Roger Casement

Hi my name is Ava and today I will be talking to you about Roger Casement.
Roger Casement. I think we’ve all heard his name in Irish history at one point
or another, but the books don’t tell his full story. Today I will be talking about
not only about his role in the 1916 rising, but about his work in literate and
poetry as well as his human rights campaigns.
Roger Casement was born on the 1st September 1864 in Sandycove, Dublin. As
a young man, Casement worked as a foreign diplomat for the British Foreign
Office in the Congo. While he was there, he learned that the natives of the
Congo were being abused by the British. In 1903, he wrote the Casement
Report exposing these cruelties. The Casement report was put before
parliament. This report started one of the first human rights campaign.
Casement also worked in the Putumayo district in 1906 which was known for
its rubber in the Amazon. At this time rubber was very profitable and the
natives were forced into unpaid labour. Casement then wrote another report
on the treatment of the Putumayo Indians and presented it to parliament. In
1911 he was knighted for his work service to the Putumayo Indians. He retired
from the service shortly after in 1912.
He was also a strong Irish nationalist. When Casement returned to Ireland in
1913, he helped set up the Irish volunteers with Eoin McNeill and became a
member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. After the outbreak of World War
1, Casement saw an opportunity. He travelled to Germany to gain support for
an Irish rebellion against the British. Casement did get Germany to announce
their support for Ireland, but that was dismissed by the British. For the 1916
Rising, Casement was promised 200,000 rifles and as well as German officers
and soldiers. In reality he only received a 10th of the weapons promised and no
soldiers.
The weapons were transported in a ship disguised as a Norwegian vessel whilst
Casement followed behind in a German U-Boat. They were intercepted on
their way to Ireland by the Royal Navy. Casement came into Banna Strand in
Co.Kerry and hid in Ardfert for 3 days before being captured and imprisoned.
His trial was held in England but was unsuccessful and was given the death
sentence as well as being stripped from his knighthood. He was hanged at
Pentonville Prison on the 3 of August 1916 at age 51.
Quote from the speech on the docks:
“Ireland is treated to-day among the nations of the world as if she were a
convicted criminal.
If it be treason to fight against such an unnatural fate as this, then I am proud
to be a rebel, and shall cling to my “rebellion” with the last drop of my blood.”
He was given a state funeral with full military honours.

Roger Casement was a key figure in the 1916 rising and is still one of the most
well remembered leaders of the rising. As if that wasn’t enough he is also
remembered around the world as the ‘ father of twentieth-century human
rights investigations’. Now, you know his full story. Thank you.