Risteard Ó Foghludha (5 March 1871 – 20 August 1957) was an Irish-language teacher, journalist and editor from near

Youghal Youghal ( ; ) is a seaside resort town in County Cork, Ireland. Located on the estuary of the Munster Blackwater, River Blackwater, the town is a former military and economic centre. Located on the edge of a steep riverbank, the town has a long ...

, County Cork.

Early life

His father Richard (1830–1910) was a farmer and Margaret (Peg) Long was his mother. He was the oldest of seven girls and five boys. Both his parents were native Irish speakers. He won a prize when at the Christian Brothers school in

in the

Irish language Irish (Standard Irish: ), also known as Irish Gaelic or simply Gaelic ( ), is a Celtic language of the Indo-European language family. It is a member of the Goidelic languages of the Insular Celtic sub branch of the family and is indigenous ...

. He dedicated his first literary work Carn Tighearnaigh (1938) to Máirtín Ó Buadhacháin from Youghal, the first person who taught him to read and write in the Irish language.(" ''do Mháirtín Ó Buadhacháin in Eochaill, don té do chéad-thug teagasc dam i léigheamh agus i scríobhadh ár dteangadh dúthchais.")''

Work

Later on, he moved to Dublin, around the year 1888. It is likely that he spent two years working in the

Royal Dublin Society The Royal Dublin Society (RDS) () is an Irish philanthropic organisation and members club which was founded as the 'Dublin Society' on 25 June 1731 with the aim to see Ireland thrive culturally and economically. It was long active as a learned ...

, in

Leinster House Leinster House () is the seat of the Oireachtas, the parliament of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Originally, it was the ducal palace of the Duke of Leinster, Dukes of Leinster. Since 1922, it has been a complex of buildings which houses Oirea ...

at the time, and at this time he started learning shorthand. He became a reporter for 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. History Patriot journal It was founded in 1763 by Charles Lucas and was identified ...

, in the early 1890s. It claimed that he was charged with reporting the last speech of

Charles Stuart Parnell Charles Stewart Parnell (27 June 1846 – 6 October 1891) was an Irish nationalist politician who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the United Kingdom from 1875 to 1891, Leader of the Home Rule League from 1880 to 1882, and then of the ...

, made in Creaga, County Galway, on 27 September 1891. He spent eight years in England working with wholesale typing machines and returned to Dublin at the beginning of the 20th century. While in England he started selling

Underwood Typewriter Company The Underwood Typewriter Company was an American manufacturer of typewriters headquartered in New York City, with manufacturing facilities in Hartford, Connecticut. Underwood produced what is considered the first widely successful, modern typewri ...

. This Company sent him back to Ireland at the beginning of the 20th. century. Until 1905 Underwoods did not have an office in Dublin and Ó Foghludha spent long periods in Belfast, but went back to Dublin at the weekend. He was teaching in

Blackrock College Blackrock College () is a voluntary day and boarding Catholic secondary school for boys aged 13–18, in Williamstown, Blackrock, County Dublin, Ireland. It was founded by French missionary Jules Leman in 1860 as a school and later became al ...

, between the years 1905–07. He founded a branch of the Gaelic League (

Conradh na Gaeilge (; 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 ...

) 'Craobh an Chéitinnigh' in 1901, along with Seosamh Ó Tórna (Tórna), Seán Ó Cuív and Seán Ó Ceallaigh. He chose the motto for the Craobh (Branch) 'Múscail do mhisneach, a Bhanba' (Awaken your courage, Banba (Ireland)) and served as its honorary secretary for nine years.

Personal life

Ó Foghludha married Eily Barnes (born in Ranelagh in 1884) in June 1910. They had one son, Garrett.

Literary works

On 17 August 1901 he published his first work of prose in An Claidheamh Soluis, using the pseudonym 'An Corcaigheach Macánta' (''The honest Corkonian''). He first used the pseudonym 'Fiachra Éilgeach' whilst in

Lough Leane Lough Leane (; , a personal name) is the largest of the three lakes of Killarney, in County Kerry. The River Laune flows from the lake into the Dingle Bay to the northwest. Etymology and history Although the lake's name has been misinterprete ...

, in November 1903. He spent most of his life's work in the editing of the work of the best poets in

Munster Irish Munster Irish (, ) is the dialect of the Irish language spoken in the province of Munster. Gaeltacht regions in Munster are found in the Gaeltachtaí of the Dingle Peninsula in west County Kerry, in the Iveragh Peninsula in south Kerry, in ...

: Piaras Mac Gearailt (1905),

Donnchadh Ruadh Mac Conmara Donnchadh Ruadh Mac Conmara (1715–1810) was an Irish schoolmaster of a hedge school, Jacobite propagandist, antihero in Irish folklore, and composer of poetry in both Munster Irish and in the Irish language outside Ireland. Life He was born ...

(1908, 1933),

Brian Merriman Brian Merriman or in Irish Brian Mac Giolla Meidhre (c. 1747 – 27 July 1805) was an 18th-century Irish-language bard, farmer, hedge school teacher, and Irish traditional musician from rural County Clare. Long after his death, Merriman's li ...

(1912, 1949),

Tadhg Gaelach Ó Súilleabháin Tadhg Gaelach Ó Súilleabháin (c. 1715 – 1795), known in English as Timothy O'Sullivan, was a composer of mostly Christian poetry in the Irish language whose ''Pious Miscellany'' was reprinted over 40 times in the early 19th century. Early l ...

(1929),

Pádraig Phiarais Cúndún Pádraig Phiarais Cúndún (177713 March 1857) was an Irish poet who emigrated to the United States, where he continued composing poetry in Munster Irish and contributed to literature in the Irish language outside Ireland. Life Cúndún was b ...

