Morgan Kavanagh facts for kids

Morgan Kavanagh (born around 1799, died 1874) was an Irish writer. He wrote poems, novels, and books about how languages began. After leaving Ireland when he was about 25, he lived in London and Paris. He never went back to Ireland. His daughter, Julia Kavanagh, also became a famous writer. Morgan Kavanagh spent his life studying and teaching language. His ideas about where language came from were often quite different from what others thought. He passed away in London in 1874.

His Early Years

Morgan Kavanagh was born in Dublin, Ireland. He left Ireland for London in 1824. His wife, Bridget, and their baby daughter, Julia, came with him. He moved to London to find someone to publish his first book of poems, called The Wanderings of Lucan and Dinah. This book was published thanks to a kind person who helped him.

For most of the next 20 years, Morgan and his family lived in Paris, France. There, he taught English language and literature. He published another book of poems, The Reign of Lockrin, in 1839.

Ideas About Language

In 1844, Kavanagh published his first book about the study of languages, called The Discovery of the Science of Languages. A French version was also printed in Paris. In this book, he suggested that early human speech might have started with sign language or actions. Over the next 27 years, he published more books with similar ideas.

However, many experts at the time did not agree with his theories. They often criticized his work. Even though his ideas were not popular back then, some newer studies suggest that his thoughts might have had some good points.

His Stories

Kavanagh wrote two novels, which are longer stories. These were Aristobulus, The Last Of The Maccabees (published in 1855) and The Hobbies (published in 1857).

When The Hobbies first came out, its cover said it was edited by his daughter, Julia Kavanagh. By then, Julia was a very successful writer herself. She quickly said that she had nothing to do with the book and even threatened to take legal action. Because of this, the publisher had to print a new cover without Julia's name on it.

Later Life

Around 1844, Kavanagh moved back to London and lived separately from his first wife and daughter. In 1851, he lived in a house where Karl Marx and his family also rented rooms. Later in his life, he had other partners and children. Morgan Kavanagh died in London in 1874 after a fall.

Books by Morgan Kavanagh

• The Wanderings of Lucan and Dinah, Sherwood and Co., London, (1824)
• The Reign of Lockrin, Whittaker & Co., London, (1839)
• The Discovery of the Science of Languages, Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, London, (1844)
• La Découverte de la Science des Langues, Au Comptoir des Imprimeurs-Unis, Paris, (1844)
• Aristobulus, The Last of the Maccabees, Newby, London (1855)
• Myths Traced to their Primary Source through Language, 2 Vols., Newby, London (1856)
• An Author his own Reviewer, J. R. Smith, London (1857)
• The Hobbies, Newby, London (1857)
• Origin of Language and Myths, Sampson, Low, Son, and Marston, London (1871)