Controversial dramatist who made Devon his family home

Significant people, resident of Torbay in the 20th century - not always famous - number 43: Sean O’Casey

Born in Dublin on March 30, 1880, Sean O’Casey seemed destined to be a playwright and author although his work was always controversial.
His plays – The Shadow of a Gunman, Juno, and The Plough and the Stars – caused rioting on Dublin's streets which in 1926 made him move to London where Within the Gates, a play set in Hyde Park, also became unpopular, although it was a huge success in New York.
He met his wife Eileen Reynolds in London when she was 22 and he was 46 and they were married in 1927 before honeymooning in Ireland. Sean would return only once more to Ireland in 1935.
They produced three children, Breon, Niall and Shivaun. It was Eileen who moved the family to Dartington in Devon 1938 after learning of its modern education facilities. Being always poor they lived in a flat on Totnes Road called Tingrith, adjacent to Totnes main line railway station.
In 1965 they were given notice and immediately moved to Torbay to a large first floor flat at Villa Rosa in Trumlands Road, Torquay, where Sean remained for life. Some 2,000 of his letters have survived and were archived, allowing a huge insight into his views and friendships over his later years.
Photographers and film crews often visited Sean and Eileen and later Shivaun would become an actress, producer and then director of films before like her father, a writer.
In 1957 Niall, aged 22, returned from university for Christmas feeling unwell and was immediately diagnosed with leukaemia and within days died at Torbay Hospital. Neither parent ever recovered from this loss and though he was cremated at our cemetery his ashes were scattered at Golders Green Cemetery amongst rose beds between the graves of poets Shelley and Tennyson in London. Here, seven years on, the ashes of Sean would also be strewn near his son.
Remaining a profusive writer and in spite of his London doctor confirming: “Sean, I have done all I can. One eye is useless as you know, but I do not believe you will lose the sight of the other completely - it should last you.”
Fortunately for us it did, although with restricted sight and great discomfort. The American nation, like Russia, was always supportive of O’Casey’s work and he often travelled to support the opening night of a play.
Yet in Ireland his work was controversial and even Wesleyans and Jesuits in America banned his play, Within the Gates. One theatre even banned Silver Tassie.
In spite of this, Americans were remaining kind to the Irish playwright. In Russia even after seeing a failing economy they remembered O'Casey's 80th birthday by forwarding a gift of 80 red roses.
It was 50 years before I assisted the Totnes Civic Society to fulfil a wish to put up a commemorative (slate) plaque on the gatepost of Tingrith. While at Torquay with daughter Shivaun present, the Mayor of Torbay, Roger Stringer, and myself unveiled two blue plaques at Villa Rosa in 2012, sponsored by the new owners, Mr and Mrs J and S Repper.
Sean and family remained at Villa Rosa for 10 years when just one comedy and stories like - Behind the Green Curtains, Figuro in the Night and The Moon Shines on Kylenamoe were written. Famous individuals came to visit, including the actress Mai Zetterling, Adrienne Corri, Sybil Thorndike, Sam Wannamaker, Peter Hall, Alfred Hitchcock, Augustus John and even Arthur Miller the playright.
Sean's greatest friend, Barry Fitzgerald, also visited Torquay, as did various television companies (including NBC of America) to preview plays at Sean's studio created at the flat.
Sean O’Casey died after suffering a thrombosis on the way to Torbay Hospital on September 18, 1964. He was 84.
A service was held at St Martin’s Church in Barton and following his cremation his ashes were scattered near his son Niall in Golders Green Cemetery in London.

Ian's comment: Having wanted to honour Sean O’Casey for years we were delighted to welcome Shivaun and author Elizabeth Hazlehurst (who wrote A Dubliner in Devon) to our rather special unveiling which involved a first - two blue plaques.
Our pamphlet, Sean O’Casey at Villa Rosa, is available by sending two second class stamps and a self-addressed enevelope to Office 4 at The Business Centre, 1 Palace Avenue, Paignton TQ3 3HA.