Emily Lawless
Emily Lawless was an Irish author born on June 17, 1845, at Lyons Castle in County Kildare to a noble family. She was educated privately and developed a strong interest in Irish history and politics, aligning with her family's Unionist views. Following her father's tragic suicide, she lived in various locations, including England and Dublin. Lawless initially struggled to gain recognition with her first two novels, but her breakthrough came with "Hurrish: A Study," which garnered both popular and critical acclaim. She continued to explore themes of Irish history in subsequent works, including "With Essex in Ireland" and "Grania: The Story of an Island." Her poetry collection, "With the Wild Geese," published in 1902, resonated with nationalist sentiments, further solidifying her literary presence. Lawless was awarded an honorary D.Litt. degree by the University of Dublin in 1905, acknowledging her contributions to literature. Despite her extensive body of work, she is often regarded as a minor author in the realm of Irish fiction, and her later years were marked by declining health until her passing on October 19, 1913.
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Emily Lawless
Writer
- Born: June 17, 1845
- Birthplace: Lyons Castle, County Kildare, Ireland
- Died: October 19, 1913
Biography
Emily Lawless was born at Lyons Castle in County Kildare, Ireland, on June 17, 1845, to Edward Lawless, the third Baron Cloncurry, and his wife Elizabeth, a popular social beauty and prominent sportswoman. Lawless was privately educated, showing great interest in Irish history and politics but remaining Unionist like her parents. Her childhood in Kildare was one of privilege such as a daughter of nobility living on a country estate would be afforded. After Lawless’s father committed suicide, she spent her time in England, Dublin, and her mother’s home in Galway.
Her first two novels, A Chelsea Householder and A Millionaire’s Cousin, failed to attract popular or critical attention. Margaret Oliphant, a friend of Lawless during her early literary career, encouraged her to persist in writing. Her encouragement enabled Lawless to write her third novel, Hurrish: A Study, which found more successful novel both popularly and critically. Consequently, Lawless dedicated Hurrish to Oliphant in recognition of her role. Her next three novels, With Essex in Ireland, Grania: The Story of an Island, and Maelcho: A Sixteenth-Century Narrative, were of the same quality. All of these novels, as well as her other fictional and nonfictional works, focus on Irish history and politics.
In 1902, Lawless wrote her most successful book of poetry, With the Wild Geese, which focuses on exiled Irish soldiers during the Continental wars of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Many of book’s lines were quoted in nationalist circles. In 1905, she received an honorary D.Litt. degree from the University of Dublin as recognition for her literary works.
After Lawless’s passion for Ireland diminished, she moved near Gomshall, Surrey. Her final years were marked by poor mental and physical health; she died in her home on October 19, 1913.
Lawless’s wide-ranging literary contributions display an uncommon intellectualism unmatched by many of her peers. Despite this distinguished success, Lawless remains a minor author of Irish fiction.