James Orr (poet)
Encyclopedia
James Orr was a poet
or rhyming weaver
from Ulster
also known as the Bard of Ballycarry, who wrote in English
and Ulster Scots. He was the foremost of the Ulster Weaver Poets
, and was writing contemporaneously with Robert Burns
. According to that other great Ulster poet, John Hewitt, he produced some material that was better than Burns.
Orr joined the nationalist Society of United Irishmen in 1791 and took part in the Irish Rebellion of 1798
. The United Army of Ulster, of which he was a part, was defeated at the Battle of Antrim
and after a time hiding from the authorities, he fled to America. He remained there for a short time, earning a living by working for a newspaper, but returned to Ballycarry
in 1802 under an amnesty. He died in Ballycarry in 1816 at the age of 46.
An imposing monument to Orr, erected by local Freemasons
in 1831, is sited in the Templecorran cemetery near Ballycarry, in memory of the great Mason and Ulster Weaver Poet. Orr had been a charter member of the Lodge.
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
or rhyming weaver
Weaver Poets
Weaver Poets, Rhyming Weaver Poets and Ulster Weaver Poets were a collective group of poets belonging to an artistic movement who were both influenced by and contemporaries of Robert Burns and the Romantic movement.-Origins:...
from Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
also known as the Bard of Ballycarry, who wrote in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Ulster Scots. He was the foremost of the Ulster Weaver Poets
Weaver Poets
Weaver Poets, Rhyming Weaver Poets and Ulster Weaver Poets were a collective group of poets belonging to an artistic movement who were both influenced by and contemporaries of Robert Burns and the Romantic movement.-Origins:...
, and was writing contemporaneously with Robert Burns
Robert Burns
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide...
. According to that other great Ulster poet, John Hewitt, he produced some material that was better than Burns.
Orr joined the nationalist Society of United Irishmen in 1791 and took part in the Irish Rebellion of 1798
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
. The United Army of Ulster, of which he was a part, was defeated at the Battle of Antrim
Battle of Antrim
The Battle of Antrim was fought on 7 June 1798, in the county Antrim in Ulster, Ireland during the Irish Rebellion of 1798 between British troops and Irish insurgents led by Henry Joy McCracken...
and after a time hiding from the authorities, he fled to America. He remained there for a short time, earning a living by working for a newspaper, but returned to Ballycarry
Ballycarry
Ballycarry is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is midway between Larne and Carrickfergus, overlooking Islandmagee. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 981.-Archaeology:...
in 1802 under an amnesty. He died in Ballycarry in 1816 at the age of 46.
An imposing monument to Orr, erected by local Freemasons
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
in 1831, is sited in the Templecorran cemetery near Ballycarry, in memory of the great Mason and Ulster Weaver Poet. Orr had been a charter member of the Lodge.