John O'Leary:AN AWARD-winning poet, breeder of Irish draught horses and sheep farmer, John O'Leary, who drowned at the age of 59 in a sailing accident off the west Cork coast, held forthright views on issues ranging from the Catholic Church in Ireland to heavy drinking among Irish men and the impact of globalisation.
A born storyteller, he was soft spoken, thoughtful, non-judgmental and intellectual, with a ready wit that twinkled in lively blue eyes. Though born in Boston, he settled at Allihies on the Beara peninsula some 35 years ago, working the farm his grandfather paid for by emigrating to America.
From his study he could hear the sea and, in his first book of poetry, Sea, which included poems about the North Atlantic, he spoke of “wanting to write a wave”.
A brilliant scholar, he studied at Trinity College Cambridge and Trinity College Dublin, going on to teach at universities in America and Europe, including the Wesleyan University of Illinois as visiting professor of creative writing and Irish studies and also at Seattle University as writer in residence and professor of English.
Despite gaining prestigious literary awards and being published both as poet and translator in North America, Ireland and Britain, he gave generously of his time to the community of the Beara peninsula. He served as permanent professor of the local language and arts centre, gave writing classes at Beara Community College and co-founded the Beara Writing Experience Group.
He viewed the constant migration of people between Ireland and America since Famine times as an early form of “commuter travel” driven by economic necessity.
With little time for the institution of the church, he endorsed the emergence of a “militantly anti-Catholic” generation. As he put it, “the churches are emptying fast, and I personally welcome that.”
He was scathing of the mentality that “condones” and “tolerates” heavy drinking among Irish men as a form of culture. He was resentful of the pervasive influence of American culture.
He is survived by his daughter Róisín, sons Christy and Raphael, and brothers Tom and Tim.
John O’Leary: born April 1st, 1953; died August 13th, 2012
* This article was amended on August 27th, 2012, to change an incorrect photograph