Mary Colum
Encyclopedia
Mary Colum was an Irish
literary critic and author.
Mary Gunning Maguire was born in Collooney
, County Sligo, daughter of Charles Maguire, Constable and Catherine Gunning who died in 1895 to be reared by her grandmother Catherine in Ballisodare, Co. Sligo. She attended boarding school in St. Louis’ Convent, Monaghan which she described as a ‘self-contained totalitarian state’ with standards of ‘unselfishness, magnanimity, and devotion to others I rarely found in the world afterwards’.
She continued her studies at Royal University (NUI) Trinity and was founder of the Twilight Literary Society which led her to meet WB Yeats. She regularly attended the Abbey Theatre
and was a frequent visitor amongst the salons, readings and debates there.
After graduation in 1909 she taught at St Ita's - a companion school to Patrick Pearse
’s St. Enda's School
. She was active with Thomas MacDonagh
and others in national and cultural causes. She co-founded The Irish Review (1911-14), with David Houston, Thomas MacDonagh et al. and was encouraged by Yeats to specialise in French literary criticism and to translate Paul Claudel
.
A vivid redhead with a wild beauty seldom apparent in photographs, she married Padraic Colum
in 1912, moved with him to New York
in 1914, living occasionally in London
and Paris
; became established as a literary generalist in American journals, including Poetry, Scribner’s
, The Nation
, The New Republic
, Freeman
, New York Times Review of Books, The Saturday Review of Books, and The Tribune
.
She associated with James Joyce
in Paris
, and discouraged him from duping enquirers about the origins of the interior monologue in the example of Edouard Dujardin. She accepted Joyce's very ill daughter Lucia for a week in their Paris flat at the height of her ‘hebephrenic’ attack, while herself preparing for an operation in May 1932.
She served as the literary editor of Forum
from 1933-41, commenced teaching comparative literature with Padraic at Columbia University
in 1941.
She rebutted Oliver St John Gogarty’s intemperate remarks about Joyce in the Saturday Review of Literature in 1941.
Her work of reminiscence "Our Friend James Joyce (1959)", assembled posthumously by Padraic Colum, sensitively recalls the writer; her letters are held in Scribner’s Archive, Princeton University Library
, while a collection of her papers is held at SUNY.
She was the author of several books including "Life and the Dream", a work that describes an Ireland in twilight and a childhood resplendent of innocence using her artful gift of prose.
Her insight into the leading characters of the Irish Literary Revival
at the turn of the 19th and 20th century gives a rare and romantic glimpse into what it must have been like to live in Dublin as new work bubbled like gold out of the cobblestones and walking down Grafton Street might result in bumping into WB Yeats mumbling away to himself some verses he was composing mid-air.
(1937) From These Roots: The Ideas that have Made Modern Literature
(1958) Our Friend James Joyce (Memoir) (With Padraic Colum)
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
literary critic and author.
Mary Gunning Maguire was born in Collooney
Collooney
-Transport:Collooney is located just off the N4 and N17 roads, having been bypassed twice, by the N4 in 1998, and the N17 in 1992, and is the meeting point of both roads. The town was a significant railway centre, with no less than three railway stations...
, County Sligo, daughter of Charles Maguire, Constable and Catherine Gunning who died in 1895 to be reared by her grandmother Catherine in Ballisodare, Co. Sligo. She attended boarding school in St. Louis’ Convent, Monaghan which she described as a ‘self-contained totalitarian state’ with standards of ‘unselfishness, magnanimity, and devotion to others I rarely found in the world afterwards’.
She continued her studies at Royal University (NUI) Trinity and was founder of the Twilight Literary Society which led her to meet WB Yeats. She regularly attended the Abbey Theatre
Abbey Theatre
The Abbey Theatre , also known as the National Theatre of Ireland , is a theatre located in Dublin, Ireland. The Abbey first opened its doors to the public on 27 December 1904. Despite losing its original building to a fire in 1951, it has remained active to the present day...
and was a frequent visitor amongst the salons, readings and debates there.
After graduation in 1909 she taught at St Ita's - a companion school to Patrick Pearse
Patrick Pearse
Patrick Henry Pearse was an Irish teacher, barrister, poet, writer, nationalist and political activist who was one of the leaders of the Easter Rising in 1916...
’s St. Enda's School
St. Enda's School
St. Enda's School, or Scoil Éanna, was a Secondary school for boys set up by Irish nationalist Patrick Pearse in 1908.-Background:Pearse, generally known as a leader of the Easter Rising in 1916, had long been critical of the educational system in Ireland, which he believed taught Irish children to...
