Padraic Fiacc
Encyclopedia
Padraic Fiacc is an Irish
poet, and member of Aosdána
, the exclusive Irish Arts Academy.
on April 15, 1924 to Bernard and Annie (McGarry) O'Connor. His father, a barman from a family of shop-keepers left for America while Fiacc was very young. At this time, Fiacc resided with his maternal grandparents who had recently moved to the Market area of Belfast after having been forced to leave their home in Lisburn
due to a fiery anti-Catholic demonstration in which all their furniture was burned.
His family emigrated to the United States in the late 1920s and he grew up in New York City
. He returned to Belfast in 1946 where he lived for four years before returning to New York in 1950; he grew up in Hell's Kitchen
.
The multicultural influences, coupled with the poverty and violence of the neighborhood impacted Fiacc's outlook and his writing, especially his early writing.
who became a mentor to Fiacc, directing him away from themes of coming to America and encouraging him to research and write about his own people's history. Fiacc had already developed a distaste for America and found himself longing for Ireland as he dug deeper into its history and literary technique and style.
However, he was very unsettled and returned to Belfast in 1956 and settled in Glengormley
, a suburb of North Belfast, where they welcomed a baby girl in 1962. He has since published a steady stream of poetry and other works.
In the early 1970s, he met Gerald Dawe, a younger poet, with whom he met regularly, corresponded, and later acted as mentor. Dawe, in the company of other contemporary Irish poets served as a supportive group of peers for Fiacc.
He published a steady stream of poetry and other pieces, and still resides in Belfast. He is a member of Aosdána
, the Irish Arts Academy.
In the 1980s Fiacc collaborated with Northern Irish artist Seamus Carmichael, who produced a series of color linoleum prints, three based on poems from the "Missa Terriblis" collection and 7 based on work from "Woe To The Boy". These images were widely exhibited in Ireland in 1985 and 1986.
(early work), suffering, hostility, the urban landscape, darkness and rebellion.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
poet, and member of Aosdána
Aosdána
Aosdána is an Irish association of Artists. It was created in 1981 on the initiative of a group of writers and with support from the Arts Council of Ireland. Membership, which is by invitation from current members, is limited to 250 individuals; before 2005 it was limited to 200...
, the exclusive Irish Arts Academy.
Biographical information
He was born Patrick Joseph O'Connor in BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
on April 15, 1924 to Bernard and Annie (McGarry) O'Connor. His father, a barman from a family of shop-keepers left for America while Fiacc was very young. At this time, Fiacc resided with his maternal grandparents who had recently moved to the Market area of Belfast after having been forced to leave their home in Lisburn
Lisburn
DemographicsLisburn Urban Area is within Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area and is classified as a Large Town by the . On census day there were 71,465 people living in Lisburn...
due to a fiery anti-Catholic demonstration in which all their furniture was burned.
His family emigrated to the United States in the late 1920s and he grew up in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He returned to Belfast in 1946 where he lived for four years before returning to New York in 1950; he grew up in Hell's Kitchen
Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan
Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton and Midtown West, is a neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City between 34th Street and 59th Street, from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River....
.
The multicultural influences, coupled with the poverty and violence of the neighborhood impacted Fiacc's outlook and his writing, especially his early writing.
Education and early writing
He attended Commerce High School and later changed to Haaren High School in order to learn Latin. While at school, he produced several original plays and his first collection of poetry titled Innisfail Lost. The poems were reviewed by Padraic ColumPadraic 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:...
who became a mentor to Fiacc, directing him away from themes of coming to America and encouraging him to research and write about his own people's history. Fiacc had already developed a distaste for America and found himself longing for Ireland as he dug deeper into its history and literary technique and style.
Change of place
On leaving the seminary, and to avoid signing up for military service, he returned to Belfast in 1946 where he lived for four years during which time his poetry was published in several magazines and the 1948 volume of New Irish Poets. Fiacc was the youngest poet in that edition. Publications of Fiacc's work from this time may be found in Irish Bookman, Irish Times, Poetry Ireland, and Rann.However, he was very unsettled and returned to Belfast in 1956 and settled in Glengormley
Glengormley
Glengormley or Glengormly is the name of a townland and electoral ward in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Glengormley is within the urban area called Newtownabbey and the wider Newtownabbey Borough.-Location:...
, a suburb of North Belfast, where they welcomed a baby girl in 1962. He has since published a steady stream of poetry and other works.
Life in Belfast
Fiacc continued to write and won the 1957 AE Memorial Award.In the early 1970s, he met Gerald Dawe, a younger poet, with whom he met regularly, corresponded, and later acted as mentor. Dawe, in the company of other contemporary Irish poets served as a supportive group of peers for Fiacc.
He published a steady stream of poetry and other pieces, and still resides in Belfast. He is a member of Aosdána
Aosdána
Aosdána is an Irish association of Artists. It was created in 1981 on the initiative of a group of writers and with support from the Arts Council of Ireland. Membership, which is by invitation from current members, is limited to 250 individuals; before 2005 it was limited to 200...
, the Irish Arts Academy.
In the 1980s Fiacc collaborated with Northern Irish artist Seamus Carmichael, who produced a series of color linoleum prints, three based on poems from the "Missa Terriblis" collection and 7 based on work from "Woe To The Boy". These images were widely exhibited in Ireland in 1985 and 1986.
Themes
Themes in Fiacc's Poetry include fear, childhood, hatred, violence, danger, poverty, Ireland's history, bloodshed, Hell's KitchenHell's Kitchen, Manhattan
Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton and Midtown West, is a neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City between 34th Street and 59th Street, from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River....
(early work), suffering, hostility, the urban landscape, darkness and rebellion.
Books
- Woe to the Boy (1957)
- By the Black Stream (Dublin, The Dolmen Press, 1969)
- Odour of Blood (Kildare, The Goldsmith Press, 1973)
- Nights in the Bad Place (Belfast, The Blackstaff Press, 1977)
- The Selected Padraic Fiacc (The Blackstaff Press, 1979)
- Missa Terriblis (The Blackstaff Press, 1986)
- Ruined Pages: Selected poems (edited by Gerald DaweGerald DaweGerald Dawe is a Northern Irish writer and poet.-Early life:Gerald Dawe was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and grew up with his mother, sister and grandmother. He attended Orangefield Boys School across the city in East Belfast, a leading progressive liberal state school...
and Aodán Mac PóilinAodán Mac PóilinAodán Mac Póilin is an Irish language activist in Northern Ireland.He was born in Belfast and lives in the Shaw's Road Irish-speaking community. He graduated from the New University of Ulster with a degree and M.Phil. in Irish studies...
), Belfast: Blackstaff Press, 1994 - Semper vacare (Belfast, The Lagan Press, 1999)
- Red Earth (The Lagan Press).
- The Wearing of the Black (Editor; The Blackstaff Press, 1974).
- SEA - sixty years of poetry (Edited and illustrated by Michael McKernon) MH Press 2006