Gerald Griffin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gerald Griffin
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by Richard Rothwell
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| Born | 12 December 1803 Limerick, Ireland |
| Died | 12 June 1840 (aged 36) Cork, Ireland |
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Gerald Griffin (Irish: Gearóid Ó Gríofa; born December 12, 1803 – died June 12, 1840) was a talented Irish writer. He wrote novels, poems, and plays. His most famous novel, The Collegians, was later turned into a popular play called The Colleen Bawn. Later in his life, Gerald felt that writing fiction wasn't what he should be doing. So, he decided to join the Christian Brothers. This is a Catholic group that helps teach poor children.
Contents
Biography
Early Life in Ireland
Gerald Griffin was born in Limerick, Ireland, in 1803. He was the youngest of thirteen children in a large Catholic farming family. His father, Patrick Griffin, also made beer and was part of a group called Grattan's Irish Volunteers. These were armed groups formed by Irish citizens in the 1700s.
Gerald's mother came from an old Irish family, the O'Briens. She was the one who first introduced Gerald to English books and stories. When he was seven, his family moved to a place called Fairy Lawn. This house was near Loghill, County Limerick, and sat on a hill above the Shannon River estuary.
Gerald had a wonderful childhood there. He studied classic subjects like Latin and Greek. When he wasn't studying, he loved to explore the nearby countryside. This area had many old ruins that told stories of Ireland's past. He also learned a lot about local customs and folk tales. These stories later inspired his own writing.
Moving to London
In 1820, Gerald's family at Fairy Lawn split up. His parents and some of his siblings moved to America, settling in Pennsylvania. Gerald, along with one brother and two sisters, stayed in Ireland. They were looked after by his older brother, William, who was a doctor in Adare, County Limerick.
In Limerick city, Gerald met another writer named John Banim. John's play, Damon and Pythias, was very successful. Inspired by this, Gerald moved to London in 1823 when he was nineteen. He hoped to become a successful playwright himself.
However, becoming a playwright was hard. Gerald faced many years of poverty in London. He barely made enough money by writing reviews for newspapers and magazines. After two years, he found steady work at a publishing house. He read and checked manuscripts. Soon, he also started writing regularly for popular magazines.
Gerald's early writings often described the countryside where he grew up. He shared Irish folklore and even translated Irish words for English readers. He also wrote about Irish people who tried too hard to be like the English.
Returning to Ireland
In 1827, Gerald Griffin's book, "Holland-Tide;" or, Munster Popular Tales, was published. This book was a collection of seven short stories. They were all told in the home of a friendly farmer in Munster during Halloween.
"Holland-Tide" helped Gerald become known as a writer. After its success, he returned to Ireland. He moved to Pallaskenry, where his brother William lived. There, he wrote Tales of the Munster Festivals.
Gerald realized that writing might not be his only path. He decided to study law at the University of London. But soon, he moved to Dublin to study ancient Irish history. He wanted to write a book called "The Invasion," which came out in 1832. This book sold well and was praised by experts, but it never became widely popular.
Becoming a Christian Brother
Gerald lived with his brother, still writing some, except for a trip to Scotland and a short visit to Europe. By 1833, he started to feel that he was "wasting his time" with his writing career. He began to spend more time teaching poor children in his neighborhood.
In 1838, Gerald made a big decision. He burned all of his stories and plays that had not been published. Then, he joined the Congregation of Christian Brothers. This is a Catholic group whose main goal is to educate children from poor families.
He wrote to an old friend, saying he felt much happier in his new daily life. He said it was better than "roving about the great city, absorbed in the modest project of rivalling Shakespeare and throwing Scott in the shade." In June 1839, he moved from Dublin to Cork. He sadly died there from typhus fever when he was only thirty-six years old.
Legacy
Even after his death, Gerald Griffin's play Gisippus was performed. It opened at the Drury Lane Theatre on February 23, 1842. It was so popular that a second printed edition was made.
One of Griffin's most famous works is The Collegians. This novel was inspired by a real-life event he had reported on. The story was later adapted into the play The Colleen Bawn by Dion Boucicault.
Today, there are streets named after Gerald Griffin in both Limerick City and Cork City, Ireland. Also, a local sports club in west Limerick, the Loughill/Ballyhahill GAA club, plays under the name Gerald Griffins.
Works
- The Collegians
- Tales of the Munster Festivals
- Tales illustrative of the Five Senses (1830)
- Poetical works and Tragedy of Gisippus
- The Rivals; and, Tracy's ambition (1830)
- The invasion (1832)
- Tales of my Neighbourhood (1835)
- The Duke of Monmouth (1836)
- The Fate of Cathleen: a Wicklow story (1841)
- Tales of the Jury Room (1842)
