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Teresa Cora Brayton nee Boylan, an Irish poet and novelist, was born on the 29^th of June 1868 in Kilbrook, Kilcock, County Kildare. Her mother and Father were Hugh and Elizabeth Boylan. Teresa had two brothers and three sisters. The Boylan’s were Irish Republicans. Teresa’s great grand-father was a loyal member of a United Irishmen’s contingent of pikemen who attacked the British garrison in Prosperous Co. Kildare on the 24^th of May, at the beginning of the Uprising in 1798 ^[10]. Teresa’s teenage years were tough as it was in the midst of the ‘Land War’ years, otherwise known as the years of agrarian agitation. The agitation was led by the Irish National Land League, which was founded by Michael Davitt, Andrew Kettle, Thomas Brennan, and Charles Stewart Parnell in 1879. Their goal was to get rid of landlordism and to help the Irish farmers own the land. Due to Teresa’s family’s long-standing involvement in resisting British rule in Ireland, she had a keen interest in Ireland’s fight for freedom from a very young age^[8].

Teresa attended Newtown National School. She was always a diligent student academically. Brayton expressed an early aptitude for writing during her early education. At the age of twelve she won an award for a published piece of poetry ^[9]She continued to write poetry for the rest of her life creating most it during her years living in New York^[9] It is not known where Teresa received her secondary and tertiary education, although it is evident in her work that she did indeed attend University. After completing her education, she assisted her sister at the Newtown National School, where she had previously attended as a student^[10]. While she taught here she also wrote patriotic articles and poems which were published in The Nation  Teresa was a member of an elite cadre of women poets and writers.

   Brayton destined herself to exile for much of her life after her move to America in September 1895 following her father, Hugh Boylan’s, death. She moved first to Boston then Chicago before finally settling in New York. She lived at 213 West 12^th Street, New York, as stated on a letter she wrote to Margaret Pearse describing a ceilidh that was held in New York for fundraising for St. Enda’s School. Brayton was a proud Irish woman who wanted to continue Irish traditions while abroad to make her feel at home^[7]. During her time in New York she played an active part in Irish affairs and wrote most of her poetry^[4]. 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^[9]. It was during her time in New York that she met her Canadian husband Henry Brayton. Teresa was heavily involved in the Irish Freedom movement in New York. She was attributed with playing an instrumental role 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^[10] Markievciz said it was "as a tribute to your beautiful verses that are an inspiration to lovers of freedom and justice"^[10] Whilst in New York Brayton maintained a close association with the Carmelite friars who were very involved in every aspect of the Irish Freedom movement. Together, they organised fundraising events for the Irish Freedom movement. Alongside the Friars, Brayton set up safe places and refuge in the Bronx and Queens for Irish Republicans coming to New York ^[6]. She was often described as an activist, organising fundraisers and distributing political pamphlets. 

  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 separated from her native land^[10]. 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 ^[4]. 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 Rochford bridge ^[9]. 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)^[9]

 Some of her most notable poems are 'the old bog road' and '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^[4] 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^[4] Brayton’s work was often inspired by the events occurring during her life. Much of her poetry was influenced by Irish nationalism, especially the 1916 rising in which she was involved in from afar. She often used her poetry to show the struggles and hardships of the Irish people during their journey for independence. She often wrote memoirs to the various leaders of the Rising. Brayton’s poetry was often considered a voice of nationalism. In one of her 1916 poems, Ireland Speaks, she writes from the perspective of someone who is in the battle. We see her become a proud Irish fighter who will not allow their country to be taken ^[4]. Brayton often uses the speech of average people as a basis of her poems, which is seen heavily in her poem Glenashee. In this poem she becomes a woman who has just lost everything and is left to wander the streets alone.

Often, her poems show a great love for mankind and she often wrote both personal and religious poems. In one of her book of poems, Christmas Verses, she has written seven religion-based poems. The poems are written in an everyday style, showing her own casualness and ease with her religion ^[4]. Brayton’s poem The Old Bog Road has become her most well-known work. This is based on missing home. The Bog Road is a place where Brayton grew up near^[2]. The words of this poem were set into music by Madeleine King. Her best-known poem is "The Old Bog Road", set to music by Madeline King O'Farrelly from Rochfortbridge, County Westmeath. It has been recorded by Eileen Donaghy, Josef Locke, Johnny McEvoy, Hank Locklin, Finbar Furey, Anthony Kearns, Daniel O'Donnell, Finbar Wright and many other artists up to the present day.^[11] This poem skims on the feeling of Irish exile^[3]. Her poems, while often serious, had also a comic tone to them - it was said by The Irish Times that her poems had a ‘racy’ feel to them^[2]. Brayton has 3 three books of poems: Songs of the Dawn published in 1913, The Flame of Ireland in 1926 and Christmas Verses in 1934^[6].

After Teresa's Canadian husband passed away in 1931 she returned to Ireland to live with her sister in Bray. After a few years living with her sister she moved to Waterloo Avenue, North Strand. Following the bombing of the North Stand in 1941 she returned to her home in Kilbrook where she died two years later, on August 19th, 1943, in the room which she was born in^[10]. Eamonn DeValera, who was Taoiseach at the time, attended her funeral. Sixteen years later, DeValera as president, presented a memorial cross to stand atop her grave^[5]. In August 2014, Maynooth University hosted an exhibition dedicated to Brayton. Nowadays, the Teresa Brayton Heritage Group organise many activities in order to commemorate her.