(1932), Seán Clárach Mac Domhnaill (1932),

Liam Dall Ó hIfearnáin Liam is a short form of the Germanic name William, or its Irish variant Uilliam. Etymology The original name was a merging of two Old German elements: ''willa'' ("will" or "resolution"); and ''helma'' ("helmet"). The juxtaposition of these e ...

(1939),

Eoghan Rua Ó Súilleabháin Eoghan Rua Ó Súilleabháin (174829 June 1784), anglicized as Owen Roe O'Sullivan ("Red Owen"), was an Irish poet. He is known as one of the last great Gaelic poets. A recent anthology of Irish-language poetry speaks of his "extremely musical" p ...

(1937),

Liam Inglis Liam Inglis (1709–1778) was a Gaelic- Irish poet and priest. Overview Ó Ciardha describes "Priest-poets such as Liam Inglis, Seán Ó Briain, Conchubhar Ó Briain, Domhnall Ó Colmáin and Uilliam mac Néill Bhacaigh Ó hIarlaithe" as ...

(1937),

Pádraig Denn Pádraig or Pádraic ( , ), also Pádhraig or Pádhraic ( , ), are Irish male given names deriving from the Latin ''Patricius'', meaning "of the patrician class", introduced via the name of Saint Patrick. The name is often anglicised as its Engl ...

(1942),

Liam Rua Mac Coitir Liam Rua Mac Coitir (1675/90?–1738) was an Irish poet. A Jacobite poet, Mac Coitir was the president of ''Daimh-scola na mBlarnan'', at Blarney. See also * Cotter family * Diarmuid mac Sheáin Bhuí Mac Cárthaigh * Dónall na Buile Mac ...

(1937), Eoghan an Mhéirín Mac Carrthaigh (1938), An tAthair

Conchubhar Ó Briain () is an old and famous Irish male name meaning "lover of canines". It is the source of the Irish names Conor, Connor, Connors, Conner, O'Connor, etc. It is a name borne by several figures from Irish history and legend, including: * Conchobar ...

(1938), Éamonn de bhFál (1946), Filí na Máighe ( ''The

Maigue Poets Croom () is a village in County Limerick, Ireland. It is located just off the N20 (which has bypassed the town since 2001) on the River Maigue. It is 8 km southeast of Adare on the N20. The village is in a townland and civil parish of t ...

'') (1952). In 1935, Brown and Nolan published his 'Dictionary of Irish Place-names'. He published other titles as well; Saol-ré Sheathrúin Céitinn, 1908; Imeachtaí an Oireachtais, Sgéalta triúir, 1919; Scoth-duanta, 1933; Duanarán ré 1600–1700, 1935; Mil na hÉigse, 1945; . He also edited other works; Seod-aistí as Conamara, 1943 by Peadar Neilí Ó Domhnaill. Fíoraon le fiarán,(

Leo Tolstoy Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy Tolstoy pronounced his first name as , which corresponds to the romanization ''Lyov''. () (; ,Throughout Tolstoy's whole life, his name was written as using Reforms of Russian orthography#The post-revolution re ...

); An Béar, 1923 (

Anton Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; ; 29 January 1860 – 15 July 1904) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer, widely considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career as a playwright produced four classics, and his b ...

); Ag Suirghe leis an mBaintreach, 1927 (The Courting of the Widow Malone by Constance P. Anderson); Fiche gearrscéal ar na thionntódh as an bhFraingcis ( ''20 short stories translated from French,'') 1930; Naoi ngearra-chluichí ar n-a thionntódh by Fiachra Éilgeach, 1930; Maria Chapdelaine, 1933 (Louis Hemon); Cnósach gearr-scéal. Ar n-a dtionntódh ón bhFraingcis, 1934; An Phíb fé sna bántaibh, 1933 (''The Pipe in the fields le T.C. Murray''); Oilibhéar Dubh, 1935 (the drama Black Oliver by John Guinan); An Bheidhlín Buadha, 1935 (François Coppée); An Sárúchán, 1935 (''The Lifting le John Brandane''); Eoinín Bocht, 1942 (El Pobrecito Juan le Gregorio Martinez Sierra). Tiarnaí deireanacha Urmhún (1956), translation of ''The Last Lords of Ormond'' by Dermot F. Gleason. Ó Foghludha held the position of manager in the company 'Underwood Typewriter Co. ", at 5 Leinster Street, up to April 1936 when he started working for

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.

. For a period, he was editor at 'Brown and Nolan' before

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 an American-born Irish statesman and political leader. He served as the 3rd President of Ire ...

appointed him to Coimisiún na Logainmneacha (''The Placenames Commission'') in the year 1946. He was appointed editor of the translation of the

Constitution of Ireland The Constitution of Ireland (, ) is the constitution, fundamental law of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It asserts the national sovereignty of the Irish people. It guarantees certain fundamental rights, along with a popularly elected non-executi ...

on 11 November 1936. Risteard Ó Foghludha died on 20 August 1957. On 25 August 1974, Tom O'Donnell, Minister for the Gaeltacht, unveiled a plaque on the house where he was born and where his relatives still live. A local primary school is named Scoil Fhiachra Éilgeach in his honour. The

National University of Ireland The National University of Ireland (NUI) () is a federal university system of ''constituent universities'' (previously called '' constituent colleges'') and ''recognised colleges'' set up under the Irish Universities Act 1908, and signifi ...

awarded him D. Litt. Celt. it in 1939.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:O Foghludha, Risteard 1957 deaths 1871 births 20th-century Irish people 19th-century Irish people Irish journalists People from Youghal Irish-language writers French–Irish translators Russian–Irish translators Writers from County Cork