Colm O'Lochlainn
Encyclopedia
Colm Ó Lochlainn was a printer, typographer, collector of Irish ballads and traditional Irish Uilleann piper
. He was notably the author of Irish Street Ballads published in 1939 and More Irish Street Ballads in 1965.
, Ó Lochlainn was a member of the Irish volunteers
in 1916. He established the Candle Press in 1916. It was the winner of a bronze medal for bookbinding in 1924.
He founded his own press, At the Sign of the Three Candles Press, in 1926. He gave the aspiring piper Seamus Ennis
his first job at this press, and Ennis collaborated with him on the Irish Street Ballads books. He succeeded Seamus Ó Casaide as volunteer editor of Irish Book Lover in 1930.
He was an assistant in the Faculty of Modern Irish at University College Dublin
from 1933–1943, where he later became professor of Irish Language and Literature. He was also associated with the founding of An Óige
.
He died in a nursing home in Dublin and was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery
.
was godfather to Colm's son Ruan, a renowned musician who played with Bees Make Honey
and appeared on recordings with artists such as Bryan Ferry
, Link Wray
and who was a founding member of Ronnie Lane
's Slim Chance. His other son Dara played jazz with the Chicago Jazz Seven. His daughter Aifric is an art therapist and artist. His grandson Fionn Ó Lochlainn
is also a critically acclaimed recording artist and musician, who played in Dónal Lunny
's 'Coolfin'.
Uilleann pipes
The uilleann pipes or //; ) are the characteristic national bagpipe of Ireland, their current name, earlier known in English as "union pipes", is a part translation of the Irish-language term píobaí uilleann , from their method of inflation.The bag of the uilleann pipes is inflated by means of a...
. He was notably the author of Irish Street Ballads published in 1939 and More Irish Street Ballads in 1965.
Life
A native of KilkennyKilkenny
Kilkenny is a city and is the county town of the eponymous County Kilkenny in Ireland. It is situated on both banks of the River Nore in the province of Leinster, in the south-east of Ireland...
, Ó Lochlainn was a member of the Irish volunteers
Irish Volunteers
The Irish Volunteers was a military organisation established in 1913 by Irish nationalists. It was ostensibly formed in response to the formation of the Ulster Volunteers in 1912, and its declared primary aim was "to secure and maintain the rights and liberties common to the whole people of Ireland"...
in 1916. He established the Candle Press in 1916. It was the winner of a bronze medal for bookbinding in 1924.
He founded his own press, At the Sign of the Three Candles Press, in 1926. He gave the aspiring piper Seamus Ennis
Séamus Ennis
Séamus Ennis was an Irish piper, singer and folk-song collector.- Early years :In 1908 James Ennis, Séamus's father, was in a pawn-shop in London. Ennis bought a bag of small pieces of Uilleann pipes. They were made in the early nineteenth century by Coyne of Thomas Street in Dublin. James worked...
his first job at this press, and Ennis collaborated with him on the Irish Street Ballads books. He succeeded Seamus Ó Casaide as volunteer editor of Irish Book Lover in 1930.
He was an assistant in the Faculty of Modern Irish at University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
from 1933–1943, where he later became professor of Irish Language and Literature. He was also associated with the founding of An Óige
An Óige
An Óige , or the Irish Youth Hostel Association is the Hostelling International's association for the Republic Of Ireland....
.
He died in a nursing home in Dublin and was 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...
.
Family
Seamus EnnisSéamus Ennis
Séamus Ennis was an Irish piper, singer and folk-song collector.- Early years :In 1908 James Ennis, Séamus's father, was in a pawn-shop in London. Ennis bought a bag of small pieces of Uilleann pipes. They were made in the early nineteenth century by Coyne of Thomas Street in Dublin. James worked...
was godfather to Colm's son Ruan, a renowned musician who played with Bees Make Honey
Bees Make Honey
Bees Make Honey were an influential band in the early pub rock movement in the UK.The band were formed in 1971 in north London by Barry Richardson, who had a residency in a jazz band at the "Tally Ho" public house, when Eggs over Easy started playing pub rock there...
and appeared on recordings with artists such as Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry, CBE is an English singer, musician, and songwriter. Ferry came to public prominence in the early 1970s as lead vocalist and principal songwriter with the band Roxy Music, who enjoyed a highly successful career with three number one albums and ten singles entering the top ten charts in...
, Link Wray
Link Wray
Fred Lincoln "Link" Wray Jr was an American rock and roll guitarist, songwriter and occasional singer....
and who was a founding member of Ronnie Lane
Ronnie Lane
Ronald Frederick "Ronnie" Lane was an English musician, songwriter, and producer who is best known as the bass guitarist and founding member of two prominent English rock and roll bands; the Small Faces where he was nicknamed "Plonk", – and, after losing the band's frontman, Faces, with two new...
's Slim Chance. His other son Dara played jazz with the Chicago Jazz Seven. His daughter Aifric is an art therapist and artist. His grandson Fionn Ó Lochlainn
Fionn O Lochlainn
Fionn Ó Lochlainn is a New York based recording artist and instrumentalist.-Background:Born and raised in London, England, Fionn Ó Lochlainn is the grandson of Irish Traditional collector, publisher and musician Colm Ó Lochlainn, and the son of Irish musician and photographer Ruan Ó Lochlainn and...
is also a critically acclaimed recording artist and musician, who played in Dónal Lunny
Dónal Lunny
Dónal Lunny is an Irish folk musician. Lunny has been at the forefront of the evolution of traditional Irish music for more than thirty-five years and has participated within the renaissance of traditional Irish music in that time period...
's 'Coolfin'.
Selected publications
- A Printer’s Device, in The Irish Book Lover, Jan. & Feb. 1928
- The Printer on Gaelic Printing, Irish Book Lover vol. XVI, July-Dec. 1928
- Roadways in Ancient Ireland, in Feil-Sgribhinn Eoin MacNeillEoin MacNeillEoin 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...
, 1940 - Anglo-Irish Songwriters, 3 Candles, 1958
- Irish Street Ballads, Three Candles Press, 1939/1952; Irish Book Centre, 1962,
- More Irish Street Ballads, Three Candles Press, Dublin 1965, ISBN 0330253166