Francis Edward Ledwidge was born on 19th August, 1887 in the small village of Janeville in Slane, County Meath in Ireland to parents that believed strongly in education.

At the age of 5 his father died and the entire family, already desperately poor, were forced into work and by 13 the young Ledwidge took whatever job was to hand—from farm hand to road labourer. Throughout this time he applied himself to his poetry writing whenever and wherever he could. His poems were published on a regular basis from the age of 14 in the Drogheda Independent, his local paper.

Ledwidge was an ardent Nationalist and was well known for his Sinn Fein and trade union activism. This association got him fired from his job at the Slane copper mines, for organising a strike for better working conditions, but prompted his appointment as the Secretary to the Slane branch of the Meath Labour Union.

As a poet Ledwidge found patronage from Lord Dunsany who was well known in literary circles and was offered regular funds if he did not fight in World War I.

Ledwidge was originally opposed to the War but then, seeing the greater injustice of an enslaved Europe, changed his view and enlisted and fought for Lord Dunsany's regiment, part of the 10th Irish Division.

He thrived in the army finding promotion, happy to be serving Ireland and continuing to write but on 31st July 1917, whilst road laying for the Battle of Ypres, a German artillery shell exploded and he was blown to pieces. He was 29.

Francis Ledwidge, the patriot and nationalist has been called 'The Soldier Poet', 'The Peasant Poet' and the 'Poet of the Blackbird'