The Irish standard., 1912-02-10
A Bard Of the Gael


The movement in Ireland to erect a !
suitable monument to commemorate
the memory of Donnchadh Ruadh Nc
Namara, recalls the fact that he was
one of the last of the bards who wrote
in the Gaelic language as his mother
tongue. Not only that, but that he
was we'll learned in other languages, !
for he wrote also in the English Ian
guage, and his Latin compositions
have a fine classic flavor, that even
Horace or Pindar themselves might
envy.
But he was an unfortunate wight in
many ways. Though Waterford, and
with some reason, claims him as her
own, Denis MacNamara the Red did
not belong by birth to that county, but
Irish stock some time in or about the
year 1715. He was one of the Mac
Namaras of Cratloc. in the County
Glare, but in 174O VIC find him estab-
lished in the County Waterford,
| where it is possible he had some near
relatives, teaching school at Seskcn-
ane, when the rigor of the penal laws
had commenced to relax.
1t is stated that previous to his ar
rival in Waterford he had studied in
Rome for the priesthood, but had been
expelled from his college there owing
to some misconduct, "a youthful frol-
| ic," one of his biographers says. How
ever that may be, his stay at the
school of Seskenane, or Sieve Qua,
was not OF long continuance, either,
wrote the schoolhonse was burned over
his head, and he was forced to fly from
the locality. In 1745 he formed the
project of emigraing to Newfound-
land, and collected from his friends
both in Imokilly and Seskenane con-
tributions in kind for his sustenance
e. l.
consisted, as we are told by himself,
| of twelve dozen eggs, a crock of but
| ter, a side of bacon, nine stone of oat-
| meal, barrel of potatoes, a key of
beer, bed, etc. (for emigrants then,
! and even later, had to supply their
| own provisions for the voyage), but,
| alas, for his fair fame. he never start
ed on the ocean trip; but having ar
| rived in Waterford he drank his pas
| sage money, and disposed in some cor
| responding fashion of the contributed
stores, and he returned to Imokilly no
more.
Then this scapcgrace genius is lost
sight of until the year 1856. when,
school mastering at Kilmacthomas or
thereabout, he again crosses our field
of vision. About this time, too, he
wrote his longest and best known
poem, the title of which may BE- trans
, lated: 1.-THE Adventures of an I'm
fortunate Man." in which, in a bur-
lesque imitation of the Aeneid, he af-
fects to narrate his own adventures
In an imaginary voyage to Newfound-
land. However, he did eventually go
to Newfoundland, and he had some
amusing experiences there, some of
which, of course, he turned to advan-
tage in verse.
1t is related that one night in st.
Johns, the capital of that oldest of
British colonies, as Dpnnehadh was
RECALLING himself with some Irish
| friends, a body Of English soldiers en-
tered and Joined the party. The poet.
| by request, composed a song extern
pore, and sang it in alternate verses
Of English and Irish. He flattered the
soldiers, and sang the praises of their
nation in English, while in Irish he
damned them, and wished them and
all their works to perdition-to the un-
restraining mirth of TIL 1rishmen, who
alone understood the Irish verses.
This IS a we'll known song, beginning,
"As was walking ore. evening fair"
~ = IA