Padraic Colum
Padraic had a friend called Arthur Griffith. Arthur Griffith was the leader of Sinn Fein. Sinn Fein was a political group. The people in Sinn Fein did not want England to rule Ireland any more. Arthur Griffith printed a newspaper that said why he thought England should not rule Ireland. This newspaper was called The United Irishman. Padraic wrote poems that Arthur Griffith printed in his newspaper. One of Padraic's poems was called "The Poor Scholar". William Butler Yeats liked this poem very much. Yeats was an Irish writer. Many people said he was the best Irish writer who was alive at that time. William Butler Yeats was friends with Padraic Colum. Padraic also met Lady Gregory, who was another Irish writer that many people liked. In 1907, the Abbey Theatre showed a play called The Playboy of the Western World. Padraic Colum and Arthur Griffith and some other people thought this play said bad things about Irish people. They did not want the play to be shown. They got very angry and started a riot. After the riot, Padraic Colum and W.B. Yeats were not friends any more.