Literature
Partners in crime in West Cork
In her continuing series of literary rambles around Ireland and Britain Lorna Hogg visits some of the locations made famous by the hugely successful partnership of Edith Somerville and her second cousin Violet Martin
Edith, left, and Violet. Edith wrote under her own name. Violet picked the name Ross, after a distant ancestor, and her family home in Co. Clare.
Edith Somerville: When her mother died, Edith took on the running of the house, along with her sister Hildegard. She also helped the family financially – her brothers were often away on military duty.
One of the best known TV series of the 1980s was The Irish R.M, starring Peter Bowles and Bryan Murray, plus a host of top Irish actors. The series detailed the adventures of a Irish Resident Magistrate in Victorian Ireland. The book – and linked sequels, were co-authored by Edith Somerville, and her cousin, Violet Martin. Somewhat ironically, however, the life stories of the two women turned out to be equally, if not more interesting than their novels.
as co-authors. The outgoing, forthright and, it has been claimed, sometimes reckless, Edith wrote under her own name. Violet picked the name Ross, after a distant ancestor, and her family home in Co. Clare. One of her forebears had changed religion in order to marry, and the family had resulting financial challenges.
Edith Somerville was born on May 2nd 1858, in Corfu, where her father was a serving British Army Officer. When the family returned to their Irish roots, dating back several centuries, they settled into Drishane House, a family residence in West Carbery, near Castletownsend in West Cork. Edith, the eldest in a family of seven, was from the start, a strong character. She was very much the responsible elder sister in a family which encouraged independence and bravery – in all its members. Edith loved hunting, and rode well side-saddle, as was the (dangerous) norm then for women. She attended Alexandra College in Dublin for a short while, and also studied art, for which she had considerable talent, in Paris and at the Westminster School of Art. She was also happy to work – and sold drawings to The Illustrated Graphic and Ladies Pictorial Magazines, and published some short stories. These days, Edith would very likely have taken a full graphics or commercial art course,
and created a career for herself. However, in those days of course, women’s chief goal was marriage – to a man who would suppport them in the style of their background. As a young woman, Edith was pursued by two young men – she was known to be in love with at least one of them, but her family deemed them both `unsuitable.’ Nothing came of either possible match – much to her sadness. By her mid twenties, she had decided on her future. She would not marry – but write, make money at it – both to gain independence, and also help her family.
When, in 1886 she met her second cousin Violet, after an initial lack of enthusiasm, the pair found they had much in common, including a desire for financial independence. Violet also had published some of her work, and they decided to combine their talents,
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They did, however, have a wide social circle, including W.B. Yeats and Lady Gregory. The two young women had different personalities and beliefs. Edith was social, outgoing, witty and adventurous, and had Irish Nationalist sympathies. Violet was more restrained, conventional and a staunch Unionist. However, both had grown up in families in which men had managed money badly. From an early age, Edith was aware of how much this had impacted on their families. One letter from Edith to Violet remarked ‘you and I will take Carbery and grind its bones to make our money!’ They started in 1889 with Àn Irish Cousin, under pen names. A trip to Etaples, and the South of France followed – where they started on Some Adventures of an Irish R.M. – and went on to co-author fourteen books. When her mother died, Edith took on the running of the house, along with her sister Hildegard. She also helped the family financially – her brothers were often away on military duty. Violet came to live with Edith at Drishane in the early 1900s, and Edith joined her at Ross House in summer months.
