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Peadar O'Donnell was born and educated in Meenamore before studying to become a
teacher in Dublin where he taught for several years. He joined the Transport
& General Workers' Union in 1918. During the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921)
O'Donnell fought with the IRA, took the
Anti-Treary side during the Civil War (1921-1924) and was arrested and gaoled
for two years in 1922. In 1925 he published his first novel *Storm* to critical acclaim. This was followed by *Islanders*(1927) which depicts the severe poverty of the islanders on Gola Island from where O'Donnell's mother came. O'Donnell edited the republican newspaper *An Phoblacht* from 1926 until 1934 when he formed Republican Congress which advocated the establishment of a socialist Ireland. In 1936 he helped organise the James Connolly Brigade which fought against Franco in the Spanish Civil War. Between 1946 and 1954 O'Donnell edited *The Bell* which was the most influential literary magazine in Ireland at that time. Throughout his long life Peadar O'Donnell espoused socialism and was an active anti-Vietnam war protestor in the 1960's and 1970's. While he was shunned by the establishment for his socialism Peadar O'Donnell enjoyed some recognition as a grand old man of Irish letters towards the end of his life. When asked on national television what was the most significant thing he remembered about his native Donegal, O'Donnell, then in his 90's, replied that it was the light, the magnificent light which reflects off the Atlantic ocean. O'Donnell's other works include *The Gates Flew Open* (1932); *Salud, An Irishman in Spain* (1937); *The Big Windows* (1955); *There Will Be Another Day* (1963); and Proud Island (1977). © Rugadh Peadar O'Donnell ar an Mhín Mhór ar an Chlóchan Liath. Fuair sé a chuid oideachas anseo chomh maith sular imigh sé go hollscoil i mBaile Átha Cliath le bheith ina mhuinteoir. Mhúin sé i mBaile Atha Cliath ar feadh cúpla bliana. D'fhag sé muinteoireachta agus rinneadh ceardchummanaigh dó leis an t-Aontas Iompar agus Oibrithe Ginearalta. I rith Cogadh an Neamhspleachais (War of Independence) 1919-1921 throid Ó Domhnaill leis an IRA. Ghlac sé taobh an phoblachta i rith an Cogadh Saoranaíocht (Civil War) 1921-1924 ach gafadh é agus cuireadh é i bpriosún ar feadh dhá bhliain. D'fhoilisigh sé a chead úrscéal 'Storm' i 1925 agus ina dhiadh seo foilsiú 'Islanders' (1927), an t-úrscéal is cailiula a scríobh sé. Bhí an t-úrscéal seo bunaithe ar an bochtanas mílteanach a bhí ar oileán Gola, an áit a dtainig a mháthair as. Chuir Peadar an páipéar nuachta 'An Phoblacht' in eagar idir na blianta 1926 agus 1934. Ansin, bhunaigh sé comhdháil Poblacht. An t-aidhm a bhí le seo nó le Éireann Soisialta a chruthú. I 1936 chuidigh sé briogáid James Connolly a eagrú mar gur throid Connolly in éadan Franco i gCogadh Saoranaíocht na Spáinne. Idir na blianta 1946 agus 1954 d'eagar Ó Domhnaill 'The Bell' a bhí mar cheann de na h-iriseoirí is cumhachtaigh in Éirinn ag an ám sin. I rith a shaol fada thaobhaigh Ó Domhnaill le cuís ar són sóisialachas. Chomh maith le seo bhí sé ina ghearanaí in éadan Vietnam ins na seascoidaí agus na seachtodaí. Níor thug an bhunaíocht áitheantais ar bith do Pheadar Ó Domhnaill mar gheall ar an bhaint a bhí aige le sóisialachas. Ach fuair Peadar áitheantais mar go raibh sé aontach maith ag scríobh Gaeilge ag deireadh a shaol. Nuair a fiafriú do Pheadar ar an teílifis ám amháin (agus é choir a bheith céad bliana d'aois) caide an rud is tabhachtaigh ina intinn ag baint le Dún na nGall dúirt sé gurbh é an solas millteanach geal a chaitheann an t-Aigéan Atlantach amach. Oibrithe eile le Ó Domhnaill, * The Gates Flew Open* (1932); *Salud*; *An Irishman in Spain* (1937); *The Big Windows* (1955); *There will be another day* (1963) agus Proud Island (1977). |
 Peadar O'Donnell (1893-1987) |