Nora J Murray

Nora J Murray (1888–1955) was an Irish poet and school teacher at the heart of the Ardclough Sedition Case, when her teaching of Irish history was the subject of a complaint by a Unionist landlord Bertram Hugh Barton (1858-1927) in the aftermath of the 1916 rebellion. “The Wind Upon the Heath” was published by William Butler Yeats’ publisher Maunsel & Co in 1918.

Early life

The daughter of Timothy Murray from Carrick on Shannon, she was a scholarship student at the local Marist Convent[1] and noted musician.[2] After graduation she taught at Ardclough National School in Co Kildare. She married Alfred Whyte on September 6, 1919.

Poetry

Murray was the first lady teacher in an Irish national school to make her name as a poet.[3] Prior to the publication of “The Wind Upon the Heath” (July 1918) to favourable critical reaction[4] her poetry appeared in the Irish and Sunday Independent during the revolutionary period. She also had short stories published.[5] Some poetry relating to her native County Leitrim was published post-humously.[6]

Sedition case

Murray's teaching of history was the subject of a complaint from local Unionist landlord Bertram Hugh Barton (1858–1927) in 1916.[7]

Late in 1917 these allegations reappeared in the form of a complaint about “seditious teaching” filed to the National School commissioners in the name of Mrs Bourke, who said that her child had been discriminated against because he was the son of a British soldier.[8]

A sworn enquiry organised by Commissioners was postponed, pending a prosecution for sedition by the Dublin Castle administration in Ireland. A defence fund was organised by local people[9] and after considerable publicity no sedition proceedings were initiated.

References
  1. Leitrim Observer June 27, 1908
  2. Leitrim Observer
  3. Leitrim Observer August 10, 1918
  4. Irish Independent, July 22, 1918
  5. Sunday Independent November 20, 1920
  6. Leitrim Observer, November 4, 1978
  7. Leinster Leader July 29, 1916
  8. Records of the Commissioners of National Education, National Archives, ED9/2758o. Letter from Mrs Bourke to the Commissioners, C.O. 28469-I7
  9. Leinster Leader December 1, 1917

Sources
  • Gabriel Doherty: National Identity and the Study of Irish History in “The English Historical Review,” Vol. 111, No. 441 (April 1996), pp. 332–3 (Oxford University Press).
  • John Rooney: The poetry of Nora J Murray in Carrick on Shannon remembered p 57. (1996)
  • Nora J Murray: A Wind Upon the Heath (1918)
  • Nora J Murray: Leitrim of The Lakes
  • Nora J Murray: A Ridge of the West
  • Eoghan Corry and Jim Tancred: Annals of Ardclough (1914)
  • Freeman's Journal November 29, 1917.
  • Leinster Leader December 1, 1917, March 30, 1918, August 18, 1918, August 31, 1918, November 30, 1918.
  • Leitrim Observer December 1, 1917
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