Eoghan Ó Tuairisc 1919-1982

Eoghan Ó Tuairisc

Eoghan Ó Tuairisc (Eugene Rutherford Watters) was born in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway. He was educated at St Patricks College, Drumcondra, Dublin and graduated in 1939. Ó Tuairisc died in August 1982 and is buried in Ballinasloe.

Rita Kelly

Eoghan Ó Tuairisc
Rita Kelly

Eoghan Ó Tuairisc

Eoghan Ó Tuairisc (Eugene Rutherford Watters) was born in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway. He was educated at St Patricks College, Drumcondra, Dublin and graduated in 1939. Ó Tuairisc died in August 1982 and is buried in Ballinasloe.

Rita Kelly

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Photograph of Eoghan Ó Tuairisc

Photograph in black and white of the author Eoghan Ó Tuairisc who also wrote under his english name of Eugene Watters. This photograph featured in Fornocht do chonac.

Carlow County Library with permission of Rita E. Kelly

Photograph of Eoghan Ó Tuairisc
Carlow County Library with permission of Rita E. Kelly

Photograph of Eoghan Ó Tuairisc

Photograph in black and white of the author Eoghan Ó Tuairisc who also wrote under his english name of Eugene Watters. This photograph featured in Fornocht do chonac.

Carlow County Library with permission of Rita E. Kelly

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Rugadh Eoghan Ó Tuairisc i mBéal Átha na Slua i 1919. Fuair sé oideachas i gColáiste Phádraig, Baile Átha Cliath agus chuaigh sé ag múineadh scoile i 1939. Ina dhiaidh sin chuaigh sé go Ollscoil Baile Átha Cliath agus do bhain sé amach céim mháistir i litríocht an Bhéarla sa bhliain 1947. Phós sé Úna Nic Dhomhaill, ealaíonteoir i 1947.

Scríobhneoir a scríobh dánta, drámaí agus úrscéalta ab ea Ó Tuairisc. "Murder in Three Moves" an chéad úrscéal a bhí aige agus d'fhoilsigh sé an leabhar sin i 1960. Scríobh sé L'Attaque - a chéad úrscéal as Ghaeilge, i 1962. Bhí sé ina chónaí i Maigh Géine in aice le Ceatharlach i 1968 agus bhí teach aige in aice na Bearbha.

Phós Ó Tuairisc arís i 1972 agus Rita Kelly a bhean chéile. Chuaigh siad go Teach an Locha in aice le Ceatharlach. Scríobh sé "Focus: Fifty poems analysed" i bpáirtíocht le Desmond Egan i 1972. Chuir sé eagar ar "Rogha an Fhile" i 1974. Sa bhliain chéanna, scríobh sé leabhar do pháistí dár dteideal "The story of a Hedgeschoolmaster".

Ina dhiaidh sin, bhí an teach díolta acu agus iad ag cur fúthu in Inis Córthaidh. Fuair Eoghan Ó Tuairisc bás i Mi Lúnasa, 1982 agus tá sé curtha i mBéal Átha na Sluaighe.

Eoghan Ó Tuairisc (Eugene Rutherford Watters) was born in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway in 1919. He was educated at St. Patricks College Drumcondra, Dublin and graduated in 1939. He taught as a National teacher but he also served in the army during the summer months in the years 1940-1945.

He married Úna Nic Dhomhnaill an artist, in 1945. He lived in North Crumlin and taught in Finglas.

Ó Tuairisc wrote both in Irish and English. His first novel "Murder in Three Moves" was published in 1960. He left teaching in that year and began working as a full time writer. His first novel in the Irish language "L'Attaque" was published in 1962. He was also a dramatist and a poet. An Oireachtas prize winner on a number of occasions, he was editor of Feasta from 1962 until 1965.

L'Attaque le Eoghan Ó Tuairisc - Front cover

"L'Attaque" was the first novel written in Irish by Ó Tuairisc and was published in 1962. It won awards from an Club Leabhar and at the Oireachtas. It tells the story of the French landing at Killala in August 1798 and the races of Castlebar.

Carlow County Library

L'Attaque le Eoghan Ó Tuairisc - Front cover
Carlow County Library

L'Attaque le Eoghan Ó Tuairisc - Front cover

"L'Attaque" was the first novel written in Irish by Ó Tuairisc and was published in 1962. It won awards from an Club Leabhar and at the Oireachtas. It tells the story of the French landing at Killala in August 1798 and the races of Castlebar.

Carlow County Library

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His works of poetry include "The Week-end of Dermot and Grace", "Lux Aeterna" and "Rogha an Fhile". His plays include "Fornocht do Chonac", "Lá Fhéile Michíl" and "Aisling Mhic Artáin". In 1968, he moved to Maganey near Carlow and the River Barrow.

In 1972 he met Rita Kelly and they married in December 1972. They went to live at a lock house on the River Barrow near Carlow.

In 1982 he co-wrote a collection called "Dialann sa Díseart" with his wife. This work won the "Ó Riordán" prize at the Oireachtas in 1980. by then they had moved to Enniscorthy where Rita was employed. Ó Tuairisc was elected a member of Aosdána. He died in August 1982 and is buried in Ballinasloe.