Life
?-1934; b. Belfast, sister of Rosa Mulholland [Lady Gilbert]; ed. privately,
and in convents in England, and Belgium; prolific novelist from 1880;
also children’s author; titles include Percy’s Revenge
(1888); In a Roundabout Way (1908); contrib. A Perplexing Promise to Monthly Review (Vol. 15, 1887); A Striking Contrast
(1895), first ser. in Monthly Review (Vol. 18, 1890); concerning
the love-match of Dora Neil and Lord Ashfield, obstructed until it is
revealed that Dora is actually as well-born as he; and Sweet Doreen (1915); d. Littlehampton. DUB.
Works
Little Snowdrop and Other Stories (London: Washbourne 1889),
192pp.; The Little Bogtrotters (Belfast: Ward; Baltimore: John
Murphy [n.d.]); Dimpling’s Success (NY: Benziger [n.d.]),
150pp.; Kathleen Mavourneen (Baltimore: Murphy 1890), 143pp.; Linda’s Misfortunes, and Little Brian’s Trip to Dublin (Dublin:
Gill; NY: Benziger [1892]); In a Roundabout Way (London: Washbourne
1908); Terence O’Neill’s Heiress (Dublin: Browne &
Nolan; NY: Benziger 1909), ill. C. A. Mills, 358pp. Sweet Doreen (London:
Washbourne 1915).
Commentary
James H. Murphy, Catholic Fiction and Social Reality in Ireland,
1873-1922 (Conn: Greenwood Press 1997), Part I: ‘Upper Middle-Class
Fiction 1873-1890, p.26: A Striking Contrast (1895) and A Perplexing
Promise (1887) in the course of which hhe describes Lady Ashfield
of the former tale as ‘radically pragmatic’.
References
Stephen Brown, Ireland in Fiction [Pt. I] (Dublin: Maunsel
1919) finds that her novels, though not directly about religion, breathe
an atmosphere of Catholicism; lists Little Snowdrop and Other
Stories ([London: ]Washbourne 1889), 192pp.; The Little Bogtrotters (Belfast: Ward; Baltimore: John Murphy [n.d.]); Dimpling’s
Success (NY: Benziger [n.d.]), 150pp. [redolent of Little Lord Fauntleroy]; Kathleen Mavourneen (Baltimore: Murphy 1890), 143pp.; Linda’s
Misfortunes, and Little Brian’s Trip to Dublin ([Dublin: ]Gill;
NY: Benziger [1892]); In a Roundabout Way (Washbourne 1908); Terence
O’Neill’s Heiress (Dublin: ]Browne & Nolan; NY: Benziger
1909), ill. C. A. Mills, 358pp. [pleasant story of ... unprovided orphan]; Sweet Doreen (Washbourne 1915) [Fr. Ryan goes to persuade the landlord
in Dublin to relieve poverty on his estate in Ballygorst; daughter and
her American friend Laura take up the case and decide to visit, making
Papa one of the party; there they meet Doreen and family; efforts to do
good recounted amid adventures pleasant and unpleasant]. Also cites
non-Irish novels, The Miser of Kingscourt, and A Striking Contrast
[the latter identification is disputed by Murphy, op. cit., 1998].
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