| Songs
of our land, you are with us forever,
The power and the splendour of thrones
pass away
But yours is the might of some far flowing
river
Through Summer's bright roses and Autumn's
decay. |
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Those lines published in the Belfast Penny Journal
for March 1841, are typical of the verses written
by Frances Brown, who was better known as "The
Blind Poetess of Stranorlar."
Frances Brown was born at upper Main Street, Stranorlar
on January 16th. 1816. Her family came from Bangor,
Co. Down, and her father was the first postmaster
in Ballybofey.
Although blind from infancy (the result of an attack
of small-pox), she grew up with a good grasp of English
literature and earned her living by writing. She persuaded
her brothers and sisters to read to her as many books
as she could lay her hands on, many of which were
lent to her by Mr. McGranaghan, the local school teacher
who also taught Isaac Butt (founder of Home Rule).
Her first work to be published appeared in the "Northern
Whig" to which, unbeknownst to her, it had been
sent by a friend. One of her finest poems "Songs
of our Land", was published in the "Irish
Penny Journal" for March 6th. 1841, and she afterwards
wrote for "Hoods Magazine", "The Athenaeum",
"Lady Blessington's Keepsake" and other
periodicals of the time
Frances Brown is today best remembered for a unique
- and at one time very popular - collection of fairytales,
"Granny's Wonderful Chair", and its "Tales
of Fairy Times". None of her books are available
today, yet some sixty years ago, her collected volume
of verse "The Star of Attesgia" and her
novel "Hidden Sin" were being widely read.
Always poor and unable to make an adequate living
from her writing, she lived during her later years
on a civil pension, granted by Sir Robert Peel. Ireland
today remembers with pride the author of "Songs
of our Land" and several other classic poems,
which reflect the true spirit of our Irish race.
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