During some recent searches in Ireland I came across an extremely detailed obituary for Honoria Morahan who was born in Co Mayo around 1866 and died in Castlebar March 1930 but one part of it has me rather confused. It states that “Deceased had come of a family stock whose name figured prominently for generations in the struggles of our beloved country. She was acquainted with sacrifice in her young days and did not afterwards shrink when as a wife and mother, she was called upon to endure further suffering and persecution for “Dark Rosaleen””
Assuming this is referring to the poem “Dark Rosaleen” I am struggling to understand how a young woman from Co Mayo is suffering persecution for a poem, albeit a very controversial poem, that was written over twenty years before she was born. I have read the translation many times and also read of the theories and explanations that go with it, but cannot see a link, I assume there must be something, possibly family or something similar, but at the moment the reason is bypassing me and I am hoping that someone may be able to point out what I am missing.
GedB
