Rhoda Cosgrave Sivell (8 September 1874 – 19 February 1962), Irish-born Canadian poet and rancher. She is considered the first Canadian cowboy poet.

Early life and education

Rhoda Cosgrave was born on a farm outside Dublin to Francis and Augusta Cosgrave about 1873 or 1874. The family left Ireland in 1881 and landed in Canada. They travelled through Halifax,

Brandon, Manitoba Brandon () is the second-largest city in the province of Manitoba, Canada. It is located in the southwestern corner of the province on the banks of the Assiniboine River, approximately west of the provincial capital, Winnipeg, and east of the ...

and Regina before settling near

Whitewood, Saskatchewan Whitewood is a town in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is approximately east of Regina, Saskatchewan, Regina on the Trans-Canada Highway Saskatchewan Highway 1, Sk Hwy 1. It is situated at the cro ...

. Her father, Frank Cosgrave, was one of the jury for

Louis Riel Louis Riel (; ; 22 October 1844 – 16 November 1885) was a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and a political leader of the Métis in Canada, Métis people. He led two resistance movements against the Government of ...

's Trial. In 1899 Cosgrave married William Sivell. They lived initially in

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...

and then moved a ranch near

Medicine Hat, Alberta Medicine Hat is a city in southeast Alberta, Canada. It is located along the South Saskatchewan River. It is approximately east of Lethbridge and southeast of Calgary. This city and the adjacent Town of Redcliff to the northwest are within ...

for most of their married life. They moved to a cottage nearer Medicine Hat in retirement. Sivell had done duty as a cowboy when her husband was ill. Sivell wrote poetry which was collected and published in a single volume which describes her experiences on the ranges. The book sold well enough that she was able to buy two stallions with the proceeds and it was republished on two occasions during her life. She later wrote an incomplete autobiography of her life on the ranch and the difficulties they faced. Sivell died in a hospital in Medicine Hat in 1962. She was buried in the city. After she had died her poetry was released again and the autobiography was published. Her poems have been published in anthologies like ''Cowgirl Poetry'' in 2001 and used as the basis of songs by Almeda (Terry) Bradshaw in 2010.

Bibliography

*VOICES FROM THE RANGE (1911)

References and sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sivell, Rhoda Cosgrave 1870s births 1962 deaths 19th-century Irish women writers 19th-century Canadian women writers 19th-century Irish poets 19th-century Canadian poets Irish emigrants to Canada Poets from Saskatchewan Canadian women poets