Author: O'Leary, Joseph
Biography:
O’LEARY, Joseph (c. 1792-1845?: ODNB)
He was likely born in Cork but neither the date of his birth nor the names of his parents are known. He is not to be confused with another Joseph O’Leary, an eminent barrister and son of Jeremiah O’Leary, who was born in County Cork at about the same time. Joseph O’Leary, poet and journalist, tried an acting career (as described in The Tribute) before settling on journalism and contributing verse and essays to local newspapers in Cork. Richard Ryan (q.v.) reported in 1826 that he was at work on a translation of Tibullus but nothing seems to have come of that project. In 1830 he published The Late Election, about politics in Cork. In 1834 he moved to London but was ultimately unable to sustain a career as a journalist and died by drowning. DIB gives the date of his death as 1855; ODNB gives 1845 but also speculates that he may have returned to Cork and died there. No records or newspaper notices have been located. (DIB 14 Sept. 2021; ODNB 14 Sept. 2021; Richard Ryan Poetry and Poets 2 [1826])