This photograph belonged to my late brother Brendan. I don’t know where he got it from or why he had it. It’s a portrait of the infamous Ned Kelly taken the day before he was hanged. Kelly was captured and convicted on three counts of murder. He was hanged on November 11th, 1880 at Old Melbourne Jail. His last words were ‘such is life’. Despite his notoriety as a criminal Kelly had, aged 11, saved a young boy from drowning. For this deed he was awarded a green sash which he wore under his armour during his last stand. Kelly’s father was born in Clonbrogan, South Tipperary and transported to Australia, for stealing 2 pigs, where Ned was born. Ned was a criminal from a young age making his first court appearance when he was eight years old.
