Tomás Ruadh Ó Súilleabháin, (1785–1848)
Tomás Ruadh Ó Súilleabháin, (1785–1848), schoolmaster and poet in Irish, was born in Bán Ard, Derrynane, Co. Kerry. His father, a relation of Eoghan Rua Ó Súilleabháin, may have been called Tadhg and his mother's maiden name was Sugrue. The little that is known of his life has been gleaned from his songs, which indicate that he travelled throughout Munster and spent time in Killarney, Cork, Limerick, Kilkenny, north Kerry, Dingle, and Dublin. Tomás received his earliest education in a school in Gort na Cille. He appears to have received patronage from the O'Connell family; according to Séamas Ó Fiannachta, sometime after 1818 he was sent by Daniel O'Connell (qv) to a teacher training college in Dublin, possibly that of the Kildare Place Society. O'Connell was a member of the Society's board until 1820. During Tomás's third year in college he contracted tuberculosis and was sent to the sanatorium on Cork St. by Seán Ó Riordáin, MD, a relation of O'Connell. While there he composed his best-known hymn, ‘A Rí an Domhnaigh’, in which he called on God and the Blessed Virgin to come to his assistance. After leaving Dublin he taught in various Co. Kerry schools including Caherdaniel, Portmagee, Aghatubrid, Ballinskelligs, Waterville, Cill Péacáin, Poll na nGeatairí, Drom Caor, Glenbeigh, and Séipéal an Chomhaid.
