Biographical Note

De Breit (Brett), Pádraig (‘Sliabh Geal gCua’) (c.1850-1932): Pádraig de Breit was born around 1850 in Island, county Waterford. He attended primary school nearby in Stradbally. After growing up in Island, he spent many years in Waterford city, which is where he was living with his family during the censuses of 1901 [http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai001237704/] and 1911 [http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai003505637/]. He worked as a foreman with the Waterford–Dungaran–Lismore Railway before being appointed inspector for the Waterford–Tramore Railway. He became vice-president of Conradh na Gaeilge in Waterford and helped organize the first Feis Phort Láirge in 1903. He was elected to the first management committee of Coláiste na Rinne in 1909, and became a member of the executive committee of Conradh na Gaeilge in 1914. He was a member of the Irish Parliamentary Party and, as a Redmondite, was elected as an Alderman to Waterford Corporation around 1920, a position he retained till his death. He married his wife, Susan, around, 1878. They had seventeen children, but only four survived. Pádraig died 11 February 1932. Some of his poetry was published in the Journal of the Irish Folk Song Society (vol. 12), An Claidheamh Soluis (17 September 1910), and in Irisleabhar Muighe Nuadhad (1917). Some material collected from him is found also in the National Folklore Collection, UCD. See also http://www.ainm.ie/Bio.aspx?ID=419.

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