The poet Francis Ledwidge was born in Slane on 19 August 1887, the eighth of nine children of Patrick and Anne Ledwidge at Janeville, just outside the village. From the age of fourteen, his poems were published in the Drogheda Independent, reflecting his love for the Boyne Valley.
While working as a road labourer, Ledwidge gained the support of the writer Lord Dunsany in 1912, after sending him copybooks of his early work. Dunsany, already a prominent figure in Dublin and London literary and theatrical circles, promoted Ledwidge’s poetry in Dublin and introduced him to W.B. Yeats, forging a significant literary connection.
Today, the Francis Ledwidge Museum preserves the poet’s legacy in the cottage where he was born. A fine example of a 19th-century farm labourer’s cottage, it was purchased and restored by the Francis Ledwidge Museum Committee in 1981, and officially opened by Dr Benedict Kiely in June 1982. The museum houses Ledwidge’s works, World War I artefacts, and memorabilia from the period. Its millennium exhibition traces the poet’s life through picture and text, from his birth in the cottage to his death at the Third Battle of Ypres, Belgium, in July 1917.
Run by a dedicated team of enthusiasts, the museum celebrates Ledwidge’s writing while maintaining and restoring his birthplace, ensuring that the poet’s life and work continue to inspire visitors from Ireland and abroad.
The museum is open 7 days a week from 10 to 430
Adults E5.00
Students and Seniors E4.00
Family ( 2 adults and 2 children under 12 ) E10.00
Group (per person) E3.50 Email:info@francisledwidge.com /www.francisledwidge.com
