In the bush of Australia during the 1800s, there were people known as bush rangers. These men were outlaws to the government, yet tended to become heros of an oppressed class of Australians, the Irish. Living in the wilds of the outback, bush rangers would steal, normally from the law, to provide their living. It was a way of life that most were born into and could never escape. One such unlucky soul was Ned Kelly. Due to the harsh fates dealt them in life, Ned, his brother, and their two friends, became the most famous bush rangers of all time.

     Edward "Ned" Kelly was born in June of 1855 to John and Ellen Kelly, who were both immigrants from Ireland. He lived, along with seven siblings, in Avenel in the Colony of Victoria, Australia. The house was always full of kids, Edward "Ned", James "Jim", and Daniel "Dan", were the young men of the household. However, they also had many sisters, Kate, Grace, Annie, and Maggie. As a young boy, Ned went to school and performed various chores around the home. However, due to the inprisonment and death of his father, Ned was forced to drop out of school at the age of twelve. His family moved to a hut on the Eleven Mile Creek. This area was later to become known as "Kelly Country." Money was scarce for the family and, in light of this, Ned was forced to take upon himself several jobs. His first type of work was to ring-bark, which is where you strip the bark from trees to sell. However, some of these careers were illegal, careers such as cattle duffing. This is the process where one would steal a cow from a neighboring farm and, after burning the brand from the animal's hide, you claim the cattle and sell it as your own. He was never arrested until 1869 when, at age fourteen, he was jailed for assaulting a Chinaman. Growing up, Ned would be arrested for many different crimes such as assailing a hawker, illegal possession of a horse, and perhaps the one which lead to his later lifestyle, being an accomplice to the bush ranger Harry Power. The influence of this legendary bush ranger may have helped teach Ned some of the skills which would become very useful in the coming years.

      Joseph "Joe" Byrne was born in Novermber of 1856 to Patrick and Margaret Byrne who were Irish-Catholic immigrants. He grew up in Woolshed Valley, just outside of Beechworth. Margaret Byrne gave birth to another boy, who died twenty-five days later. However, when Joe was six years old, his mother had another son named Partick. Later, she would also give birth to a girl named Ellen. It was near his home where Joe learned how to speak the language of the Chinaman, Cantonese. This however, on a down note, was due to the teenaged Joe's requent visits to the foreigners opium tents. He was schooled but, due to his father's death of a heart disease, the boy's grades dropped dramatically. His teacher was disappointed in Joe's performance at school, seeing as how before the young lad had been an excellent writer. A whiz at spelling, grammer, arithmetic, reading, and writing, Joe became known as the most educated of all the Kelly Gang members, going so far as to even compose short ballads during his time in the gang. Not only was he the most educated, he was also somewhat of a ladies man, reportedly having girlfriends in many of the towns which the gang robbed. After his father's death, Joe, age twelve, was charged with the illegal use of a horse and arrested for the first time. Later, along with his friend Aaron Sherritt, Joe was jailed for the unlawful possession of meat. Shortly thereafter, in 1876, Joe became friends with Ned and their partnership began.

      Daniel "Dan" Kelly was born in 1861 in Avenel and was the youngest brother of the Kellys. He had more of the brains than the bronze compared to his other brothers, but would still put up a fight if it came down to it. Dan tended to give Ned advice throughout their lives, but he was usually ignored when it came to matters of the gang. Like his brother, Dan was also arrested, but for the theft of a saddle and bridle at the age of fifteen. Daniel's best friend, Steve Hart, was born in 1859 in Beechworth. A leading member in the "Greta Mob," Steve had a criminal record as well, having been arrested in 1877 for the illegal use of a horse. These people were a group of bush larrikins who, in other words, were hoodlums. Daniel Kelly was a member of this group as well.

