WB Yeats would have been 151 today

WB Yeats was born on this day in 1865.

Mon, 13 Jun, 2016 - 15:04

WB Yeats was born on this day in 1865.

The great Irish poet, who was the first Irishman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, was born in Sandymount, Ireland.

Yeats was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival and was one of the founders of the Abbey Theatre.

Lissadell House, immortalised by Yeats, have posted a sketch that his dad drew when he was born.

On this day 151 years ago the poet #WBYeats was born. His dad made this sketch pic.twitter.com/F6AKwcxlAL
— Lissadell House (@LissadellHouse) June 13, 2016

As the boys in green approach the Stade de France this evening, perhaps they will remember their great countryman and how he too had big dreams for our little country.

The Nobel Committee described his work as "inspired poetry, which in a highly artistic form gives expression to the spirit of a whole nation." That spirit will surely be felt today.

OTD in 1865 #WBYeats is born..not sure if he was a sports fan but this #irlvswe #irl
"Tread softly because you tread on my dreams." #poetry
— ESB Networks (@ESBNetworks) June 13, 2016

London-based Other Brother Studios have released their new trailer for their short film based on Yeats' The Song of Wandering Aengus. Yeats was educated in London.

The Song of Wandering Aengus - Trailer from Other Brother Studios on Vimeo.

A verse from 'The Song of Wandering Aengus' to celebrate 151 years since birth of #WBYeats pic.twitter.com/NuGKQZDo5J
— Maria G Lindsay (@mariemccolgan) June 13, 2016