Seosamh Mac Grianna
Seosamh Mac Grianna | |
|---|---|
Rann na Feirste, County Donegal, Ireland | |
| Died | (aged 89) Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Language | Irish |
| Notable works | Mo Bhealach Féin (1940) |
| Spouse |
Peigí Green (died 1959) |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Séamus Ó Grianna (brother) |
Seosamh Mac Grianna (1900/1901
Date of birth
It is unclear when Mac Grianna was born. He was said to have been born in August 1900,[3] and 1900 is the year that appears on his commemorative plaque in Dublin.[4] However, his birth certificate states that he was born on 15 January 1901.[3]
Education and early activities
Seosamh was born to Feidhlimidh Mac Grianna and Máire Eibhlín Néillín Ní Dhomhnaill, the daughter of the famous storyteller Johnny Shéamaisín Ó Domhnaill.
Creative career
Mac Grianna started writing in the early 1920s, and his creative period lasted some fifteen years. He wrote essays, short stories, travel and historical works, a famous autobiography, Mo Bhealach Féin, and a novel, as well as translating many books. He was imbued with a strong, oral traditional culture from his childhood, and this permeated his writings, particularly in the early years.
Latter career and death
Towards the end of his career, Mac Grianna grew increasingly analytical and critical as he examined the changing face of the
He was probably the greatest Gaeltacht writer of his time, whose work had developed considerably before he was stricken by a severe depressive psychosis in 1935. In 1959 his long-term partner committed suicide and his son, Fionn, drowned in Dublin Bay. That same year he admitted himself to St Conal's Psychiatric Hospital in Letterkenny, where he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. He stayed there for most of the next 31 years and died in 1990.[6]
Legacy
In the 1950s, Máirtín Ó Cadhain described Mac Grianna as one of a handful of 'true writers' to have emerged from the Irish language tradition in the early 20th century, alongside himself, Padráic Ó Conaire and Pádraig Mac Piarais.[3] His reputation has continued to grow, and many of his short stories and other writings were collected and republished in the 1970s. Several biographies and books of criticism have been published on Mac Grianna in both Irish and English, including by Proinsias Mac an Bheatha in 1970 and by Pól Ó Muirí in 1999.[7][8]
In 2016, BBC Two Northern Ireland broadcast a documentary entitled Ar Mo Bhealach Féin in which Seán Mac Labhraí retraced the steps of Seosamh Mac Grianna and his 300-mile journey through Wales. In 2020, Mac Grianna's auto-biographical book 'Mo Bhealach Féin' was published in an English translation for the first time by Lilliput Press as 'This Road of Mine'.[9]
In 2023 a plaque was unveiled by Dublin City Council at the site of his former home in Saint Anne's Park, Raheny.[10]
Bibliography
Novel
- Mo Bhealach Féin (1940)
- Dá mBíodh Ruball ar an Éan (2005)
- An Druma Mór (1972)
Biography
- Eoghan Ruadh Ó Néill(1931)
Short stories
- An Grádh agus an Ghruaim (1929)
- Dochartach Duibhlionna agus scéalta eile, bailiúchán (1936)
Essays
- Fáinne an Lae (1925)
- Filí Gan Iomrá (1926)
- Pádraic Ó Conaire agus Aistí Eile (1936)
- An Bhreatain Bheag (1937)
- Na Lochlannaigh (1938)
- Filí agus Felons (1987)
Translations
- Teacht Fríd an tSeagal (1932) translation of Comin' Thro' the Rye by Ellen Buckingham Mathews
- An Mairnéalach Dubh (1933) translation of The Nigger of the 'Narcissus' by Joseph Conrad
- Ben Hur (1933) translation of Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace
- An Páistín Fionn (1934) translation of The Whiteheaded Boy by Lennox Robinson
- Séideán Bruithne (1935) translation of Typhoon by Joseph Conrad
- Teach an Chrochadóra (1935) translation of Hangman’s House by Brian Oswald Donn-Byrne
- Díthchéille Almayer (1936) translation of Almayer’s Folly by Joseph Conrad
- Ivanhoe (1937) translation of Ivanhoe by Walter Scott
- Báthadh an Ghrosvenor (1955) translation of The Wreck of the Grosvenor by William Clark Russell
- Imtheachtaí Fear Dheireadh Teaghlaigh (1936) translation of Adventures of a Younger Son by Edward John Trelawny
- Muintir an Oileáin (1952) translation of Islanders by Peadar O'Donnell
- Eadarbhaile (1953) translation of Adrigoole by Peadar O'Donnell
Notes
- ^ a b See § Date of birth.
References
- ISBN 0-19-866158-4.
- ^ "Seosamh Mac Grianna". BBC. 31 March 2009. Archived from the original on 26 July 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Breathnach, Diarmuid; Ní Mhurchú, Máire. "Mac Grianna, Seosamh (1900–1990)". Ainm.ie (in Irish). Archived from the original on 1 June 2023.
- ^ "Mac Grianna, Seosamh – Irish language writer". Plaquesofdublin.ie. 29 May 2023. Archived from the original on 23 January 2024.
- ^ Breathnach, Diarmuid; Ní Mhurchú, Máire. "Mac Grianna, Seán Bán (1905–1979)". Ainm.ie (in Irish). Archived from the original on 1 June 2023.
- ^ SEARC'S WEB GUIDE – Seosamh MacGrianna (1900–1990)
- OCLC 607373080– via WorldCat.
- OCLC 828446950– via WorldCat.
- ^ McCallig, Elaine (1 November 2020). "'Famous Ranafast writer's book translated into English for the first time.'". Donegal Daily.
- ^ Ibbotson, Gary. "SEOSAMH MAC GRIANNA HONOURED WITH PLAQUE AT ST ANNE'S PARK". Dublin People.
External links
- Feidhlimidh 'ac Grianna (c1851–1944) of Rannafast, Annaghery, Co Donegal Archived 28 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine at Acmhainní Gaedhilge
- MAC GRIANNA, Seosamh (1900–1990) at Ainm.ie
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