Background
The son of a small-farmer, Máirtín Ó Direáin spoke only Irish until his mid-teens.
The son of a small-farmer, Máirtín Ó Direáin spoke only Irish until his mid-teens.
He was educated at Onaght national school.
He worked as a civil servant from 1928 until 1975. His main works include the poetry collections:
Rogha Dánta (1949)
Ó Mórna agus Dánta Eile (1957)
Ar Ré Dhearóil (1962)
Cloch Choirnéil (1967)
Crainn is Cairde (1970)
Dánta 1939-1979 (1980)
Ceacht an Éin (1984)
Béasa an Túir (1984)
Tacar Dánta/Selected Poems (1984)
Craobhóg: Dán (1986)
Fear Lasta Lampaí (1928 - i Gaillimh/in Galway)
His autobiographical essays are collected as Feamainn Bhealtine (1961). His awards include the An Chomhairle Ealaíon/The Arts Council Awards (1964 and 1971).
The Butler Prize, with Eoghan Ó Tuairisc (1967).
The Ossian Prize for Poetry, FVS Foundation, Hamburg (1977). Carraig agus cathair: Ó Direáin is a recent (2002) biography.
Its title ("Rock and City") refers to Ó Direáin"s journey from his native rocky island to Dublin, where he lived most of his life. An Charraig Stoite (The Uprooted Rock) is a 2003 award-nominated TG4/Bord Scannán na hÉireann funded documentary on Máirtín Ó Direáin which was written by Alan Titley and produced and directed by Mac Dara Ó Curraidhín.
On 27 May 2010, An Post (the Republic of Ireland"s Post Office) issued a single stamp to commemorate the birth centenary of Máirtín Ó Direáin featuring a portrait of the poet.
Six of his poems have been put to music by Colm Ó Snodaigh from the music group Kíla: Faoiseamh a Gheobhadsa, Maith Dhom, Bua na Mara, Dínit an Bhróin, "An tEarrach Thiar" and Bí i do Chrann. The first three have been recorded on Handel"s Fantasy, Luna Park (two Kíla albums) and Giving - Colm"s solo album from 2007.
He was a member of Aosdána.