The Irish standard., 1898-01-08
LAST OF THE BARDS.
INTERESTING SKETCH OF O'CARO-
Ian, THE IRISH MINSTREL.
HIS BEAUTIFUL POEMS AND MELODIES.
OF HIS BlRTHRIGHr IN
THE 18TH CENTURY,
Was A MAN OF uAOOUBrEO GENIUS.
THOUGH BLIND HE BECAME A CEL-
i1BRATED HANPlsT.

/
The following abridged sketch of
Iurloch O'Carolan, the last great bard
of Erin, is taken from a contribution in
the magnificent '9S centenary edition of
the San Francisco Nation by Mr.. NJ.
O'Mahoney:
Although gifted with natural genius
1or music and poetry, Carolan evinced
no precocious disposition for either. IIo
became minstrel by accident, ard
continued to be so more through choice
than necessity. "He was above playing
] Tor hire, says friend, the venerable
Charles O'Conor, of Balangar, who al
ways respected him as one Of those re-
duced Irish gentlemen, who were plum
dered of their birthrights during the
troubles Of the seventeenth century.
Respectfully descended, Carolan post
sessed no small portion Of Irish pride,
and entertaing a duo sense Of his ad-
dltlonal claims as II man of genius, he
always expected and Invariably receiv-
ed, that attention to which In every
respect he was SO eminently entitled.
At the houses where he visited he was
always welcomed as friend, rather
than received as an itincrant minstrel.
His visits were considered as favors
conferred, and his departure ALWAYS
caused regret.
lie lived happy and respected, anil
under one OF the greatest privations in
cident to humanity this amiable and in
genious man has shown that true GO
MUS properly directed is able to tri..
umph over difficulties, under which Or
dinary minds generally sink In despair.
| When 18 yenrs old Carolan's book
studies came to an end suddenly; small
pox deprived him of his sight yhen
he found himself in this melancholy
+; state he expressed a desire to learn the
harp. Mrs. McDiarmuid procured
| harpst to instruct him, under whom Ia
soon became proficient. Having In hla
22d year determined to become harp
er, his benefactress provided him with
a horse and an attendant. Thus equip
ped, he began visiting the houses of the
surrounding gentry and began that CO.
reer that has justly made him one of
| tho most celebrated of the modern
bards and composers OF Ireland Among
the first of the places he visited was
Letcerfian, the ancient seat of the Mnc-
Randnls or Reynolds, near the beautiful
Loeb Sour in Lictrim. Tho then pro-
prietor, George Reynolds. Esq, was
produced some verses in Irish. Mrs.
Reynolds asked Carolan If he had eve.
attempted verse, and being answered in
| the negative she then humorollsly said
to CarOlan in the irish idom: per
| haps, Carolan, you may make n bclscr
hand with your tongue than with your
fingers" Mr.. Reynolds then told him
of q great battle that had recently been
fought between the fairies of two bills
in tho ncighborhood and proposed IT. rs
n fit subject to try his muse upon. Mr..
Reynolds then left home for o. few dnva,
and on his return Carolan played and
| sung for him the words and music of
his celebrated "Fairy Queens" mus;
began the career of Caroan as u poet
and composer. During his career Car
| olan seldom went outside Connaugic,
and even in Galway he was but little
acquainted. Tho number Of his nu-
sical pieces, to almost all Of which ho
| composed verses is said to have exceed
ed a hundred. Several are lost beyond
recovery, and Of the verses, not one
half is supposed to be remaining. Caro-
lan's compositions were mostly dcdi-
Gated to members of those families he
visited hence they bear such titles IS
mabel Kelly" Madam Crofton,"
"Dr. IIarte,' MARY Maguire,'
Bridget Cruise" etc.
| In 1920 Carolan went to D0nass, in
the County Glare, the seat of Charles
Massey, dean of Limerick. and son-in-
law OF Sir Charles Dillon, of Lismullon,
in tho County Meath. There he wap
kindly entertained and to this visit wo
are indebted for the only original por-
trait of him extant, painted probably
by the Dutch artist, Van der Hagen,
who was commissioned by Dean Mas
scy to do the work, because OF his ad-
| miration of Carolan. The portrait cor
responds with every description we
have of him. His countcnancc appears
open, kind natured and intelligent,
though the sovereign vital lamp is ex-
tinguishcd. While celebrating the liv-
ing, Carolan did not forget the dead
| Some of his elegiac productions are well
known, particularly those on the death
Of his wife marie nj Guidir, of FERN
aEagh), and his friend, McCabc the
bard; his lament for Eogan Ruadh Va
Neill, the celebrated Irish general.
These and several others of their kind
are favorable sDeciments OF Ills talent
for this kind Of composition. But, O.,