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Tadhg Ó Donnchadha (1874 – 1949) was an Irish writer, poet, editor, translator and a prominent member of the
Gaelic League (; historically known in English as the Gaelic League) is a social and cultural organisation which promotes the Irish language in Ireland and worldwide. The organisation was founded in 1893 with Douglas Hyde as its first president, when it emer ...
(''Conradh na Gaeilge'') and the
Gaelic Athletic Association The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA; ga, Cumann Lúthchleas Gael ; CLG) is an Irish international amateur sporting and cultural organisation, focused primarily on promoting indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include the traditional ...
. He was editor of ''Irisleabhar na Gaedhilge'' (The
Gaelic Journal The ''Gaelic Journal'' ( ga, Irisleabhar na Gaedhilge) was a periodical publication "exclusively devoted to the preservation and cultivation of the Irish Language". According to Tomas O Flannghaile it was "the first journal devoted to the living ...
), Professor of Irish in
University College Cork University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh) is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork. The university was founded in 1845 as one of ...
and Dean of the Faculty of Celtic Studies.


Life

He was born in Carrignavar,
County Cork County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns are ...
, which was an Irish-speaking area, and educated there and at St Patrick's Teacher Training College, Drumcondra, Dublin. In 1901 he became editor of the Irish-language newspaper ''Banba'', and also became Irish-language editor of the ''
Freeman's Journal The ''Freeman's Journal'', which was published continuously in Dublin from 1763 to 1924, was in the nineteenth century Ireland's leading nationalist newspaper. Patriot journal It was founded in 1763 by Charles Lucas and was identified with radi ...
''. The following year he also became editor of the ''Irisleabhar na Gaedhilge'' (The
Gaelic Journal The ''Gaelic Journal'' ( ga, Irisleabhar na Gaedhilge) was a periodical publication "exclusively devoted to the preservation and cultivation of the Irish Language". According to Tomas O Flannghaile it was "the first journal devoted to the living ...
). He wrote under the pseudonym Tórna. With
Máire Ní Chinnéide Máire Ní Chinnéide (English ''Mary'' or ''Molly O'Kennedy'') (17 January 1879 – 25 May 1967) was an Irish language activist, playwright, first President of the Camogie Association and first woman president of Oireachtas na Gaeilge. Mái ...
, Seán Ó Ceallaigh, and Séamus Ó Braonáin he drew up the first rules for the new game of
camogie Camogie ( ; ga, camógaíocht ) is an Irish stick-and-ball team sport played by women. Camogie is played by 100,000 women in Ireland and worldwide, largely among Irish communities. A variant of the game of hurling (which is played by men onl ...
in 1903. He also invented the name of the game, which comes from the stick used, called a camán. He first came to notice when he edited the work of Máire Bhuidhe, the folk poet of West Cork and author of "Cath Céim an Fhíodha". In 1905 he published his first book of poems, ''Leoithne Andeas''. When in 1909 publication of the ''Irisleabhar'' ceased he took the opportunity to visit Heidelberg University to study
Old Irish Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic ( sga, Goídelc, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ga, Sean-Ghaeilge; gd, Seann-Ghàidhlig; gv, Shenn Yernish or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive writt ...
under Ludwig Mühlhausen. On his return he was appointed Professor of Irish at St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra. In 1916 he became Professor of Irish and later Dean of the Faculty of Celtic Studies at
University College Cork University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh) is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork. The university was founded in 1845 as one of ...
, where he remained until his death. He published a handbook for students on the art of writing Irish poetry, ''Bhéarsaiocht Ghaeilge'' (Dublin 1936) and wrote many text books on Irish Grammar. He edited important collections of Irish manuscripts including the poetry of Diarmaid Mac Sheáin Bhuídhe Mac Cárthaigh, published in Dublin 1916. He was a collector of songs who revitalised interest in the work of West Cork poets Sean Ó Coilean, Doncha Ó Suilleabháin and Michael Chormaic. He translated a large number of works, fiction and non-fiction, poetry and songs, into Irish, including the ''
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam ''Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám'' is the title that Edward FitzGerald gave to his 1859 translation from Persian to English of a selection of quatrains (') attributed to Omar Khayyam (1048–1131), dubbed "the Astronomer-Poet of Persia". Altho ...
'', Molière's '' Bourgeois Gentilhomme'', ''
Around the world in 80 days ''Around the World in Eighty Days'' (french: link=no, Le tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours) is an adventure novel by the French writer Jules Verne, first published in French in 1872. In the story, Phileas Fogg of London and his newly employe ...
'', the works of Pádraig Colum,
Lady Gregory Isabella Augusta, Lady Gregory (''née'' Persse; 15 March 1852 – 22 May 1932) was an Irish dramatist, folklorist and theatre manager. With William Butler Yeats and Edward Martyn, she co-founded the Irish Literary Theatre and the Abbey Theatre, ...
, George Moore and
Jules Verne Jules Gabriel Verne (;''Longman Pronunciation Dictionary''. ; 8 February 1828 – 24 March 1905) was a French novelist, poet, and playwright. His collaboration with the publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel led to the creation of the ''Voyages extraor ...
into Irish.''Cuaird an Domhain i gCeithre Fichid Lá'',
An Gúm An Gúm (, "The Scheme") was an Irish state company tasked with the publication of Irish literature, especially educational materials. The agency is now part of Foras na Gaeilge.
, Dublin, 1938
He edited the works of Aodhagán Ó Rathaille (1670–1728) and Pádraigín Haicéad (1600–54), among others. His last work was ''Seanfhochail na Mumhan'' (Dublin 1962). Other works included editions of the poetry of Seán Ó Murchada na Ráithineach for the Gaelic League (Dublin 1907), the poetry of Aodhagáin Ó Rathaille (with Pádraig Ó Duinín) for the Irish Text Society (London 1911) and poetry of An tAth Pádraigín Haicéad (Dublin 1916) and the ''Leabhair Clainne Aodha Buidhe I'', for the Manuscripts Commission (Dublin 1931). His brother Eamon O’Donoghue was author of ''Slán le Corcaigh'' and ''Drúcht Geal Ceoidh'', also a professor of Irish in UCC. Another brother, Donncha O’Donoghue, was Parish Priest of Tracton in Cork. His sister, Cáit Ní Dhonnchadha, was an Irish language and camogie enthusiast.


