Edith Oenone Somerville, celebrated Irish novelist and illustrator, dies in Castletownshend, Co. Cork in 1949. In her late twenties, she formed a close literary partnership with her second cousin, Violet Florence Martin, who wrote under the pseudonym Martin Ross. Together, they became one of the most notable writing duos in Irish literature.
As Somerville and Ross, they co-authored a number of much-loved works, including The Real Charlotte and the iconic “Irish R.M.” series, which captured Anglo-Irish society with wit, irony, and insight. Their collaboration continued even after Martin’s death in 1915—Somerville claimed they remained in spiritual contact, and she continued to publish under both names.
Their work remains a unique testament to both Anglo-Irish life and a groundbreaking female literary partnership.