In the 1901 and 1911 censuses there are not many who give their occupation as Poet, and nobody from Co. Clare. But living in Co. Clare is poet John Haren/Harhen, born in Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh. The National Archives transcription of the 1901 census (online) places 17 people in the category of “Poet”. Some of these are actually Post Mistresses, Post Office Clerks, etc., but, of the remaining 10, only John Haren continues to declare himself a poet in 1911. This time John Haren shares the category with William B Yeates and Thomas MacDonagh.
1901 census: John Haren, 67, Poet, born Enniskillen [Co. Fermanagh], and his mother, Mrs Mary Haren, 98, born near Enniskillen, living in High Street, Kilrush: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/p ... t/1082240/. John writes that his mother cannot read and explains that she’s blind.
Mary Haren died in 1909: 9 Jan 1909, at Burton Street, Kilrush: Mary Haren, Widow of a Bootmaker, aged 106; informant: John Haren, son, Burton Street, Kilrush: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 530027.pdf
1911 census: John Harhen, 78, Poet, born Co. Fermanagh, visitor at the house of John Callinan, Aughiska Beg (Lurraga DED): http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/p ... eg/359083/
John Haran died in 1913: 5 Nov 1913, at Ballyvaughan Workhouse: John Haran from Lisdoonvarna, Bachelor, aged 85, Poet: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 486924.pdf
John Haren did not live in the lap of luxury: in 1901 he is living in a house in High Street, Kilrush, which seems to defy classification, but I think it is just a room (no. 7.2) rented to him by Patrick Clohessy (no. 7.1), who has the other 2 rooms for his own family: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/r ... 000481721/, and, in 1911, the house John is visiting in Aughiska Beg (near Lisdoonvarna) is a one room house classified as 4th class: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/r ... 001771521/.
He may not have been a great poet, but it’s right and fitting that he is recorded quite simply as Poet.
Sheila
John Haren (abt. 1833 – 1913); occupation: Poet
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