Réabhlóid Phádraic Uí Chonaire

galway | history and heritage | event notice Thursday April 19, 2007 11:52 by John C - -

Seoladh

Réabhlóid Phádraic Uí Chonaire le Aindrias Ó Cathasaigh
An tAthrú Mór, A. Ó Cathasaigh, eag,

Charlie Byrne's, sa tSráid Mheánach, Gaillimh, ag 6 pm

Sean Phadraic

Cé nach bhfuil a dhealbh le feiceáil ar an bhFaiche Mhór a thuilleadh, tá Gaillimh bródúil fós as an scríbhneoir Pádraic Ó Conaire, agus tuige nach mbeadh? Ach tá dhá leabhar le seoladh sa gcathair a chuirfidh cruth nua ar fad ar Shean-Phádraic.
Mar scéalaí is fearr atá aithne againn ar Ó Conaire, ach dar le Aindrias Ó Cathasaigh, níl ansin ach leath den scéal: ba smaointeoir réabhlóideach polaitiúil é freisin. Tá an taobh seo de shaol Uí Chonaire léirithe aige ina leabhar nua Réabhlóid Phádraic Uí Chonaire.
Cháin Ó Conaire an córas sóisialta is eacnamaíochta as brabús a chur chun tosaigh ar leas na ndaoine, agus theastaigh uaidh é a athrú ó bhun go barr. Faoi thionchar réabhlóid na Rúise ó 1917 ar aghaidh, sóisialaí amach is amach a bhí ann.
Tá Ó Cathasaigh tar éis teacht ar go leor altanna de chuid Uí Chonaire nár tugadh aird orthu roimhe seo, agus dul isteach go domhain sa tréimhse chorrach inar mhair sé. Chomh maith le beathaisnéis pholaitiúil Uí Chonaire a scríobh, tá cnuasach dá scríbhinní sóisialacha curtha in eagar aige faoin teideal An tAthrú Mór.
Tá an dá leabhar á fhoilsiú ag Coiscéim, a deir go n athróidh siad ár dtuiscint ar Phádraic Ó Conaire ó bhonn. Beidh siad á seoladh ag Seosamh Ó Cuaig, comhairleoir condae a bhfuil dúspéis aige féin i saothar Uí Chonaire, i siopa leabhar Charlie Byrne sa tSráid Mheánach ag 6 pm Dé hAoine 20 Aibreán.

Although his statue no longer sits in Eyre Square, Galway is still rightly proud of the writer Pádraic Ó Conaire. But two books to be launched in the city put a very different complexion on Sean-Phádraic.
We know him best as a storyteller, but according to Aindrias Ó Cathasaigh, that’s only half the story: he was also a revolutionary political thinker. He illustrates this side of Ó Conaire’s life in his new book Réabhlóid Phádraic Uí Chonaire.
Ó Conaire condemned the social and economic system for putting profit before the people’s interests, and he wanted it changed completely. Influenced by the Russian revolution from 1917 on, he was an out-and-out socialist.
Ó Cathasaigh has discovered many previously ignored articles by Ó Conaire, and deals in depth with the turbulent times he lived through. As well as writing Ó Conaire’s political biography, he has edited a collection of his socialist writings entitled An tAthrú Mór.
Both books are published by Coiscéim, who say they will change our understanding of Pádraic Ó Conaire altogether. They will be launched by Seosamh Ó Cuaig, a county councillor with a keen interest in Ó Conaire’s work, in Charlie Byrne’s bookshop in Middle Street at 6 pm on Friday 20 April