David James O'Donoghue

“ He joined the United Irishmen at an early stage, but was moderate and cautious, and at a meeting near Carrickfergus in 1796 strongly supported a resolution, which was passed, threatening the expulsion of any member who counselled assassination. He became popular, and was one of the first arrested by the government during 1796. The specific charge against him was that he had administered a treasonable oath to two soldiers, Hugh Wheatley and one Lindsay. Such an act was at the time a capital offence, and both soldiers swore to Orr's identity with the man who had given them the oath. ”

“ His critical treatment of his associates seemed to belittle the Fenian movement. To the end of his life he pungently criticised modern leaders, and especially various manifestations of the agrarian movement, while retaining his revolutionary sympathies. In the Irish literary societies of Dublin and London he played a prominent part, but chiefly occupied himself till his death in reading and book collecting. ”

“ No other prelate in Ireland possessed the same weight in public affairs. He was the most notable figure of his day in the Irish catholic church. His only publications were a few pastorals, though he had written a few poems for the 'Nation' newspaper while a curate in Charleville. ”

“ Otway was an enthusiastic antiquary and an admirer of Irish scenery, and he co-operated with George Petrie [q. v.] in the first volume of the ‘Dublin Penny Journal.’ in which he wrote under the pseudonym of ‘Terence O'Toole.’ He was also a contributor to the ‘Dublin University Magazine.’ Ill-health prevented him from realising his design of writing a history of Ireland, and of editing the works of Sir James Ware. He died in Dublin on 16 March 1842. ”

“ VAN NOST, JOHN (d. 1780) , sculptor, son of a maker of leaden figures for gardens (Redgrave, Dict. of British Artists) , was born in Piccadilly, London, early in the eighteenth century. About 1750 he went to Dublin, and worked there for many years as a sculptor. ”

“ She also wrote much verse, full of patriotism, feeling, and fancy, for the nationalist papers, 'Irish Tribune,' 'Irish Felon,' the 'Irishman,' and the 'Irish People.'
Before O'Doherty was convicted in 1849 he had become engaged to her, and she declined his offer to release her. In 1855 O'Doherty paid a surreptitious visit to Ireland and married her in Kingstown. After her husband's death in 1905 she was supported by a fund raised for her relief by Irish people. Mrs. O'Doherty died at Brisbane on 21 May 1910, and was buried there by the side of her husband. ”

“ About 1840 he had begun to contribute racy poems to the ‘Northern Whig’ and other Ulster papers, generally over the signature of ‘Kitty Connor,’ and he also wrote a little for the ‘Nation,’ using the signature of ‘Curlew.’ One of his pieces, ‘The Old Irish Cow,’ became very popular throughout his native province, while another, ‘The Ould Irish Jig,’ a humorous effusion, is known throughout Ireland. ”

“ Westmeath, in 1828, was son of Joseph Russell, a gentleman farmer who belonged to the Society of Friends. After a sound elementary education at the national school he assisted in the management of his father's extensive farm. ”

“ When George IV was in Ireland, O'Kelly was presented to him in Dublin. His majesty, when Prince of Wales, had subscribed for fifty copies of his second volume of poems. He travelled over the south and west of Ireland selling his books. In July 1808 he wrote the well-known 'Doneraile Litany,' which is his best production. ”

“ MADDEN, THOMAS MORE (1844–1902) , Irish gynæcologist, son of Richard Robert Madden [q. v.] by his wife Harriet, daughter of John Elmslie, a West Indian planter, was born in 1844 at Havana, Cuba, where his father was the British representative in the international commission for the abolition of the slave trade. His West Indian origin was clearly discernible in his features. When his father returned to his practice in Dublin, the son was apprenticed to James William Cusack, a well-known surgeon there, but threats of consumption led to a long sojourn abroad. ”

“ Orr's song entitled ‘The Irishman’ is a great favourite in every part of Ireland. The poem, which has been wrongly attributed to Curran, is not in Orr's collection of 1804, having been composed subsequently, but it is to be found in the collected edition of his poems published posthumously in 1817. His pithiest writings are in the Antrim dialect. His ‘Poems,’ with sketch of his life by A. McDowell, were reissued at Belfast in 1817. ”

“ He continued his duties as professor at Cork and as examiner at the Royal University in Dublin until 1905. He died on 24 July 1906 at Strangford House, Strangford, co. Down.
Savage-Armstrong, who in fertility stands almost alone among Irish poets, continued publishing verse till near his death. His latest work was for the most part his best. He wrote of nature with fresh enthusiasm if in stately diction, and also showed philosophic faculty with command of passion. He has none of the Celtic mysticism of the later Irish school. ”

“ Cork, where his father held the office of postmaster after his retirement from the army, and at the age of thirteen he was apprenticed to an apothecary in Cork. He seems to have opened a school in Fermoy after serving his term, and in 1825–6 was still in that town, writing poems for the ‘Dublin and London Magazine’ and other journals, over the signature of ‘Sholto.’ The statement that he graduated in medicine at Dublin is unconfirmed by the university register. ”

“ Dublin. He married Elizabeth, daughter of one of the Shackletons of Ballitore. She predeceased him in 1906. He had no children. Webb was an enthusiastic traveller. Indian politics occupied his attention, and he visited that country more than once—the last time in 1898, when he was president of the Indian National Congress. Much of his leisure was devoted to literature. His chief work was ‘A Compendium of Irish Biography,’ Dublin, 1877, which, inadequate as it is, is so far the best separate work of its kind in existence. ”

