Michael Banim (1796 - 1874)

Michael Banim (5 August 1796 – 30 August 1874) was an Irish writer, brother of John Banim. He assisted John in the O'Hara Tales, where he used the name "Abel O'Hara," and there is difficulty in allocating their respective contributions. While John was the more experienced writer, Michael provided material based on his social observations. They revised each other's work; according to Patrick Joseph Murray's Life of John Banim, Michael was the principal author of Crohoore of the Bill-Hook, The Croppy, and Father Connell. After the death of John, Michael wrote Clough Fionn (1852), and The Town of the Cascades (1864). In 1861 he wrote prefaces and notes for a reprint of the "O'Hara" novels by the Catholic publishing firm Sadleir of New York.