THOMAS MCSWEENEY: AN IRISH MARTYR IN MALTA?

The grave of an Irishman located near the side door of Vittoriosa Cemetery is a curious sight. Although Thomas McSweeney died in 1837, his grave is carefully tended to this day, adorned with fresh flowers and glowing candles. It has become a place of pilgrimage, where people come to honour McSweeney, a young Irishman who many believe was treated unfairly and hanged because of his faith and Irish heritage. Thomas may not have been famous, but his story of tragedy and a mysterious afterlife has fascinated people in Cottonera for nearly two centuries.

McSweeney, from County Cork, Ireland, was just 21 years old when he joined the crew of the British warship HMS Rodney in 1835. This ship sailed the Mediterranean Sea under the command of Captain Hyde Parker. McSweeney was the only Roman Catholic among a mostly Protestant and English crew. Because of his religion and Irish background, he often faced bullying and mockery from his fellow sailors. One of his worst tormentors was his immediate boss, Lance Sergeant James T. Allen, a Protestant from Kent, England. Allen frequently picked on McSweeney, creating a tense and toxic environment on the ship.

On July 16, 1836, while HMS Rodney was anchored near Barcelona, Spain, McSweeney was accused of not being where he was supposed to be on the upper deck. Allen, seeing this as another chance to get McSweeney in trouble, reported him for neglecting his duties. Feeling frustrated and provoked by the constant harassment, McSweeney lost his temper. In a moment of anger, he rushed toward Allen and pushed him off the deck and into the lower part of the ship—a fall of about six feet. Sadly, Allen hit his head when he fell. Although he was taken to the ship’s sick bay, Allen died from his injuries on July 21, 1836. His death sealed McSweeney’s fate.

A 1837 watercolour painting by John Bolton Woodthorpe of HMS Rodney, a 92-gun vessel of the Royal Naval, moored in the port at Mahón, Spain. Source: Times of Malta

McSweeney was arrested and sent to Malta to face a court martial—a type of military trial. The trial took place aboard another ship, HMS Revenge, over two days in February 1837. During the trial, witnesses gave different stories. Some, like Corporal John Robinson, made McSweeney out to be a violent attacker. Others, like Mr Norman, the ship’s mate, and Lieutenant Payne, spoke up for McSweeney, saying he was a good sailor who had suffered from Allen’s insults and bullying. McSweeney himself passionately pleaded with the court, saying it was all a horrible accident: “It was without the slightest intention or thought of taking his life,” he said.

Despite his defence, the court sentenced McSweeney to death. Many people believed the trial was unfair; McSweeney had no lawyer to help him, and some even thought he couldn’t read or write well enough to defend himself. The harsh naval laws at the time did not allow for a lesser charge like manslaughter (accidentally killing someone). At dawn on June 8, 1837, in Malta’s Grand Harbour, McSweeney was pulled up quickly by rope to the main mast on board HMS Rodney, a height of 60 feet. He died instantly as he was weak from all the days spent in prison anxiously awaiting his end. Even though there was a cholera epidemic, large crowds came to watch. His body swung in the breeze for half an hour before being taken down and transported to Tas-Salvatur chapel behind Bighi’s Naval Hospital in Kalkara.

Memory of Thomas McSweeney

A procession of the Confraternity of the Rosarianti on the occasion of the execution of Giuseppe Tabone in 1923. Source: Times of Malta

Many people from the towns of Vittoriosa, Senglea, and Cospicua joined members of the Rosarianti Confraternity of Valletta to give Thomas McSweeney a proper farewell. Following their traditions, they held a solemn religious ceremony and organized a procession to carry his body to St Lawrence Cemetery in Vittoriosa for burial. It was a truly emotional and powerful scene.

McSweeney’s tragic death touched the hearts of the Maltese people, who saw it as another example of British Colonial injustice and oppression. Over the years, his grave has become a symbol of resistance and hope. Some people even say they have seen his ghost, a kind-looking young man with fair hair, wandering near his grave. Others believe he has mystical powers and

St Lawrence’s Church cemetery. Source: Malta Independent

Written with reference to:

• ‘An Ill-fated Turn of Events: The Story Behind Thomas McSweeney’s 1837 Grave in Birgu’ by Jillian Mallia. Accessed September 2024: https://www.guidememalta.com/en/an-ill-fated-turn-of-events-the-story-behind-thomas-mcsweeney-s-1837-grave-in-birgu
• ‘The Fate of a Young, Polite, Fair-haired Man’ by Fabian Mangion. Accessed September 2024: https://timesofmalta.com/article/The-fate-of-a-young-polite-fair-haired-man.649934
• ‘The Only Grave Left Intact in St Lawrence Cemetery Was That of an Irishman’ A Facebook post by Natalino Mamo (The Vittoriosa 50s & 60s Recovery Group): Accessed September 2024: https://www.facebook.com/groups/763711577878267/posts/the-only-old-grave-left-intact-in-st-lawrence-cemetery-was-that-of-an-irishman-t/984649552451134/