Who is John Boyle O'reilly

John Boyle O'Reilly (28 June 1844 – 10 August 1890) was an Irish poet, journalist, author and activist. As a youth in Ireland, he was a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, or Fenians, for which he was transported to Western Australia. After escaping to the United States, he became a prominent spokesperson for the Irish community and culture through his editorship of the Boston newspaper The Pilot, his prolific writing and his lecture tours.

Born in Dowth, O'Reilly moved to his aunt's residence in England as a teenager and became involved in journalism and shortly after became involved in the military. He left the military however in 1863 after becoming angry with the army's treatment of the Irish, and returned to Ireland the same year. In 1864 he joined the Irish Republi...
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John Boyle O'reilly Poems

  • Grant-1885
    BLESSED are Pain, the smiter,
    And Sorrow, the uniter!
    For one afflicted lies-
    A symboled sacrifice- ...
  • The Dead Who Died For Ireland
    The dead who died for Ireland!
    Oh, these are living words
    To nerve the hearts of patriots -
    to steel avenging swords -...
  • Released-january, 1878
    On the 5th of January,!878, three of the Irish political prisoners, who had been confined since!866, were set at liberty. The released men were received by their fellow-countrymen in London. 'They are well,' said the report, ' but they look prematurely old.'


    THEY are free at last! They can face the sun; ...
  • Midnight-september 19, 1881
    DEATH OF PRESIDENT GARFIELD.


    ONCE in a lifetime, we may see the veil ...
  • Uncle Ned's Tale: An Old Dragoon's Story
    I OFTEN, musing, wander back to days long since gone by,
    And far-off scenes and long-lost forms arise to fancy's eye.
    A group familiar now I see, who all but one are fled,-
    My mother, sister Jane, myself, and dear old Uncle Ned. ...
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Top 10 most used topics by John Boyle O'reilly

Love 78 Heart 78 I Love You 78 God 72 Never 64 Life 59 Death 58 Face 56 Time 51 Night 46


John Boyle O'reilly Quotes

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Comments about John Boyle O'reilly

Fpchiro: be true to your work, your word, and your friend. john boyle o'reilly
Francishmccord: 'be proud, ye men of ireland! be proud of those who died; never men o’er all the earth had greater cause for pride— hope and strive, and league for freedom, and again the souls will rise of the dead who died for ireland to cheer you to the prize.' -john boyle o'reilly
Anchartlann: speech by john boyle o'reilly on st. patrick’s day, 1890 in boston, mass. "the principle underlying the irish movement is the unquestionable one of a nation’s right to its own country and laws, to develop its own resources, to tell its own story ..."
Anchartlann: to all the dear ones outside: a letter by john boyle o'reilly smuggled out of arbour hill prison detailing the cruelties inflicted on a fellow prisoner. "what a wanton cruelty it was to brand him with the letter d, and be doomed a felon for life."
Mayorsarno: mayor sarno kicked off st. patrick’s day festivities with two events at the john boyle o’reilly club. mayor ‘o’sarno’ stated, “i want to thank our springfield st. patrick’s day parade committee for keeping our city’s irish heritage and traditions strong.
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Poem of the day

Edgar Albert Guest Poem
The Killing Place
 by Edgar Albert Guest

We're hiking along at a two-forty pace
We 're making life seem like a man-killing race,
With our nerves all on edge and our jaws firmly set
We go rushing along; with our brows lined with sweat
And our cheeks pale and drawn every minute we dash,
And the goal that we 're after is merely more cash.

We 're out for the money, the greenbacks and gold,
...

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