Pádraig Mac Fhearghusa is anIrish language poet, magazine editor and language activist.
He was born inBallineen inCounty Cork in 1947. He graduated fromUniversity College Dublin in 1970 with a BA in Irish, history and philosophy and obtained a Higher Diploma in Education fromTrinity College, Dublin, in 1971. He has worked both as a primary and secondary teacher, and in 1978 helped found aGaelscoil, Scoil Lán-Ghaeilge Mhic Easmainn, inTralee. He has been active in the promotion of Irish and in 2008 was elected as President of theGaelic League.[1][2] He held this post until 2011, whenDonnchadh Ó hAodha was elected.
He has won recognition as a poet. His collectionMearcair won theOireachtas na Gaeilge National Poetry Prize in 1996, and another collection,An Dara Bás, won the same prize in 2002.[2] He has contributed two poems to the Irish Poetry Reading Archive: 'An Teaghlach Naofa agus Naomh Eoin i dTírdhreach' and 'Eibhlinn'.[3]
He was for decades the editor of the Irish language literary monthlyFeasta.