Úna Bean Uí Dhíosca

1880-1958, active in Saskatchewan

Born in Clontarf, Co. Dublin, in 1880, Úna Bean Uí Dhíosca, writing under the names Bláth Aitinne and Brenda, hailed from one of the last Irish-speaking families in Sligo.

After attending school in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, she returned to Ireland, where she advocated for introducing Irish into the curriculum at her former boarding school in Dublin.

Transitioning into teaching, Úna traveled to Canada, where she spent three years teaching German and English immigrants in a wooden hut somewhere in Saskatchewan. Úna reflected on the culture and social mores of the province in her semi-autobiographical novel, “Cailín Na Gruaige Duinne.”

In the novel, a young Róisín Ní Bhriain flees to Canada in 1921 after a love affair. Responding to an ad from the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, she becomes a teacher and arrives in Aberdeen, Saskatchewan.

There, she encounters Rabhelle, a member of the Métis community, who becomes a central figure in the plot. Bean Uí Dhíosca’s characterization of Rabhelle unfortunately relies on racial stereotypes of the Métis community. Conflict arises when Róisín refuses to marry Rabhelle’s son, leading to the burning of the school, and a tragic incident during a blizzard. Róisín returns to Ireland and guards the painful memories of Canada, refusing to disclose more than her deep dislike for the place when questioned about her time there.

Returning to Ireland in real life, Úna married Ernest Reginald McClintock Dix, converted to Catholicism, and adopted two orphans. Actively involved in organizations like Na Cairde Gael and War Resisters' International, she dedicated herself to community causes, including Muintir na Tíre, Bantracht na Tuiha, and the Red Cross Society. Úna passed away in 1958, leaving behind a legacy marked by a deep commitment to the Irish language, making her one of the few women authors active in Irish during the early 20th century.

A man driving a horse driven cart through snow. Photograph taken in Aberdeen, Saskatchewan.

Adapted from: Library and Archives Canada/National Film Board fonds/e011175826; Copyright: Expired;

Úna Bean Uí Dhíosca’s contributions to Irish-Canadian literature and her connection to the larger movement in early Irish language emigrant fiction were highlighted by Pádraig Ó Siadhail in his contributions to the publication: Sumner, Natasha and Doyle, Aiden. 2020. North American Gaels. McGill-Queen's University Press: Montreal.

For citation, please use: Ó Dubhghaill, Dónall. 2024. “Úna Bean Uí Dhíosca.” Na Gaeil san Áit Ró-Fhuar. Gaeltacht an Oileáin Úir: www.gaeilge.ca