Griffin, GERALD, novelist, was born at Limerick, 12th December 1803, and early began to write for the papers and magazines. He came to London in 1823, resolved to 'revolutionise the dramatic taste.' Of course he failed to get his tragedies acted, but he was more successful with novels—Holland Tide (1827), Tales of the Munster Festivals (1827), and The Collegians (1828), on which the drama of the Colleen Bawn is founded. These were followed by some dozen more novels and many minor tales. Griffin joined the Society of Christian Brothers, and died in the North Monastery, Cork, 12th June 1840.
Griffin, GERALD
Chambers's Encyclopaedia, Volume 5: Friday to Humanitarians, p. 423
Source scan(s): p. 0438