Liam Mac Gabhann: the life and times of the fascinating Valentia-born journalist

LIAM Mac Gabhann (born William Cyprian Smith) was an Irish journalist born in Reenglass House on Valentia Island.

He married Phenie (Tryphena) Franklin – born in 1917 in Middlesbrough, England – and they had three children, Jack, Richard and Dorothy.

Having started his career as a national school teacher on Valentia, he went on to journalism and worked for a number of Irish national newspapers as a news reporter, film critic and also editor.

He travelled to America with Eamon De Valera on a Fianna Fáil fundraising tour and visited the USSR with Anthony Cronin and James Plunkett.

He also went to Hollywood in his capacity as a film critic, and while the famous film, ‘The Quiet Man’, was being produced in Cong, County Mayo, he interviewed its chief character, John Wayne.

On other occasions he interviewed such Hollywood icons as Tyrone Power and Maureen O’Sullivan. He conducted topical talks on RTÉ Radio; did an RTÉ television documentary on Valentia; and wrote beautiful poems in tribute to his dear Valentia Island.

‘Rags, Robes and Rebels’ is the title of a book of poetry of his. One of his poems, ‘James Connolly’, was based on Liam’s reading of comments made by the son of a Welsh miner who was part of Connolly’s execution firing squad and who later asked Connolly’s relatives to forgive him.

The poem has down through the years been featured in recitation by the renowned Dublin ballad group, The Wolfe Tones. It reads:

The man was all shot through that came today, into the barrack square;

A soldier I – I am not proud to say, we killed him there;

They brought him from the prison hospital;

To see him in that chair, I thought his smile would far more quickly call a man to prayer.

Maybe we cannot understand this thing, that makes these rebels die;

And yet all things love freedom – and the spring clear in the sky;

I think I would not do this deed again, for all that I hold by;

Gaze down my rifle at his breast – but then a soldier I.

They say that he was kindly – different too, apart from all the rest;

A lover of the poor, and all shot through, his wounds ill drest,

He came before us, faced us like a man, he knew a deeper pain,

Than blows or bullets – ere the world began, died he in vain? Ready – present;

And he just smiling – God! I felt my rifle shake

His wounds were opened out and round that chair, was one red lake;

I swear his lips said ‘fire!’ when all was still,

Before my rifle spat that cursed lead – and I was picked to kill

A man like that!

Footnote: Bennie Reidy (née Smith) of Knightstown is Liam McGabhannn’s niece.