In Three Parts

Francis Ledwidge was an Irish poet born in Slane to a poor family, the eighth of nine children whose father died when he was 5 years old. Despite the family’s encouragement for education these circumstances meant Francis was forced to leave his local school at 13 and seek whatever work he could. He had a range of jobs including as a copper miner which resulted in him becoming a trade union activist and secretary to his local branch of the Meath Labour Union in 1913. He continued to educate himse