“ McGEE, THOMAS D'ARCY (1825–1868) , Irish-Canadian statesman and poet, born of an Ulster family at Carlingford, co. Louth, on 13 April 1825, was second son of James McGee, a coastguard. His mother's father, a Dublin bookseller named Morgan, had suffered imprisonment and financial ruin owing to his connection with the United Irishmen. In 1833 his father obtained an appointment in the custom-house at Wexford, and Thomas attended a day-school there. He showed an aptitude for study and a natural gift of eloquence. In 1842 he emigrated to America. ”

“ In 1885 the Amnesty Act enabled him to settle again in Dublin, where his sister Ellen kept house for him till her death in 1889 and where his fine presence was very familiar. Mainly encouraged by his friends, he devoted himself to writing his reminiscences. ”

“ WHITELAW, JAMES (1749–1813) , statistician and philanthropist, was a native of county Leitrim, where he was born in 1749. He entered Trinity College, Dublin, in July 1766, became a scholar in 1769, and graduated B.A. in 1771. He studied for the church, and after his ordination became tutor to the Earl of Meath, who presented him with the living of St. James's, Dublin. He soon afterwards obtained the more remunerative living of St. Catherine's in the same city. ”

“ O'CONNOR, JAMES (1836–1910) , Irish journalist and politician, was born on 10 Feb. 1836 in the Glen of Imaal, co. Wicklow, where his father, Patrick O'Connor, was a farmer. His mother's maiden surname was Kearney. After education at an Irish national school, he entered early on a commercial career. He was one of the first to join the Fenian organisation, and when its organ, the 'Irish People,' was established in 1863, he joined the staff as book-keeper. ”

“ His deep interest in the poor people living in the 'liberties' in his immediate neighbourhood led him to form several charitable institutions, the most useful of which was the Meath charitable loan, founded in 1808, which proved of immense service to the weavers of the Coombe during very distressing periods. ”

“ In 1872 he was decorated by the French government for his share in raising the Irish Ambulance corps which served in the Franco-Prussian war, and was soon recognised in the United Kingdom and elsewhere as one of the foremost gynæcologists. ”

“ O'LEARY, JOSEPH (d. 1845?) , songwriter and journalist, was born in Cork about 1795. In youth he joined a company of strolling players, but his theatrical experience was short, as the manager wras insolvent. About 1818 he commenced to write for the Cork papers — notably, the 'Freeholder,' a scurrilous sheet which was edited by John Boyle, and lasted till 1842. O'Leary's contributions were considered very powerful, and it was in its columns his famous Bacchanalian song, 'Whiskey, drink divine,' appeared. About 1818 he also wrote for the 'Bagatelle,' a short-lived Cork periodical ”

“ O'DOHERTY, KEVIN IZOD (1823–1905) , Irish and Australian politician, born in Gloucester Street, Dublin, on 7 Sept. 1823, was son of William Izod O'Doherty, solicitor, by his wife Anne McEvoy. After a good preliminary education at Dr. Wall's school in Hume Street, Dublin, he entered the School of Medicine of the Catholic university there in 1843. ”

“ While pursuing his medical studies he identified himself with the Young Ireland movement and contributed to its organ, the 'Nation,' and was one of the founders of the Students' and Polytechnic Clubs, which opposed the constitutional leaders under O'Connell. ”

“ In 1863 he became M.P. for Clare, and in 1865 was made a third serjeant-at-law for Ireland, becoming second serjeant in the following year. He was appointed judge-advocate-general in Mr. Gladstone's ministry and a member of the privy council in December 1868; he held the former office till November 1870. He introduced and carried the bill enabling catholics to obtain the position of lord chancellor of Ireland. His unassuming manner and his good nature made him universally popular. He died suddenly, on 22 July 1877, on board the mail-boat while crossing from Holyhead to Kingstown. ”

“ O'Leary's incisive style gave the paper its chief character. The other chief contributors were Thomas Clarke Luby and Charles Joseph Kickham [q. v.] . Cardinal Cullen [q. v.] and the catholic bishops warmly denounced the Fenian movement and its organ, and O'Leary and his colleagues replied to the prelates defiantly. Bishop Moriarty declared that 'Hell was not hot enough nor eternity long enough' to punish those who led the youth of the country astray by such teaching. ”

“ Orr denied the charge, and Hugh Wheatley, whose character was bad, afterwards admitted having given false evidence. But he received at the time some secret-service money and a commission as lieutenant in the Edinburghshire militia (Fitzpatrick, Secret Service under Pitt, p. 390) . Orr was kept in prison for about a year previous to his trial, which took place at Carrickfergus, to the intense indignation of the inhabitants, who left the town during the proceedings as a protest. ”

“ Called to the Irish bar in 1862, he practised successfully for some years, and in 1882 took silk. From 1884 to 1890 he was regius professor of feudal and English law in Dublin University, and in 1890 became a judge of the supreme court of judicature of Ireland, and judicial commissioner of the Irish Land Commission. ”

“ Ordained by Archbishop Daniel Murray on 10 June 1843, Gargan was sent to the Irish College, Paris, where he taught physics and astronomy till 1845. In that year he was appointed professor of humanity in Maynooth, and in 1859 he succeeded Matthew Kelly [q. v.] as professor of ecclesiastical history at the college. After many years of notable success in this position, he was in 1885 made vice-president of the college, and in 1894 became its president. ”

“ After his removal to London early in the century he tried many callings, but was unsuccessful in all. Meanwhile he wrote poetry, eight dramas, and a novel in three volumes, entitled ‘Mary of Avonmore; or the Foundling of the Beach.’ None of these works seem now accessible. Hampered by a very large family, he managed to subsist by working as a shoemaker. ”