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…
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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 23 November 2024.]
