Seán O'Casey was born in 1880. He was the son of middle class Protestants, brought-up in north inner Dublin City. From the age of 5 Seán suffered constantly from ulceration of his left eye, which ultimately almost made him completely blind in later years.

Seán's radical left wing views were illustrated in his life and writings. He became a militant nationalist, ardent supporter of Jim Larkin and active organiser of the Irish Citizen Army. The Abbey Theatre first performed "The Shadow of a Gunman" in 1923 and this was followed by the great masterpieces - "Juno and the Paycock" and "The Plough and the Stars".

A bitter row with W.B. Yeats followed the rejection of the "Silver Tassie" by the Abbey Theatre and O'Casey made the decision never to return to Ireland from his home in England where he had moved in 1926. Seán continued to write in exile, and like his compatriot James Joyce, continued to write persistently about Dublin and the sad political issues of his time. O'Casey, a giant of modern drama, died in Devon 1964.

This is the story of both Seán and his family told by those who lived aside them in inner city Dublin.

Presented by John O'Donovan.

Produced by Padraic O' Néill

First broadcast 1968.

An Irish radio documentary from RTÉ Radio 1, Ireland - Documentary on One - the home of Irish radio documentaries