THE IRISH AFGHAN.

Temuka Leader, Volume 2, Issue 148, 24 May 1879, Page 3

THE IRISH AFGHAN.

The * Thames Advertiser ’ recently published an extract from a Home exchange giving some particulars relative to one O’ Donnell a gigantic Irish soldier who, shortly after the Indian Mutiny deserted from the British Army, and is now an officer in the service of the Ameer of Afghanistan. On the Thames we have several old soldiers who served India about that time, and were well acquainted with Scrgt. O’Donnell. One of them informed our reporter that he had known O’Donnell very intimately, and if he had been anything of a scholar he would have written and contradicted the statement that ho was a deserter. Our reporter questioned the man, and from the story of the latter it appears that in 185 G, O’Donnell, then a young man, was a soldier in the 87th (Faugh-a-ballas.) Ho stood Gft. 2in. in his stockings, and was considered the strongest man in the army, throwing every Hindoo wrestler pitted against him. Wrestlers from all parts of the country were brought to contend with him, but were all vanquished by the Irish giant, who would not unfrequently hold such a tight grip on their arms that they fainted with pain. O’Donnell was twice a sergeant, hut through taking a drop too much of the “ cratur ” was deprived of his stripes. The occasion which led to his entering the service of the Ameer was described to our representative as follows : —“ In ’GS the regiment was at Jumroocl,near the Peshaur, at the mouth of the Kyber Pass, and one day General Sir John Lawrence was holding a durbar or korcro with the Ameer. After the important business was disposed of, the conversation turned on more trivial matters, and O’Donnell’s great strength was mentioned to the somewhat incredulous Afghan monarch. Sir John ordered O’Donnell to be sent for, when he surprised the Ameer by lifting a pony on his shoulders and performing other Herculean feats. The upshot of this was that the Ameer offered to take the Irishman into his service and make a major of him. O’Donnell being a great fovonrite with officers and men, they raised a subscription fur the purpose of buying him out. This would have been done had not the terrible Indian Mutiny broke out short y after O’Donnell could not obtain his discharge. He served with great bravery all through the Mutiny, and when it was quelled obtained his wcll-earm'd discharge. He was no deserter, but as loyal an Irish soldier as came from County Kilkinucy.”