John Keegan

Alfred Webb

A Compendium of Irish Biography

1878

Keegan, John, the author of several poetical pieces of great beauty, was born in 1809, on the banks of the Nore, in the Queen's County. He received a hedge-school education, and was all through life essentially a man of the people. In a short notice in the Irishman of October 1876, it is remarked: "All the different phases of Irish passion — the fierce outbursts of anger — the muttered tone of contempt — all the deep and heart-rendering sorrow of the people — John Keegan was master of all! Not a side of the Irish character was there that he did not probe and understand. From the sweet mood of love murmured in the eventide over the milk-pail, to the violent words of animosity at the faction fight, there was not a page of the Irish character that escaped the keen eye of Keegan." Several of his verses will be found in Hayes's Ballads of Ireland: "Caoch the Piper," and "The Dark Girl at the Holy Well," are amongst the best. Keegan died in 1849, aged 40, when on the point of publishing his poems in a collected form.

Sources

233. Manuscript and Special Information, and Current Periodicals.

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