Anthony Lally – Dillon J. McCormick – Patrick A. Dougher – John F. Lavelle - Martin P. Ward – Martin J. Henehan

Saothar é seo ina ndírítear ar sheisear ó Mhaigh Eo – ó cheantair Bhéal an Mhuirthead, Iorrais, Bhéal an Átha, Acla, Oileán Éadaí, agus Thuar Mhic Éadaigh – a d’imigh go Meiriceá i ndiaidh an Ghorta. Cainteoirí dúchais ab ea iad agus rinneadar go léir beart de réir a mbriathar maidir le caomhnú na Gaeilge.

Bhí ceathrar acu i mbun pinn agus thagair gach duine acu ina gcuid scríbhneoireachta do na sráidbhailte inar tógadh iad, chomh maith le himeachtaí domhanda. Is léir go raibh tarraingt nach beag ag a mbailte dúchais féin orthu. Chum na filí, Lally agus Dougher, dánta a bhain le Maigh Eo ach bhí spéis acu i ngnóthaí idirnáisiúnta freisin agus rinne siad tagairt d’imeachtaí i dtíortha eile — Sasana, An tSiria, Veiniséala agus an Tuirc. Sholáthraigh McCormick saothar próis agus Ward filíocht agus amhráin a raibh baint ag an ábhar le Maigh Eo do léitheoirí An Gaodhal.

Bhí Lavelle gnóthach le Cumainn Náisiúnta le linn dó a bheith in Cleveland agus ba dhuine de bhunaitheoirí an chéad chumainn Gaeilge i gCeanada é. Ba é Henehan, a bhí cairdiúil le hEoghan Ó Gramhnaigh, príomhbhunaitheoir Chonradh Gaeilge Mheiriceá.

Cuireann Fionnuala Uí Fhlannagáin mionsonraí faoin seisear ar fáil, a thugann léargas ar a stádas agus a seasamh i measc na nGael thall.

*Bhuaigh an leabhar seo Duais Leabhar Taighde na Bliana ACIS 2020*

Léirmheas le Nollaig Ó Muraíle i COMHARTaighde 8 anseo.

Anthony Lally – Dillon J. McCormick – Patrick A. Dougher – John F. Lavelle – Martin P. Ward – Martin J. Henehan

This book focuses on six men from Mayo – from Belmullet, Erris, Ballina, Achill, Islandeady, and Toormakeady – who left for America after the Famine. They were all native Irish speakers who went on to promote the Irish language.

Four of them were writers who all referenced the villages where they grew up in their writings, as well as international events. It's clear that they had a strong connection with their hometowns. The poets, Lally and Dougher, wrote poems about Mayo but they were also intersted in international happenings and wrote about events in countries such as England, Syria, Venezuela, and Turkey. McCormick wrote prose and Ward wrote peoms and songs about Mayo for the readers of An Gaodhal.

Lavelle was involved with National Societies while he was in Cleveland and he was one of the founders of the first Gaelic League in Canada. Henehan, who was friendly with Eoghan Ó Gramhnaigh, was the main founder of the Gaelic League of America.

Fionnuala Uí Fhlannagáin provides details of these six men and gives us an insight into their standing and status amongst the Irish in America.

*This book was awarded the ACIS Research Book of the Year Award 2020*

Review by Nollaig Ó Muraíle published in COMHARTaighde 8 available here.