The most important physical feature was not, however, the respectable dress, the manly bearing, the order, discipline, and solemnity of the men, but the large bodies of ladies who, in rich and costly attire, marched the whole length of the long route, often ankle deep in mud, utterly regardles of the incessant down-pour of rain which deluged their silks and satins, and melted the mourning crape till it seemed incorporated with the very substance of the velvet mantles or rich shawls in which so many of the fair processionists were enveloped.  In vain did well-gloved hands hold thousands of green parasols and umbrellas over their heads as they walked four and five deep through the leading thoroughfares yesterday.  The bonnets with their ’green and crape’ were alone defensible, velvets and Paisleys, silks and satins, met one common fate—­thorough saturation.  Yet all this and more was borne without a murmur.  These ladies, and there were many hundreds of them, mingled with thousands in less rich attire, went out to cooperate with their fathers, brothers, and sweethearts in honouring three men who died upon the ignominious gallows, and they never flinched before the torrents, or swerved for an instant from the ranks.  There must be some deep and powerful influence underlying this movement that could induce thousands of matrons and girls of from eighteen to two and-twenty, full of the blushing modesty that distinguishes Irishwomen, to lay aside their retiring characteristics and march to the sound of martial music through every thoroughfare in the metropolis of this country decked in green and crape.

The Dublin correspondent of the Tipperary Free Press referred to the demonstration as follows:—­

Arrived in Sackville-street we were obliged to leave our cab and endeavour, on foot, to force a way to our destination.  This magnificent street was crowded to repletion, and the approaches to Beresford-place were ‘black with people.’  It was found necessary, owing to the overwhelming numbers that assembled, to start the procession before the hour named for its setting forth, and so it was commenced in wonderful order, considering the masses that had to be welded into shape.  Marshals on foot and on horseback proceeded by the side of those in rank and file, and they certainly wore successful in preserving regularity of procedure.  Mourning coaches and cabs followed, and after each was a procession of women, at least a thousand in number.  Young and old were there—­all decked in some shape or other with green; many green dresses—­some had green feathers in their hats, but all had green ribbons prominently displayed.  The girls bore all the disagreeability of the long route with wonderful endurance; it was bitterly cold—­a sleety rain fell during the entire day, and the roads were almost ankle deep in mud—­yet when they passed me on the return route they were apparently as unwearied as when I saw them hours before.  As the procession