Christened Owen McDermott but like many Irishmen of his time, he preferred to use the Gaelic translation, Eoghan MacDiarmada. He even signed himself Diarmaid Mac Eoin on a few occassions. Owen was born in the Autumn of 1880 to Owen (the Minor) McDermott and Mary Tahany, in the Townland of Carrownagark, nr. Riverstown, Co. Sligo, Ireland. He grew up on the family farm of 15 acres, a farm which had seen the McDermotts through the Great Famine of the 1840s. He went to school in Knocknalassa NS, previously a Hedge School. Owen joined the Civil Service as Assistant Clerk on 25 June 1900 and was assigned to the Census Office in London where he served until 31 August 1903. From 18 April 1904 to 31 December 1919, he served in the Valuation Office, 6 Ely Place as Assistant Clerk. Owen was promoted to Clerical Officer in the Valuation Office on 1 January 1920 and served in this grade until his premature demise on 20 August 1940. The final citation on the file in the Valuation Office is as follows:

"Mr. McDermott discharged his duties with diligence and fidelity and to the satisfaction of the Head Officer of his Department who at the time was John Herlihy, Commissioner of Valuation."

Owen was a great writer of Short Stories, many of which were published in local and regional journals such as, The Connaught Champion, Weekly Freeman, etc. The Index on the left of the page outlines all his Short Stories. Click on the story you wish to read. The pdf may take a little time to open.