The Irish standard., 1908-06-20
WAS HIeALY GIFTED
The Romance Of Thomas Davis
and "Annie Dear"
Fully Shared the National
Sentiments Of her Lover.

1t Is fact worthy Of note, writes
Thomas Markham in the Irish Inde-
pendent, that for century. to go no
farther back, the life of nearly every
leading champion of the cause of Irish
freedom has an added interest in the
romance attached to it by womans
unselfish and glorious love.
The sad story of Sarah Curran
touches the heart of everyone ac-
quainted with it. Her memory has
been immortalized by one of Moores
exquisite poems. The fate, too, Of
the gentle Pamela has induced tear
to many an eye. Noble and touching
sacrifices connected with Irish love
stories were made in the spirit-stirring
days Of the Young Irelanders. In that
period Of dazzling intellectual brill
liancy the noblest hopes and truest
loves were linked with the saddest
destinies. The details of many Of
these stories never became publicly
known, and those connected with
others are forgotten. There exist a
hazy remembrance Of "Eva's" cour-
age, and confused notion about
Ellen Downing's despair. And few, very
few, are conversant with the love<
story Of the greatest influence in mod
ern Irish history-Thomas Davis.
About thirty yards removed from
the. Whitworth Road, Drumcondra,
near Dublin, is situate the neat little
churchyard of ST. Georges. At the
northwest Of this burial ground. under
the shadow of the surrounding wall.
lies the grave Of Annie Hutton, the
bethrothed of Thomas Davis.
OF her he wrote:
Bright fairies by Glenaariffe's bay,
Soft woods that DER Killarney sway,
Bold echoes born in Ceim- an-eich,
Your kinsman's greeting hear!
He, asks you by old friendships name,
BY all the rights that MINISTRIES claim.
For Erin's joy and Desmond's fame,
Be kind to Annie DEAR"
Annie Hutton, the daughter Of
Thomas Hutton. well-known Dublin.
citizen, was 20 years old when she
died on June 9TH. 1853. Information
regarding her personal appearance is
scanty, but Davis speaks of her eyes
darker than Dunloe," her pale. CHS
elled features her "arbutus-like
tresses." her step like frighted deer"
She was still in her teens when these
poetic descriptions were penned. The
fullest information now obtainable on
the subject goes to show that she
combined a most amiable manner with
a charming quiet dignity. OF the at
feotation or vanity characteristic Of
her sex. especially SO Of those Of it
singularly favored by nature. she was
wholly destitute. Her manner was
lively and engaging, without a trace
of frivolity. "The one fear had was
that you would think Of me as a play
thing" she writes to her sweetheart,
and so. betrays the intensity of her
affection for him. But such a fear
was groundless. Davis found "glo-
rious. nameless light" in the eyes of
annie DEAR"
Annie Hutton was highly gifted IN
the intellectual way. On the cause
to which her lover was so unselhshly
and devotedly attached, she can find
expression for graceful. deep and
touching thought, whether she RAM
bles alone over the inspiring heights
of Ben Elder or sits quietly at home
in the less romantic and less SOUL
expanding environment of Summer
Hill. That she fully shared his ma
tional sentiments Davis shows in
the last stanza Of his poem-"The
Change"
"And yet. machree. were we not fond
OF freedom and Old Erin:
Were we not fretted by each bond
Our countrymen are wearing:
Were We not full Of hope to see
Our country great as any.
Meetings. the power would pass from
me
To sing for even ANNIE"
Davis was a supremely happy lover.
His biographer deems it of interest
to record the improvement noticeable
in his looks and spirits, due to the
influence Of happy reciprocated affec-
ton.
On September 18th, 1s45. he who,
to use a couplet ascribed to Pericles,
and embodied in the famous address
delivered before the Trinity College
Historical Society,