On the 3rd of August, 1916, Roger Casement faced his demise at the hangman’s noose within the confines of Pentonville Prison in London. He was subsequently interred within the prison grounds, treated with quicklime, three months post the execution of the Easter Rising’s principal figures.
Previous to this, Casement had been accepted into the Catholic faith by the resident chaplain at Pentonville. The Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster was hesitant to accept the soul of a man slandered as a notorious traitor and one who sexually deviated, requiring him to express his regret for his wrongdoings, and his shame for any controversy caused by his actions, either in the public eye or in private. However, Casement refused to express such regret and yet, he was incorporated into the Catholic faith regardless, with the chaplain granted the power to provide solace and deliverance to a man facing his end.
By some accounts, this marked Casement’s third baptismal experience; originally welcomed into the Anglican church as an infant, it is alleged he was also baptised as a Catholic at the tender age of four. Questions regarding the veracity, location, and reason for this early Catholic baptism continue to be debated by scholars. Yet, this multifaceted religious identity corresponds with the layered and multifarious aspects of Casement’s life.
One of Irish nationalism yet also a servant to the Crown; a British diplomat who uncovered the brutal realities of colonial enterprises and received accolades for his endeavours, only to be later punished with execution for treachery by the British government; a homosexual man who kept his private life entirely hidden from those who perceived they were close to him; and one whose association with the landscapes and waters of Ulster continued influence political friction for numerous years posthumously. All these contradictions and much more are insightfully dissected in Roland Philipps’s gripping biography of Casement, Broken Archangel.
The biography, named after TE Lawrence’s (of Arabia) dramatic characterisation of Casement, commences in end of 1883 aboard the SS Bonny, sailing up the estuary of the Congo to the port city of Boma.
Casement, at the age of 19, was described as a young individual who struggled to find a balance with varying identities – not completely Irish or English, neither a Catholic nor a Protestant – according to Philipps. He was not entirely comfortable but was not totally unfamiliar within the British Isles either. His troubled upbringing involved moving a lot and ended with him being under the guardianship of a virtual stranger in Ulster, hence, he felt the need to escape from that scenario.
Casement’s initial trip to the Belgian Congo was driven by economic necessity as there was a lack of family wealth. His two brothers had previously been sent off to colonies and now it was Casement’s turn to test his fortunes overseas. In 1903, he provided a detailed report to the British foreign office that meticulously exposed the torment that locals were subjected to under the Belgian rule. His encounter with Joseph Conrad in the Congo in 1890 was memorable, with Conrad highlighting how Casement could share tales about things he himself had wished to forget or was not even aware of.
Philipps astutely brings out the economic and political climate that shaped Casement’s findings in central Africa and subsequently in South America, where similar degrees of barbarity were prevalent. Though the complex demands of Realpolitik slightly complicated the response of his political superiors to his reports, his work had substantial relevance to Casement’s subsequent perceptions about local colonial operations.
Casement’s intrepid spirit is often remembered through the picture of him, drenched and staggering to the shore at Banna on April 21st, 1916, aged 51. The German arms vessel that he had arranged was destined for doom as was the Rising and Casement himself, who was swiftly apprehended and transported to London for trial and death. The effective portrayal of contextual elements like the visits to the United States and Norway, multiple trips throughout wartime Germany to gather awareness, funds, and political backing, and Casement’s isolation, decreasing health, and sense of impending doom are especially significant.
Philipps firmly believes in the validity of Casement’s diaries, which depict his homosexual experiences. The British government quickly exploited these entries, aiming to diminish American backing for the Rising and its remaining leader. The suspicion of the diaries possibly being false creations continued to cause tension; this is evident in the 2023 State Papers, where Bertie Ahern implored Tony Blair in 1999 to shed some light on the involvement of British intelligence regarding this matter. However, as noted by WG Sebald, it was Casement’s own homosexuality that made him acutely aware of the persistent discrimination, subjugation, enslavement and devastation experienced by those far removed from seats of power, crossing the lines of socio-economic class and racial disparity.