The poems considered in the following discussion disclose in intimate detail,moving, comic and shocking by turns, the experiences and emotions of James Orr during and after what his biographer called ‘the unhappy period of 1798’. They allow the reader a profound insight into his personal trauma, while they also demonstrate his strength and determination in seeking to rebuild his life and relationships in Ireland following the Act of Union. But, as will be argued, these poems are much more than simply a personal record. Technically excellent, the series comprises some of Orr's most important vernacular pieces, executed with exceptional original flair. They encompass themes such as piety, rebellion, betrayal, exile and renewal that for centuries have recurred within ‘the matter of Ireland’. In representing tragedy they eschew sentimentality while often evincing robust humour, but they also express striking compassion and humility. In these works James Orr ably redirected and refocused the Scottish poetic tradition for service in his native land.

In choosing the vernacular for all but one of these poems, Orr acknowledged his own community's intimate connection with the subjects and events he covered. It is possible that that community may have been his initial audience for the informal circulation of these verses. He did, however, include them in a volume subscribed to by individuals resident in parts of Ireland beyond the Broadisland district, and in going to print he must have hoped eventually to access a still wider reading public.