Padraic Fiacc: Blue plaque unveiled in Belfast to poet of the Troubles

BBC News

2 days ago

His work captured some of Northern Ireland's darkest years, but Padraic Fiacc's poetry has been largely forgotten.On Wednesday admirers of his work unveiled a blue plaque commemorating him, which they hope will put his life and work back in the public eye.The plaque was unveiled at Falls Road Library for the Belfast-born writer who was celebrated in the US and at home for stark and compassionate poems that focused on the violence of the Troubles. The Ulster History Circle, supported by Libraries NI, led the ceremony close to Fiacc's birthplace.
"He'll forever be on the wall and back in the room," said Seamus McKee, from Ulster History Circle, who unveiled the plaque.
Paul Muldoon, a poet himself, was among the visitors to the library to witness the plaque being unveiled.He expressed his excitement about the influence Fiacc had on the literary world."Padraig was a true poet, from the tips of his toes to the top of his head," he said.Mr Muldoon collaborated with Fiacc when the worked at the BBC.Mr Muldoon created two programmes, one exploring Fiacc's childhood in Hell's Kitchen on Manhattan's west side in New York, and another about crossing the Atlantic by ship."I believe Padraic would be very pleased with today," he said."Like many poets, no matter how famous, there's always a lingering sense that they're not receiving the recognition they deserve."
Born Patrick Joseph O'Connor near the Falls Road in west Belfast, he moved to New York in 1929 when he was five. They settled in Hell's Kitchen, a neighbourhood troubled by social problems and gang violence.Fiacc later met the poet Padraic Colum, who was living in New York and inspired him to embrace his Irish heritage. The name Colum derives from the Irish word for dove.In homage, Padraic took on the name Fiacc, meaning raven.His writings often incorporate themes of birds and the natural world.He moved back to Belfast in 1946, took on various jobs, and then returned to New York for about a decade before finally settling in Glengormley with his wife at the time, Nancy.
Aine Andrews and her husband were friends with Fiacc since the early 1970s, following the murder of one of his friends and the breakup of his marriage. "I hope the unveiling of the blue plaque will capture people's attention and inspire them to revisit Padraic's work with renewed interest," she said."I believe the creation of the blue plaque would successfully draw their focus."
Seamus McKee said a significant part of Fiacc's life was marked by being "shunned by some of his fellow poets" who considered his work too raw, leaving him lonely for much of his life. However, in his later years, people began to recognise and appreciate his poetry.He described him as "raw, immediate, and very honest" and said his poetry stood out as he spoke when others remained silent."There is such a wave of support for Fiacc," Mr McKee said, adding that many people had advocated for the plaque."He had a brilliant sense of humour, combining New York and Belfast wit."I wish he could be here today to hear all the wonderful things being said."
While Fiacc was celebrated in the US as well as in Northern Ireland, he faced criticism at home for his poems that looked unwaveringly at violence.He received the AE Russell Award for Woe to the Boy, the Poetry Ireland award and was elected to Irish arts association Aosdána.