Griffin, Gerald.—Born in Limerick on December 12th, 1803, came to London in youth to carve out his fortune. He wrote some admirable Irish stories and some beautiful poems, as well as a tolerable play, but just as he was succeeding in literature he withdrew from the world, joining the order of the Christian Brothers. He died in Cork on June 12th, 1840. His best-known book is The Collegians, or, the Colleen Bawn.
Halpine, Charles Graham.—Author of one or two volumes of verse, some of which is occasionally very humorous. He was born at Oldcastle, co. Meath, in 1829, and was the son of a Protestant clergyman. He went to the United States in the fifties and fought through the Civil War, gaining the rank of colonel. He died through taking an overdose of chloral to induce sleep, on August 3rd, 1868.
Hyde, Douglas, LL.D.—Is the son of Rev. Arthur Hyde of Frenchpark, co. Roscommon, and was born at Kilmactranny, co. Sligo, somewhere about 1860. Graduated at Dublin University, and had a brilliant career there. Is one of the foremost of living Irish writers, and a master of the Gaelic tongue. He is well known as a scholar and an enthusiast in folk-lore studies, and has published fine collections of Irish folk-tales and popular songs of the West of Ireland. He is also a clever writer of verse, both in Irish and in English.
Kenealy, Edward Vaughan Hyde, LL.D.—Born in Cork on July 2nd, 1819, and graduated LL.D. at Dublin University in 1850. Was called to the English Bar in 1847, and had a somewhat stormy career as a member, being finally disbarred on account of his conduct in the famous Tichbourne case. He wrote a good deal for Fraser’s Magazine in its early years, as also for Bentley’s Miscellany, and published various collections of poetry. He was a vigorous journalist, and a man of undoubtedly great ability, and entered Parliament in 1875. He died on April 16th, 1880.
Kickham, Charles Joseph.—A poet of the people, and a novelist of some power. To get a genuine impression of the home-life of the Munster people, his stories, Sally Cavanagh and Knocknagow, or the Homes of Tipperary, should be read. He was born at Mullinahone, co. Tipperary, in 1828, and became a Fenian. He was connected with The Irish People, the Fenian organ, and in 1865 was arrested and sentenced to fourteen years’ penal servitude. He lost his sight during his imprisonment, and was much shattered in health. He died on August 22nd, 1882.
Lefanu, Joseph Sheridan.—Born in Dublin on August 28th, 1814, and graduated B.A. at Dublin University in 1837. He was called to the Bar, but devoted himself to literature and journalism. He owned two or three Dublin papers, and was editor of The Dublin University Magazine, also his property, where most of his novels and poems appeared. He is one of the most enthralling of novelists, his Uncle Silas, In a Glass Darkly, etc., being very powerful. His poems, such as “Shamus O’Brien,” are also very well known. He died on February 7th, 1873.
Lever, Charles James.—This most widely read of Irish novelists was born in Dublin on August 31st, 1806, and graduated M.B. at Dublin University in 1831. He took his M.D. degree at Louvain, and became a dispensary doctor in Ireland, but also practised abroad for a time with success. He was editor of The Dublin University Magazine from 1842 to 1845, and wrote much for it, for Blackwood’s Magazine and other leading periodicals. There is no necessity to name any of his novels. He acted as English Consul in Italy, and died at Trieste on June 1st, 1872. His life has been admirably told by Mr. W. J. Fitzpatrick (1879; 2nd ed. 1882).
Lover, Samuel.—Poet, painter, musician, dramatist, and novelist—and successful in all departments. His work in each was excellent, and he might have been considered great if he had confined himself to any one of them. He was born in Dublin on February 24th, 1797, and was first notable as a miniature painter. His weak eyesight, however, compelled him to give up the art. He wrote several clever plays, one or two tremendously popular novels, and some hundreds of songs, most of which he set to music himself. He died in Jersey on July 6th, 1868.
Luttrell, Henry.—At one time Luttrell was one of the most popular men in London society, and known far and wide for his powers of repartee. He was born in 1766 or 1767, in Dublin, and was for a time a member of the Irish Parliament. After the Union he came to England, and was a frequent guest at the brilliant social functions of Holland House. He died in Brompton Square on December 19th, 1851. His “Advice to Julia” and “Crockford House” are clever verse of the light satirical order.
Lysaght, Edward.—One of the most famous of Irish wits, born at Brickhill, co. Clare, on December 21st, 1763, and educated at Cashel, co. Tipperary, and at Oxford, where he graduated M. A. in 1788. He became a barrister, but was too much of a bon vivant to succeed greatly in his profession. His reputation as a wit is not sustained by his collected poems. He has been accredited with the authorship of “Kitty of Coleraine,” “The Sprig of Shillelagh,” “Donnybrook Fair,” and “The Lakes of Mallow,” not one of which was written by him (vide “The Poets of Ireland, a biographical dictionary,” by D. J. O’Donoghue). He died in Dublin in 1810.