Somhairle MacCann was born in Belfast and educated at the Christian Brothers' School. He was appointed a textile designer to a damask and linen manufacturers in 1915, and attended Belfast School of Art, studying damask and embroidery design. In 1921 he was sentenced to death by British court martial. He won the Sorella Art Scholarship in 1923 and in 1924 taught in the School of Art. He won the Dunville Scholarship in 1925 and went to study at the Royal College of Art, London. He became an art master at Galway Technical School from 1929 to 1935, and later became art inspector to the Department of Education, Dublin. In 1937 he became principal of the Crawford Municipal School of Art, Cork, a post which he held until retirement. He exhibited at the Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, and he illustrated books. His work is held at the Cork Municipal Art Gallery.

Born:	1901
Died:	1975