Somerville and Ross

Julie Anne Stevens (Dublin City University)
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Second cousins Edith Somerville and Martin Ross belonged to the Anglo-Irish Protestant landed gentry of West Cork and Galway, the unmarried daughters of families whose status had steadily declined through the nineteenth century with the overturning of political, religious and social privileges. The women began collaborating on writing fiction soon after meeting in 1886; they shared a comic vision of Irish life and an appreciation of their Protestant pasts. They were also involved in modern developments of the day, as indicated by their individual interests before working together. Edith Somerville trained as a painter in Paris. Martin Ross, a committed unionist, published articles on Irish matters in the English magazines. They were keen sportswomen; Somerville served as the first female…

2217 words

Citation: Stevens, Julie Anne. "Somerville and Ross". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 31 May 2007 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=4147, accessed 19 March 2024.]

4147 Somerville and Ross 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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