Eva of the Nation

EVA of THE NATION was one of the most famous poets of protest associated with the Young Ireland Press in the events leading up to its suppression in 1848 following a failed revolution. Born Mary Anne Kelly, she was the eldest child of Edward Kelly and Bridget O’Flaherty in "Ivy House", Bridge Street, Headford, Co. Galway, the home of her maternal grandparents, on 15 February. 1830. Her family home was at Killeen, near Portumna but she spent a large part of her childhood at Lisdonagh House, a medium size country house set in parkland and facing a large lake, Lough Hacket, which has an important crannóg thought to have been built in the early Christian period, just outside Headford, her grandparents having moved to that location.
She was educated by a governess who encouraged her to write poetry and eventually her work was published in a variety of newspapers. She took many pseudonyms before settling on EVA and as her work was mainly published in The Nation, a nationalist, Dublin based, newspaper she became better known as Eva of The Nation than by her family name.
Her early poems were written in a romantic vein but by 1847 she adopted a more militant stance with increasingly warlike language as she called on the people of Ireland to rise up against the oppressor. This attitude was surprising in a Victorian young lady whose father supported the Queen but the maternal side of the family obviously had a strong influence on her attitude – her grandfather Francis O’Flaherty had close relationships with The United Irishmen whilst her great-uncle Martin O’Flaherty was a Young Irelander who went to America to raise arms for the revolution; her cousin, John O'Leary was well known as Editor of The Irish People for which he was imprisoned and then exiled for twenty years.
She fell in love with a medical student turned newspaper editor, Kevin Izod O'Doherty, editor of The Irish Tribune, who was convicted of sedition (after three trials) and transported to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) where he served seven years. He was part-pardoned in 1854 and eventually made his way to Europe. He was forbidden to enter Ireland or England so came secretly to Ireland to propose to Eva.
Following her acceptance they both went to London where, according to her family bible, he and Mary Anne were married by Cardinal Wiseman in St Mary's Moorfield, the Pro-Cathedral for Westminster – a fanciful notion as no record of this marriage exists. That they did marry is not in doubt, however, but in all probability it was in secret, as Kevin, being a convicted felon, would not have been allowed to register the marriage. It is interesting to note that by this time her adopted name of EVA had become her own. They immediately went to Paris and as soon as the full pardon came through they were officially married in the Consular Office - no doubt to hoodwink the authorities into believing Kevin had never set foot in England! They secretly returned to Dublin in 1856 for the birth of their first child as they had heard that a full pardon was imminent. Kevin completed his medical studies and took his final examinations at the Royal College of Surgeons in 1857 and then commenced practice in Dublin: However, unsettled by the political climate, in 1860 they decided to emigrate to Australia with their three children settling first in Sydney and then in Brisbane. Kevin had a successful career as a doctor and was elected to the Queensland Legislature where he proposed the first Health Act passed in the Queensland Parliament which particularly improved the health of mothers and children. In 1885 he returned to Ireland and was elected member for Meath, Ireland, in the House of Commons. The Australians did not take kindly to his supporting Irish politics and when he returned to Brisbane he found his medical practice in disarray. Eventually Kevin began to lose his eyesight and the couple slid into poverty. He died in 1905.
Eva continued to write poetry after her arrival in Brisbane but it was full of wistfulness for the Ireland she had left behind. She published a small book of poetry in 1877 during a trip to San Francisco but this was not a success. Her second book was published in 1909 in Dublin and this helped ameliorate some of her dismal poverty. She had eight children; three died in infancy and only one daughter, Gertrude, survived her. Her only surviving grandson, Louis died in 1918 wiping out the direct male line but her surviving granddaughter, Mignon married and had children. Her great-great granddaughters, Caroline and Vivian Nesbitt live in U.S.A. She died in 1910 and is buried with Kevin in Toowong cemetery. The Queensland Irish Association have erected a Celtic Cross over their graves.
Above Summary by Brega Webb. © July, 2003.

Lough Corrib Steam Navigation Company

In 1853 the Lough Corrib Steam Navigation Company was formed with a capital of £10,000 in 2,000 shares of £1 each. The chairman was Mr. Alexander a Lambert, of Brookhill, the other Mayo director being Mr. Charles Malley. Mr. John Ennis, Chairman of the M.G.W.R., who was son-in-law of Mr. Edward Howley, Belleek, Ballina, and two other directors of the M.G.W.R., were on the board. The Representatives for Galway being Messrs. Thomas Pearse and Bernard O'Flaherty. From the prospectus I take the following points:-
"The Lough Corrib drainage works having already completed the direct communication between Lough Corrib and the bay of Galway, and rendered the lake navigable for stearners to its furthest extremity, with the near and additional prospect of opening to more extensive navigation the attractive lakes of Loughs Mask and Carra in the ensuing year. It is desirable that a steampacket company should be organised for the purpose of rendering these great local improvements available with the least possible delay. This important project will open up a cheap safe and expeditious communication through districts hitherto almost inaccessible, and will directly connect the bay of Galway with the innermost recesses of Connemara, bringing tourists to its most attractive scenery. It is proposed that the steamer should touch, to receive and land passengers and goods, at Clydagh ferry, near Headford, at Cong, and finally at Maam; at each of which stations landing piers are about being erected by the Board of Works. The station at Cong will derive a large traffic from the district onward to Ballinrobe, Hollymount, Castlebar and Westport, which occupies about 250 square miles, and a much quicker and cheaper mode of conveyance through Galway to Dublin will be afforded than any other line can offer. The ferry station will derive its supply from Moycullen, Headford, Shrule, Kilmeena and the direction of Tuam, comprising the most productive agricultural districts in the West of Ireland."
Amongst the other claims were that it would promote the mining industries, provide cheap transport for agricultural produce, and develop the tourist industry, mentioning that Killary Bay was within seven miles of Maam, and that the line would afford cheap and ready transit to the fisheries of the west coast. The steamship company was formed and functioned, but apparently was not a success as the Corrib Navigation Trustees were appointed, and from that day down to this the barony of Kilmaine has been under a stiff guarantee, though the shipping is done by a private individual for his own personal profit.

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