Charlie Donnelly: Portrait of a Poet

A History Talk by Eileen Quinn

Born in Dungannon, County Tyrone, in 1914, Charlie Donnelly's life was inextricably linked to the tumultuous social and political landscape of 1920s and 1930s Ireland. The family's relocation to Dublin in the years following partition and the tragic premature death of his mother when he was only 12, significantly shaped the poet's worldview. Growing up in Dublin, he witnessed at first hand the social and economic injustices of those living in Dublin's inner city. Abandoning his homeland for London in 1935, Donnelly joined a burgeoning community of Irish exile artists and writers. Like them he was deeply affected by the lack of opportunity in 1930s Ireland and readily engaged with the political and social ferment of the time.

An advocate for social justice from an early age, and a committed internationalist Donnelly's commitment to these ideals ultimately led him to participate in the Spanish Civil War. As a poet, writer, journalist and socialist he went to war not for some ideal romantic notion but in his belief to make a real difference and win the war. Tragically, his life was cut short at the age of twenty-two on the battlefields of Jarama, a loss that would have a profound effect on the world of Irish and international literature. His last words softly spoken yet profound and powerful in their meaning – ‘even the olives are bleeding’ – continue to resonate and echo today transforming Donnelly into an iconic figure. However, it is in his contribution to modern Irish poetry and literature as a representative of the exiled Irish artists of the 1930s that he has shown remarkable talent. The talk will shine a light on Donnelly's poetic and literary endeavours which set him apart from his peers.

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