Life
?1820-1875 [Robert Arthur Wilson; pseud. ‘Barney Maglone’];
b. Falcaragh, Donegal, 1820; emigrated to America, 1840; contrib. to The
Nation on his return; established role as humorous writer under pseud.
of ‘Barney Maglone’; leader writer to Morning News and
editor for 14 months before his death; poems Reliques of Barney Maglone
(1894); d. 10 aug., in consequence of ‘too vigorous participation
in the O’Connell centenary celebrations in Dublin’ (O’Byrne).
PI DNB DIL MKA OCIL DUB.
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Works
Barney Maglone’s Almeynack for all Irelnd (London 1871); John S.
Crone, ed., The Reliques of Barney Maglone, with preface by D.
J. O’Donoghue (Belfast: T. Dargan 1894). COMM, Robert McGahan, Life
of Barney Maglone [n.d.] NOTE also, ‘Maglone Minor, Antrim v.
McMullen’, in Ulster Weekly News, BELF CEN I/340/ANTR.
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Notes
D. J. O’Donoghue’s preface to J. S. Crone’s edition of
The Reliques of Barney Maglone (Belfast: T. Dargan 1894), giving
biographical data, from which DIL is compiled, b. Dunfanaghy, Donegal;
a Presbyterian; teacher at Ballycastle; journalist on American Boston
Republic, settled in Enniskillen in 1847; sub-ed. the Nation, 1849;
Impartial Reporter, Enniskillen; Fermanagh Mail, commenced
Barney Maglone articles; Morning News, Belfast, 1865; Almeynack
for all Ireland, an’ Whoever else wants it (1871); author of
temperance poems, and poems praising poteen; O’Donoghue admits that
his poetry was damaged by carelessness. SEE also ‘barney Maglone
of the old ‘Morning News’, in Cathal O’Byrne, As I Roved
Out (Dublin: Three Candles 1946), pp.115-_
McKenna, Irish Literature (1978), cites Crone, in IBL 12 (1921); and Ruddick Millar, in Irish Bookman 2 (1947), giving affectionate picture. SEE ALSO Life, by R. McGahan (n.d.); Reliques, ed. Crone, J. S., with memoir by D. J. O’Donoghue.
D. J. O’Donoghue, Poets of Ireland (Dublin: Hodges Figgis
1912), Reliques of Barney Maglone, ed. F. J. Bigger and John S.
Crone, with memoir by D. J. O’Donoghue [1894]. ANTH, Justin McCarthy, Irish Literature (1904), gives ‘The Irish Cry’.
Belfast Central Public Library holds R. A. Wilson (pseud. Barney Maglone) ed. F J Bigger and J S Crone (1894).
Wilson dressed fancifully with slope hat and coloured scarves, and died
of drink (JS Crone, Pref. to Reliques.)
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Princess Grace Irish Library (Monaco)