Who is John Keegan Casey

John Keegan "Leo" Casey (1846 – 17 March 1870), known as the Poet of the Fenians, was an Irish poet, orator and republican who was famous as the writer of the song "The Rising of the Moon" and as one of the central figures in the Fenian Rising of 1867. He was imprisoned by the English and died on St. Patrick's Day in 1870.

Early life



He was born in Mount Dalton, County Westmeath to a teacher during the height of the Great Hunger of 1846. Eight years later he moved to Gurteen, near Ballymahon in County Longford, when his father was given the post of head master at the local school. Casey's work would come to be closely associated with Ballymahon.As a teenager he worked as an assistant to his father and was expected to follow him into teaching; however,...
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John Keegan Casey Poems

  • Maire My Girl
    Over the dim blue hills
    Strays a wild river,
    Over the dim blue hills
    Rests my heart ever....
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Top 10 most used topics by John Keegan Casey

April Fools 1 Soft 1 Forget 1 Pure 1 Honey 1 Pearl 1 Brown 1 Young 1 Blue 1 Wild 1


John Keegan Casey Quotes

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Comments about John Keegan Casey

Knightsconquest: the rising of the moon..... check out the full "worm" moon tonight, it's going to be spectacular! did you know ... "the rising of the moon" was written by ballymahon native john 'leo' keegan casey (1846–70), the "fenian poet", who based the ballad on the battle of granard 1798
Longford_leader: cronin star in ‘the rising of the moon – a celebration of john keegan casey’ at ballymahon's bog lane theatre
Gsheehy: in exile here i sit and think, my heart surcharged with sorrow, of home, and friends that watch for me on the hills of connemara - those glorious hills, those kindly hills, the hills of connemara! john keegan casey (1846 - 1870)
Knightsconquest: the rising of the moon..... do you know one of the greatest irish ballads was written about granard. written by ballymahon native john 'leo' keegan casey (1846–70), the fenian poet, the ballad is based on the battle of granard and happenings during the 1798 rebellion.
Patrickhawe: alludes to a line from the poem "caoch the piper," by irish writer john keegan casey "leo".
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Poem of the day

Isaac Watts Poem
Psalm 119 Part 10
 by Isaac Watts

Pleading the promises.

ver. 38,49

Behold thy waiting servant, Lord,
Devoted to thy fear;
Remember and confirm thy word,
For all my hopes are there.
...

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