O'Kelly, Seumas, approximately 1875-1918

Seumas O'Kelly was an Irish writer, born in Loughrea in 1881. He worked as a journalist off and on most of his life, contributing articles to the United Irishman and The Connaught Leader. Later he became the editor of The Southern Star and the Leinsten Leader. He is most widely known as a playwright and literary artist, writing plays such as The Matchmakers, The Shuiler's Child and The Bribe. Other notable works include The Parnellite, Meadowsweet, Driftwood, and his short story The Weaver's Grave, considered by many one of the world's finest short stories.

O'Kelly took over the highly political newspaper The Nationality in 1918 and when British supporters raided the office he was working in on Armistice Day, November 14th, 1918, he suffered a heart attack and died. He was thirty eight years old.

From the description of Seumas O'Kelly papers, 1904-1975. (Southern Illinois University). WorldCat record id: 427560767