Irish writer Padraic Colum (1881-1972) published over fifty books of poetry, fiction, drama, nonfiction, children's literature, and folklore during his lifetime. Colum developed close relationships with other members of the Irish Literary Renaissance, including W. B. Yeats, Lady Gregory, George Russell [AE], James Stephens, and James Joyce. Colum was an original signer of the charter for the Abbey Theatre and wrote several of the Abbey Theatre's earliest plays, but he is primarily remembered for his poetry.
"Colum, Padraic, 1881-1972." Literature Online. http://lion.chadwyck.com (accessed February 6, 2007).
Mary Ethel McAuley was a writer for the Pittsburg Dispatch newspaper in the early 1920s.
Some biographical information derived from the collection.
This is Colum's response to reporter Mary Ethel McAuley's question, "Is Modern Culture Decadent?" for the "Where We Stand" column of the Pittsburg Dispatch. The document bears autograph pencil corrections by Colum. Colum's response is written on McAuley's letter, which was dated April 27, 1921.