BANAVI, JOHN (1798-1842), Irish novelist, sometimes called the "Scott of Ireland," was born in Kilkenny on April 3 1798. Banim taught drawing in Kilkenny and had an unhappy love affair with one of his pupils. The parents forbade the girl's marriage. She died, and Banim was much shaken by his sorrow. In 1820 he settled in Dublin. His Damon and Pythias was per formed at Covent Garden in 1821. During a short visit to Kil kenny he married, and in 1822 planned, in conjunction with his elder brother MICHAEL a series of tales, illustra tive of Irish life, which should be for Ireland what the Waverley Novels were for Scotland. He then set out for London and sup ported himself by writing for magazines and for the stage. A volume of miscellaneous essays was published anonymously in 1824, called Revelations of the Dead Alive. In April 1825 ap peared the first series of Tales of the O'Hara Family. One of the most powerful of them, Crohoore of the Bill Hook, was by Michael Banim. In 1826 a second series was published, contain ing that excellent Irish novel, The Nowlans. John's health had given way, and the next effort of the "O'Hara Family" was almost entirely the production of his brother Michael. The Croppy, a Tale of 1798 (1828) is hardly equal to the earlier tales, though it contains some vigorous passages. The Denounced, The Mayor of Windgap, The Ghost Hunter (by Michael Banim), and The Smuggler followed in quick succession and were received with considerable favour. John Banim, meanwhile, had become very poor. In 1829, during his absence in France, a subscription was raised to meet his necessities. With this and a Government pen sion of £150, he returned to Ireland in 1835 and settled in Wind gap Cottage, a short distance from Kilkenny; and there, a com plete invalid, he passed the remainder of hi§ life, dying on Aug. 13 1842. Michael Banim had acquired a considerable fortune, which he lost in 1840. After this disaster he wrote Father Connell (1842), Clough Fionn (1852), The Town of the Cascades (1862). Michael Banim died at Booterstown on Aug. 3o 18 i4.
The true place of the Banims in literature is to be estimated from the merits of the O'Hara Tales, which are masterpieces of faithful delineation of Irish peasant character. The incidents are sometimes horrible, and the authors have been accused of strain ing after melodramatic effect. The lighter, more joyous side of Irish character received little attention from the Banims.
See P. J. Murray, Life of John Banim (1857).