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Teresa Cora Boylan Brayton a noted folk poet of Irish America was involved from a young age with the Irish republican struggle for freedom. Her family had a strong tradition of Nationalism reaching back to 1798 with her great grandfathers involvement in the United Irishmens contingent of pikemen that successfully attacked the British garrison in Prosporous county Kildare on May 24th 1798. (Feningraves.net, 2014) Brayton expressed an early aptitude for writing during her education in Newton National school. At the age of twelve she won an award for a published piece of poetry. (Irishtimes.ie, 1959) She continued to write poetry for the rest of her life creating the majority of it during her years living in New York. (Irishtimes.ie, 1959) Brayton wrote for most of her career under the pseudonym of T.B. Kilbrook. Her poetry was rife with a deep and intense love for Ireland and the pain of being seperated from her native land. (Kildare.ie, 2016) She incorporated simple beautiful imagery such as the Angelus bells ringing as the sun goes down, dancing streams and thatched cottages. She also paid tribute to Ireland's past heroes, such as her great grandfather (wrote poems for the rebellions centenary in 1898) and to her own experiences of exile. (Kildare.ie, 2016) Brayton destined herself to exile for much of her life after her move to America in September 1895 following her fathers death (Hugh Boylan). She first moved to Boston then Chicago before finally settling in New York. Here she played an active part in Irish affairs and wrote most of her poetry. (Kildare.ie, 2016) Her poetry attracted attention after it was published in the Irish world, following this she became a contributor for the San Francisco monitor, Syracuse Sun, New York Monitor and Rosary magazine. (Irishtimes.ie, 1959) Her first book 'Song of the dawn' was published by Messers, H.J Kennedy and son, New York in 1913. It contained her most famous poem 'Old bog road' which later had music written for it by Mrs. M.K. Kelly (Later O'Farrelly) a member of the King family from Rochfordbridge. (Irishtimes.ie, 1959) Her second book, 'the flame of Ireland' was published in 1926 by an Irish bookshop, Lexington Avenue, New York. This book was linked with kindling the flame of Nationalism amongst Irish people. Years later when she left America in 1932 (37 years in America) she was presented with a book of testimonial letters from friends all around America and a fund of dollars. (Family still have book) (Irishtimes.ie, 1959) Some of her more notable poems were 'the old bog road', 'cappagh hill' which describes her dreams of being back in Cappagh but then awakening with a shock to find herself in Broadway in New York. Her poem 'Rosses homecoming' is her most political poem in which she discusses the return of the body of Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa A Fenlan. (Kildare.ie, 2016) Brayton wrote many nationalist poems on the behalf of the Land League and the National League for local papers like 'Nation' and the 'Westmeath Independent'. Her work was compared to that of Francis Ledwidge a poet from Meath. (Kildare.ie, 2016) Brayton was attributed with being instrumental in gathering funds for the 1916 rising while in America and was personally acquainted with many of the rising leaders (due to her frequent trips back to Ireland whilst being based in America). As a mark of her work she was presented with a portion of the flagstaff that held the republican flag over the GPO during the rising by Countess Markievciz which formed a silver necklace that she wore proudly. (Kildare.ie, 2016) Markievciz said it was "as a tribute to your beautiful verses that are an inspiration to lovers of freedom and justice". (Kildare.ie, 2016) There exists two memorials to Brayton. The first is a plaque at her grave in Kilcock which was unveiled by Eamon Devalera on the 18th of October 1957. During his speech at the unveiling he spoke of the importance of Teresa Brayton as a revolutionary poet. (Kildare.ie, 2016) There also exists a memorial plaque by Bord Failte marking the old bog road which her poem made infamous. (Times.ie, 2014) There also exists a Teresa Brayton memorial library in Kilcock that contains most of her life memorabilia. (Kildare.ie, 2016) Bibliography: 1. Times T.I (1993), 'Times past: Teresa Brayton'. The Irish Times Ltd. Dublin 2. Irishtimes.ie (1959), ' Memorial to Teresa Brayton'. Irish Times Ltd. Dublin 3. Kildare.ie (2016), 'the memory of Teresa Brayton Lives on' 4. Kildare.ie (2016), ' Teresa Brayton - Poet and Novelist' 5. Feningroves.net (2014), 'Teresa Cora Boylan Brayton (1868-1943)'