An Irish nationalist and poet, Ledwidge was the protege of Lord Dunsany, to whom he sent a volume of his poetry in 1911. He signed up with the Irish Volunteers to fight with the British in WWI and while serving abroad on active duty a volume of fifty of his poems published as Songs of the Field. While recovering wounded in Manchester in 1916 he received news of the Easter Rising in Dublin and the executions of nationalist leaders that followed it. Dejected, in response he wrote his best-known poem in honor of the executed nationalist leader and a close friend, Thomas McDonagh. He was killed at Flanders in the Battle of Ypres in 1917. The book features two introductions written by Lord Dunsany, Ledwidge's mentor, one to Songs of the Field and the other to Songs of Peace from 1914 and 1916 respectively.