Liam Ó Rinn facts for kids
Liam Ó Rinn (born William J. Ring) was an important Irish writer and translator. He lived from 1886 to 1943. He is best known for translating "The Soldier's Song" into Irish. This song is now Ireland's national anthem, called "Amhrán na bhFiann". His Irish version became much more famous than the original English song.
Liam Ó Rinn's Life and Work
Liam Ó Rinn was born in Ballybough, a part of Dublin. He was one of six children. His father was a police officer. Liam went to school in Fairview until he was 14. After school, he worked for a lawyer.
He loved the Irish language. He studied it with the Gaelic League, a group that promotes Irish culture. He worked for them from about 1907 to 1920.
Liam Ó Rinn was involved in important events in Irish history. He took part in the Easter Rising in 1916. This was a rebellion against British rule. Because of this, he was held in a camp called Frongoch until December 1916. He was also held again for a year during the Irish War of Independence.
From 1914, he started writing articles in Irish. He published his first books in 1920. He also translated news stories for a newspaper. In 1924, he began working for the Irish government. He worked in the translation department of the Free State Oireachtas. This meant he turned official documents into Irish. He translated important papers like the Irish constitutions from 1922 and 1937.
Liam Ó Rinn was very good at languages. He learned French, German, Spanish, Welsh, and Russian. He translated books from writers in many different countries. He got married to Ellen Fennelly in 1920, and they had several children.
"Amhrán na bhFiann" – The National Anthem
Liam Ó Rinn is most famous for his translation of "The Soldiers' Song". This song became "Amhrán na bhFiann", the national anthem of Ireland. His translation was first printed in a magazine in 1923.
Many people had tried to translate the song before. But Liam Ó Rinn's version was special. He used everyday Irish, the kind spoken by people in Gaeltacht areas. Other translations had used older, more formal Irish. His simple, living language made his translation very popular.
In the 1930s, the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) started using Ó Rinn's version. They sang it before all their sports matches. Because of this, the Irish version slowly became more popular than the original English song.
Even though the Irish government never officially said his translation was the national anthem, it is widely used. Both the English and Irish words appear on official government websites and in books about Ireland.
Liam Ó Rinn's Writings
Liam Ó Rinn translated many books and wrote his own works.
- Books he translated into Irish
- The Books of the Polish People and of the Polish Pilgrimage by Adam Mickiewicz
- Prose poems by Ivan Turgenev
- Rise of the Irish Volunteers by Maurice George Moore
- Stars in Their Courses by James Hopwood Jeans
- Intensive Culture of Crops by Henri de Courcy
- Hygiene by Richard Hayes
- Our Country's Story by A. B. Ochiltree Ferguson
- The Law-Suit by Roderich Benedix
- "The Soldier's Song" by Peadar Kearney
- Original books he wrote
- "Cad ba dhóbair dó" agus sgeulta eile
- Turus go Páras
- Peann agus Pár
- Mo chara Stiofán
- Other works
- Slighe na Saoirse (a guide for Irish Volunteers)
- So súd (a collection of writings)
