Thomas Caulfield Irwin

Who was Thomas Caulfield Irwin?

Thomas Caulfield Irwin was an Irish poet, writer, and classical scholar.

He was born in Warrenpoint, County Down, to a prosperous family. He was educated privately. He travelled to Europe and Africa but later became impoverished through the collapse of family fortunes. He took up journalism in Dublin around 1848. He was highly regarded as a poet by contemporaries.

He was a prolific writer and contributed to the Dublin University Magazine and The Nation, among other publications. He wrote at least one novel and several volumes of poetry. He also carried out translations from classical and European writers.

He died after some years of poverty in Rathmines, Dublin, and is buried in Mount Jerome Cemetery.