J. C. Walsh
Hon. J. C. Walsh
Sec. + Editor "Ireland"
Compliments of the Author
Capt. Francis O'Neill
June 15 '16
Biography:
Joseph Cyrillus Walsh was born in Oakville, Ontario, Canada in 1870. He began his career as a managing editor of The Montreal Herald. Around the start of WWI, he arrived in New York. At the urging of Irish patriots, and with financial aid from well-off Irish-Americans, he published the weekly Ireland paper from 1916-1917. This paper supported the Irish Parliamentary Party and the cause of Home Rule. In 1919, he traveled to Europe to attend the Paris Peace Conference as a member of the press corps. In 1921, he served as director of organization of the American Association of the Recognition of the Irish Republic. Walsh was active in Irish affairs for most of his life, maintaining relationships with many Irish political figures. In his later years, Walsh was associated with the law offices of Martin Conbey, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Walsh married Frances Kormonn, also born in Ontario. They had two sons, Maurice and Arthur, and three daughters: Mary, Madeleine, and Patricia (who later married Alfred H. Dehle). Frances died on April 3, 1947.
Walsh wrote two books: The Invincible Ireland; and The Lament for John MacWalter Walsh with notes on the history of the family Walsh from 1170 to 1690... (N. Y.), Kelmscott Press, 1925).
J. C. Walsh died in his home in Yonkers, New York, in August of 1955.
Source: http://archives.nypl.org/mss/3212
[Biography by Ethan Chilton]
Provenance:
Note from Brendan Strasser, bookseller:
"As you can (hopefully) see, the inscription is to J. C. Walsh, Secretary and Editor of 'Ireland.' A quick Google search reveals that Joseph Cyrilus Walsh (1870-1955) was born in Montreal and spent his professional life as a writer and newspaper editor; he was also the Secretary-General of the Irish-American Historical Society. Let me know if you have any questions about this copy, which is from the library of Ken Thigpen, retired professor and dean in the Penn State system, having taken his degree in Folklore studies at the University of Pennsylvania (most likely under Kenny Goldstein) during the golden age of that program. We were very happy to purchase significant portions of his research collection."