Background
He was born in a small farmhouse on the banks of the Nore, Queen"s County, and was educated by wandering hedge-schoolmasters.
He was born in a small farmhouse on the banks of the Nore, Queen"s County, and was educated by wandering hedge-schoolmasters.
When very young he began to write verses, but lived a peasant"s life. He suffered much in the Great Famine during 1845-1846, and died in poor circumstances in 1849.