Lorna Reynolds (17 December 1911 – 4 July 2003) was an

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

writer, editor, and professor.

Early life and education

Reynolds was born in

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

in 1911 to staff sergeant Michael Reynolds in the

Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is heade ...

and his wife Teresa Hickey. She was one of five children. Her father died when she was ten. In 1912, her family returned from the Caribbean to live in

Birr, County Offaly Birr (; ga, Biorra, meaning "plain of water") is a town in County Offaly, Ireland. Between 1620 and 1899 it was called Parsonstown, after the Parsons family who were local landowners and hereditary Earls of Rosse. Birr is a designated Iris ...

. After three years they moved to

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

, Ireland. Reynolds was educated in the Dominican College, Eccles Street. She went on to get her three degrees from

University College Dublin University College Dublin (commonly referred to as UCD) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath) is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland ...

. Reynolds studied English and graduated with a BA in 1933, her MA in 1935 and finally her PhD in 1940. She then became a lecturer in UCD where she worked for thirty years.

Career

In 1966 Reynolds was appointed Professor of Modern English at

University College Galway The University of Galway ( ga, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe) is a public research university located in the city of Galway, Ireland. A tertiary education and research institution, the university was awarded the full five QS stars for excellence in 201 ...

. She worked as an editor as well as her academic work. She was editor of the University Review and co-edited several volumes of

Yeats William Butler Yeats (13 June 186528 January 1939) was an Irish poet, dramatist, writer and one of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature. He was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival and became a pillar of the Irish litera ...

Studies with Robert O’Driscoll of the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...

. Reynolds wrote a biography of Kate O’Brien, her lifelong friend. She also wrote poetry and short stories, and was a contributor to ''The Bell'', ''

Poetry Ireland Review ''Poetry Ireland Review'' is a journal of Irish poetry published three times a year by Poetry Ireland, the national Irish poetry organisation. ''Poetry Ireland Review'' publishes the work of both emerging and established Irish and international ...

'', ''Arena'', ''

The Lace Curtain ''The Lace Curtain'' was an occasional literary magazine founded and edited by Michael Smith and Trevor Joyce under their New Writers Press imprint. Both press and journal were dedicated to expanding the horizons of Irish poetry by rediscoverin ...

'' and ''

Botteghe Oscure ''Botteghe Oscure'' was a literary journal that was published and edited in Rome by Marguerite Caetani (Princess di Bassiano) from 1948 to 1960. History and profile ''Botteghe Oscure'' was established in 1948. The magazine was named after via d ...

''. Her recipes were published in 1990. She was responsible for organising the

J. M. Synge Edmund John Millington Synge (; 16 April 1871 – 24 March 1909) was an Irish playwright, poet, writer, collector of folklore, and a key figure in the Irish Literary Revival. His best known play ''The Playboy of the Western World'' was poorly r ...

centenary conference in 1971. She took a sabbatical to Toronto due to her work with O'Driscoll where she was attached to St. Michael's College. Also an activist Reynolds mobilised a campaign to try to restore the Georgian theatre in

Eyrecourt Eyrecourt, historically known as Donanaghta (), is a village in County Galway, Ireland. Eyrecourt is on the R356 regional road 12 km west of the Banagher bridge over the River Shannon. History The Eyres after whom the village is named ...

, County Galway, she was a member of the

Women's Social and Progressive League The Women's Social and Progressive League was a women's organisation and political party founded in Ireland in 1937 by Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington. It was committed to opposing the 1937 constitution of Ireland and any regressive consequences it wo ...

in the 1940s as well as involved in the Anti-Censorship Board. Reynolds was also very involved in the UCD Women Graduates' Association. She returned to Dublin when she retired in 1978. She died in 2003 and is buried in Clonoghill Cemetery, Birr.

Early life and education

Career

Bibliography

Editor

References

Further reading