E. Owens Blackburne facts for kids

Elizabeth Owens Blackburne Casey (born May 10, 1848 – died April 6, 1894) was an Irish writer. She wrote many novels and was also the first person to publish a book listing important Irish women. She used the pen name E. Owens Blackburne for her works.

Early Life and Education

Elizabeth Owens Blackburne Casey was born on May 10, 1848, in Slane, a town in County Meath, Ireland. Her parents were Andrew Casey and Miss Mills. When she was 11 years old, she lost her eyesight. However, a famous doctor named Sir William Wilde helped her get her sight back.

Elizabeth studied at Trinity College Dublin, a well-known university. After her education, she became a writer. She wrote for The Nation, which was an important newspaper that supported Irish independence.

Around the age of 25, Elizabeth moved to London to work as a journalist. A journalist is someone who writes for newspapers or magazines. While in London, she published several novels that became quite popular.

Challenges with Her Work

One of Elizabeth's novels was called Erin: A Story of Today. This book was published around the same time as a very sad event in Ireland called the Phoenix Park Murders. During this time, two important officials were killed by a group of rebels.

Because her book talked about understanding between Ireland and England, and it came out during such a tense time, many people misunderstood it. The press, especially a London newspaper called Athenaeum, criticized her. They said she was too supportive of the Land League, a group that worked for farmers' rights in Ireland.

This misunderstanding hurt her reputation and made it hard for her to sell her books. Because of this, she needed help from the Royal Literary Fund. This fund helps writers who are having financial difficulties. Elizabeth Owens Blackburne Casey passed away in 1894 in Drumcondra, Dublin.