      In the month of March in 1878, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Daniel Kelly for the charge of cattle stealing. One evening, a policeman by the name of Alexander Fitzpatrick, visited the Kelly household in Greta. The constable was drunk upon arrival and, after making several passes at MRs. Kelly, Dan became fed up and pushed Fitzpatrick down. A scuffle ensued in which the policeman cut his wrist upon the door latch and, in the process, discharged his gun. Even though he agreed that no charges would be pressed, Fitzpatrick returned to his station in Benalla and reported falsely. He claimed that Daniel Kelly was resisting arrest and that Ned had appeared and shot at the constable. His story was believed and, to the suprise of Ned, who had been about four hundred miles from home at the time, was now wanted along with Dan and their mother. The police arrived back at the house and this time arrested Mrs. Kelly and sentenced her to three years in the Benalla Gaol. Angry and yet afraid, both Ned and Dan fled to the bush ranges of the Colony of Victoria and holed up in the Wombat Ranges. The two brothers were joined by their best friends, Joe Byrne and Steve Hart, who had both just finished prison sentences for fighting. The two brought them supplies and kept the pair company. However, they did more than that because, to make money, they megan to attempt to find a way to distill illicit liquor and sell it. The group remained there for five months before the police even became aware of their whereabouts. On the morning of October 25th, four law officers were sent out to the area surrounding Stringybark Creek. It was there, that a massacre took place. THe Kelly Gang was camped only a mile from the police and, after spotting the officer's camp, Ned returned to the hideout and attempted to convince Joe and Steve to run for it. The two friends however, refused to leave their comrades so they set out for the camp. Meanwhile, Constables Lonerigan and McIntyre stayed at the camp site while Sergeant Kennedy and Constable Scanlan scouted the area. With the camp surrounded, Ned ordered the policemen to "bail up" and throw their weapons down. However, Lonerigan shot at Ned and, in the return fire, the constable was killed. McIntyre surrendered and, strangely enough, engaged in conversation and a smoke with Joe while they waited for the remaining policemen to return. Upon Kennedy and Scanlan's return, the gang hid in the brush and told McIntyre to order his fellow officers to throw down their weapons. The two declined and, after the police drew their weapons, a firefight ensued. Ned shot Kennedy full on in the chest, killing him instantly, and Joe managed to blast Scanlan from near point blank range. McIntyre, in the confusion, stole Kennedy's horse and made a run for it. Escaping, he rallied a new group of police to accompany him back to the scene. When the law officers arrived, they found the bodies of Scanlan and Lonerigan lying where they had fallen and all the supplies taken. Kennedy's body however, was nowhere to be found. It was later found with a cloak covering the corpse. Aaron Sherritt, a close associate of Joe's and the gang's, reported that Ned had said, "Kennedy was the bravest man he had ever met, and that out of respect for him he walked back to the camp after shooting him, got a cloak and carefully covered up his body." From this point on, all four men, Ned, Joe, Dan, and Steve, were branded as outlaws and as the notorious Kelly Gang.

      The Kelly Gang had many sympathizers and friends who helped them along the way. One was a man by the name of Isaiah "Wild" Wright. This man not only passed along false information for the police to follow, but supplied the Kelly's with food and other goods during their plight. Another was Tom Lloyd, whose sister Bridget, had married Isaiah. Tom was Ned's cousin and sometimes served as a tactician for the gang. Lastly however, and perhaps one of the most important of the sympathizers, was Aaron Sherritt. He grew up with Joe and was the man's best friend until he betrayed Byrne and the gang. Aaron passed false information to the police hwoever, Joe caught wind of a supposed exchange of words that would hinder rather than help the gang. Furious at Aaron's betrayal, Joe murdered him. Aaron, who was once engaged to Joe's sister Ellen, never had his side of the story explained but he was, even in death, responsible for the gang's downfall.

      On December 10th in 1878, the Kelly Gang arrived at the town of Euroa in hopes of pulling off a bank robbery. This was their first raid and, to the surprise of everyone, it turned out rather well. After locking up twenty-two people in a storeroom, the gang proceeded to rob the bank of all it's money. Ned, Dan, and Steve drove into town in a stolen cart and proceeded to the bank. Joe Byrne had been left behind to guard the prisoners. Ned entered the bank, gun drawn, and Dan got the jump on the clerk by entering through the back. In only ten minutes they were out of the bank and on the road. After picking up Byrne, the Kelly Gang found that they had become 2,000 pounds richer. This new way of acquiring money appealed to them and, not two months later, they struck another town. In light of the bank robberies, the police issued a reward of 1,000 pounds for each gang member. Now, they held up a bank in one of the New South Wales Colonies, Jerilderie. They captured two policemen, stole their uniforms, and proceeded to rob the bank. During this time, the famous Jerilderie Letter, dictated by Ned and written by Joe, came into light. The letter was basically a long document of the reasons why the Kelly Gang were outlaws and their motivations behind everything they did. Ned even gave the letter to an editor in Euroa on the agreement that it would be published. However, news of this letter's existence was not known by the public until after Ned's execution. After cutting the phone wires, the gang left town with 2,000 pounds more in cash.

