Zozimus

Most of us have heard the name Zozimus, a reference to a mythical figure in Dublin’s past without knowing the full story of the man who in fact was born, Michael Moran. A balladeer and song master from early 19th century Dublin, the legend of Zozimus endured both during and after his death.

The Irish Press from 1935 provides the following account of Zozimus:

Zozimus, the Dublin ballad-singer of the 19th century was the subject of a paper by Mr. T. S. Cuffe, at the Old Dublin Society meeting, held in the Courthouse, South William Street, Dublin, last night.

Born in 1794, in Faddle Alley, off Lower Clanbrassil Street, his name was Michael Moran. He lost his sight when 9 years old. As a child he was noted for his ready wit. He derived his cognomen from his recital of a lengthy poem, " The Life, Conversion and Death of St. Mary, who was Discovered in the Wilderness in the 5th Century by Pious Zozimus."

The persecutions of the Irish revolutionaries of 1798 gave him inspiration for many of the ballads which endeared him to the people of his time. He lived most of his life in the ‘Liberty (Coombe), and died in a loft in Patrick Street, the site of which is now occupied by portion of Messrs. Kennedy's Bakery. He is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery, in a plot marked A.G. 30 south.

Some years later another writer in the Irish Press would describe Zozimus as an:

eccentric character, blinded by illness when an infant, and well-known not so much as a singer as a reciter. But he wrote a number of ballads which continued to be well-known in Dublin and elsewhere long after his death on April 3,1846.

For mor information search the pages of the Irish Newspaper Archive (www.irishnewsarchive.com )