Emily de Burgh Daly facts for kids

Emily Lucy de Burgh Daly (born August 7, 1859 – died November 13, 1935) was an amazing Irish woman. She was a nurse, a writer, and a great traveller. Emily explored many parts of the world and wrote about her adventures.

Emily de Burgh Daly's Life Story

Her Early Life and Family

Emily Lucy French was born on August 7, 1859. Her family lived at Clooneyquin in County Roscommon, Ireland. This area is between the towns of Elphin and Tulsk.

Emily was the fourth of nine children. Her parents were Christopher and Susan Emma French. One of her older brothers was Percy French, a very famous Irish humorist and songwriter. Emily and her siblings were taught at home. They even created their own plays and family magazines!

Becoming a Nurse and Moving to China

In 1888, Emily left home to train as a nurse. She studied at the Mildmay Hospital in London, England. After finishing her training, she travelled all the way to Ningbo, China.

In China, Emily worked as a nurse. She even took charge of a hospital for women. She lived in China for 25 years. During this time, she tried to learn the local language, but it was very difficult.

Marriage and Family Life

Emily married Charles de Burgh Daly in October 1890. After getting married, she stopped working as a nurse. Charles was a doctor for the port of Ningbo. He also directed a hospital there.

Emily and Charles had three children: two sons named Ulick and Arthur Charles, and a daughter named Lucy. Their sons, Arthur Charles (Charlie) and Ulick, both served in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers during World War I. Their daughter, Lucy, helped out in Dublin with the Voluntary Aid Detachment. Sadly, her son Charles de Burg Daly died at age 19 during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. He is remembered on a war memorial in Dublin.

Adventures and Challenges in China

In 1893, Emily's family moved to Niuzhuang in southern Manchuria. During the First Sino-Japanese War in 1894, they helped many refugees. Emily travelled widely across China. She saw the events leading up to the Boxer Rebellion and the Russo-Japanese War. She had to leave the country with her children during both of these conflicts to stay safe.

Emily wrote detailed and powerful descriptions of these wars in Manchuria. She also became friends with Isabella Bird, a well-known travel writer. In 1910, Emily went back to China with her husband. He was called to help treat people suffering from a serious illness called the pneumonic plague.

Returning Home and Writing Books

In 1912, Emily and her family moved back to Ireland for good. They settled in Sandymount, Dublin. In 1916, her husband Charles de Burg Daly was in Dublin during the Easter Rising.

In 1915, Emily published her own book called An Irishwoman in China. In this book, she wrote about the customs and people of China. She also described what life was like for Europeans living there. Her book included many details about China's plants and flowers.

Emily also helped to publish books by her brother, Percy French. She edited Chronicles and Poems of Percy French (1922) and Prose, Poems and Parodies of Percy French (1929). Emily often gave talks in Dublin about China, using pictures from her travels. She also gave talks about her brother Percy French after his books were published.

Emily de Burgh Daly passed away on November 13, 1935, in Blackrock, County Dublin. She is buried in Mount Jerome Cemetery in Harold's Cross.