Return To Mullinahone and Death
Kickham's gravestone at St. Michael's Church Mullinahone
Following his release from prison in 1869, Kickham returned to Mullinahone where once again he lived. The house in which Kickham lived still remains in Fethard Street, Mullinahone . A few miles away in Gurteen his tree is marked, and beneath it is a seat to his memory.
Late in 1869, due to the death of the sitting member for Tipperary there was a by-election to the House of Commons. Kickham was then nominated but took no part in the election campaigin and was defeated by thirteen votes.
This was more or less the end of Kickham's public political career and he devoted much of the remainder of his life writing. He moved to Dublin where he stayed with his brother and resumed his work with the I.R.B. In 1872 he became a member of the Supreme Council of which he was chairman until his death.
In November 1879, he moved to lodgings with the O' Connor family at 2 Montpelier Place, Stradbrook Road, Blackrock, Co Dublin. O Connor worked for 'The Irish Peasant' and more or less kept open house for his literary friends.
Imprisoned by his deafness Kickham was by now almost totally blind. All his mail was read to him by the finger alphabet. In late 1880 he was knocked down by a jaunting car in College Green. He broke his leg which confined him to bed for a number of months.
On August 19th 1882 he suffered a stroke and died on August 22nd aged 54. His remains were brought to Kingsbridge and on by the night train to Thurles. He is buried in the graveyard of St.Michael's Church in Mullinahone.
