Night of celebration of Fr Eoghan Ó Gramhnaigh

 Athboy priest, scholar, and key figure in the Gaelic revival of the late 19th century, Fr Eugene O'Growney (Eoghan Ó Gramhnaigh) will be celebrated with a night of traditional music, song, poetry and dance at Solstice Arts Centre on Thursday 17th October.

O'Growney was born at Ballyfallon, Athboy, where the Irish language had largely retreated from daily usage and neither of his parents spoke it. He first became interested in the language at school in St. Finian's College and later again when he chanced upon Irish lessons in the nationalist newspaper, Young Ireland. He went on to study at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, where he was ordained a priest in 1888.

He served for a short time as a curate in the Diocese of Meath but because of his proficiency in the Irish language was appointed Chair of Irish at Maynooth in 1891. He was editor of the Gaelic Journal between 1894 and 1899 and during his tenure ensured that more material was published in Irish.

His Simple Lessons in Irish, first published in the newspaper, the Weekly Freeman, proved so popular that they were published in booklet form. There were five books in the series, and by 1903 320,000 copies had been sold.

He was a founding member of the Gaelic League, which was created in Dublin in 1893 "for the purpose of keeping the Irish language spoken in Ireland", and later became its vice-president.

In 1894, failing health caused him to go to Arizona and California, where he died 120 years ago. Some years after, with the aid of Irish sympathisers in the United States, his body was brought back to Ireland and is where he was laid to rest in the cemetery attached to St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, where a special chapel was built to house his remains. O'Growney Terrace in Navan and o'Growney Street and school in Athboy are named after the cleric.

Performing at the celebration at 8pm will be poets Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill and Tom French, Sean nós singer Éamon Ó Donnchadha, Sean nós dancer Jack Lynch, Uileann Piper Éanna Ó Cróinín, fiddle player Bernadette Nic Gabhann, box accordion player Nigel Davey, Rath Chairn musical family Na Casaidigh, and writer, television presenter and Gaeilgeoir Manchán Magan.

 

Tickets are available from Solstice box office.