In 1987 I came to Malta in search of my Maltese ancestors. My great grandfather, Carmelo Zammit, had sailed into the northern Irish port of Derry in the 1880s as chief engineer of the SS Harrington. There he met my great grandmother, Mary Mellon, and made his home, never to return to Malta.

While in Malta it was suggested that I visit the parish of St Lawrence in Vittoriosa, as my great great grandmother was Victoria Zammit. Thankfully, I reconnected with my Maltese relatives. Vittoriosa proved fruitless in this regard, but it was there I learned of the extraordinary story of young Thomas McSweeney, a young Irish Catholic who had joined the British Marines.

McSweeney was executed on board HMS Rodney, on 8 June 1837, 160 years ago today, in the Grand Harbour of Malta, after which, at the request of the Maltese people, his remains were reverently carried ashore for requiem mass.

The priest at St. Laurence told me of the Irish connection and presented me with a leaflet which deeply impressed me. On later visits to Malta I made it a point to visit the grave of young McSweeney and was quite amazed, and moved, to discover fresh flowers and burning candles there.

Even as recently as last Tuesday, June 5, 2007, I again found fresh flowers and candles burning on Thomas McSweeney's grave.

The story of McSweeney is not yet known in Ireland, but I hope to change that with a documentary film I am making. I know that the people of Ireland will be deeply moved to discover the extraordinary devotion of the Maltese people to a young Irishman whom they believed had suffered a grave miscarriage of justice.

In this regard I would like to express my personal gratitude to the Maltese people who, over the past 160 years, have reverently attended the grave of young McSweeney.

This also includes Denis Darmanin, who has regularly written articles about the young Irish Marine over the years.

I am anxious to make contact with those who quietly tend the grave of

McSweeney on a daily basis and also to collect any stories about the cult

of McSweeney that still survives to this day.

I would be most grateful if anyone with information, or contacts, could

write to me at the following address:

Don Mullan

Ireland

Email: [email protected]

Don Mullan is a bestselling author, journalist and filmmaker. His most recent book: Gordon Banks - A Hero Who Could Fly has been optioned by BBC Films. It is a memoir of his childhood in war torn Northern Ireland and the very positive influence the great England goalkeeper had on his life.