Donegal’s Peadar O’Donnell to be commemorated on anniversary
A teacher, trade unionist, IRA leader, founding member of the Republican Congress and notable author, Peadar O’Donnell will be commemorated at a ceremony in Maghery, followed by a session in Scioból an Phobail
The life and political legacy of Peadar O’Donnell will be commemorated at an event in west Donegal.
Titled ‘The Peadar O’Donnell Autumn School 2026’, the event will explore topics such as sovereignty and imperialism, connecting the struggles of other countries to Ireland’s experience.
The event will take place on Saturday, September 12, at Scioból an Phobail, Mín na Craoibhe, Anagaire.
Born in 1893, hailing from Meenmore, Dungloe, O'Donnell is remembered as a socialist republican and one of Donegal’s most notable figures. He attended St Patrick’s College in Dublin and studied to be a teacher, before travelling to Scotland to help organise the Scottish Farm Servants’ Union.
Returning home, he joined the Irish Transport and General Workers Union and organised a workers' takeover of the Monaghan Mental Asylum. This resulted in improvements for workers' rights and was hailed a success.
The War of Independence broke out in 1919 and O’Donnell joined the IRA and led a flying column in west Donegal. An opponent of the Treaty, he found himself imprisoned by the Free State.
After the Civil War, he played a leading role in forming the Republican Congress. Along with Frank Ryan, O’Donnell helped organise support for the Spanish Republic.
O'Donnell then concentrated his talents on writing a series of books, among which was ‘The Islanders’ (translated into gaeilge by Seosamh Mac Grianna as Rann na Feirste), telling of the many hardships endured by the inhabitants of the islands off the west coast of Ireland. Another publication, ‘Salud! An Irishman in Spain’ detailed a first-hand account and political analysis of the Spanish Civil War.
O’Donnell continued to campaign politically for rights until he passed away in 1986, aged 93. Now, forty years after he was laid to rest, an autumn school has been organised to coincide with the 90th anniversary of the Spanish Civil War.
On Saturday, the day will begin with a ceremony at the International Brigade Monument at Machaire. This is being organised in order to recognise the enormous support rendered by O'Donnell to the besieged Spanish Republic. Marking the occasion, a solidarity address will be delivered by Councillor Micheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig.
The first event will start at 2:00pm in Scioból an Phobail with an exploration of the situation in Cuba. Drawing inspiration from O'Donnell’s lifelong commitment to the cause of socialist internationalism and the right of every country to decide upon the nature of its own governance, this session will reflect on the plight of a small island and its people in the face of threat from a powerful neighbour.
This will be followed by a panel discussion debating, ‘The Struggle for Sovereignty in an Imperialist World’. Once again, the subject matter will draw on the life of Peadar O'Donnell and his courageous struggle to see the establishment of a sovereign, independent and socialist Irish Republic.
After the debate, Peadar O'Donnell Autumn School’s participants will be entertained by local CATU activist Darragh Power performing his popular musical repertoire.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme