ONE of the
most beloved characters of early 19th century Dublin, who lashed the
authorities with his sharp tongue and quick wit and brought humour and poetry
to the ordinary people of the city is the subject of a new book written a Southsider.
Poet and author, Liam O’Meara (58), who is from the
Usher’s Quay area originally, has written the book entitled
‘Zozimus – The Life
and Works of Michael Moran’, which includes much previously unknown material
about the city’s most famous beggar poet.
Liam has already written a number of books about
various aspects of the Liberties and the poetry of Irish war poet, Francis
Ledwidge, who was killed in action in the First World War.
Liam said Moran was from the Clanbrassil Street area
and was born about 1794.
He explained that although Moran became blind shortly
after his birth, he had an uncanny knack for memorising poetry and songs. His
family seized upon this gift and from an early age he was sent out onto the
streets to recite poems while begging for money.
According to Liam, the people of the Liberties dubbed
Moran
‘Zozimus’ after one of the characters in one of his poems.
“He used to
recite a big long poem written by a Bishop Coyle about the conversion of St
Mary of Egypt,
? Liam said.
“She was converted by a wandering holy man by the
name of Zozimus. Moran became known throughout the Liberties as Zozimus and he
quickly cottoned on that this was to his advantage.
?
Liam said the irreverent beggar, who was also a
political contrarian, vocally criticised the authorities of the day and eventually
began to compose his own poetry.
The beggar’s poetry and songs were often recited in
Dublin’s courtrooms after Moran had been arrested for various minor offences
such as vagrancy.
“He would sit
on Capel Street Bridge and sound off about the Government,
? Liam revealed.
“He
would be in court and the judge would be about to give him a fine and he would
say hear my poem first. He would then recite the poem and it would generally be
very humorous. The papers used to pick up on this and they made him famous.
“In one
particular year he appeared in court several times and some of the accounts are
hilarious. He was fined five shillings
at one stage and he asked the judge could he pay it in installments.
“When the judge said he couldn’t Zozimus emptied his
pockets that were full of halfpennies and the court was in uproar laughing at
that.
?
Liam painstakingly trawled through online versions of
the popular 19th century nationalist newspaper, The Freeman’s Journal, and in
archives in a number of the city’s libraries to learn more about the life and
works of the great character. Through
his research he was also able to establish what works previously attributed to
Moran were actually written by him.
“A lot of the
things that were attributed to him by others were not written by him,
? Liam
said.
“One,
‘St Patrick was a Gentleman’ was supposed to have been one of his
famous poems but it is not his. The most famous poem that we know he did write
was called
‘Moses in the Bulrushes’.
‘The Grand Song of the Liberties’ is his
as well.
?
Liam said that although Zozimus could never be called
a great poet, he was one of the city’s best-loved street entertainers.
“He was a character really,
? Liam stated.
“He was more
of a great character than a poet. I am a poet myself and I would never try to
pretend that he was a great poet or anything.
“He was most importantly a man who brought poetry to
the people and it was out of necessity because that was all he had to live on.
?
Anyone who
would like to purchase the new book for the price of e12 can contact Liam
O’Meara by emailing l_omeara@yahoo.co.uk
The book is also available for sale at Gallery Zozimus
at 56 Francis Street.