Séamus Ó Grianna facts for kids

Séamus Ó Grianna (pronounced Shay-mus Oh Gree-anna) was a famous Irish writer. He was born on November 17, 1889, and passed away on November 27, 1969. People in his local area also knew him as Jimí Fheilimí. He often used the pen name Máire for his books and stories.

Who Was Séamus Ó Grianna?

Séamus Ó Grianna grew up in a family of poets and storytellers. He was born in Ranafast, a village in County Donegal, Ireland. He went to primary school there until he was 14 years old. After school, he spent some years at home and also worked for a while in Scotland.

Becoming a Teacher and Writer

In 1910, Séamus attended a summer college to learn more about the Irish language. He then taught for a short time for the Gaelic League, a group that promotes the Irish language. From 1912 to 1914, he trained to be a teacher at St. Patrick's College in Dublin. He mostly taught in County Donegal until 1920.

He also became involved in politics. During the Irish Civil War, he was held as a prisoner because he supported the republican side. Later, he worked for the Irish government. He helped translate things for a department called An Gúm, which publishes books in Irish. He also worked on Irish dictionaries for the Department of Education.

His Love for His Home

Séamus Ó Grianna wrote many books over fifty years. These included novels, short stories, essays, and his own life story. His most famous work, Rann na Feirste, celebrates his home village. He wrote about its rich traditions, the way people spoke, the interesting characters, local stories, and the beautiful landscape.

He was a very important writer from the Donegal area. Many people who spoke Irish, or were learning it, read and copied his style throughout the 20th century. His brother, Seosamh Mac Grianna, was also a writer.

Caisleáin Óir as a Musical

One of Séamus Ó Grianna's novels, Caisleáin Óir, was turned into a musical! It first showed in 2000 at An Grianán Theatre in Letterkenny, County Donegal. Leslie Long, Kathleen Ruddy, and Phil Dalton wrote the musical. It has been very popular and has had many sold-out shows in County Donegal.

Books by Séamus Ó Grianna

Here are some of the books Séamus Ó Grianna wrote:

• Caisleáin Óir (a novel)
• Castar na Daoine ar a Chéile (a novel and some of his newspaper writings)
• Cith is Dealán (a collection of short stories)
• Cora Cinniúna 1-2 (two books of short stories)
• Cúl le Muir agus scéalta eile (more short stories)
• Na Blianta Corracha (more of his newspaper writings)
• Nuair a Bhí Mé Óg (his autobiography, which is his life story)
• An Sean-Teach (a novel)
• Suipín an Iolair (a novel)
• Tairngreacht Mhiseoige (a novel)