Thomas O'Brien Butler facts for kids

Thomas O'Brien Butler (born November 3, 1861 – died May 7, 1915) was an Irish composer. He is best known for writing the Irish-language opera Muirgheis in 1903. Sadly, he was lost at sea when the Lusitania sank during World War I.

Who Was Thomas O'Brien Butler?

Thomas O'Brien Butler was born in Caherciveen, County Kerry, Ireland. He was the youngest child of Pierce Butler, a shopkeeper, and Ellen Webb. There is some confusion about his full last name. When he joined the Royal College of Music in London, his name was recorded as Thomas Whitwell-Butler.

Early Life and Musical Training

O'Brien Butler grew up surrounded by traditional Irish music. He started his musical education in Italy, but we don't know exactly when or where. He later enrolled at the Royal College of Music in London in February 1897. He was 35 years old at the time. He studied composition with famous teachers like Charles Villiers Stanford and Walter Parratt.

Some sources say Butler traveled a lot, even spending time in India. His opera Muirgheis was supposedly written in Kashmir, northern India. A song he published in 1900 was dedicated to the Maharajah of Patiala, Rajendrah Singh. After about 1900, he mostly lived in a house he called Muirgheis in Kilmashogue, near Dublin.

Connecting with Irish Culture

After settling in Dublin, O'Brien Butler wanted to join Ireland's leading cultural figures. He met with famous writers like W.B. Yeats and George Moore. He hoped to become part of the Celtic movement, which celebrated Irish culture. While they weren't very impressed, he found more support from the Gaelic League. This group promoted the Irish language and culture, and they supported his opera Muirgheis in their newspaper, An Claidheanh Soluis.

How Did Thomas O'Brien Butler Die?

Thomas O'Brien Butler died during World War I. He was on the passenger ship Lusitania returning from New York. On May 7, 1915, a German torpedo hit the ship off the coast of Ireland. The ship sank, and Butler was among those lost. Some reports say he was coming back from a concert of his opera in New York. Others suggest he was arranging for his opera to be performed the next year.

He was a friend of Thomas MacDonagh, a famous Irish poet and revolutionary. Butler was working on three new operas in Irish with MacDonagh when he died. MacDonagh himself died the following year, executed after the Easter Rising in Ireland.

What Music Did O'Brien Butler Write?

O'Brien Butler wrote several songs and some chamber music. However, Muirgheis was his most important work.

The Opera Muirgheis

The story of Muirgheis is full of Irish myths and legends. It features characters with names from Irish mythology, like Diarmuid and Donn, and sea fairies. The opera takes place at the beginning of Christianity in Ireland. The music uses special scales and sounds that remind listeners of traditional Irish music. It even includes a quote from an old Irish lament.

Muirgheis was promoted as "The first Irish opera." The words for the opera (the libretto) were first written in English by Nora Chesson. Later, Tadhg Ó Donnchadha translated them into Irish in 1909. The opera was first performed in 1903 using the English words. Because of this, the first opera actually performed in the Irish language was Eithne by Robert O'Dwyer in 1909.

How Was Muirgheis Received?

People had very different opinions about Muirgheis, especially its music. Some critics were not impressed. One critic wrote that while they wanted to support Irish art, Muirgheis didn't seem very popular. Another said it would be wrong to praise the music just because it was Irish. However, others, like the famous writers John Millington Synge and Edward Martyn, had more positive views.

Other Musical Works

Butler's other surviving works are smaller pieces, like chamber music and songs. These also tried to mix Irish and European musical styles. His Irish Sonata (1904) for violin and piano was played by Arthur Darley for many years. The song Kincora from his Seven Original Irish Melodies (1903) was even used as a test piece for singers at the Feis Ceoil (an Irish music festival) in May 1915.

Selected Works by Thomas O'Brien Butler

• My Little Red Colleen (Mo Cailin Beag Ruadh), Irish Song (1900). This song was dedicated to the Maharajah of Patiala. You can see the music score online at DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama, Dublin.
• Muirgheis (1903). This was his famous opera in three acts. It was first performed in Dublin on December 7, 1903.
• Seven Original Irish Melodies (1903). This collection of songs for voice and piano used texts by various Irish poets.
• Fódhla. Irish Sonata for violin & piano (1904).