Violet Florence Martin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Violet Florence Martin
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| Born | 11 June 1862 Ross House, Connemara, County Galway, Ireland |
| Died | 21 December 1915 (aged 53) Drishane, County Cork, Ireland |
| Pen name | Martin Ross |
| Occupation | novelist |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Citizenship | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
| Alma mater | Alexandra College |
| Years active | 1889–1915 |
| Notable works | The Real Charlotte, The Irish R.M. |
Violet Florence Martin (born June 11, 1862 – died December 21, 1915) was an Irish writer. She is famous for writing many novels with her cousin, Edith Somerville. They wrote together under the pen name Martin Ross. Their stories, known as Somerville and Ross, were popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Contents
Early Life in Ireland
Violet Martin was born at Ross House in Connemara, County Galway, Ireland. She was the youngest of sixteen children. Her father was James Martin. Her family, the Martins, had lived in the Galway area for a long time.
Violet's family was Protestant. However, her father allowed the family servants to secretly baptize each child in the Catholic faith. This was a way to keep old family traditions alive.
Her father worked hard to protect his land and the people living on it during the Great Famine. He was proud that no one on his land died from the disaster. However, this effort cost him a lot of money, and he ended up in bankruptcy.
After her father passed away in 1872, Violet's family moved to Dublin. They returned to Ross House in 1888. This happened after they found out their financial manager had cheated them.
Violet was related to other important people. She shared a great-grandmother with the writer Maria Edgeworth. Violet often used Irish ways of speaking in her books, just like Maria Edgeworth did. Her older brother, Robert Jasper Martin, was a well-known songwriter and a member of the Tory party in London.
Writing with Edith Somerville
Violet Martin and Edith Somerville were second cousins. They first met on January 17, 1886, in Castletownshend. After this meeting, they became close friends and writing partners for life. They even shared a home in Drishane, County Cork.
In 1889, Violet started using the pen name Martin Ross. This name combined her last name, Martin, with the name of her family home, Ross. Together, they were known as Somerville and Ross. They wrote many popular books, including The Real Charlotte (1889) and Some Reminiscences of an Irish R.M..
Views on Politics and Culture
Violet Martin had strong beliefs about politics. She was an Irish unionist, which meant she wanted Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom. This was different from Edith Somerville, who supported Irish independence.
Violet was also a strong supporter of women's rights. She believed women should have the right to vote, and she became a leader in the Munster Women's Franchise League.
She was friendly with famous Irish writers like W.B. Yeats and Lady Gregory. However, Violet did not agree with their romantic ideas about Irish farmers. She felt their view was not realistic. She loved the Irish language and culture, just like her relative Edward Martyn.
Later Life and Legacy
In November 1898, Violet had a serious accident while riding a horse. She never fully recovered from her injuries. This accident played a part in her death in Drishane, County Cork, in 1915.
Even after Violet passed away, Edith Somerville continued to write under their shared pen name, Martin Ross. Edith believed they were still in contact, even after Violet's death.
Violet and Edith left behind thousands of letters and 116 diaries. These writings tell many details about their lives. Most of these writings have not yet been published. Edith Somerville died in October 1949 at the age of 91. She is buried next to Violet Florence Martin at Saint Barrahane's Church in Castletownshend, County Cork, Ireland. There is a special memorial there for both of them.
Violet Martin was given a special award, a D.Litt. (Doctor of Letters), from Trinity College Dublin after her death.
Collaborative Novels
- An Irish Cousin (1889)
- Naboth's Vineyard (1891)
- In the Vine Country (1893)
- Through Connemara in a Governess Cart (1893)
- The Real Charlotte (1894)
- Beggars on Horseback (1895)
- The Silver Fox (1897)
- Some Experiences of an Irish R. M. (1899)
- A Patrick's Day Hunt (1902)
- All on the Irish Shore (1903)
- Further Experiences of an Irish R.M. (1908)
- Dan Russell the Fox (1911)
- In Mr Knox's Country (1915)
See also
- The Tribes of Galway
