Violet Florence Martin (11 June 1862 – 21 December 1915) was an Irish author who co-wrote a series of novels with cousin Edith Somerville under the pen name of Martin Ross (Somerville and Ross) in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.[1]
Martin was born at Ross House in Connemara, County Galway, the youngest of sixteen children of James Martin of Ross (1804–1872).[1] The Martin family, a branch of the Martyn family - one of the Tribes of Galway - had settled at Ross by the early seventeenth century, having previously inhabited the town of Galway for some three hundred years. Her father, James, was a Protestant, his grandfather having converted from the Catholic faith in order to retain the family estates under the Penal Laws. Nevertheless, each child of the family was secretly 'baptised' by the family servants, a practice James Martin winked at.
She was a kinswoman of Richard Martin and her contemporary, Edward Martyn, two other notable members of the tribe. Her older brother, Robert Jasper Martin, was a noted songwriter and a well-regarded member of the Tory party in London. She shared a great-grandmother with the writer Maria Edgeworth, whose use of Irish vernacular speech she followed in her work.
Her father had managed to save both his estate and his tenants during the Great Famine - boasting that not one of his people died during the disaster - but at the cost of bankruptcy. Following his death in 1872, the family moved to Dublin and only returned to Ross in 1888 following revelations of financial fraud of the estate by their agent.
Writings and companionship with Edith Somervilleedit
Violet Martin and Edith Somerville were second cousins. They originally met on 17 January 1886 at Castletownshend, after which they became lifelong companions and literary partners. They came to share a home in Drishane, County Cork. In 1889, Violet adopted the pseudonym Martin Ross, which comprised her surname and the name of her ancestral home; thus the authors were called Somerville and Ross. Their works included The Real Charlotte (1889), Some Reminiscences of an Irish R.M. and In The Vine Country.[1] The precise nature of their relationship — whether they were romantic and sexual partners as well as literary collaborators and friends — has been the object of speculation by later writers.[2][3][4][5][6]
Political and cultural outlookedit
Martin was a convinced Irish unionist, in opposition to Somerville's open nationalism. Both she and her brother Robert were well-regarded members of the literary circle in Irish unionism. However, unlike her brother, Martin was a convinced suffragette, becoming vice-president of the Munster Women's Franchise League. While on friendly terms with the leading members of the Gaelic literary revival such as W. B. Yeats and Lady Gregory, she objected to their romantic version of Irish peasantry. She was on good terms with Edward Martyn, partner of Gregory and Yeats - and her kinsman - and shared his love of the Irish language and culture.
Later yearsedit
Violet was seriously injured in a riding accident in November 1898, from which she never fully recovered. This was a contributing factor to her death in Drishane, County Cork, in 1915. Edith Somerville continued to write under their joint literary names, claiming that they were still in contact.[7] The two women left thousands of letters and 116 volumes of diaries, detailing their lives, much of them yet unpublished. Edith died at Castletownshend in October 1949, aged 91, and is buried alongside Violet Florence Martin at Saint Barrahane's Church, Castletownsend, County Cork, Ireland. There is a joint memorial to them there.[8][9]
^Mooney, Shawn R. (1992). ""Colliding Stars": Heterosexism in Biographical Representations of Somerville and Ross". The Canadian Journal of Irish Studies. 18 (1): 157–175. doi:10.2307/25512906. JSTOR 25512906.
^corkucopia, Author (1 February 2018). "Somerville and Ross have a laugh". {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
^Craig, Patricia (17 April 1986). "Patricia Craig · Hiberbole · LRB 17 April 1986". London Review of Books. 08 (7).
^Griffin, Gabriele (2 September 2003). Who's Who in Lesbian and Gay Writing. Routledge. ISBN9781134722099 – via Google Books.
^Cahalan, James M. (1 November 1999). Double Visions: Women and Men in Modern and Contemporary Irish Fiction. Syracuse University Press. ISBN9780815628040 – via Google Books.
^Hutchison, Sam. The Light of Other Days: a selection of monuments, mausoleums and memorials in Church of Ireland churches and graveyards and those whom they commemorate. pp. 87–89.
^Ellis, Jacky. "Edith Somerville memorial plaque in the Church of Saint Barrahane at Castletownshend Stock Photo - Alamy". Alamy. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
Sources
Boylan, Henry (1998). A Dictionary of Irish Biography (third ed.). Dublin: Gill and MacMillan. p. 273. ISBN0-7171-2945-4.
Lewis, Gifford (1987). Somerville and Ross: The World of the Irish RM. London: Penguin. ISBN0-14-008262-X.
