Rathfarnham Local News Home
Anne Devlin Statue Revealed
- 26th Feb 2004

Gazing towards Dublin's wild Mountains, Devlin conteplates Ireland's future. She is barefooted and poorly dressed but looks inspirational, motivated and hopeful. Anne Devlin played a significant role in our history and participated in the planning of the 1803 Rising. Last Wednesday, South Dublin County Council proudly revealed a statue of Anne at the entrance of the village, 201 years after the rising.

The statue has caused a lot of controversy and many historians had wished to see a statue of Robert Emmet in the place of Devlin since he had led the Rising. However, this beautiful statue will hopefully add a bit of character to Rathfarnham village and highlight the significance of it's history. None of the other local villages have statues and the move by the Council could be one to be followed throughout Dublin.

Here are some of the frequently asked questions about Anne.
When and where was she born? Anne Devlin was born in County Wicklow in 1780.

What does she have in common with Rathfarnham? Anne Devlin worked as a housekeeper for the revolutionist Robert Emmett in a house on Butterfield Avenue, just a few meters down from her standing point in the village.

So what did Robert Emmet do? Robert Emmet led the 1803 rebellion which tried to free Ireland from the control of the British, the rebellion failed.

What did Anne Devlin do? Anne Devlin acted secretly in the disguise of a housekeeper for Robert Emmett. She contributed significantly to the rising, she helped Emmet with the planning and delivered many messages for him.

What happened after the failed rebellion? Devlin was arrested and imprisioned at Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin. The heroine was kept in solitary confinement for three years in a cramp and damp cell. She refused to tell the secrets she had about other people who had taken part in the rising. On the day that Robert Emmett was executed (September 30th 1803), the jailers took Devlin out of her cell and put her into a carriage. She was brought to Dublin Castle for questioning but on the way, they stopped the carriage outside St. Catherine’s Church on Thomas Street. Anne was forced to see Emmet's blood on the scaffold and she was shocked to see pigs and dogs lapping up the blood between the paving stones. In 1806, Anne was released from Kilmainham and she led a life of poverty as a washerwoman in the Liberties.