Architect of the Easter Rising, hanged as a traitor: for Roger Casement, a pardon still seems far away | Rory Carroll

"The British government made sure that when the noose went around his neck and the lever was pulled, he would drop not into martyrdom, but disgrace."

"That decision to leak private diaries that documented Casement's homosexuality remains unsettled business between these islands."

"Casement appears on stamps, statues and murals, his fate recounted in ballads, poems and commemorations."

"Even in 2026, it would stir up political tensions, and Northern Ireland has enough fallout from partition and the Troubles."

Roger Casement was knighted in 1911 for his imperial service but later became a radical Irish nationalist seeking German support for the 1916 Easter Rising. His execution for treason was marked by a campaign to tarnish his reputation, labeling him a traitor and a pervert. While Britain has largely forgotten him, Ireland honors his memory through stamps, statues, and commemorations. Casement's remains were repatriated to Dublin, reflecting ongoing political sensitivities in Northern Ireland, where his legacy continues to evoke strong emotions.

Read at www.theguardian.com