In 1828, he had the honor of a visit from the Comte de Montalembert, who had read the ‘O'Hara Tales’ and was then on a tour through Ireland.

[1] When John Banim was struck down by illness, his brother wrote and earnestly invited him to return to Kilkenny and share his home.

While John was the more experienced writer, Michael provided material based on his social observations.

Michael wrote in such hours as he could snatch from business, and was the principal author of about thirteen of the twenty-four works[4] attributed to the brothers, including Crohoore of the Bill-Hook, The Croppy, and Father Connell.

In 1861 he wrote prefaces and notes for a reprint of the "O'Hara" novels by the publishing firm Sadlier of New York.

Banim, whose writing was influenced by the Romantic movement, portrayed an Ireland suffering under the lingering effects of the Penal laws.