Wilmot (De Bhilmot), Séamus (1902–77), educator, theatre administrator, and writer in Irish, was born 4 May 1902 in Listowel, Co. Kerry, fourth child and only son of Edward Wilmot, blacksmith, and Mary Wilmot (née Dillon). He was educated locally at St Michael's College, Listowel, and like many established writers of the region took an early interest in Irish literature, in both the English and Irish languages. He attended University College Cork (UCC) after leaving school, took arts and commerce degrees from UCC and University College Dublin (UCD) (1922), and returned to Listowel as a secondary teacher at St Michael's College until 1927. One of his pupils was the future writer Bryan MacMahon (qv). He taught (1927–30) at Belvedere College, Dublin. Under the act of 1930 he became a vocational teacher at Rathmines technical school (1930–31) and chief executive of Co. Wexford Vocational Education Committee (VEC) (1931–5). He married (10 October 1931) Mary Agnes Scanlon of Drumcliff, Co. Sligo; they had three sons and a daughter. Wilmot's career changed direction when in 1935–8 he was town clerk of Galway, during which time he also served as chairman of the Irish language theatre Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe (est. 1928). This opportunity to indulge both his linguistic and dramatic interests led to his appointment as secretary of An Comhar Dramaíochta (1929–31), his founder membership and vice-chairmanship of An Compántas Amharclainne na Gaeilge (1942–56) and a directorship at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin from 1959. His son Ronan (b. 1943) became a senior administrator at both the Peacock and Abbey Theatres. On leaving the town clerkship of Galway, Seamus Wilmot was registrar of the National University of Ireland (NUI) from 1938 until his retirement in 1972. He served as president of the renowned Listowel Writers' Week and chairman of Siamsa Tíre, the National Folk Theatre of Ireland (established 1974) in Tralee. He wrote plays, novels, and short stories, primarily in Irish but sometimes in English. His plays include the Abbey Theatre award-winning ‘Bantighearna an Ghorta’ (1944), ‘San am soin’ (1944), ‘Grádh níos mó’ (1946), and ‘Prólóg don réim nua’ (1954). His Irish-language fiction includes the novel Mise Méara (1946) and a collection of short stories, Eochair na sráide (1967). In English he wrote the novels The splendid pretence (1947) and And so began (1973). Apart from literature and theatre he played golf and was a member of Dublin's Elm Park golf club. He lived nearby at 4 Willow Terrace, Booterstown. He died suddenly on 28 January 1977, aged seventy-four, and was buried in Listowel cemetery. An appreciation in the Kerryman (4 February 1977) praised his devotion in time and talent to his county and its culture.
More information on this entry is available at the National Database of Irish-language biographies (Ainm.ie).