Chicago May - the Mary Ann Duignan Story…

Delving into the family tree... a skeleton just dropped out of the closet!!! But its OK, shes not a cousin, just a cousin of a cousin!

/// Background - 

While researching the Duignan connection to our family - our Houricans are married into them - I came upon this character who it appears is a cousin of cousins as opposed to a direct cousin. 

What a story, and a warning to folk to not pursue freedom for the sake of it!

Of course, its from North Longford!!!

Mary Ann Duignan was the daughter of Francis Duignan of Edenmore in Ballinamuck where she grew up, and Ann Grey of Mohill in Leirtim. From a poor background she would rise - or fall as we may see it! - to being one of the biggest conwomen of her time, who would call herself the "Queen of Crooks", in time though, the law caought up with her and she died in poverty and obscurity. She was the Ronnie Biggs of her day... ///

Not for her the toil of the cold hard soil

The neighbours angry word, the calling agent of the landlord

The cries of hungry children and roars of drunken men

The cattle bearing the ribbonmens sword: a mother of many with more on board

Her? She saught freedom.

She asked her father for her share of the money she new was there

Angrily he replied, she was rebuked, denied

Prodigal daughter with greed did look, one night flight with the lot she took

With exhaustion her mother sighed as the first breaths of life her sister cried.

She took freedom.

To Liverpool she set sail and did not fail

Fabrics fair she bought the latest garments to wear

Only herself to please she took again to the seas

She did not care: no one would know here over there

She relished freedom.

But there with temptation of drink, money runs out quicker than you think

The crisis present is real, she learns quick to steal

On the wind a girl wont thrive: must do what she must to survive

This is the streets deal, hard hearts don’t feel

How high the price of freedom!

But better times and more high profile crimes

With lovers she took to her bed and not clients instead

The life of romance, the Telegraph raid in France

What a life she led from the one for which she was bred:

Drunk on the excitement of freedom!

But time in time saw the long hand of the law

Cut her down in the prime of her crime

One lover another shot, in the foot the bullet him it got

Fate strikes sudden and sublime: seventeen years was her time…

The pays the cost of freedom!

Her time done, her freedom again won

Markeiwitz she did meet who was happy her to greet

Long lost fer fame, once again on the game

Age and time did defeat the Queen of the Street.

What use now for empty freedom?

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Author's Note

Its clumsy in spots as a first draft... what a story!!!

Reviews

[Norman 223]

Sorry, I don't agree with you about being clumsy. This is a really good narrative poem that tells the story without frills, or obscure metaphorical language. It has a good rhythm and your use of internal rhymes
works extremely well.
As you say, though "What a story!"

Norman

[Nisreen]

So cool
Hats off this is the best one i have read so far

i guess freedom with no ethics
is rubbish

she sounds like a lady of no sense of right and wrong

[Tomás Ó Cárthaigh]

Quite a specimen all right! XD

[Nisreen]

lol ..... it takes strength to keep everything in check

[andrew mitchell]

i like narrative poems, the format, the rhyme is excellent as is this tale you tell.

[TL Boehm]

I find the story fascinating and the poetic treatment of it brave and refreshing. I've simply never thought to do this with some of the gems in my family. We're related to Abraham Lincoln (he is an uncle) and Princess Di (a distant cousin) and as the British/Scandinavians hail back to legend Fornjot the Giant (makes me laugh) somebody even traced us back to Joseph of Aramithia (another laugh) The Lincolns, the Boones and the Breretons are probably more valid - but this - what a great history lesson you've presented.

[Tomás Ó Cárthaigh]

Through the Drakes of Ballinulty in Longford, we come from Oldcastle in Meath, before then we are of the Drakes of Dublin right back to 1402 when John Drake was Lord Mayor and won the Battle of Bloody Banks against the O'Tooles and their allies, he was grandson of the original John Drake who came... from Devon, leaving behind his two brothers, one who settled in Yorkshore and theo ther who went on to marry into the Ashe family dfounding the Drakes of Ashe, who married into the Churchills who married into the Spensers.

We could have cousins in common is not far far far out cousins ourselves. With those connection you could also be related to George Bush and Sarah Palin who claim similar stock.

Holy God.

It might all sound to be a bit wishful thinking but we never know... to see the Drake Churchhill / Spemnser conenction check out www.waveryngules.com for an extentive family tree...

[Coyote Poetry]

I truly liked this tale. You create strong character, story line and strong ending. Freedom is under-rated. When lost. It become more appreciated. Thank you Tomás Ó Cárthaigh for sharing the amazing tale.
Coyote

[Alfred Kukitz]

I'm in league with the others Tomas. I drifted along the story's line awaiting the excitement a fine loose tale.

Regards,

Al

[Tomás Ó Cárthaigh]

Thanks Alfred. Just finished reading a bio of her done by Nuala O Faoian. Some story indeed!

[ms. barrie]

great narrative that keeps the reader engaged...I find genealogy
fascinating. I agree, this is not clumsy what so ever.
I look forward to visiting more of your ink. Thank you for sharing
happy writings
~ x - barrie

[Great Aunt Astri]

The 'clumsiness' seems to give it a feel of days gone by. You tell the tale of your distant relative with great panache. I enjoyed reading it.