8. Slievenamon - Daniel O'Donnell

Written by Charles Kickham, from The Daniel O'Donnell Collection, a free compilation CD from "The Irish Mail on Sunday" 2008... for educational purposes only, no copyright infringement intended.

Charles Kickham (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Charles Joseph Kickham (9 May 1828 – 22 August 1882) was an Irish revolutionary, novelist, poet, journalist and one of the most prominent members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood.

Charles Kickham was born at Mullinahone, County Tipperary, on 9 May 1828.[1] His father John Kickham was proprietor of the principal drapery in the locality, and was held in high esteem for his patriotic spirit.[2] His mother, Anne O'Mahony, was related to the Fenian leader John O'Mahony.[3] Charles Kickham grew up largely deaf and almost blind, the result of an explosion with a powder flask when he was 13. He was educated locally, where it was intended he study for the medical profession.[4] During his boyhood the Repeal agitation was at its height, and he soon became versed in its arguments, and was inspired by its principles. He often heard the issues discussed in his father’s shop and at home amongst all his friends and acquaintances.

From a young age he was imbued with these patriotic ideals.[5][6] He became acquainted with the teaching of the Young Irelanders through their newspaper The Nation from its foundation in October, 1842. Kickham’s father used to read the paper aloud every week for the family. This reading would include the speeches in Reconciliation Hall (home of the Repeal Association) and reports on Repeal meetings in the provinces. Also of interest was the lead articles and literary pages, including, the "Poet’s Corner." [4] Like all the young people of the time, and a great many of the old ones, according to Seán Ua Ceallaigh, his sympathies went with the Young Irelanders on their secession from the Repeal Association.

Kickham contributed, when he was 22 years old, "The Harvest Moon" sung to the air of "The Young May Moon," to The Nation on 17 August 1850. Other verses were to follow, but the finest of Kickham’s poems according to A. M. O’Sullivan, appeared in other journals. "Rory of the Hill," "The Irish Peasant Girl," and "Home Longings" better known as "Slievenamon" were published in the Celt. "The First Felon" (John Mitchel) appeared in the Irishman. "Patrick Sheehan," the story of an old soldier, was published in the Kilkenny Journal, and became very popular as an anti-recruiting song, according to O’Sullivan.[4]

Kickham began to write for a number of papers, including The Nation, but also the Celt, the Irishman, the Shamrock, and would become one of the leader writers on the Irish People, the Fenian organ, in which many of his poems appeared. His writings were signed using his initials, his full name, or the pseudonyms, "Slievenamon" and "Momonia."

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