A native of Carron, County Clare, Hanley founded the society in 1961 to foster interest in the literary history of the district, especially that of Lady Gregory, Edward Martyn and W.B. Yeats.
Hanley, die aus Carron im County Clare stammte, gründete die Gesellschaft 1961 um das Interesse an der Literaturgeschichte des Bezirks zu pflegen, insbesondere der von Lady Gregory, Edward Martyn und W. B. Yeats.