Episode 4 - Defiance in the Old Bailey

Roger Casement is sent to the Tower of London and then put on trial at the Old Bailey. Things go from bad to worse as his infamous Black Diaries are brought to light by the British government. As defence and prosecution teams battle it out, the odds seem stacked against him. The jury delivers its devastating verdict and Casement bravely faces his enemies in court with a speech that is still remembered in the legal world today. A few days later, the Battle of the Somme begins and with the world in turmoil Casement faces his inescapable future. But the Ireland he imagined has in many ways come to pass. Today, Casement is remembered at his burial plot in the Irish national cemetery at Glasnevin in Dublin. Why are we still fascinated by this man who set out to change the world? Some would point to his undeniable flaws – but others would say he succeeded in so much of what he set to do. Roger Casement’s legacy is with us today.