William MacNamara Downes temperance poems and songs Clare

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mgallery
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William MacNamara Downes temperance poems and songs Clare

Post by mgallery » Sat Apr 13, 2013 10:12 am

Hi

I ask this without much hope of an answer as I have never as yet got one to a topic I raised on this forum, only to answers I gave to others. My research interests seem to be obscure.

Does anyone know anything about the early 1800s poet and writer of temperance songs William MacNamara Downes who wrote a poem in which he used Dean John Kenny (my first cousin many times removed) as his model for the priest, "The birthplace" . His birthplace was Kilrush and he writes of the school he went to there(run by Allen) and the general environs as he does on the local minster and priest.
He also has poems on a pig herder in Kilrush and on Allan a rebel Allan from Malbay who had to emigrate.
His book subscribers are all from Clare and Limerick except Thomas Moore who he asked to subscribe.
He says he spent a few years in the West Indies

I can find nothing on him online though the NLI has several of his pamphlets and books

Margaret

pwaldron
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Re: William MacNamara Downes temperance poems and songs Clar

Post by pwaldron » Wed Feb 18, 2015 3:40 pm

Peter Beirne's typically thorough reply to another version of this query is hidden away under 15 Apr 2013 at http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/guests.htm

Jimbo
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Re: William MacNamara Downes temperance poems and songs Clar

Post by Jimbo » Mon Mar 09, 2015 5:57 am

Hi Margaret,

Looks like he died in New York. Here is his obituary in the Irish American Weekly of October 1, 1853 (source: genealogybank.com):

OBITUARY

We seldom discharged a more painful or melancholy duty than that of recording the demise of our friend and former associate, Wm. Macnamara Downes, Esq., who arrived from Ireland at Quarantine ground (Staten Island) on Monday,the 12th inst., and died on Thursday, the 15th.

Mr. Downes was, for some years, connected with the Irish Press, and was much admired for his skill as a stenographic reporter, and his ability as a fluent and eloquent writer. He was popularly known and appreciated, as a graceful and gifted poet, by a large number of his fellow-countrymen. He had long expressed a desire to come to the great Republic - (it was but a few weeks since we had a letter from Carrigaholt, Clare, Ireland, enclosing a poem we then published in the Irish-American) - but an ALL WISE PROVIDENCE so ordained it that, having attained his object, he was taken away before he could enjoy the sweets of that freedom which his warm and patriotic soul so long and so ardently coveted.

His brothers (Capt. Downes, of the O'Brien Guard, and Mr. Downes, of Brooklyn) paid our dear friend every affectionate and consoling attention in his last moments. On Saturday his remains were removed to Greenwood Cemetery.

Poor William Downes, who was in his 40th year, was nearly connected with some of the first families of his native county (Clare) who, with a large circle of acquaintances, there and here, will deeply regret and deplore his loss.

May God grant his soul eternal rest !


I have relatives buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn and know it has an excellent website. Found him listed as "William M. Downs".
http://www.green-wood.com/burial_results/index.php

Jimbo
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Re: William MacNamara Downes temperance poems and songs Clar

Post by Jimbo » Mon Mar 09, 2015 7:58 pm

POET'S CORNER

The Forsaken

Original Stanzas written for The Irish-American

BY WILLIAM M. DOWNES, AUTHOR OF POETIC SKETCHES

In the land of my birth, I am left all alone.
My kindred are gone o'er Atlantic's wild wave,
Oh, shall I again hear your voices, my own --
Or meet you once more on this side of the grave?

The fate that divides us, alas, is the same,
Which thousands compell'd from their country to go.
The curse, and the blight of misfortune that came,
Left many sad hearts in this island of woe.

And wide is the gulf that is rolling between
The friends of my childhood, these lov'd ones, and me
Of life's early joys I remember each scene,
As, sadly, I gaze on the foam of the sea.

Yet, oh, ye belov'd, who are far, far way,
In bonds of affection long may ye entwine!
Perchance, should you meet with this sorrowful lay,
Your souls may then know the dark anguish of mine.

Farewell! though unseen, you shall ne'er be forgot,
And if on this earth, I should meet you no more,
The lone and forsaken must bear with his lot,
In hope that we'll meet on Eternity's shore!

Carrigaholt, Co. Clare, Ireland
May 18, 1853

Source: Irish American Weekly, Saturday, June 11, 1853 (genealogybank.com newspaper archive)

mgallery
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Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:27 pm

Re: William MacNamara Downes temperance poems and songs Clar

Post by mgallery » Mon Mar 09, 2015 9:36 pm

Thanks that is interesting. There is a book of his poems in the NLI.

One on Kilrush including mention of the school he went to there. He seems to have travelled a fair bit he is coming home from the Carribean (I think)

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