Francis Ledwidge
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Francis Ledwidge (August 19, 1887–July 31, 1917) was an Irish poet, killed in action during World War I.
Ledwidge was born at Slane in Ireland, into a large and poverty-stricken family. His parents believed in giving their children the best education they could afford, but Francis' father died when he was only five, and he was sent out to work at an early age, eventually finding employment in a copper mine. A keen poet, his works were published in local newspapers for some time before he won the patronage of the writer, Lord Dunsany, who introduced him into literary circles and prepared his first collection of poetry Songs of the Fields.
He was a keen patriot. His effort to found a branch of the Gaelic League in Slane were thwarted. He managed to act as a founding member of the Slane Branch of the Irish Volunteers, a defence force sworn to defend Home Rule, by force if need be. The Irish Voluntewers were split into two factions in 1914: those who wished to fight in World War I and those who didn't. Francis was originally of the latter party, however, within a week, he joined the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in Dublin, either on the insistence of Lord Dunsany or because his sweetheart Ellie Vaughey had found a new lover, John O'Neill, whom she later married.
In 1915 saw action at Suvla Bay in Turkey, where he suffered severe rheumatism. Having survived Gallipoli, he was dismayed by the news of the Easter Rising, and was court-martialled and demoted for overstaying his home leave and being drunk in uniform. While out with a working party near Pilkem, he was killed by a stray shell and was buried there.
A stone tablet commemorates him in the Island of Ireland Peace Park, Messines, Belgium.
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[edit] Reception
The only work published during Ledwidge's lifetime was the original Songs of the Fields, which was very well received, the critic Edward Marsh printed three of them in the magazine Georgian Poetry, and remained a correspondent for the remainder of Ledwidge's life. Following the war his collected poems were published with some success, first in two new volumes, and then later in an anthology in 1955. His patron and friend Lord Dunsany commented on his work with the words:
"[I was] astonished by the brilliance of that eye and that had looked at the fields of Meath and seen there all the simple birds and flowers, with a vividness which made those pages like a magnifying glass, through which one looked at familiar things for the first time."
[edit] Quotes
- Oh what a pleasant world 'twould be,
- How easy we'd step thro' it,
- If all the fools who meant no harm,
- Could manage not to do it!
- He shall not hear the bittern cry
- in the wild sky, where he ia lain,
- Nor voices of the sweeter birds
- Above the wailing of the rain
- Nor shall he know when the loud March blows
- Thro' slanting snows her fanfare shrill,
- Blowing to flame the golden cup
- Of many an upset daffodil. - Lament for Thomas MacDonagh
[edit] Works
[edit] External link
