My Downfall

          During my time I had fallen in love with a woman by the name of Katherine O’Shea. I first met her during Gladstone’s proposals for the first Home Rule Bill. She had acted as a liaison. I felt an attraction to her from the very beginning. I ended up staying at her house in Eltham, Kent and had visited the O’Shea house in Brockley, London many times; I even stayed over at times. To my dismay she was married to Captain O’Shea. He refused to divorce her as she was about to receive an inheritance, but most of it was left in her trust which was eventually given to her cousins.  People had suspected Katherine and I of being in a relationship, but it was eventually let out of the bad on November 15, 1890. We had been seeing each other for a while now and three of her children had actually belonged to me. Captain O’Shea continued through with the divorce. I was ecstatic; I could be with her without her being someone else’s. The Catholic Church however, was not pleased and had been left speechless. They were once my supporters, but now they were unsure of how to react to the news. I began to lose followers one by one my members soon joined a group against me called, anti-parnellites.  I had already decided to give up my position as leader to be with Katherine. I was willing to give up everything for my love for her was strong. On June 25, 1891 we had gotten married finally even when the church had denied us. I was happily in love. Eventually I returned to continue fighting for what I believed in even if my health had begun to fall and deteriorate. I was determined.