Denis Rolleston Gwynn facts for kids

Denis Rolleston Gwynn (1893–1973) was an Irish journalist, writer, and a professor of modern Irish history. He also served in the British Army during World War I.

Life Story of Denis Gwynn

Early Life and Family

Denis Gwynn was born in Dublin, Ireland, on March 6, 1893. He was the third son of Stephen Gwynn, a well-known Irish writer and politician. Stephen Gwynn was a member of the Irish Parliamentary Party. Denis's mother was Mary Louisa Osborn Gwynn. His parents were first cousins. The name Rolleston came from his great-grandmother, Catherine Rolleston.

In 1902, Denis, his mother, and his siblings became members of the Roman Catholic Church. His father did not join them.

Education and War Service

Denis went to school at St. Enda's School in Rathfarnham and Clongowes Wood College. He then studied at University College Dublin. He earned several degrees there: a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in 1914, a Master of Arts (MA) in 1915, and a D.Litt. (a very high degree for writers) in 1932.

During World War I, Denis Gwynn joined the Royal Munster Fusiliers in 1916. He fought on the Western Front in France from 1916 to 1917. He was later sent home because of illness or injury. For the rest of the war, he worked for the British Ministry of Information. This government office shared news and information.

Career as a Journalist and Professor

After the war, Denis Gwynn became a journalist. He worked as an assistant editor for a magazine called Everyman in London. He also worked for the National Press Agency and as a reporter in France. In 1922, he returned to London. There, he wrote a lot about Irish Catholic topics. He was on the writing team for the Westminster Gazette. He also edited the Dublin Review from 1933 to 1939.

During World War II, Gwynn moved to the countryside in Hampshire and became a farmer.

In 1948, Gwynn moved back to Ireland. He became a research professor of Modern Irish History at University College Cork. He stayed in this job until he retired in 1962. Professor Gwynn also edited books for the Cork University Press from 1954 to 1962. He wrote a regular newspaper column called Now and Then for the Cork Examiner. He wrote many history books and biographies. He also contributed to the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Personal Life and Passing

Denis Gwynn married Alice Trudeau, who was born in the US in 1904. Alice was the daughter of Dr. Edward Livingston Trudeau and Hazel Martyn. Hazel Martyn was an American beauty who later married the Irish artist John Lavery. For many years, Hazel Lavery's face, drawn by Lavery, was shown on Irish banknotes.

Denis Gwynn passed away at his home in Malahide, Dublin, on January 10, 1973. He was buried in Stamullen Cemetery in Co Meath.

Literary Connections

The novelist Jessie Louisa Rickard lived her final years at Denis Gwynn's house in Montenotte, Cork. This was until her death in 1963. Jessie Rickard was a close friend of Alice Gwynn, Denis's wife.

Books Written by Denis Gwynn

Denis Gwynn wrote many books, mostly about history and important people. Here are some of his works:

• The Catholic Reaction in France (1924)
• The Irish Free State, 1922-1927 (1928)
• A Hundred Years of Catholic Emancipation (1929)
• Daniel O’Connell, the Irish Liberator (1929)
• The Life and death of Roger Casement (1930)
• Edward Martyn and the Irish revival (1930)
• John Keogh: the pioneer of Catholic Emancipation (1930) (1934)
• Daniel O’Connell and Ellen Courtney (1930)
• The Life of John Redmond (1932)
• De Valera (1933)
• The O'Gorman Mahon (1934)
• The Vatican and the War in Europe (1940)
• William Smith O'Brien (1946)
• Young Ireland and 1848 (1949)
• Cardinal Wiseman (1950)
• The history of Partition (1950)