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SEAN O'CASEY - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 06/13/1933 - HFSID 176042

ALS: "Sean O'Casey", 1p, 6½x9¼. Milltown N.S. Mulligan, 1933 June 6. To "Editor Irish World, New York". In full: "I hope a 'Forde' still holds the post as Editor. We ask you to publish enclosed Review.…"

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Reg. $900.00

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SEAN O'CASEY. ALS: "Sean O'Casey", 1p, 6½x9¼. Milltown N.S. Mulligan, 1933 June 6. To "Editor Irish World, New York". In full: "I hope a 'Forde' still holds the post as Editor. We ask you to publish enclosed Review. Out of sale we hope to erect a monument in his natal spot to 'Leo'. He is worthy of it. For any help - editorial - you may give we shall be ever grateful. Perhaps you'll kindly send a copy to us of your paper with article. Best wishes sincerely." Written ten years after Irish dramatist O'CASEY wrote The Shadow of a Gunman, the first play in his Dublin trilogy. The last play in the trilogy, The Plough and the Stars, is one of his most noted works. Lightly creased, folds, not at signature. Paper clip rust stain at upper left margin. Accompanied by a carbon of the typed review, 3p, 8x13, signature in type, but corrections (bolded) in O'Casey's hand. Tribute to Irish poet JOHN KEEGAN CASEY, the "Leo" of this letter, whose book, The Rising of the Moon and Other Ballads, is listed at the top of the review. The review is divided into three parts. Part 1 is titled: "OUR DEBTS TO OUR IRISH POETS." In full: "Ireland should be proud of her poets. They are the nation's greatest asset. For centuries they have shone as 'stars' through the national problems that have confronted us. They have prevented the attacks of the 'alien' to standardise and make docile generations of Irishmen. They have kept the flag of the 'ideal' flying proudly over other flags and have inspired our people to lift up their eyes to it. Our poets have brought beauty and nobility into our lives Our Irish songsters have ever been foremost in challenging an 'alien' culture to dominate our Gaelic lives. Sometimes we have treated them shabbily." Part 2 is titled: "THE EDITOR, HIS PREFACE, AND LUKE CASEY: SCHOOLMASTER." In part: "We have at last a new editor of John Keegan Casey's (Leo) songs It is edited by Flann Fitzgerald, the pen name for Seamus Fenton, deputy chief inspector of schools. No one better fitted for the work could be found. Mr. Fenton has already edited the work of some of our Kerry Gaelic poets, and no man for the past 40 years has done more to advance and honour the cause of Gaelic Ireland than he has. The editor has thrown his own personality into the preface, which is a vigorous philosophic synopsis of our history for the past 100 years....". The section concludes with a brief biography of Leo's father, Luke Casey. Part 3 is titled: "LEO THE POET." It provides a biography of Leo and lines from some of his poems. In part: "John Keegan Casey was born and lived his life of 24 years in days when the claim for liberty was a tanamount to high treason...Leo was born in Loughan about half way between the hamlet of Rathconrath and Newbristy school...In Loughan the young poet communed with the heroic spirits of the past and breathed the rebel faith in Ireland...As a poet and soldier Leo Casey stands out as the outstanding figure. The centre and inspiration of the Fenians of South Westmeath and Longford...From the treatment he received in Mount Joy jail Leo died in 1870 at the age of 24. Had he lived he could have developed into a 'Clarence Mangan'or a goldsmith' (sic). As a poet Leo is now, only coming to his own. His greatness is becoming recognized and the volume of verse has come out at an opportune time. No household in Ireland - in Westmeath and Longford in particular, should be without a copy. A monument stand (sic) to Leo's memory in Glasnevin. Some expression of rememberance (sic) in concrete form should be errected (sic) in Loughan, for the sweet Fenian singer, who in his days kept alive the spirituality and hopes of the Gael...." Typed postscript, initialed S.O.C. in type: "There is a south Westmeath story redolent of Knockcastain in the current month's Catholic bulletin. It is written by Leo's Editor and deals with the lighter side of Leo. The writer has the divine literary, spark, which kindles and glows. The story deals with the Fenian period in Westmeath. Those who want a knowledge of that time should read that story. It is entitled 'Calling, The Rolls. and is substantially true." Worn and fragile. Separations at horizontal folds. Nicked edges. Shaded. Lightly creased. Two items.

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