The exhumation and DNA testing of a young man's skull in a churchyard near Tralee, Co Kerry, is set to finally determine if the Irish patriot Robert Emmet was buried in the county, writes Anne Lucey.
Robert Emmet was executed 200 years ago for his part in the 1803 Rising. He was hung and later beheaded. He was 25 at the time.
The legend of his final resting place in Kerry was uncovered recently during a Radio Kerry interview with Tralee antiques dealer Mr Maurice O'Keeffe and Mr Emmet's descendant, Mr Philip Emmet.
Mr Emmet said he would be happy to provide samples for DNA and scientific testing.
"I'll help in any way I can, I'm equally sceptical and hopeful," he said yesterday.
Mr O'Keeffe has contacted Garda authorities and set the exhumation process in train. "Philip is willing to do a DNA test so we expect it will happen soon," he said.
A headless skeleton was discovered in 1966 in the former Church of Ireland churchyard at Blennerville, near Tralee. In 1982 a box containing a skull was unearthed by a local garda in the churchyard during a community clean-up.
It was taken to a local doctor who confirmed it was the skull of a young male, fuelling further speculation that it might match the body of the beheaded Emmet.
No testing was carried out at the time and the box and skull were reburied where they were discovered.
Emmet's mother, Ms Elizabeth Mason, came from a merchant family who resided at Ballydowney near Killarney. There were also connections with leading Tralee families of the time, the crypts of many of whom are in the churchyard at Blennerville.
There has long been speculation that Robert Emmet himself was born in Co Kerry.