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Life
1709-1775; ‘An Ghrinn’, b. near Kilmallock, Co. Limerick; moved at early age to Croom, Co. Limerick; worked as school-teacher and afterwards inn-keeper [at An Dún]; formed school known as Filí na Máighe, after the Maigue Valley, with Seán Clarach Mac Domhnaill and Andrias Mac Craith; called his
fellow-poets to a commemoration at An Dún on hearing of the death of Seán Clarach and discussed with how to keep Irish alive; later employed as water bailiff, and afterwards again as a hen-keeper to Mrs Quin, sister of Lord Dartry (acc. Eugene O’Curry), at Quinsboro, Co. Clare; called her Dame of the Slender Wattle; moved to Mungret St. in Limerick, 1769; bur. at Croom. DIW OCIL
Works
See Pádraig Ua Duinnín, ed., Filidhe na Máighe (1906), and Riséard Ó Foghludha, ed., Eigse na Máighe (1952).
Quotations
‘No landless wanderer of the noble Gael, / No brother bard, no [d]oughty
[h]ear, and game, / though for this time he lack the price of ale, / But John O’Twomey welcomes all the same.’ (Trans. Tomás Ó
Canainn, in Taisce Duan [q.d.]; cited as appearing on his inn-sign, in P. J. Kavanagh, Voices in Ireland, Murray 1994, p.139.)
Notes
An Dún: This was the name given to the Gaelic league branch in Cork by Daniel Corkery and others.
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