. She was active with Thomas MacDonagh
Thomas MacDonagh
Thomas MacDonagh was an Irish nationalist, poet, playwright, and a leader of the 1916 Easter Rising.-Early life:MacDonagh was born in Cloughjordan, County Tipperary...
and others in national and cultural causes. She co-founded The Irish Review (1911-14), with David Houston, Thomas MacDonagh et al. and was encouraged by Yeats to specialise in French literary criticism and to translate Paul Claudel
Paul Claudel
Paul Claudel was a French poet, dramatist and diplomat, and the younger brother of the sculptor Camille Claudel. He was most famous for his verse dramas, which often convey his devout Catholicism.-Life:...
.
A vivid redhead with a wild beauty seldom apparent in photographs, she married Padraic Colum
Padraic Colum
Padraic Colum was an Irish poet, novelist, dramatist, biographer, playwright, children's author and collector of folklore. He was one of the leading figures of the Celtic Revival.-Early life:...
in 1912, moved with him to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1914, living occasionally in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
; became established as a literary generalist in American journals, including Poetry, Scribner’s
Scribner's Magazine
Scribner's Magazine was an American periodical published by the publishing house of Charles Scribner's Sons from January 1887 to May 1939. Scribner's Magazine was the second magazine out of the "Scribner's" firm, after the publication of Scribner's Monthly...
, The Nation
The Nation
The Nation is the oldest continuously published weekly magazine in the United States. The periodical, devoted to politics and culture, is self-described as "the flagship of the left." Founded on July 6, 1865, It is published by The Nation Company, L.P., at 33 Irving Place, New York City.The Nation...
, The New Republic
The New Republic
The magazine has also published two articles concerning income inequality, largely criticizing conservative economists for their attempts to deny the existence or negative effect increasing income inequality is having on the United States...
, Freeman
Freeman
- Things :* An individual not tied to land under medieval serfdom, unlike a villein or serf* A person who has been awarded Freedom of the City or "Freedom of the Company" in a Livery Company* Freeman * Freeman...
, New York Times Review of Books, The Saturday Review of Books, and The Tribune
The Tribune
The Tribune is an Indian English-language daily newspaper published from Chandigarh, New Delhi, Jalandhar, Dehradun and Bathinda. It was founded on 2 February 1881, in Lahore , by Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, a public-spirited philanthropist, and is run by a trust comprising five eminent persons as...
.
She associated with James Joyce
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and discouraged him from duping enquirers about the origins of the interior monologue in the example of Edouard Dujardin. She accepted Joyce's very ill daughter Lucia for a week in their Paris flat at the height of her ‘hebephrenic’ attack, while herself preparing for an operation in May 1932.
She served as the literary editor of Forum
Forum (magazine)
Penthouse Forum, sometimes simply Forum, is a magazine owned by FriendFinder Networks, the publishers of Penthouse magazine. Unlike the main Penthouse title, Penthouse Forum is more journalistic than pornographic, and features editorials and opinion pieces on controversial contemporary topics...
from 1933-41, commenced teaching comparative literature with Padraic at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1941.
She rebutted Oliver St John Gogarty’s intemperate remarks about Joyce in the Saturday Review of Literature in 1941.
Her work of reminiscence "Our Friend James Joyce (1959)", assembled posthumously by Padraic Colum, sensitively recalls the writer; her letters are held in Scribner’s Archive, Princeton University Library
Princeton University Library
Princeton University Library is the main library system of Princeton University. With holdings of more than 7 million books, 6 million microforms, and 37,000 linear feet of manuscripts, it is headquartered in the Harvey S...
, while a collection of her papers is held at SUNY.
She was the author of several books including "Life and the Dream", a work that describes an Ireland in twilight and a childhood resplendent of innocence using her artful gift of prose.
Her insight into the leading characters of the Irish Literary Revival
Irish Literary Revival
The Irish Literary Revival was a flowering of Irish literary talent in the late 19th and early 20th century.-Forerunners:...
at the turn of the 19th and 20th century gives a rare and romantic glimpse into what it must have been like to live in Dublin as new work bubbled like gold out of the cobblestones and walking down Grafton Street might result in bumping into WB Yeats mumbling away to himself some verses he was composing mid-air.
Works
(1947) Life and the Dream(1937) From These Roots: The Ideas that have Made Modern Literature
(1958) Our Friend James Joyce (Memoir) (With Padraic Colum)