' Grace And Favour ' Dedicated To Joseph Mary Plunkett-Poet And Grace Gifford, Both Of Whom Fought And In Their Own Way Died, For Ireland’s Cause: Poem by Richard Ansell

The depth of love we cannot comprehend,
Which Joseph held for Ireland and for Grace,
That sweet moment when love and loyalty blend.

Though man’s belief in freedom will not bend,
Despite his pending death and our disgrace,
The depth of love we cannot comprehend.

Last lonely moments they’re allowed to spend,
‘til shots ring out and deeds are done, so base,
That sweet moment when love and loyalty blend.

‘twards honour do politics condescend,
Kilmainham jail becomes a lonely place,
The depth of love we cannot comprehand.

She loses all, a husband and a friend,
He’s gone, memory simply can’t replace,
That sweet moment when love and loyalty blend.

His blood upon the rose until the end,
Half a century’s Valentine’s embrace,
The depth of love we cannot comprehand,
That sweet moment when love and loyalty blend.


“ Joseph Mary Plunkett (Poet & Irishman) was the youngest signatory of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic; despite being in recovery from throat surgery he took his place with all the others in the GPO building in Dublin during the short battle and their arrest: Along with the others he was sentenced to death, and during the early hours of 4th of May 1916 was shot in Kilmainham jail: a short while beforehand, he married his sweetheart, Grace Gifford, they were allowed 15 minutes together before he was taken out and executed: Grace never remarried and carried him in her heart until she died in 1969 “