      An untimely chain of events happened next which caused the downfall of the Kelly Gang as a whole. It had been long known that Aaron Sherritt was delivering false information to the police, but there was a rumor, brought by Mrs. Byrne, that Aaron had betrayed the gang. Deeply angered that his best friend would stab him in the back, Joe, along with Dan Kelly, traveled to where Aaron was staying at the time. Being a police informant, a few of the local constables had been ordered to protect Aaron from any Kelly Gang sympathizers who might wish to kill him in favor to the gang. These "bodyguards" however, did nothing to protect the man from the wrath which came swift. Late one night, about eight o'clock on a Saturday evening, there was a knock at Aaron's front door. The man asked who was there and the voice of his neighbor replied, saying he had gotten lost. Upon opening the door, Aaron was rewarded with the sight of Joe standing before him with a gun in his hand. Sherritt never spoke a word as suddenly the gun fired, striking his face. With a second shot, aimed right at the chest, Aaron Sherritt died at the hands of his best friend. Meanwhile, the police heard the gunfire in the next room and realized it was the Kelly Gang. Even though both Joe and Dan taunted the officers to come out and start a fight, the men were too cowardly and remained inside. At about six thrity the next morning, Joe and Dan left. However, this was to be their downfall, for now the police knew they were in the area and could anticipate where they would strike next... Glenrowan.

      On Saturday, June 27th of 1880, the Kelly Gang seized possession of the Glenrowan railway station. Their plan was to destroy the lines and hopefully, in the destruction, kill the blacktrackers who were on their trail. The blacktrackers were the most feared of all and it was said they could follow and find a man anywhere, even over bare rock. They tore up the tracks of the railway at the station in anticipation for the police train, which left Melbourne the next day. They captured sixty-two citizens of the town and held them in a hotel. The prisoners were not treated badly, being allowed to drink and partake in midday games. During the day, Byrne and a few of the occupants shared a bottle of brandy, though Ned drank none. Kelly did however participate in a jumping contest, in which it was revealed that every member of the gang, under their clothes, was wearing a suit of armour. The atmosphere of the entire place was a bit on edge, but the gang members took it almost like a holiday. They relaxed, even though their eyes were kept close to the prisoners. Later that evening, the train arrived. However, to the dismay of the gang, t he train had stopped before the broken tracks and the hotel was then surrounded by police officers. It was then that the gang applied all their home made armour, which is still around today and on display at the State Library of Victoria. These plates of hammered out metal consisted of a helmet and brestplate. It reached almost down to the knees of the wearer and weighed around ninety pounds. Each gang member sported their own suit, slightly different from the others. At around three o'clock in the morning, under the direction of Superintendent Hare, the police force moved within sight of the hotel and hid among the trees. It was then that the Kelly Gang emerged from the hotel, clad in their armour, shooting at anything and everything that moved. Hare was wounded in the wrist and, after being removed from the scene, he left the force without a commanding officer. In light of this, the police opened fire, forcing the gang back within the confines of the hotel. However, the police continued to shoot and bullets blasted through the thin walls of the building, striking many of the innocent townspeople inside. It had never been the gang's intention to get the people of Glenrowan injured or killed, but due to bad judgement on the police force's part, it happened. It was recorded that a man named Bracken attmepted to leave during the fight, only to be confronted by Byrne. Joe replied to the man that, "Well, you can go if you like, but if you take my advice you will stop where you are; the place is surrounded with police, and ten to one they will take you for one of us and shoot you. Stop inside and you will be all right." Nearly as soon as the fight began, Ned was shot, once in the foot and once in the elbow. The gang's leader however, disappeared momentarily during the fighting and was not present for the death of his best friend (or so they say). At about five o'clock, Joe had gone to the bar to get a quick drink. After raising a toast to the Kelly Gang and to their many more long years, he was struck by a bullet in the groin. Joe Byrne died painfully in a back room not long afterward. Dan and Steve were left on their own and by now, some of the townspeople had begun to leave the building. No one tried to sotp them because the two remaining members were fending for their own lives. Meanwhile, Ned had escaped but his loyalty to his friends compelled him to return. Kelly, still wearing his armour, snuck up behind some of the police and began to fire. The police near him turned and, fearing him to be a devil, they began to return fire. The bullets bounced off him like hailstones. Ned knew that it was a losing fight, that Joe was dead, and that he had lost so much blood he could barely stand, but he still fought on. It was not until Senior Constable Kelly picked up a rifle and began to shoot at Ned's legs that the fight turned tides. This proved the fatal blow for the gang as Ned was struck and fell to the ground. Within moments the police were atop him and, after removing his heavy armour, found a very bloody and brusied Ned Kelly. Apparently the bullets did not just ding off the armour but left indented marks which had injured him farther. It was also later found that he had been shot in the left arm, right foot, and twice in the legs. When they had Ned in custody, the police proceeded to deal with Dan and Steve. However, after giving them ample time to surrender, the officers set the hotel on fire. A priest by the name of Father Gibney, entered the building to save a man whom they believed to still be inside. He rescued the man, who was dying, and also brought forth the dead body of Byrne. Afterwards, it was discovered that both Dan and Steve had died before the fire, most likely by committing suicide. At the end of the firefight, Joe Byrne, Dan Kelly, and Steve Hart, along with several innocent people were dead.

