William Rooney
Encyclopedia
William Rooney was an Irish nationalist, journalist, poet and Gaelic
revivalist. Along with Arthur Griffith
and Denis Devereux he founded the Celtic Literary Society, and with Griffith founded the first Cumann na nGaedheal.
and educated by the Christian Brothers in Strand Street and North Richmond Street. As a boy he was a member of The Irish Fireside Club, a literary discussion group, where he became acquainted with Arthur Griffith around 1888. They joined the Leinster Debating Society (which became the Leinster Literary Society), where Griffith became president and Griffith secretary. After the Leinster Literary Society was dissolved in the wake of the Parnell controversies Rooney formed the Celtic Literary Society, of which he became president and editor of the society's journal, An Seanachuidhe. Along with Michael Cusack
he taught Irish at the society's offices; one of their pupils was George Clancy
.
His writings and articles appeared in United Ireland, The Shamrock, Weekly Freeman, The Evening Herald, Shan Van Vocht and Northern Patriot in Belfast.
He was persuaded by Eoin MacNeill
to join the Gaelic League
after its founding in 1893. As a member of the Gaelic League, which was mainly concerned with promoting the Irish language and literature, he favoured a more political approach to promoting Irish culture. He regarded Irish independence without the revival of the language and culture as meaningless.
He was active on the 1798 Rising commemoration committee. In 1899 he co-founded with Griffith the United Irishman
newspaper and wrote many of its articles. Rooney had encouraged Griffith to return from South Africa and edit the paper. In November 1900 along with Griffith he helped establish Cumann na nGaedheal. This was an umbrella organisation to co-ordinate the activities of a number of nationalist groups, with John O'Leary as president; it was merged in 1907 to form Sinn Féin
. He spent some time travelling the country promoting the Irish language and condemned the Irish parliamentary party for its failure to promote the language.
He died suddenly of tuberculosis at the age of 27, shortly before he was due to be married, in May 1901. He was described by Griffith as "the Tomas Davis of the new movement". He is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery
.
His poems include "The Men of the West", "Ninety Eight", and "An tSean Bhean Bhocht". A book of his poems was posthumously published in 1902, Poems and Ballads of William Rooney. The writer James Joyce
gave Rooney's poems an unfavourable review in the Daily Express.
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
revivalist. Along with Arthur Griffith
Arthur Griffith
Arthur Griffith was the founder and third leader of Sinn Féin. He served as President of Dáil Éireann from January to August 1922, and was head of the Irish delegation at the negotiations in London that produced the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921.-Early life:...
and Denis Devereux he founded the Celtic Literary Society, and with Griffith founded the first Cumann na nGaedheal.
Life
William Rooney was born in Mabbot Street in Dublin, IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and educated by the Christian Brothers in Strand Street and North Richmond Street. As a boy he was a member of The Irish Fireside Club, a literary discussion group, where he became acquainted with Arthur Griffith around 1888. They joined the Leinster Debating Society (which became the Leinster Literary Society), where Griffith became president and Griffith secretary. After the Leinster Literary Society was dissolved in the wake of the Parnell controversies Rooney formed the Celtic Literary Society, of which he became president and editor of the society's journal, An Seanachuidhe. Along with Michael Cusack
Michael Cusack
Michael Cusack was an Irish teacher and founder of the Gaelic Athletic Association.-His Life:...
he taught Irish at the society's offices; one of their pupils was George Clancy
George Clancy
George Clancy was an Irish nationalist politician and Mayor of Limerick. He was shot dead by the Auxiliary Police in 1921 during the Anglo-Irish conflict . The previous Mayor, Michael O'Callaghan, was murdered on the same night by the same group.Clancy was born at Grange, County Limerick...
.
His writings and articles appeared in United Ireland, The Shamrock, Weekly Freeman, The Evening Herald, Shan Van Vocht and Northern Patriot in Belfast.
He was persuaded by Eoin MacNeill
Eoin MacNeill
Eoin MacNeill was an Irish scholar, nationalist, revolutionary and politician. MacNeill is regarded as the father of the modern study of early Irish medieval history. He was a co-founder of the Gaelic League, to preserve Irish language and culture, going on to establish the Irish Volunteers...
to join the Gaelic League
Conradh na Gaeilge
Conradh na Gaeilge is a non-governmental organisation that promotes the Irish language in Ireland and abroad. The motto of the League is Sinn Féin, Sinn Féin amháin .-Origins:...
after its founding in 1893. As a member of the Gaelic League, which was mainly concerned with promoting the Irish language and literature, he favoured a more political approach to promoting Irish culture. He regarded Irish independence without the revival of the language and culture as meaningless.
He was active on the 1798 Rising commemoration committee. In 1899 he co-founded with Griffith the United Irishman
United Irishman
The United Irishman title has been a very popular newspaper title in Ireland and a number of newspapers have been published under the title.*...
newspaper and wrote many of its articles. Rooney had encouraged Griffith to return from South Africa and edit the paper. In November 1900 along with Griffith he helped establish Cumann na nGaedheal. This was an umbrella organisation to co-ordinate the activities of a number of nationalist groups, with John O'Leary as president; it was merged in 1907 to form Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
. He spent some time travelling the country promoting the Irish language and condemned the Irish parliamentary party for its failure to promote the language.
He died suddenly of tuberculosis at the age of 27, shortly before he was due to be married, in May 1901. He was described by Griffith as "the Tomas Davis of the new movement". He is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery
Glasnevin Cemetery
Glasnevin Cemetery , officially known as Prospect Cemetery, is the largest non-denominational cemetery in Ireland with an estimated 1.5 million burials...
.
His poems include "The Men of the West", "Ninety Eight", and "An tSean Bhean Bhocht". A book of his poems was posthumously published in 1902, Poems and Ballads of William Rooney. The writer James Joyce
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
gave Rooney's poems an unfavourable review in the Daily Express.