More than a dozen people gathered at the grave site of John Breslin exactly 150 years after his return to New York after orchestrating one of the most daring prison escapes in history.
On August 19th, 2026, members of Clan na Gael led a commemoration along with Friends of Sinn Féin on a beautiful summer afternoon. Flowers were laid at Breslin’s headstone, provided by Clan na Gael, Friends Sinn Féin USA, and Friends of Sinn Féin Australia.
Speaking at the site, Sinn Féin’s Representative to North America Ciarán Quinn said, “I am honored to be asked to speak at the graveside of John Breslin, an Irish patriot, and to remember the return of the Catalpa to New York 150 years ago today.
“When it landed here, it carried more than six freed prisoners and a weary crew.
“It carried with it the hopes and dreams of an Irish Republic. It demonstrated that a dedicated few can break the might of the British Empire.
“For John Boyle O’Reilly and John Devoy, this mission was both political and personal. They had recruited members of the British military into the Fenian movement. Their friends and comrades languished in the tomb.
“For John Breslin and John Desmond, it was their duty as sworn Fenians to be the advance party for the escape. They held their nerve and maintained their cover for months.
“Freeing the prisoners demonstrated that the will of the British empire could be faced down.
It re-energised the Fenian movement in the US.
“In Ireland it revitalised the Irish Republican movement. Both of which would lead to the 1916 Easter Rising which would be supported by our exiled Children in America.
“Governments come and go, but our struggle continues to secure the right to self-determination.
“To secure and win unity referendums. To build a new and united Ireland. A home for
all our people. That will be the legacy of the Fenians of the Catapla.”