      Edward Kelly's sentencing portion of the trial took place on October 30th in 1880 in Melbourne, Australia. It was, in some respects, a rigged trial. THe police withheld the Jerildere Letter from the courts and were close minded to the appeals that it had not been the Kelly's fault to begin with. "His Honour then sentenced the prisoner to death in the usual form, ending with the words, 'May the Lord have mercy on your soul.' Kelly answered him with, 'I will go a little further than that, and say I will see you there when I go." Ironically, twelve days after the death sentence on Kelly was passed, the bush ranger's judge, Judge Redmond Barry, droped dead in his chambers. THe usual form of death, of course, was to be hanged by his neck until dead. On November 11th of the same year, Ned Kelly was hanged on a scaffold inside the Old Nelbourne Gaol. His last words, as the hangman fitted him with the hood and noose, were, "Arr well, I suppose it had to come to this. Such... (is life)." The charred remains of Dan Kelly and Steve Hart were apparently left at the sight of the burned hotel. There was no mention of their burial or their grave sites. The story of Joe Byrne's body however, is a rather gruesome one. After his corpse was rescued by Father Gibney, the Melbourne police strung it up with a flag pole rope. No one claimed his body, not even his mother. They did not take his corpse down until a young girl, supposedly Ned's sister Maggie, cried for them to, "End the circus!" He was then buried in a corner of the Benalla Cemetery. Ned Kelly's body, after his execution, was laid to rest in an unmarked grave within the gaol he was hanged in. It was not until later that he was removed and buried in the Pentridge Prison's Cemetery. Ned Kelly was twenty-five years old when he died and his brother Dan was only nineteen. Joe and Steve were only twenty-three and twenty-one years old.

      The exploits and life of the Kelly Gang have done much for the Australian people as a whole. To some, they were role models, the stuff of legends much like our own Davy Crockett, Wyatt Earp, or Doc Holliday. These four brave men have inspired movies, television programs, music, books, art, theater, and much more In fact, "The Story of the Kelly Gang" in 1906, was the world's first feature film. Currently, a film has just been released in Australian about the gang, "Ned Kelly" and will be released in the United States on March 19th of 2004. The stars of the film found great attributes and cahracter within the lives of the men they portrayed. Heath Ledger, who plays Ned Kelly, was interviewed and stated, "I read a lot about him as a kid and fantasized about what it would be like back then for him. In a way, I have looked up to him quite a bit throughout my life..." When talking about the Jerildere Letter, Heath said, "...Just how passionate he was in there, and so definite, so precise, and how sure he was about his cause." Ledger also found that Ned was a very proud man and not afraid of death when it came to his door, "I had an idea in my head, I read up on him, and I looked into his eyes. There is a portrait of him two days before he was hanged - it's all in his eyes, he is very dignified, he is very proud, and that was enough... I'll certainly take a piece of Ned with me. He's certainly going to be carried around in my heart and my mind for a long time. It's given me the courage to stand up and be true to what I beleive in." However, Ledger was not the only cast member to comment on their character. Orlando Bloom had this to say about the man Joe Byrne, "It was for a purpose, because they felt hard done by, they felt they were being persecuted unjustly." Bloom said many things about Joe, including his position in the Kelly Gang, "He was Ned's right hand man, he'd live and die for the loyalty of his friends and particularly for Ned. He'd follow him to hell and back." There was also a good description of Joe from the young actor, "Joe was very deliberate in his thought and action. He actually transcribed the Jerildere Letter for Ned... he's softly spoken in a way - he wouldn't say anything unless it needs to be said and he's kind of Ned's calm, in a way... He was described as a poet, and quite a thinker, he was the most educated of the gang, but a dangerous man at the same time. He wasn't afraid to kill somebody through loyalty to Ned, the gang, and what he blieved in."

      As one can see, the Kelly Gang has played, and still is playing, an important role in society. It is not only Australians who can draw from their examples, but people from different nationalities. Everyone can learn from their examples of self sacrifice for loyalty and for standing up for what one believes. The Kelly Gang, sadly, were from a persecuted people in a rough time in history. They got through what little life they had the only way they could and, perhaps more frightening, the only way they knew how. Through their lives they remained loyal to each other and never backed down. They died for what they thought was right, for what they knew, for what they believed. This was how Ned, Joe, Dan, and Steve, the Kelly Gang, became the most famous bush rangers in all of Australian history.

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