Thomas Joseph Walsh (Wexford) facts for kids
Thomas Joseph Walsh (born November 20, 1911 – died November 8, 1988) was an amazing Irish person. He was a doctor, a writer, and the person who started and led the famous Wexford Opera Festival. He helped make opera popular in Ireland and around the world.
Life of Thomas Walsh
Thomas Walsh was born in Wexford, Ireland. He studied medicine and became a doctor. He graduated from University College Dublin in 1944. While he was studying in Dublin, he also took singing lessons. He learned from a teacher named Adelio Viani at the Royal Irish Academy of Music.
Later, in 1972, he earned a special degree called a Ph.D. from Trinity College, Dublin. His research for this degree became a book about opera in Dublin.
Starting the Wexford Opera Festival
In 1951, Dr. Walsh became the leader of the Wexford Festival. He was both the chairman and the artistic director. This means he was in charge of everything creative and organizational. For 15 years, he worked hard to make the festival known all over the world. He did all this while still working as an anaesthetist at Wexford County Hospital. An anaesthetist is a doctor who gives medicine to make patients sleep during surgery.
People in Wexford knew him as "Doctor Tom." They loved and admired him. They also respected his great knowledge and learning.
Books by Thomas Walsh
Thomas Walsh loved opera so much that he wrote several books about it. His books explored the history of opera in different places. He wrote about opera in Dublin during the 1700s and 1800s. He also wrote about opera in Monte Carlo and Paris.
Here are some of the books he wrote:
- Opera in Old Dublin, 1819–1838
- Opera in Dublin, 1705-1797: the Social Scene
- Monte Carlo Opera, 1879–1909
- Second Empire Opera: The Théâtre Lyrique Paris 1851–1870
- Opera in Dublin, 1798–1820: Frederick Jones and the Crow Street Theatre
