Poet of the Troubles - an Irish Diary on Pádraic Fiacc

The poet Pádraic Fiacc (1924-2019) was known as the 'Poet of the Troubles'. He was born Patrick Joseph O'Connor and reared in Belfast and New York. I have just written an Irish Diary in the Irish Times newspaper on his life and work. Read it here.

 

Photograph of Pádraic Fiacc by John Minihan. Image source.

He wrote poems inspired by the turbulent period in Irish and British known colloquially as 'the Troubles'. Fiacc was an influential writer who helped the next generation in Northern Ireland to develop their skills. He mentored a series of young poets and writers including Seamus Heaney, Paul Muldoon, Derek Mahon, Ciaran Carson and Gerald Dawe.

Fiacc was photographed on many occasions by the photographer John Minihan. Minihan's archives are held in the Special Collections section of the Boole Library in University College Cork and you can find out about the collection here.

Fiacc had an interesting accent that included a bit of Belfast and America. If you would like to hear how he spoke, check out this interview with him from 2010 where he talks about his life and growing up in Belfast and New York.

An Irish Diary on Jimmy Walker - the first Mayor of New York to resign

Jimmy Walker (1881-1946) was the first Mayor of New York to resign. His father came from Co. Kilkenny and emigrated to the US in 1870. The two men entered political office and worked for their constituents. Of the two, Jimmy is still remembered today (but for all the wrong reasons!). I have just written an Irish Diary in the Irish Times newspaper about him. Read it here. 

 

Mayor Jimmy Walker. Image source.

Jimmy Walker visited Ireland in 1927. This is a newsreel showing some scenes from his visit. It includes his meeting W.T. Cosgrave (1880-1965) in Dublin and his trip to Kilkenny where he spoke to locals in Castlecomer - the town where his father was born and where he was made a Freeman of the city. In Castlecomer, you can see bare-footed children walking through the town in advance of the marching band and the car carrying Walker into the town.

 

Source of the newsreel.  

 

Jimmy Walker was Mayor of New York during the so-called Jazz Age and was also in office during the Wall Street Crash of 1929. He was forced to resign in September 1932 following a long-running investigation into corrupt practices in the New York Police Department and judiciary. There is a good article here from the Smithsonian Magazine which explains the case against Walker. It is well worth a read.

 

Photography of Jimmy Walker (center wearing hat and smoking a cigarette) flanked by city officials and police.

PhD Conferring University College Cork

I was delighted to attend the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences conferring in University College Cork recently where I was conferred with a PhD. 

It was not an easy road and took a lot of effort but I am pleased to have reached this point. I could not have done it alone and therefore, would like to thank everyone who helped me to achieve this goal including friends, family, students, colleagues, supervisors and examiners.

 

Standing in the stone corridor of the north wing of the UCC quadrangle.

 

Receiving the PhD parchment from the President of UCC Prof. John O'Halloran at the conferring ceremony.