Thomas Furlong (poet) facts for kids

Thomas Furlong (1794–1827) was an Irish poet. He was known for his poems and for translating old Irish songs. Thomas lived in Ireland during a time of big changes.

Early Life and Work

Thomas Furlong was born in 1794 in a place called Scarawalsh. This area is in County Wexford, Ireland, between the towns of Ferns and Enniscorthy. His father was a farmer.

Later, Thomas moved to Dublin. There, he got a job in an office at a large factory that made drinks. He worked there for the rest of his life.

His Poems and Writings

Thomas Furlong wrote many poems. His first published work was a poem called The Misanthrope. It came out in London in 1819. Thomas said he wrote it to help a friend who was feeling sad and had stopped seeing people. He later pulled this book from sale because it had many printing mistakes. He released a new version in Dublin in 1821, which included other poems too.

The Plagues of Ireland

In 1824, Thomas published another important poem called The Plagues of Ireland: an Epistle. This poem was written to support Catholic Emancipation. This was a movement to give more rights to Catholic people in Ireland. Thomas described his poem as a quick look at the problems in Ireland. He believed these problems needed to be fixed for Ireland to be peaceful. He added a few other short poems to The Plagues of Ireland.

Working with Others

Thomas Furlong also wrote a lot for magazines like the New Monthly Magazine. He even planned to start his own literary magazine in Dublin. Famous writers like Thomas Moore, Charles Maturin, and Lady Morgan admired his work.

A historian named James Hardiman asked Thomas to help him. James wanted Thomas to turn the old songs of Irish poets, like Carolan, into English poems. Thomas was working on this project when he died.

Later Works and Legacy

Thomas Furlong passed away on July 25, 1827, in Dublin. He was buried in the churchyard of Drumcondra.

He was also working on a poem called The Doom of Derenzie when he died. Only one part of this poem had been checked by him. It was published after his death in 1829. This poem was about the old stories and beliefs of the farmers in Wexford.

Some of Thomas Furlong's translated poems and a picture of him appeared in James Hardiman's book about Irish music in 1831. One of his poems was also included in a famous collection called Ballad Poetry of Ireland in 1845.

Thomas Furlong is buried in the graveyard of Drumcondra Church.