Joseph Brenan facts for kids

Joseph Brenan (sometimes spelled Brennan) was an Irish writer, journalist, and poet. He was born on November 17, 1828, and passed away on May 27, 1857. Joseph was an important member of a group called the Young Irelanders and the Irish Confederation, who worked for Ireland's independence.

Joseph Brenan's Early Life

Joseph Brenan was born in Cork, Ireland, on November 17, 1828. He started writing poems when he was quite young. He became known as one of the true poets of the Young Ireland movement. His first poems were often published using his initials, "J. B., Cork," or "J. B—n." Later, some of his poems written in America used the pen name "Gondalez." He was also a very good writer of stories and articles.

Brenan was an active member of the Cork Historical Society. He also helped edit the Cork Magazine, which began in November 1847. This magazine stopped publishing at the end of 1848. Many writers who contributed to it, like Frazer and Mary Savage, later faced difficulties such as imprisonment or having to leave the country.

The 1848 Rising and His Role

In January 1848, a famous Irish leader named John Mitchel visited Cork. Joseph Brenan greatly admired Mitchel and felt a strong connection to his cause. Brenan believed in Mitchel's fight for Ireland's freedom.

Brenan wrote articles for Mitchel's newspaper, the United Irishman. He even sold his rifle to pay for his train ticket to Dublin. Dublin was the center of the movement for change. He later wrote articles in John Martin's Irish Felon newspaper. In these articles, he encouraged members of the Confederate Clubs to be ready for action.

He wrote to the clubs, saying they needed to understand that their group was formed to achieve something big. He believed they aimed to challenge a strong government and free their country. He also wrote to "the Young Men of Ireland" on July 22, 1848. He told them to be brave and make "Now or never" their motto.

Brenan worked with other Irish leaders like John Savage and John O'Mahony. He was arrested and held in different prisons for seven months. These included Newgate Prison, Carrickfergus, and Kilmainham Gaol. While in prison, he wrote several beautiful poems. One poem, called "Yearnings," was likely written for Mary Savage, who was John Savage's sister.

After being released from prison in March 1849, Brenan became the editor of a newspaper called the Irishman. He tried to restart the movement for independence. However, he was linked to an attack on the police barracks in Cappoquin in September 1848. In October, he had to escape to America.

Life in America

In America, Joseph Brenan worked for several newspapers. These included Horace Greeley's Tribune and the New Orleans Delta. For the New Orleans Delta, he wrote a series of articles using the pen name Ben Fox. On August 27, 1851, Joseph Brenan married Mary Savage in New York.

Brenan also wrote articles and poems for John Mitchel's newspaper, Citizen, in 1854. He was a strong supporter of the Southern states in America. He even started his own newspaper called the New Orleans Times.

Joseph Brenan's Final Years

Joseph Brenan passed away on May 27, 1857. He was only twenty-nine years old. He was buried in the old French cemetery in New Orleans. In his last year, he was almost completely blind. He had seven children with Mary, but only one, Florence, lived longer than her parents. Florence inherited her father's talent for writing, but she chose to dedicate her life to religion as a member of the Mercy Order.

Legacy and Famous Works

Joseph Brenan's most famous poem is "Come to Me, Dearest." He wrote this poem for Mary Savage before they were married. The story of their love has been shared in a written piece by Ellen Mary Patrick Downing.