Tomás Bairéad Papers

The collection contains 168 listed items dating from 1920 to 1973.  It consists primarily of press cuttings of reviews and articles (1938-1973) relating to Bairéad’s work, together with letters from friends and colleagues which Bairéad received throughout his life.  Many of the correspondents were themselves important figures writing in and promoting the Irish language, in particular Máirtín Ó Cadhain (1906-1970), who is described in one source as “an authority on Irish literature and culture …Considered the most outstanding writer in Irish of his generation, both at home and abroad” (ed. McRedmond, Louis (1996), Modern Irish Lives Dictionary of 20^th century Biography,  Dublin 1996, p233).  It also includes rough notes and drafts of his work, together with several photographs, and material relating to his career as a journalist.

This is an important collection for anyone interested in the Irish language, its 20th century literature and writers.  It gives a glimpse of Bairéad’s life, and highlights his contribution to Irish language writing.  The material referring to the 1916 Rising and subsequent events should also be useful to those interested in modern Irish history.  For instance, it includes details of events in the Moycullen area during Easter week 1916, and also includes references to the 1919 local election (GP2/74), and also includes a transcript of the Irish Republican Brotherhood’s oath (GP2/103).  The collection is peppered with names associated with Irish republicanism and politics, such as Liam Mellows (GP2/107-108), Seán McDermot (GP2/75 and 77), Éamon De Valera (GP2/31-32, 66, and142), and Jack Lynch (GP2/74).    The letters from Bairéad’s friend, Morchadh Ó Dabhorionn, (GP2/71 - 80), are touching in that they reveal something of the loneliness of an Irish emigrant; "…nearer to me than Érin go Brac with all its faults and shortcoming, it is to me the greatest and is closest to my heart.  It was too bad that fate made me leave there for as you have said more than once before it was there that I did belong" (GP2/74, p5).