Micheál Burke

Micheál Burke, Irish poet, c.1800-1881.

Burke was born in the townland of Bresk, Kiltullagh, Athenry and educated at the nearby Dominican College at Esker. In time he became schoolmaster at Esker National School. Known as a good scholar, learned in Latin, Greek, Irish and English, he emigrated to the U.S. sometime after 1839 and died at his home in Brooklyn in 1881.

His chief claim to fame is the poem Oíche na Gaoithe Móire (Night of the Big Wind), concerning a severe windstorm which swept across Ireland on the night of January 6–7, 1839 causing severe damage to property and several hundred deaths. It runs to fifteen verses which give a very vivid description of the event, comparing it to God venting his anger as he did with the Deluge. He did however note that the damage caused made good work for tradesmen such as thatchers, slaters, carpenters and masons.

References

• Tocar Amhrán, ed. Páidhraic Ó Domhnallán, Dublin, 1925.
• Oíche na Gaoithe Moire, Eugene Duggan, As The Centuries Passed ..., ed. Kieran Jordan, 2000. ISBN ISBN 0-9538684-0-0