Leo Daly:LEO DALY, who has died aged 90, was a writer, broadcaster, local historian and photographer. He described himself as a "handyman of letters", as distinct from any class of specialist, and was the author of James Joyce and the Mullingar Connection. Published by the Dolmen Press in 1975, the book was inspired by Joyce's visit to Mullingar while his father was engaged in clearing up irregularities in the electoral register for the area in 1900 and 1901.
Joyce drew on his knowledge of Mullingar in his work. Molly Bloom's daughter Milly is depicted working for a local photographer, while in Stephen Herothe protagonist whiles away some time counting the buttons in the barmaid's blouse at the Greville Arms hotel. And the Hill of Uisneach, a Westmeath landmark, features in Finnegans Wake.
Daly’s book put Mullingar on the Joycean map for which its author received little by way of thanks. After a wax figure of Joyce was unveiled in the Greville Arms to mark the author’s centenary in 1982, Daly was publicly berated by one resident for bringing “that pornographer” to the town.
Born in Dublin in 1920, he was one of seven children of William Daly and his wife Rebecca (née Forman). His father was an engine driver for the Midland Great Western Railway, and the family lived at Fairgreen, Mullingar.
Leo Daly was educated by the Christian Brothers at St Mary’s College and later joined the staff of St Loman’s psychiatric hospital.
He subsequently combined nursing with photography, operating a portrait studio and contributing to Irish and American publications. Closely involved with amateur drama, he was a founder member of the Mullingar Little Theatre group. He wrote and produced plays and pantomimes, and contributed drama reviews to local newspapers.
Within a few years of retiring from psychiatric nursing in 1966, two of his short stories were published by the Irish Press in New Irish Writing. He went on to win a Hennessy Award.
His illustrated book on the Aran Islands, Oileáin Árann, was published in 1975. Breandán Ó hEithir in this newspaper "strongly" recommended it to "any serious visitor to the islands" which, he wrote, Daly loved "for all the right reasons". His other publications include a collection of essays Titles(1981) and The Rock Garden(1984), a novel; his biography of the seventh-century saint Colman of Lynn was published in 1999.
He contributed to newspapers and magazines, and was a regular contributor to Sunday Miscellanyon RTÉ Radio 1.
He told The Irish Timesin 1990 that he had never read a book by Joyce from cover to cover, but had read every passage in Ulyssesat least 40 times. "I don't read Joyce: I probe Joyce."
His play The Ghost Strikes Backwas staged at the local arts centre in 2000 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Joyce visit.
He recently completed a play based on the building of Ireland’s largest folly, the “Jealous Wall” at Belvedere House near Mullingar.
Predeceased by his wife Bridget, he is survived by his daughters Rosaleen, Kathleen, Louise, Justine and Bridaine and sons William, Eugene and John.
Leo Daly: born January 23rd, 1920; died July 3rd, 2010