Francis Edward Ledwidge Poetry
Songs of the Fields (1915) , Songs of Peace , Last Songs (1918)

Francis Edward Ledwidge Links
Francis Edward Ledwidge - The Norton Anthology
Site http://www.wwnorton.com/nto/20century/topic_4/ledwidge.htm
Francis Ledwidge (1887–1917) came of a poor family from Slane, County Meath. He had no formal education after the age of twelve, and worked as a navy laborer while educating himself through reading and writing. He was active in trade unions and the local rural council, and joined the Slane Corps of the Irish Volunteers. Lord Dunsany, who owned much of the land around Slane, assisted Ledwidge in publishing a volume of verse, and his poems were included in the Georgian Anthology. Though a firm nationalist, he joined the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers soon after the start of the First World War, to fight those he perceived as a common enemy. In June 1915 he was sent to Gallipoli and saw action in Lemnos and Serbia. He had returned to Ireland on sick leave at the time of the Easter Rising in 1916, and was deeply distressed to learn of the execution of former comrades by his present comrades. He returned to the Western Front in April 1917, where he was killed by a shell. His second volume of poetry was published three months after his death.

Francis Edward Ledwidge - Lament for Thomas MacDonagh
Site http://www.cs.rice.edu/~ssiyer/minstrels/poems/1608.html
Ledwidge was an Irish nationalist, from a quite poor background who, notwithstanding his nationalist feelings, joined the British army in the First World War. He felt bitterly let down when, in the middle of that war, in the aftermath of the Easter Rebellion in Dublin in 1916, the British authorities executed the leaders of this rebellion, one of whom was his friend, the poet Thomas MacDonagh. Notwithstanding his disillusion, he returned to the Front and was killed himself at the age of 29 in the Battle of Ypres in Belgium.

Francis Edward Ledwidge Center
Site http://www.francisledwidge.com/html/ledwidge.htm
Born on 19th August 1887 Francis was the eighth of nine children born to Patrick and Anne Ledwidge. He was the first child born in the family's new home, a Labourers Cottage just outside the village of Slane, situated in the heart of the Boyne Valley, some thirty miles North of Dublin. Christened Francis Edward but known as Frank to his family and friends the fledgling poet would know hardship at an early age. His father died when he was just four years old and only three months after the birth of his youngest brother Joseph. The burden fell on his mother Anne to provide for the family by undertaking backbreaking "outdoor relief" work in the fields for a meagre eight shillings a week.



Francis Ledwidge - First World War
Site http://www.firstworldwar.com/poetsandprose/ledwidge.htm
Francis Ledwidge (1887-1917), the Irish nationalist and poet, was born in Slane on 19 August 1887 the son of a poor labourer. Leaving school at the age of 14 he worked in various manual labour positions while developing a love for and honing his own poetical talents.

Francis Ledwidge - Irish Culture and Customs
Site http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Poetry/FLedwidge.html
He died in Belgium with the British Army, killed by a shell while laying road in preparation for attack on Ypres, 31 July, at Boesinghe, near Ypres. He was buried in the Artillery Wood cemetery nearby.

Francis Ledwidge - Irish Fusiliers
Site http://www.tcd.ie/General/Fusiliers/DUBFUS/STORIES/HTML/ledwidge.htm
Francis Ledwidge was of humble background. His parents had nine children and they lived in a small cottage at Janeville near Slane, Co. Meath. His father died young and Mrs. Ledwidge had to go to work in the fields to provide for her family. At one time the family were on the point of being evicted. The sheriff's men were only prevented in carrying out the order when the doctor attending the eldest son Patrick, who was suffering from tuberculosis, would not allow him to he shifted. In the event Patrick died. The family were so poor that the Navan Board of Guardians had to pay for the coffin. His death was to have a profound effect on his younger brother Francis. When Francis grew up he became involved with the Meath Labour Union and in 1913, was appointed secretary.



Francis Ledwidge - Award
Site http://www.askaboutwriting.net/c162Led5116.htm
Traditional or modern poems are being accepted for the Francis Ledwidge Poetry Award 2006. Entries may not exceed 40 lines and the author's name and address must be included on a separate sheet of paper. The entry fee is €4 per poem or three poems for €10. A maximum submission of six poems is allowed. The organisers said the Francis Ledwidge Poetry Award is a highly prestigious award and the main prize is the Trophy. Any cash to be distributed to runners-up is a matter to be decided by the committee when the volume of entries has been measured, they said. Post entries to: The Francis Ledwidge Poetry Award, 34 Sallins Pier, Sallins, Co. Kildare. Closing date November 5. 2006.

"We are one of the great stocks of Europe. We are the people of Burke; we are the people of Swift, the people of Emmet, the people of Parnell. We have created most of the modern literature of this country. We have created the best of its political intelligence."
W. B. Yeats, speech in the Irish Senate, June 11, 1925

Copyright © 2006 Ireland Literature Guide ltd.