Padraic Fiacc
The poems were reviewed by Padraic Colum who became a mentor to Fiacc, directing him away from themes of coming to America and encouraging him to research and write about his own people's history.Fiacc had already developed a distaste for America and found himself longing for Ireland as he dug deeper into its history and literary technique and style.On leaving the seminary, and to avoid signing up for military service, he returned to Belfast in 1946 where he lived for four years during which time his poetry was published in several magazines and the 1948 volume of New Irish Poets.The breakdown of his marriage and his nerves, and the murder of a close friend, Gerry McLaughlin, ensued, as did his edited collection of poetry by his contemporaries surrounding the topic of the troubling times in 1974 Northern Ireland, The Wearing of the Black.Many artists have depicted the poet such as Neil Shawcross, Paul Bradley, Dan Dowling, Úna O'Grady, Rory Lambe and photographers such as Frankie Quinn, Stevie Raeylon (Chicago) and Bill Kirk.