IRISH WRITERS IN ENGLAND

New Zealand Tablet, 26 June 1913, Page 49

IRISH WRITERS IN ENGLAND

In every field of human endeavor and in almost every, land under the sun Irishmen have added lustre and fame to the old sod which gave them or their forefathers birth. While Irish names are ’to bo found amongst the most illustrious in the sciences and art, it is perhaps in the domain of literature in which they excel. This is particularly true of journalism, and in all the great cities of America and England to-day there are men of Irish birth or parentage who are second to none in all the equipments of- up to date and progressive journalism. This is especially true of .London, ana has been especially true for many generations.

Alluding to those men and women of the past, an interesting brochure compiled by Messrs. Fahy and O’Donoghue, two well known Irish writers resident in London, has this to say; John Francis O’Donnell was one of those writers; William Allingham was another Irishman who received many kindnesses from Dickens; and finally Rosa Mulholland wrote for his journal some of her earliest and most idyllic stories, notably ‘ Hester’s History,’ ‘ The Late Miss Hollingford,’ ‘ The Wicked Woods of Tobereevil,’ and one or two shorter works. And we cannot conclude our. reference to the monthly and other magazines without mentioning in terms of praise Dr. J. F. Waller’s able essays and poems in Gasset's Family Magazine. Among the daily papers, the Daily News has been most remarkable for its Irish writers. Its first number came out on January 21, 1846. Its earliest editor was Dickens; its politics were described as advanced Liberal. The eminent novelist only edited seventeen numbers, having grown quite tired of editorial duties, and John Forster became its acting editor for a short time. Towards the end of 1846, Eyre Evans Crowe was appointed editor, and filled that post with great success. As a forcible and sparkling leader-writer he had won his reputation; and William McCullagh Torrens was another of its most effective contributors. Justin McCarthy, who preceded John Morley as editor of a daily paper of some vogue at one time—the Morning Star— joined its brilliant band of writers later on, and among other Irish writers at various - times have been Lady Blessington, Thomas Wallis, Dudley Costello, James Bodkin, E. L. Godkin (now an American editor), E. M. Whitty, and others. Its foreign correspondents, at one time or another, included Dr. Lardner (Paris), Father Prout ’ (Rome), and at this time its Paris correspondent is Mrs. Emily Crawford, a brilliant Irishwoman. Thackeray advised G. M. Crawford, who formerly held the post, if he ever married to choose an Irishwoman, there being, as he said, ‘No such, good wife as a daughter of Erin.’ Crawford took his advice, and married the distinguished lady who succeeded her husband as Paris correspondent. As for the famous ‘ specials ’ who have served on the staff of the Daily News, their names are familiar to all careful readers of recent events. . The thrilling story of the Bulgarian atrocities, which roused the world, was sent to its columns by J. A. McGahan, the son of Irish parents, but of American birth. Another of its specials was Edmund O’Donovan, who saw many remarkable sights in foreign lands, and through the columns of this paper acquainted the world with them. James J. O’Kelly (now M.P.) chronicled several f important wars in the Daily News, and ranks as one of the most dashing of military journalists ; and John Murphy completes the list of its Irish special correspondents. Its two prominent Dublin correspondents, have been Daniel Owen Madden and Martin Haverty. The Daily Telegraph has not had many distinguished Irishmen on its staff. H. W. Russell was its most notable Irish special; and two others of some repute have been the Hon. Lewis Wingfield, who described in its columns the siege of Paris and other stirring-events, and Lord Dunraven, who acted as its correspondent during part of the Franco-German and

Abyssinian wars. A well-known Dublin journalist, Edward O’Farrell, was sub-editor of the Telegraph for some years, and W. H. K. Wilde, a clever son of Lady Wilde, is at present on its staff as leader-writer.