Frances O'Brien facts for kids

Frances "Attie" O'Brien (born June 24, 1840 – died April 5, 1883) was an Irish writer. She wrote poems and novels. She was known for her stories about Irish life and her strong feelings about her country.

Life of Frances O'Brien

Frances Marcella O'Brien was born on June 24, 1840. Her family lived in a place called Peafield, near Ennis in County Clare, Ireland. Her father, William O'Brien, was a farmer. Her mother, Marcella Burke-Browne, was from Newgrove, County Clare. Frances was one of five children, with three older brothers and one older sister.

Early Challenges

Frances's mother passed away when Frances was very young. She was only 30 years old. Later, her father married again. In 1849, her family faced money problems. Because of this, they decided to move to New York City in America.

However, Frances could not go with them. She had asthma, a breathing condition, which made it hard for her to travel. So, she stayed in Ireland. She lived with her mother's family at Newgrove.

Learning and Writing

Because of her poor health, Frances did not go to a regular school. But she loved to read many books. Her aunt and the local priest helped her learn. She became very knowledgeable on her own.

Frances made friends with important people. One was Timothy Daniel Sullivan, a well-known writer. Another was Father Matthew Russell, who edited a magazine called Irish Monthly. This magazine became very important for Frances.

She started publishing her poems and stories in the Irish Monthly. At first, she used the initials "A. O'B." Later, she used her nickname, "Attie O'Brien." One of her first important poems, Probatica, was published in 1877. She published six more poems in 1878.

Her Novels and Themes

Frances kept journals where she wrote about her feelings. She often felt unsure about her writing. She said she mostly wrote to stop being bored and to earn some money.

She wrote four novels that were first printed in parts, like a series, in the Irish Monthly and the Weekly Freeman. Later, these stories were published as full books. Three of them came out after she died.

Two of her novels were romantic comedies. They showed what Catholic Victorian society in Ireland was like. These were The monk's prophecy (published in 1882) and The Carradassan family (published in 1897).

Her other two novels showed her growing love for her country. They also showed her anger about how the British government treated Ireland. These books, Won by worth (1891) and Through the dark night (1897), talked about problems faced by farmers and social issues.

Frances also had her work published in other magazines. These included Tinsleys' Magazine, The Nation, and Young Ireland. She believed that British publishers did not want to print stories for Catholic readers. She also thought Irish publishers did not like her writing about current issues that young people cared about.

Later Life and Legacy

Because of her poor health, Frances was advised not to get married. Even though she was engaged at one point, she never married.

She was a very religious Catholic. She spent a lot of her time helping others. She especially helped people who lived in the local workhouse, a place for poor people.

In April 1883, Frances visited Dublin. While there, she had a very bad asthma attack. She passed away on April 5, 1883. She was buried in the Old church in Kildysart, County Clare. This was the village where she had lived for most of her adult life. A beautiful celtic cross made of white marble marks her grave.

After her death, a woman named Mrs. M. J. O'Connell wrote a book about Frances's life. It was called Glimpses of a hidden life: memories of Attie O'Brien (1887). Frances was also a distant relative of another famous writer, Charlotte Grace O'Brien.