What do a pirate, a priest hunter, an Admiral in the Argentine Navy and a blind poet have in common? They were all natives of Mayo.
On the following pages we will learn about these extraordinary people.
Anthony Raftery (1784-1835)
The Blind Poet
Anthony Raftery was born in 1784 near Kiltimagh. His family lived on land belonging to a man named Frank Taffe. Anthony lost his eyesight at a young age as a result of an outbreak of small pox. None of his brothers or sisters survived the outbreak.
Frank Taffe took young Anthony under his wing and gave him employment in his household. However, following an accident where Taffe's favourite horse died, Anthony left home and began life as a wandering poet.
He had shown great talent for music, song and poetry as he was growing up. He wrote poems reflecting the concerns of the time. He wrote poems about Daniel O'Connell and Catholic emancipation.
Raftery's poems are still popular today. One of his best known poems is 'Is Mise Raifteirí':
Is Mise Raifteirí an file,
Lán dúchais is grádh,
Le súile gan solas,
Le ciúnas gan crá.
Ag dul síar ar m'aistear
Le solas mo chroí
Fann agus tuirseach
Go deireadh mo shlí