Charles Wolfe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles Wolfe
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| Born | 14 December 1791 Blackhall, Co. Kildare |
| Died | 21 February 1823 (aged 31) Cobh, Co. Cork |
| Nationality | Irish |
Charles Wolfe (born December 14, 1791 – died February 21, 1823) was an Irish poet. He is mostly remembered for his famous poem, "The Burial of Sir John Moore after Corunna." This poem was very popular in poetry books during the 1800s.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Charles Wolfe was born in Blackhall, County Kildare, Ireland. He was the youngest son of Theobald Wolfe and Frances Lombard. His father passed away when Charles was young.
School Days and Learning
After his father died, Charles's family moved to England. In 1801, he went to school in Bath. However, he had to return home a few months later because he was not well.
From 1802 to 1805, a teacher named Dr. Evans taught him in Salisbury. Later, he attended Hyde Abbey School in Winchester. Charles was very well-liked by his family and friends at school.
In 1808, his family moved back to Ireland. The next year, he started studying at Trinity College, Dublin. He finished his studies there in 1814. He chose not to try for a special scholarship. This was because it required him to remain unmarried, and he was in love at the time.
Becoming a Priest and a Poet
In 1817, Charles Wolfe became a priest in the Church of Ireland. He first worked in Ballyclog in County Tyrone. Soon after, he moved to Donaghmore, also in County Tyrone.
There, he became good friends with Reverend Thomas Meredith. Meredith was a respected former teacher from Trinity College Dublin. Charles Wolfe wrote two special poems for Meredith's memory.
Charles Wolfe is best known for his poem, "The Burial of Sir John Moore after Corunna." He wrote this poem in 1816. It became very popular and was included in many poetry collections.
The poem first appeared without his name in a newspaper in 1817. It was printed in many other magazines too. But it was not widely known until after his death. Lord Byron, a famous poet, helped bring attention to it. Charles Wolfe's only book of poems, Poetical Remains, was published in 1825. It included "The Burial of Sir John Moore" and fourteen other excellent poems.
Later Life and Passing
Charles Wolfe stayed in Donaghmore until 1820. After some personal difficulties and the death of his friend Thomas Meredith, he moved to the South of France.
Shortly before he passed away, he returned to Ireland. He lived in Cobh, where he died at age 31. He suffered from tuberculosis, a serious lung illness.
He is buried in Cobh at Old Church Cemetery. There is also a special plaque in his memory at a church in Castlecaulfield. This was the village where he lived while working as a priest in Donaghmore. You can also find a marble monument to him in St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.
Images for kids
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Grave of Charles Wolfe in Cobh
