Cathal O'Byrne
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Cathal O'Byrne (English Charles Byrne) (1867 – August 1, 1957) was an Irish singer, poet and writer.
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[edit] Early Life
O'Byrne was born and raised at Balmoral County Down, the son of parents from County Wicklow. He was employed at a grocery on Beersbridge Rd. in Ballymacarret where he would befriend Joseph Devlin.
[edit] Career
He joined the Gaelic League in Belfast and became a popular singer and storyteller. He was a stage manager of the Ulster Theater and would even become involved with the IRA, likely a member of military council. In 1921 O'Byrne traveled to America as a freelance journalist and opened a bookstore. He would return to Ireland after raising $100,000 for victims of the Belfast riots through White Cross. He was a devout Catholic, and even interviewed the Pope. Known for his dandified dress style, Cathal remained a bachelor his entire life. O'Byrne suffered from a stroke one month before his death on August 1, 1957. He is remembered as an important figure in the Celtic revival in the North of Ireland.[1]
