Thomas Moore (1779-1852) was an Irish poet and lyricist most famous for his magnum opus, Moore’s Melodies, with Moore being regarded by many as Ireland’s national poet in the early nineteenth century. Born to a Catholic family in Dublin, Moore had held Irish nationalist sympathies from an early age, being friends with Robert Emmet during his days at Trinity College, and in later years would publish a biography of Lord Edward Fitzgerald. His finest work however, the Melodies, was published over ten volumes from 1808 to 1834, and was largely composed of English-language patriotic and folk ballads set to traditional Gaelic airs from Edward Bunting’s ground-breaking A General Collection of the Ancient Irish Music. Moore quickly gained international renown, his works translated into many European languages with ‘The Last Rose of Summer’ alone selling over a million copies in the United States. His Melodies would also be translated into Irish by Archbishop of Cashel John MacHale with Moore’s own personal blessing.