Mary Downing facts for kids

Mary Downing (born Mary McCarthy, around 1815–1881) was an Irish poet and a strong supporter of Irish independence, known as a nationalist. She often wrote under the pen name "Christabel." Some of her poems were included in a famous collection called The ballad poetry of Ireland in 1869, which was put together by Charles Gavan Duffy.

Mary Downing's Early Life and Writing

Mary McCarthy was born around 1815 in a place called Kilfadda More, near Kilgarvan in County Kerry, Ireland. She was the oldest daughter of Daniel McCarthy.

Pen Names and Published Works

Throughout her life, Mary Downing used several different pen names, which are fake names writers use. Her most famous pen names were "Christabel" and "Myrrha." She published many of her poems in newspapers like the Cork Southern Reporter and the Freeholder. She also wrote poems for the Dublin Citizen using the names "M.F.D." and "C**l." Her most well-known book of poems, Scraps from the mountains, and other poems, was published in Dublin in 1840.

Family Life and Move to London

In the 1830s, Mary married Washington Downing, who passed away in 1877. He was a reporter for a newspaper called the Daily News. Because of his job, Mary and Washington moved to London, England.

Their daughter, Helena Shearer, grew up to be a famous suffragette. A suffragette was a woman who actively fought for women's right to vote.

Mary Downing's Support for Irish Nationalism

Mary Downing was very dedicated to Irish nationalism, which means she strongly believed in Ireland being an independent country. She played an important role in helping people involved in the failed Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848 escape from Ireland to France.

Helping Rebels Escape Ireland

After the rebellion, some of the leaders needed to hide. In September 1848, two important figures, James Stephens and Michael Doheny, stayed at Mary's family home in Kilfadda More while they planned their escape. Michael Doheny managed to escape on a ship to Bristol by pretending to be a cleric (a religious leader).

James Stephens also needed to escape. At first, someone suggested he could pretend to be Mary Downing's maid because he was young and could look like a woman. Stephens refused this idea. Instead, he traveled with Mary Downing on a ship called the Sabarina, pretending to be her servant boy. Stephens then hid at the Downings' home in London before continuing his journey to France. Years later, when he returned to the United Kingdom in 1856, he again stayed at their house.

Later Life and Legacy

The Downings lived at several different addresses in London, including Pentonville, Cumming Street, and finally Hilldrop Crescent in Camden Town. Mary Downing passed away in London in 1881.

Papers and documents related to Mary Downing are kept as part of the McCarthy family collection at the National Library of Ireland. In 2015, the 200th anniversary of her birth was celebrated in Kilgarvan, County Kerry, where she was born.