George Russell enthusiasts from across the world will take part in the opening of a permanent national and international appreciation society dedicated to his memory in Dublin this afternoon.
The event will take place in the United Arts Club in Upper Fitzwilliam Street, which the poet, writer, artist and philosopher helped found in 1907.
Also known as AE Russell, he was regarded as a giant of Irish public life and highly regarded and respected across the world.
He was born in Lurgan in Co Armagh in 1867 but spent most of his life in Dublin.
When he died in England in 1935, he was honoured with an aerial flypast as his body was returned to Ireland through Dún Laoghaire and his funeral procession was led by Taoiseach Eamon De Valera and WB Yeats.
A bust of Russell stands in Merrion Square in Dublin while an exact replica is on display in what used to be Lurgan Town Hall.
A group of enthusiasts in the town of his birth have been trying to raise awareness of his legacy and have been running an annual festival and exhibition for a number of years.
In August this year they joined other AE fans, including a group who travelled from the United States, for a convention in his honour in Co Donegal.
Jim Conway, one of the founders of the Lurgan group, is one of those behind the new society.
He said: "After a while it became clear to use that there was great interest in Russell well beyond Lurgan and we were approached by people from throughout Ireland, Britain, the US and even from as far away as Japan.
"Those who know the story of AE know just how incredibly talented and influential he was, and we are doing our best to spread the word because he was largely forgotten and faded into the footnotes of history shortly after his death. We regard him as Ireland's forgotten superstar.
"We held a convention in the Dunfanaghy and Marble Hill areas of Donegal, visiting places where he spent his summers painting and were amazed by the level of interest.
"It was after that that we decided we would all work together to launch a new national and international AE George Russell Appreciation Society."
Organisers said they expect a full house in the United Arts Club and enthusiasts have signed up to join the event online from counties Cork, Limerick and Donegal, as well as from the US and Japan.
Organiser Marianne McGee said: "We're expecting a good crowd in the room as well as a truly international following online.
"It's a great opportunity for enthusiasts to become founder members and get in at the start of something we believe could become quite big."
