Standish James O'Grady
Encyclopedia
Standish James O'Grady was an Irish
author
, journalist
, and historian
. His father was the Reverend Thomas O'Grady, the scholarly Church of Ireland
minister of Castletown Berehaven, County Cork
, and his mother Susanna Doe (or Dowe). Standish O'Grady's childhood home - the Glebe - lies a mile west of Castletownbere near a famine mass grave and ruined Roman Catholic chapel.
He was a cousin of Standish Hayes O'Grady
, another noted figure in Celtic literature.
After a rather severe education at Tipperary
Grammar School, Standish James O'Grady followed his father to Trinity College, Dublin
, where he won several prize medals and distinguished himself in several sports. He proved too unconventional of mind to settle into a career in the church, and qualified as a lawyer, though earning much of his living by writing for the Irish newspapers. However, a chance discovery of a book of Celtic literature inspired him. After an initial lukewarm response to his writing on the legendary past in "History of Ireland: Heroic Period" (1878-81) and "Early Bardic Literature of Ireland" (1879), he realized that the public wanted romance, and so followed the example of James McPherson
in recasting Irish legends in literary form, producing historical novels including "Finn and his Companions" (1891), "The Coming of Cuculain" (1894), "The Chain of Gold" (1895), "Ulrick the Ready" (1896) and "The Flight of the Eagle" (1897), and "The Departure of Dermot" (1913).
He also studied Irish history of the Elizabethan period, presenting in his edition of Sir Thomas Stafford's "Pacata Hibernia" (1896) the view that the Irish people had made the Tudors into kings of Ireland in order to overthrow their unpopular landlords, the Irish chieftains. His "The Story of Ireland" (1894) was not well received, as it shed too positive a light on the rule of Oliver Cromwell
for the taste of many Irish readers. He was also active in social and political campaigns in connection with such issues as unemployment and taxation.
Until 1898, he worked as a journalist for the Daily Express
of Dublin, but in that year, finding Dublin journalism in decline, he moved to Kilkenny
to become editor of the Kilkenny Moderator, which was printed at number 28 High Street. He engaged in the revival of the local woollen and woodworking industries. In 1900 he founded the All-Ireland Review, and returned to Dublin to manage it until it ceased publication in 1908.
He married Margaret Fisher and had three sons. Advised to move away from Ireland for the sake of his health, he passed his later years living with his eldest son, a clergyman in England, and died in the Isle of Wight.
His eldest son, Hugh Art O'Grady, was for a time editor of the Cork Free Press
before he enlisted in the Great War early in 1915.
He became better known as Dr Hugh O'Grady, later Professor of the Transvaal University College, Pretoria (later the University of Pretoria
), who wrote the biography of his father in 1929.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, and historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
. His father was the Reverend Thomas O'Grady, the scholarly Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
minister of Castletown Berehaven, County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, and his mother Susanna Doe (or Dowe). Standish O'Grady's childhood home - the Glebe - lies a mile west of Castletownbere near a famine mass grave and ruined Roman Catholic chapel.
He was a cousin of Standish Hayes O'Grady
Standish Hayes O'Grady
Standish Hayes O'Grady was an Irish antiquarian. He was born at Erinagh House, Castleconnell, County Limerick, the son of Admiral Hayes O'Grady. He was a cousin of the writer Standish James O'Grady, with whom he is sometimes confused. As a child, he learnt Irish from the native speakers of his...
, another noted figure in Celtic literature.
After a rather severe education at Tipperary
Tipperary
Tipperary is a town and a civil parish in South Tipperary in Ireland. Its population was 4,415 at the 2006 census. It is also an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly, and is in the historical barony of Clanwilliam....
Grammar School, Standish James O'Grady followed his father to Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, where he won several prize medals and distinguished himself in several sports. He proved too unconventional of mind to settle into a career in the church, and qualified as a lawyer, though earning much of his living by writing for the Irish newspapers. However, a chance discovery of a book of Celtic literature inspired him. After an initial lukewarm response to his writing on the legendary past in "History of Ireland: Heroic Period" (1878-81) and "Early Bardic Literature of Ireland" (1879), he realized that the public wanted romance, and so followed the example of James McPherson
James McPherson
James McPherson may refer to:* James Alan McPherson, American short story writer and essayist, and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for fiction* James Alpin McPherson, Australian bushranger* James B. McPherson, General in the United States Civil War...
in recasting Irish legends in literary form, producing historical novels including "Finn and his Companions" (1891), "The Coming of Cuculain" (1894), "The Chain of Gold" (1895), "Ulrick the Ready" (1896) and "The Flight of the Eagle" (1897), and "The Departure of Dermot" (1913).
He also studied Irish history of the Elizabethan period, presenting in his edition of Sir Thomas Stafford's "Pacata Hibernia" (1896) the view that the Irish people had made the Tudors into kings of Ireland in order to overthrow their unpopular landlords, the Irish chieftains. His "The Story of Ireland" (1894) was not well received, as it shed too positive a light on the rule of Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
for the taste of many Irish readers. He was also active in social and political campaigns in connection with such issues as unemployment and taxation.
Until 1898, he worked as a journalist for the Daily Express
Daily Express (Dublin)
The Daily Express of Dublin was an Irish newspaper published from 1851 until June 1921, and then continued for registration purposes until 1960.It was a unionist newspaper. From 1917, its title was the Daily Express and Irish Daily Mail...
of Dublin, but in that year, finding Dublin journalism in decline, he moved to Kilkenny
Kilkenny
Kilkenny is a city and is the county town of the eponymous County Kilkenny in Ireland. It is situated on both banks of the River Nore in the province of Leinster, in the south-east of Ireland...
to become editor of the Kilkenny Moderator, which was printed at number 28 High Street. He engaged in the revival of the local woollen and woodworking industries. In 1900 he founded the All-Ireland Review, and returned to Dublin to manage it until it ceased publication in 1908.
He married Margaret Fisher and had three sons. Advised to move away from Ireland for the sake of his health, he passed his later years living with his eldest son, a clergyman in England, and died in the Isle of Wight.
His eldest son, Hugh Art O'Grady, was for a time editor of the Cork Free Press
Cork Free Press
The Cork Free Press was a nationalist newspaper in Ireland, which circulated primarily in the Munster region surrounding its base in Cork, and was the newspaper of the dissident All-for-Ireland League party...
before he enlisted in the Great War early in 1915.
He became better known as Dr Hugh O'Grady, later Professor of the Transvaal University College, Pretoria (later the University of Pretoria
University of Pretoria
The University of Pretoria is a multi campus public research university located in Pretoria, the administrative and de facto capital of South Africa...
), who wrote the biography of his father in 1929.
External links
- Extensive learned essay by Patrick Maume (2004)
- Maume, Patrick: History IrelandHistory IrelandHistory Ireland is a magazine about the history of Ireland published every two months. It features articles by a range of writers and book reviews. The focus is on history rather than archaeology.The magazine's editor isTommy Graham....
, p.44, article feature: A nursery of editors: the Cork Free Press, 1910–16