Eleanor Burnell facts for kids

Eleanor Burnell was an amazing Irish poet who lived a long time ago, in the 1600s. She wrote her poems in Latin, which was a common language for writing back then. Eleanor was part of the well-known Burnell family. Many people believe she was the very first Irish woman to write poetry in Latin!

Who Was Eleanor Burnell?

Her Family and Early Life

Eleanor Burnell was born to Henry Burnell and Lady Frances Dillon. Her mother, Lady Frances, was the daughter of James Dillon, 1st Earl of Roscommon.

Eleanor's father, Henry Burnell, was a writer and a playwright. He wrote a play called Landgartha. A Tragie-Comedy. This play was performed in Dublin and was quite popular.

A Father Who Believed in Education

Henry Burnell had modern ideas about women for his time. He believed women should be well-educated. This is clear because Eleanor received a very good education, which was unusual for girls back then.

His play Landgartha even had a line that showed his views: "Bodily force too in a woman (were it but to defend its own Fort) is a perfection." This means he thought strength in women was a good thing.

What Happened to Eleanor?

Life During the Irish Confederate Wars

Eleanor lived during a difficult time in Ireland, known as the Irish Confederate Wars. These wars were a big conflict that lasted from 1641 to 1653. They involved different groups fighting for control of Ireland.

Eleanor's father, Henry Burnell, joined one of the groups fighting in the war. However, after the wars ended, the Burnell family seemed to disappear from historical records.

Her Unknown Fate

Because of this, we don't know what happened to Eleanor Burnell during or after the wars. Her story becomes a mystery after this period.

Eleanor's Poetry

Her Surviving Works

Even though much of her life is a mystery, we know Eleanor Burnell wrote at least two poems. One of these poems can be found in her father's play, Landgartha.

This play was very important because it was the last one performed in Ireland before the Civil War began. Since we don't know what happened to Eleanor after the war, no later poems by her have been found.