1111433. It is available online at https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47dc-975f-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99 (see The New York Public Library Digital Collections, 1866).