Robert Brennan
Robert Brennan (born July 22, 1881 in Wexford , † November 13, 1964 in Dublin ) was an Irish diplomat and author.
Brennan worked as a journalist for the Enniscorthy Echo . He was actively involved in local and later also national politics and helped organize the volunteer militia in Wexford. Among other things, he was quartermaster of the local brigade. As such, he led the Wexford Easter Rising in 1916 and was sentenced to death as a result . However, the sentence was commuted to prison and Brennan was briefly detained in Dartmoor Prison . After his release, he continued his political activities, which led to another arrest in 1917. In prison he met Éamon de Valera and became his follower.
At de Valera's request, Brennan helped found the Irish Press . From 1930 to 1934 Brennan was its general manager. In 1934 he became secretary at the Irish Mission in Washington, DC. In 1938, Brennan was appointed as chargé d'affaires (a. I.) . In August of the same year he was appointed envoy . In 1947 Brennan returned to Ireland and became Director of Broadcasting at Radio Éireann . In 1948 he retired.
Brennan now devoted himself to writing and wrote a variety of works. His best-known works include the novel The Man Who Walked Like a Dancer (1951) and the play Good Night Mr. O'Donnell (1951). Brennan's autobiography Allegiance was published in 1950. Many of his other works, however, were not published.
Brennan was married and had several children. The writer Maeve Brennan was his daughter.
Works (selection)
Novels
- The False Fingertip (1921) under the pseudonym Selskar Kearney
- The Toledo Dagger (1926)
- Allegiance (1950)
- The Man Who Walked Like a Dancer (1951)
- Ireland Standing Firm & Eamon de Valera: A memoir (2002, posthumous)
Plays
- The Bystander (1930)
- Good Night Mr. O'Donnell (1951)
Web links
- University of Delaware Library: Robert Brennan and Maeve Brennan Papers, 1935-1967
- Entry in the catalog of the National Library of Ireland
- Robert Brennan 1881–1964 (biography)
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Brennan, Robert |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Irish diplomat and writer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | July 22, 1881 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Wexford |
| DATE OF DEATH | November 13, 1964 |
| Place of death | Dublin |