Abstract
George A. Birmingham (1865-1950), a novelist and the pseudonym of James Owen Hannay, resided in Westport from 1892 until 1913. During his time there, he founded the Westport Literary Society in 1902. This paper aims to shed light on the activities of this previously little-known literary society and the role Birmingham and the society fulfilled during one of the most tumultuous periods of Irish history.
Birmingham’s wife Ada presented a paper on the Young Irelanders, including Thomas Davis, John Mitchel and Clarence Mangan. Many members of the literary society belonged to the class of Anglo-Irish gentry. A fervent Nationalist of Fenian sympathies, who is believed to have been William O’Brien, passionately supported Ada’s views, generating uneasiness and annoyance among regular members. Birmingham tried to diffuse the situation by reciting Mangan’s poetry, hoping that their beautiful tones would soothe ‘their savage spirit’. Instead, it simply aggravated things. Their burning resentment had the unfortunate effect of driving Birmingham and Ada farther towards Nationalism, prompting them to immerse themselves in reading Irish history and associate with Nationalists.
Recognizing this incident as a fundamental of Birmingham’s later success as a novelist, the present writer attempted to dig deeper into this previously little-known literary society. Research was conducted on the Mayo News archives at the Mayo County Library in Castlebar in the summer of 2015. It uncovered a total of 15 meetings,
including Ada’s presentation, spanning from around 1902 to January 1904.
Birmingham and O’Brien became close friends, for both of them genuinely endeavored to find what they could do for the good of Ireland. After leaving Westport, O’Brien continued to advocate reconciliation between Nationalists and Unionists. Meanwhile, Birmingham and O’Brien seemed to have the same doubt as Hyacinth Conneally, the protagonist’s friend in Birmingham’s novel, Benedict Kavanagh (1907) did, as indicated in Hyacinth’s words: ‘It seems to me easier to know Jesus than to serve Ireland...the way of service is obscure. Who will show us any good for Ireland? It is not easy to serve her.’
Elizabeth Bloxham was another attendee at Ada’s paper presentation. She would later become one of the founding members of Cumann na mBan, a women’s paramilitary organization aiming for an independent Ireland. Her active participation in debates within the Westport Literary Society foreshadowed her leadership qualities, and her sense of humor enabled her to go on fighting for the good of Ireland throughout her life, which was also the case with irmingham who continued expressing his sincere hope for reconciliation among every human being through his novels.
The present writer’s research has revealed that Birmingham and the Westport Literary Society fulfilled a significant role in facilitating discussions and debates during one of the most tumultuous periods of Irish history. The Land War was raging, and it was most ferocious in the West of Ireland. Under these extremely unfavorable circumstances, the society’s inclusive attitudes encouraged both Nationalists and Unionists to have lively exchanges, attracting influential figures like William O’Brien and Elizabeth Bloxham. Their involvement reflects their dedication to Ireland’s wellbeing, aligning with Birmingham’s pursuit of reconciliation through his novels. While the society’s existence was brief, their legacy lives on through the Westport Historical Society
