Life
1888-1974; b. North Wall, Dublin; ed. O’Connell CBS and RUI; NUI
travelling schol., 1911; studied Early Irish in Germany, also studied
in Paris; French lect. at UCD, 1914; sworn into the IRB by Seán
T. Ó Ceallaigh; fought in 1916 (College of Surgeons); imprisoned
at Frognoch; Romance Prof. UCG, 1917-59; Sinn Féin candidate for
S. Armagh, 1918; Republican court judge, 1920; interned Wandsworth, 1920-21;
took Treaty side; unsuccessful Seanad candidate, 1925; books incl. translations
of La Bruyère, Henri Ghéon, Molière, Shakespeare,
et al., including Anglo-Irish writers (Gregory, Pearse, Synge) trans.
into Irish for the Gaelic Theatre Taibhdhearc], Galway, which he founded
with Mac Liammóir, 1928; President of Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe,
1931 ; chairman, An Club Leabhar, 18 years; Gaelic League exec.; chevalier
Legion d’Honneur, 1951; memoirs Cuimhní Cinn (1951)
which gives a vivid account of the 1916 Rising, ending with the East Clare
bye-election in 1917; Chair of Romance languages, UCG, 1917-1959; member
of Censorship Appeal Board, 1953-68.; retired in Dublin and d. 11 Aug.
1974. DIW DIB OCIL
Works
Cuimhní Cinn (Dublin: Sáirséal agus Dill 1951)
gives a vivid account of the 1916 Rising; trans, Gearmairecht Dhroicid
an Diabhail, from Ghéon (1932); Déirdre an Bhróin,
from Synge (1932); An t-Amhránaidhe, from Pearse (1936),
produced at the Abbey in 1942; Cat na mBróg, from Ghéon
(1936); Grádh Cásmhar, from Moliere (1937); Coriolanus,
after Shakespeare [adapt.] (1938); Ar an mBóthar Mór, from
Jeane-Jacque Bernard (1943); also An tUbhall Oir, from Lady Gregory;
An Chúis i haghaidh Iosa, from Diego Fabbri’s Proces
a Jesu, et al.
Notes
Oliver Snoddy, writes of Cuimhní Cinn, that ‘It is
one of the best first-hand accounts of the Rising from the pen of a participant,
made all the more attractive by the humanity, humor and honest of the
man. O'Briain was one of the couriers used by Eoin MacNéill to
convey around the country his order countermanding the arrangements already
made by Pearse. However, when the Rising started the next day, Ó Briain,
set out to join his company.’ (‘Notes on Literature in Irish Dealing with
the Fight for Freedom’, Éire-Ireland, 3, 2 (Summer 1968),
pp. 138-48, here p.145.)
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Princess Grace Irish Library (Monaco)