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Liverpool honours Irish literary giant
A plaque is to be unveiled at the Liverpool birthplace of Piaras Béaslaí — one of the most outstanding Gaelic writers and political leaders of the early 20th century.
The Liverpool branch of the Gaelic League has invited Canadian-based Irish Professor Pádraig Ó Siadhail to unveil the commemorative plaque at at 1pm on Sunday October 3.
The Derry-born Professor is currently writing Béaslaí’s biography and will also deliver a lecture in Liverpool Central library on Monday October 4 at 6.30pm — exactly 100 years to the day that Patrick Pearse spoke there.
Both events form part of the Liverpool Irish Festival which runs throughout October.
Liverpool Gaelic League Secretary Tony Birtill, said: “We are all really pleased that such an outstanding Irish literary figure is being honoured in his birthplace.
“Liverpool is the European Capital of Culture 2008 and I hope the cultural contribution of the Irish community is given the recognition it deserves.”
Béaslaí was born in Breckfield Road South in the Everton district of Liverpool in 1881.
He went on to become the editor of The Catholic Times and an enthusiastic member of The Gaelic League.
He moved to Dublin in 1905 where he threw himself enthusiastically into the political and cultural scene — being one of the founders of the Irish Volunteers in 1913 and second-in-command of the First Dublin Battalion of the IRA during the Easter Rising.
The battalion’s commandant Éamonn Ó Dalaigh, was executed by firing squad along with the other leaders and Béaslaí was sentenced to 10 years’ penal servitude.
The collection of poems he produced while in prison entitled Bealtaine 1916 dealt with his feelings for his executed comrades and his fears for those whose fate was unknown.
He was later elected as a Sinn Féin TD for East Kerry in the first Dáil and was made a Major General in the Free State army during the Civil War. But his commitment to the Irish language was illustrated in 1923 when he resigned all his official positions and devoted himself to writing drama, poetry and novels in Gaelic. He died in Dublin in 1965.
The unveiling of the plaque will be followed by a traditional music session in the Strawberry Tavern on Breckfield Road South.
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