The Poetry of Katharine Tynan

Katherine Tynan was born on January 23rd 1859 into a large farming family in Clondalkin, County Dublin, and educated at a convent school in Drogheda. In her early years she suffered from eye ulcers, which left her somewhat myopic. She first began to have her poems published in 1878. A great friend to Gerard Manley Hopkins and to WB Yeats (who it is rumoured proposed marriage but was rejected). With Yeats to encourage her, her poetry blossomed and she was equally supportive of his. She married fellow writer and barrister Henry Albert Hinkson in 1898. They moved to England where she bore and began to raise 5 children although two were to tragically die in infancy. In 1912 they returned to Claremorris, County Mayo when her husband was appointed magistrate there from 1912 until 1919. Sadly her husband died that year but Katherine continued to write. Her output was prolific, some sources have her as the author of almost a 100 novels. Here we concentrate on her poetry. Amongst the classics such as 'The Wind That Shakes the Barley' are numerous war poems. She is now sometimes grouped amongst the War Poets of the First World War. Her experience was not direct but as a Mother with one son serving in France and another in Palestine, the emotions, fears and doubts are expressed in a beautiful heart-felt way. Katharine died on April 2nd 1931 and she is buried at Kensal Green Cemetery in London.1 - The Poetry of Katherine Tynan - An Introduction2 - Any Woman by Katharine Tynan3 - The Nurse by Katharine Tynan4 - The Only Child by Katharine Tynan 5 - Alienation by Katharine Tynan6 - The Young Mother by Katharine Tynan7 - Any Mother by Katharine Tynan8 - The Only Son by Katharine Tynan9 - The Father by Katharine Tynan10 - The Summons by Katharine Tynan11 - Joining the Colours by Katharine Tynan12 - The Aerodrome by Katharine Tynan13 - Flower of Youth by Katharine Tynan14 - A Lament by Katharine Tynan15 - The Predestined by Katharine Tynan16 - A Hero by Katharine Tynan17 - Mid the Piteous Heap of Dead by Katharine Tynan18 - The Weeping Babe by Katharine Tynan19 - All Souls by Katharine Tynan20 - No Man's Land by Katharine Tynan21 - The Old Soldier by Katharine Tynan22 - Salutation by Katharine Tynan23 - Wings in the Night by Katharine Tynan24 - The Great Sorrow by Katharine Tynan25 - The End of the Day by Katharine Tynan26 - They Who Return by Katharine Tynan27 - Quiet Eyes by Kathaine Tynan28 - The Refuge by Katharine Tynan29 - The Foggy Dew by Katharine Tynan30 - A Song of Spring by Katharine Tynan31 - Slow Spring by Katharine Tynan32 - Sheep and Lambs by Katharine Tynan33 - Easter by Katharine Tynan34 - Winter Sunset by Katharine Tynan35 - A Gardener Sage by Katharine Tynan36 - The Bird's Bargain by Katharine Tynan37 - St Francis and the Birds by Katharine Tynan38 - The Wind That Shakes the Barley by Katharine Tynan39 - Blessings by Katharine Tynan40 - A Song for the New Year by Katherine Tynan41 - Mater Dei by Katharine Tynan42 - Immortality by Katharine Tynan43 - The Epitipah by Katharine Tynan