Works by Martin Ross at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
detailed catalogue for a 2006 exhibition held at Queen's University Belfast
April 10, 2024
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Violet Florence Martin news newspapers books scholar JSTOR October 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Violet Florence Martin 11 June 1862 21 December 1915 was an Irish author who co wrote a series of novels with cousin Edith Somerville under the pen name of Martin Ross Somerville and Ross in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries 1 Violet Florence MartinBorn11 June 1862 1862 06 11 Ross House Connemara County Galway IrelandDied21 December 1915 1915 12 22 aged 53 Drishane County Cork IrelandPen nameMartin RossOccupationnovelistLanguageEnglishNationalityIrishCitizenshipUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and IrelandAlma materAlexandra CollegeYears active1889 1915Notable worksThe Real Charlotte The Irish R M Contents 1 Early life 2 Writings and companionship with Edith Somerville 3 Political and cultural outlook 4 Later years 5 Collaborative novels 6 See also 7 References and sources 8 External linksEarly life editMartin was born at Ross House in Connemara County Galway the youngest of sixteen children of James Martin of Ross 1804 1872 1 The Martin family a branch of the Martyn family one of the Tribes of Galway had settled at Ross by the early seventeenth century having previously inhabited the town of Galway for some three hundred years Her father James was a Protestant his grandfather having converted from the Catholic faith in order to retain the family estates under the Penal Laws Nevertheless each child of the family was secretly baptised by the family servants a practice James Martin winked at She was a kinswoman of Richard Martin and her contemporary Edward Martyn two other notable members of the tribe Her older brother Robert Jasper Martin was a noted songwriter and a well regarded member of the Tory party in London She shared a great grandmother with the writer Maria Edgeworth whose use of Irish vernacular speech she followed in her work Her father had managed to save both his estate and his tenants during the Great Famine boasting that not one of his people died during the disaster but at the cost of bankruptcy Following his death in 1872 the family moved to Dublin and only returned to Ross in 1888 following revelations of financial fraud of the estate by their agent Writings and companionship with Edith Somerville editViolet Martin and Edith Somerville were second cousins They originally met on 17 January 1886 at Castletownshend after which they became lifelong companions and literary partners They came to share a home in Drishane County Cork In 1889 Violet adopted the pseudonym Martin Ross which comprised her surname and the name of her ancestral home thus the authors were called Somerville and Ross Their works included The Real Charlotte 1889 Some Reminiscences of an Irish R M and In The Vine Country 1 The precise nature of their relationship whether they were romantic and sexual partners as well as literary collaborators and friends has been the object of speculation by later writers 2 3 4 5 6 Political and cultural outlook editMartin was a convinced Irish unionist in opposition to Somerville s open nationalism Both she and her brother Robert were well regarded members of the literary circle in Irish unionism However unlike her brother Martin was a convinced suffragette becoming vice president of the Munster Women s Franchise League While on friendly terms with the leading members of the Gaelic literary revival such as W B Yeats and Lady Gregory she objected to their romantic version of Irish peasantry She was on good terms with Edward Martyn partner of Gregory and Yeats and her kinsman and shared his love of the Irish language and culture Later years editViolet was seriously injured in a riding accident in November 1898 from which she never fully recovered This was a contributing factor to her death in Drishane County Cork in 1915 Edith Somerville continued to write under their joint literary names claiming that they were still in contact 7 The two women left thousands of letters and 116 volumes of diaries detailing their lives much of them yet unpublished Edith died at Castletownshend in October 1949 aged 91 and is buried alongside Violet Florence Martin at Saint Barrahane s Church Castletownsend County Cork Ireland There is a joint memorial to them there 8 9 She was awarded a posthumous D Litt by Trinity College Dublin Collaborative novels editAn 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 editThe Tribes of GalwayReferences and sources editNotes a b c Boylan 1998 Mooney Shawn R 1992 Colliding Stars Heterosexism in Biographical Representations of Somerville and Ross The Canadian Journal of Irish Studies 18 1 157 175 doi 10 2307 25512906 JSTOR 25512906 corkucopia Author 1 February 2018 Somerville and Ross have a laugh a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a first has generic name help Craig Patricia 17 April 1986 Patricia Craig Hiberbole LRB 17 April 1986 London Review of Books 08 7 Griffin Gabriele 2 September 2003 Who s Who in Lesbian and Gay Writing Routledge ISBN 9781134722099 via Google Books Cahalan James M 1 November 1999 Double Visions Women and Men in Modern and Contemporary Irish Fiction Syracuse University Press ISBN 9780815628040 via Google Books Gifford 1987 Hutchison Sam The Light of Other Days a selection of monuments mausoleums and memorials in Church of Ireland churches and graveyards and those whom they commemorate pp 87 89 Ellis Jacky Edith Somerville memorial plaque in the Church of Saint Barrahane at Castletownshend Stock Photo Alamy Alamy Retrieved 28 August 2023 Sources Boylan Henry 1998 A Dictionary of Irish Biography third ed Dublin Gill and MacMillan p 273 ISBN 0 7171 2945 4 Lewis Gifford 1987 Somerville and Ross The World of the Irish RM London Penguin ISBN 0 14 008262 X External links editWorks by Martin Ross at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Martin Ross at Internet Archive Works by Martin Ross at LibriVox public domain audiobooks nbsp The E OE Somerville amp Martin Ross Exhibition detailed catalogue for a 2006 exhibition held at Queen s University Belfast Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Violet Florence Martin amp oldid 1216188916, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
