Michael Walsh - Biographical Note

 Michael Walsh was born at Ben of Fore, Castlepollard, Co. Westmeath in 1897.   He died in  Co.   Wexford,1st December 1938 at the age of  forty-one.  A simple,granite headstone marks his grave in St. Ibar's cemetery,Wexford.

 Michael Walsh was educated at Mungret College, Limerick and at St' Finian's College,Mulingar.

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Michael was married to Mona Forde from Wexford, a teacher and a poet.They had seven children.

Sundial Memorial to poet Michael Walsh unveiled in Foulksmills Park August 2010

Michael Walsh Memorial Foulksmills unveiled 11th August 2010

In the nineteen - thirties Michael Walsh was well-known for his poetry, articles and stories in newspapers and Catholic periodicals, and was in the first flight of writers of the day. His writings were eagerly sought after, with some of them being translated into Indian dialects. His impressons of Paris, following a visit there, were accepted by the French Tourist Association. Under the pen-name "M.W" he was the poetry and drama reviewer in "The Irish Independent".

He contributed a series of sketches of law-court life for the Dublin "Evening Herald."He broadcast a series of talks from Radio Athlone dealing with Irish history. His poems appeared in the  national school books.

    Michael Walsh was in at the beginning of some of Dublin's Literary Clubs.

He has four published books of poems. In 1996 his books were published together  as"Michael Walsh collected poems" - by his nephew Patrick Walsh who also illustrated the books.

Book Titles by Michael Walsh

Brown Earth and Green - published 1929 by The Talbot Press Limited

The Heart Remembers Morning - published 1931 by The Talbot Press Limited

Red on the Holly - published 1934 by Colm O' Lochlainn@ The Sign of theThree Candles

Walls in the Grass - published 1943 by The Talbot Press Limited

Michael Walsh Collected Poems published 1996 by Patrick Walsh

 Go to Irish Writers Online for more info on poet Michael Walsh 1897 -1938.

     View poem to Saint Brigid here!

 The poet explains - "These remain still at the root of my poetry - 

                                    The reeds in the bog; summer coming in

                                    clouds of white daisies to the sloping fields

                                    at the back of the house; and the" hill of Ben"

                                    itself like some eternal symbol amid the suns

                                    and mist of change."

Daughter Alice Walsh is also buried here

Link to photos HERE