author
Padraic Colum
1881–1972
A central voice in the Irish Literary Revival, he wrote poetry, plays, novels, and children's books shaped by folklore, legend, and the rhythms of rural Irish life. His retellings of myths and fairy tales helped bring traditional stories to new generations of readers.
9 Audiobooks
The King of Ireland's Son
by Padraic Colum
The Golden Fleece and the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles
by Padraic Colum
The Golden Fleece and The Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles
by Padraic Colum
The Boy Who Knew What the Birds Said
by Padraic Colum
Three Plays: The Fiddler's House, The Land, Thomas Muskerry
by Padraic Colum
The Children of Odin: The Book of Northern Myths
by Padraic Colum
At the gateways of the day
by Padraic Colum
The Adventures of Odysseus and The Tales of Troy
by Padraic Colum
The Boy Apprenticed to an Enchanter
by Padraic Colum
About the author
Born in County Longford, Ireland, in 1881, Padraic Colum grew into one of the best-known literary figures of his generation. He was active in the Irish Literary Revival and worked across many forms, including poetry, drama, fiction, biography, and folklore. Early in his career he was connected with Dublin's literary world and helped found the Irish Review.
In 1914, he and his wife, Mary Colum, moved to the United States, where he continued to write for decades. Alongside his poems and plays, he became especially admired for books that retold Irish myths, heroic legends, and traditional tales for younger readers in a clear, inviting style.
Colum died in Enfield, Connecticut, in 1972, but his work remained closely tied to Ireland's storytelling tradition. He is still remembered for the range of his writing and for the warmth and simplicity with which he carried old stories into modern print.