Julia Kavanagh

Amanda Collins (Independent Scholar - Australia)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.07: English Writing and Culture of the Victorian Period, 1837-1901.
Vol. editors: Gillian Fenwick (University of Toronto), Jessica Gossling (Goldsmiths College, University of London), Nicole Kennedy (University of Newcastle), Sean Seeger (University of Essex)

Dates

Born 7 Jan 1824
Died 28 Oct 1877
Activity 1845-1877

Places

Born in Ireland, Republic of (Eire)
Active in England; France

Activities

Primary

Biographer
Novelist
Story-writer

Resources

A popular and respected nineteenth-century novelist, storywriter and biographer in her day, Julia Kavanagh produced fifteen novels, two books for children, four bio-historical works, a travel narrative and a number of short stories and poems over a forty-year career.

Julia Kavanagh was born on 7 January 1824 and two days later was baptised a Roman Catholic at Thurles in county Tipperary, Ireland. She was the only child of Morgan [Peter] Kavanagh (1800-1874) and Bridget Fitzpatrick (d. 1887). Morgan Kavanagh was the author of several poorly-received poetic and philological works, including The Wanderings of Lucan and Dinah: A Romance (1824); The Reign of Lockrin (1838) and Discovery of the Science of Language (1844). His lack of success and want of patronage in London saw him apply several times to the Royal Literary Fund for pecuniary assistance...

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1586 words

Citation: Collins, Amanda. "Julia Kavanagh". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 28 October 2005 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=2446, accessed 07 December 2025.]