Legacy

He died on 23 October 1949 and was buried in
Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral ( ga, Ardeaglais Naomh Fionnbarra) is a Gothic Revival architecture, Gothic Revival three-spire Church of Ireland cathedral in the city of Cork (city), Cork. It is located on the south bank of the River Lee and dedi ...
in
Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...
. The attendance at his funeral included
Éamon de Valera Éamon de Valera (, ; first registered as George de Valero; changed some time before 1901 to Edward de Valera; 14 October 1882 – 29 August 1975) was a prominent Irish statesman and political leader. He served several terms as head of governm ...
. The ''Southern Star'' described him as "acknowledged peer of writers of Irish poetry, the gentlest and most unpretentious of Corkmen, the great Tórna, whose name was heard of everywhere readers of Irish are to be found at home or overseas."


References

* Brian Cleeve: ''Dictionary of Irish Writers'', Cork: Mercier, 1971


External links


Camogie.ie
Official Camogie Association Website
An Gúm: The Early Years


* ttps://archive.org/details/antillenseirseu00donngoog An t-áilleánWorks by Tadhg Ó Donnchadha at
Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
(scanned book original edition) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ó Donnchadha, Tadhg Irish language activists Irish-language poets Irish editors People from County Cork 1874 births 1949 deaths 19th-century Irish people 20th-century Irish people Alumni of St Patrick's College, Dublin