On Thursday, August 5th, the Executive of the Funeral Committee met at the Gresham Hotel, Dublin. Mrs. Rossa and her daughter were present. The President, Mr. T. J. Clarke, on behalf of the Committee, presented to Mrs. Rossa the tricolour flag with which the coffin of Rossa was draped during the lying in state, and also the title deeds of the grave plot in Glasnevin Cemetery. In replying, Mrs. Rossa, speaking for herself and her daughter, expressed great satisfaction with the manner in which all the arrangements of the Committee had been made and carried out. She said that the universal sympathy of all the people, their loyalty to the memory of Rossa, and their devotion to the cause for which he suffered, had turned their great sorrow into joy, and she hoped that her next visit to Ireland would be to witness the crowning act of the labours of Rossa, those who had gone before him, and the men of to-day.
Before leaving Liverpool Mrs. Rossa addressed the following letter to the Committee:—
Liverpool, August 7th, 1915.
Dear Mr. Clarke, and Gentlemen of the Executive Committee of the O’Donovan Rossa funeral,
I feel that I cannot sail for America without again expressing to you my satisfaction with, and gratitude to you for the superb management of the National Testimonial directed by you on the part of the people of Ireland. Consoled by the honour conferred on him, and the open affection and sympathy and unity with his ideals displayed and avowed by hundreds of thousands of his countrymen and women, I leave Rossa to rest in his native sod, convinced that Ireland was never so close to the fruition of his dreams as at this moment, and inspired with an ardent desire to help with heart and soul always and everywhere, that cause of Freedom in the service of which O’Donovan Rossa lived and died.
To the several Committees of management, to the Irish Volunteers, and the National, to the Citizen Army, to all who participated personally, or in spirit or word, with Sunday’s patriotic pageant; to the Ancient Order (always ready to swell Ireland’s glory), to the Foresters and the Labour societies, the young Fianna (future hope of Ireland), and the Cumann na mBan (the future mothers of Ireland’s heroes), and their sister societies, who worked for the success of our undertaking, my gratitude, love and congratulations, and also to the sympathetic throngs who lined the way to Glasnevin my heart speaks, for ‘they also serve who only stand and wait,’ and their good order, reverence, and generally evident sympathy strengthened and comforted me to the heart’s core.
Perhaps before closing I should make a little explanation to the Cork societies who expected Rossa’s remains would be laid with his forefathers in the Abbey Field, Ross Carberry. There was such an intention five years ago when Mr. Michael D. O’Brien wrote to Rossa on the part of a committee in Cork proposing to give him an Irish funeral if I should bring his remains home. I promised Rossa forty years ago if I survived him I would bring him home to sleep in Ireland. After his death I proceeded to fulfil my promise, but not having heard anything more from Mr. O’Brien, or any committee in Cork, and receiving an invitation from Dublin to bring him to Glasnevin, and receive for him a national funeral from the united people of all Ireland, I followed the advice of our best and truest friends in New York, and the dictates of my own judgment and my full knowledge of Rossa’s own mind under the circumstances, and I brought him here, thank God, to all Ireland, to radiate from his buried body at Glasnevin more patriotic inspiration to his people than would be possible to him living. Cork will understand and appreciate my intention, I am sure. Cork has done so by attending so largely the National demonstrations to Glasnevin.
Thanking you again, my dear Friends, for your sympathy, hospitality and fearless devotion, and full of pride and gratitude leaving him to the hearts that loved him and thought with him, and the sod he loved and fought for.
I remain ever sincerely and devotedly yours,
MARY J. O’DONOVAN ROSSA.