| Notes |
- Sarah Curran (1782 – 1808-05-05 was the youngest daughter of John Philpot Curran, an eminent Irish lawyer. She lived in the priory in Rathfarnham. She was Robert Emmet's great love.
She met Robert through her brother Richard. Richard Curran was a fellow student with Robert Emmet at Trinity College. Sarah's father considered Robert unsuitable, and their courtship was conducted through letters and clandestine meetings. Notable is Robert's letter to Sarah. Robert and Sarah were secretly engaged in 1803.
When her father discovered that Sarah was secretly engaged, he treated her so harshly that she had to take refuge with friends in Cork, where she met and married Captain Robert Sturgeon in November 1805. The two had a child who died in infancy. Sarah died of consumption (tuberculosis).
Rathfarnham has a pub named after Sarah Curran and the road leading past St. Enda's Park is called Sarah Curran Avenue.
Parker Family History records Sarah as the lover of Robert Emmet (1783-1803), Irish Nationalist, who was defended by John Philpot Curran at his trial and later hanged for sedition. Sarah went to live in France, and during her exile Thomas Moore (1779-1852) Irish poet and close friend of Sarah and Emmet, wrote two Ballads which were inspired by their romance: "She is far from the land where her young hero sleeps", and "Oh breathe not his name."
While in France she married a Captain Sturgeon, and reputedly died a few months later from a broken heart. - Columbia Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition, 1950, page 492.
Thomas Moore (1779-1852) wrote the words to "Oh Breathe not his name". The subject of the tune is the Irish patriot, Robert Emmet.
Robert Emmet (1778-1803) helped plan and lead an uprising in Dublin in 1803. Forced to act early because of an explosion at one of the arms depots, the uprising disintegrated into chaos. Wearing a green and white uniform Emmet and a small troop marched on Dublin Castle, killing the Lord Chief Justice on the way. He fled, hoping to escape to America with his fiance Sarah Curran. He was captured and hung.
At his trial Emmet requested that no epitaph be written for him until Ireland took her place among the nations of the earth.
Another song by Thomas Moore's She Is Far From the Land was also inspired by Emmet.
OH, BREATHE NOT HIS NAME
Oh, breathe not his name, Let it sleep in the shade, Where cold and unhonored, His relics are laid; Sad, silent and dark Be the tears that we shed, As night dew that weeps On the grave o'er his head. But the night dew that falls, Tho' in silence it weeps, Shall brighten with vendure The grave where he sleeps; And the tears that we shed, Tho' in secret it rolls, Shall long keep his memory Green in our souls.
SHE IS FAR FROM THE LAND
She is far from the land Where her young hero sleeps, And lovers are round her, sighing; But coldly she turns From their gaze, and weeps, For her heart in his grave is lying. She sings the wild songs Of her dear native plains, Ev'ry note which she loved awakening - Ah! little they think Who delight in her strains, How the heart of the Minstrel is breaking. He had lived for his love, For his country he died, They were all that to life Had entwined him - Nor soon shall the tears Of his country be dried, Nor long will his love Stay behind him. Oh! make her a grave Where the sunbeams rest, When they promise a glorious morrow; They'll shine o'er her sleep Like a smile from the West, From her own loved Island of sorrow.
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1783 - 1808 (25 years)
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