Facts on Irish-Australian rebels
Peter Lalor and Ned Kelly helped shape Australia
Rebels Peter Lalor and Ned Kelly helped shape Australia. Both had Irish heritage.
Ned Kelly
Perhaps the most famous Irish-Australian of them all, opinions of Ned and his gang are divided. From one perspective he was a symbol of the persecution of Irish Catholics by the British authorities and a political icon. There is no doubting that his family were constantly picked on by the police, and that Catholics were generally treated as an underclass by the authorities back in the mid-to-late 19th century. From the other perspective, he was a murderous career criminal, entirely out for personal gain.
Either way, his notoriety has passed into legend, and the shoot-out in which most of his gang died passed into legend.
After taking 70 hostages at the Glenrowan hotel, one of them signaled to the approaching police, and a raid, siege and shoot-out began. Despite taking up to 28 bullets in the legs, Ned and his famous makeshift armour survived.
Not for long though – Ned was hanged in Melbourne Gaol in November 1880.
You can visit the Old Melbourne Gaol (03 9663 7228) on Russell St during the day, or for the far spookier night tour. However, if you’d prefer to live out the last stand, then Kellyland (03 5766 2367) in Glenrowan, north east Victoria, has a completely over-the-top computerised theatre show, that takes visitors back in time.
Peter Lalor
Whilst a dispute between gold miners and the authorities may not seem like much of a big thing, the Eureka Stockade is regarded as being an integral building block in founding the Australian nation and character.
When gold was discovered near Ballarat in Victoria in 1851, there was a huge influx of chancers, many of whom were from Ireland. However, the fledgling state didn’t have the infrastructure to deal with it, and clamped down with outrageous mining licence fees and largely unreasonable on-the-spot checks.
After a while this infuriated the men who were just trying to earn a living, and it all kicked off in 1854. 800 of the irate diggers, led by Irishman burned their licences and then built a stockade, barricading themselves into the gold fields.
Predictably enough, the Government wasn’t having any of it, and 30 miners were killed in a 20 minute raid.
However, the people were behind the miners, and when Lalor and co went to trial for high treason, they were acquitted. Soon afterwards the licence fee was abolished, and Lalor eventually became the speaker of the Victorian Parliament.
A $5m sound and light show, re-enacting the Eureka story, can be found at Sovereign Hill, Ballarat. To see the show in a day out at Sovereign Hill, on top of all the rather impressive olde worlde mininge towne exhibits, you’ll have to fork out $67. Ballarat is just under three hours from Spencer St, Melbourne, on the train.
More famous Irish Australians: Part one; Part two; Part three
