| Robert Emmet was born in Dublin, in 1778 into the | | | | reserved to Thomas St. Emmet's followers seized |
| Protestant Ascendancy. He became heavily | | | | the Lord Chief Justice and his nephew from their |
| influenced by the ideals of the French and | | | | carriage and stabbed them to death, disillusioned |
| American revolutions and became a member of | | | | with his supporter's behaviour and realising the |
| the Society of the United Irishmen. From 1800 to | | | | cause was lost, Emmet fled into the Wicklow hills. |
| 1802, Emmet resided on the continent with | | | | He moved back into the city to be close to his |
| leaders of the United Irishmen who had been | | | | sweetheart Sarah Curran but was captured. He |
| exiled from Ireland following the rebellion of 1798. | | | | was tried and sentenced to death for treason. |
| Emmet was involved in the Irish delegation | | | | After he had been sentenced he delivered his |
| attempting to persuade the French to ally with | | | | famous Speech from the Dock which became |
| their cause against British rule. With the promise | | | | highly influential amongst Irish republicans, it's final |
| of aid secured, Emmet returned to Ireland in 1802 | | | | lines went thus: 'Let no man write my epitaph; for |
| and began to prepare for insurrection and the | | | | as no man who knows my motives dare now |
| French landing. However, a premature explosion at | | | | vindicate them, let not prejudice or ignorance, |
| one of the arms depots forced him to move his | | | | asperse them. Let them and me rest in obscurity |
| plans for rebellion forward. Emmet was unable to | | | | and peace, and my tomb remain uninscribed, and |
| secure the support of Michael Dwyer's rebels and | | | | my memory in oblivion, until other times and |
| the Kildare rebels turned back when they | | | | other men can do justice to my character. When |
| discovered the scarcity of arms available. | | | | my country takes her place among the nations of |
| However, undaunted, Emmet led a small band on | | | | the earth, then and not till then, let my epitaph be |
| Dublin Castle but failing to take it the rising | | | | written. I have done. |
| became nothing more than a full-scale fight | | | | |