Eoghan Ó Tuairisc

Eoghan Ó Tuairisc (English: Eugene Rutterford Watters) (April 3 1919–24 August 1982) was an Irish poet and writer.

Life

He was a native of Ballinasloe, County Galway and was educated at Garbally College. His entered St. Patrick’s Teacher Training College, Drumcondra in 1939, graduating with a Diploma in Education in 1945. He was awarded an M.A., by University College Dublin in 1947.

Ó Tuairisc held a commission in the Irish Army during the Emergency from 1939 to 1945. He was a teacher in Finglas, Co. Dublin from 1940 to 1969. From 1962 to 1965, he was editor of Feasta, the journal of Conradh na Gaeilge.

Writing

He wrote novels, verse, drama and criticism in both Irish and English. His first major publication was his controversial novel Murder in Three Moves which was followed by Irish prose epic L'Attaque, which won an Irish Book Club award. Both works had a strong poetic flavour. His next book was a volume of verse entitled Week-End.

His narrative poem Dermot and Grace, an Irish version of Venus and Adonis, is considered his finest work.

In 1981 he published The road to Brightcity: and other stories (Swords: Poolbeg Press, 1981). This is a translation of nine of the best short stories written originally in Irish by Máirtín Ó Cadhain.

Ó Tuairisc was an inaugural member of Aosdana. He was a recipient of an Arts Council of Ireland prize, as well as an Abbey Theatre prize for a Christmas pantomime in Irish.

Works

Translations

• John Jordan (ed.), "Dialann Deoraí", in: The Pleasures of Gaelic Literature (1977).
• Máirtín Ó Cadhain, The road to Brightcity: and other stories, Swords: Poolbeg Press, 1981.
• Pádraic Ó Conaire, 15 Short Stories, Swords: Poolbeg Press, 1982.

Poetry

• Dialann sa Díseart, Dublin: Coiscéim, 1981.
• Rogha an Fhile, anthology with translations. 1974.
• New Passages, 1973.
• Dé Luain, Dublin: Allen Figgis 1966.
• The Weekend of Dermot and Grace, Dublin: Allen Figgis & Son, 1964; rep. in "Eugene Watters Special Issue" Poetry Ireland Review 13 (1985)@.
• Lux Aeterna, including Hiroshima Mass, Dublin: Allen Figgis, 1964.

Plays

• Fornocht do Conac, Dublin: Foilseacháin an Rialtais, 1981.
• Lá Fhéile Michíl, Dublin: Clodhanna Teo., 1967.

Essays

• Religio Poetae agus Aistí Eile, ed. Maírín Nic Eoin, Baile Átha Cliath: An Clóchomhar, 1987.
• Focus, (with Desmond Egan), 1972.

Books

• An Lomnochtán. Autobiography, Dublin & Cork: Mercier, 1978.
• [The Story of a] Hedgeschool Master, 1975.
• L’Attaque, Dublin: Allen Figgis, 1962.
• Murder in Three Moves, 1960.

Other activities

• "Christian names", in Encyclopaedia of Ireland, Dublin: Figgis 1968, pp. 119-21.
• "Infinite Variety - Dan Lowrey's Music Hall 1879-97" (Eugene Watters & Matthew Murtagh)Gill&Macmillan 1975

ca:Eoghan Ó Tuairisc