In Memorial Gallagher - Sligo Poets

    Sligo Champion 4 January 1913

                   IN MEMORIAM.
Lines to the memory of my Dear Mother,
 who Died December 17th, 1907. R.I.P.

Five long years have rolled away since we
      laid you down to rest,—
Our truest and our fondest friend—that one
      that we loved the best;
But length of years in vain will try from
      memory’s scroll erase
The thoughts of childhood’s angel fair—dear
      mother’s winning face.

How sweet and pure that dear face seemed,
      eternal as the sky;
The brooks low voice was thine, dear mother,
      —a voice that will not die.
The beaming light of friendliness was in
      your every look
Which we could read on one who reads a
      true and holy book.

The blessing of your kindly words fell on
      us as the dew.
And kindly deeds from love’s true heart
      like lily blossoms grew;
There seemed a shadow on the day, your
      smile no longer cheers,
A dimness in the stars of night like eyes
      that look thro’ tears.

And now around the hearth’s bright light
      your orphans wait in vain,
Your kindly smile and fond embrace will
      ne’er be their’s in vain; (mistake for again?)
And on thro’ life with heavy hearts and
      weary steps they go,
How sweet your memory will come back
      thro’ mists of long ago.

But now unto our Father’s will we have
      been reconciled,
For He who knows what’s best for us has
      called away his child;
Then fold her, Father, in thy arms and let
      her henceforth be
A messenger of peace and love between our
      hearts and thee.

                                  KATIE GALLAGHER.

Tobercurry, December 16th, 1912.

This is a competent, well-composed elegy for a mother on the fifth anniversary of her death. It is carefully rhymed, has an effective rhythm and ends with a note of resignation and prayer which reflects the effect of the passing of time.

On the other hand the sentiments are general and rather commonplace and the poem lacks any personal details about the dead mother. We are not told her Christian name, nothing about her occupation, past-times or cause of death.

The author appears to be 20 year old Kate Gallagher who lived in Pound St., Tubbercurry in both the 1901 census and 1911 census. Her mother's name was Anne and when she died in 1907 she would have been 45 years of age.

Her husband was James Gallagher, a tailor, and in 1901 there are seven children, ranging in age from 22 to 7, living with them. Presumably this is the whole family. The eldest child, Dominick, was a teacher and the youngest was Kate.

In 1911 five of the children were still living with their father, four sons and Kate. Two of the sons were tailors like their father, one was a farmer and the oldest was a teacher.