Kathleen Coyle
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Kathleen Coyle (23 October 1886 – 25 March 1952) was an Irish novelist, best known for her autobiographical work.


Early life

Kathleen Coyle was born in
Derry Derry, officially Londonderry, is the second-largest City status in the United Kingdom, city in Northern Ireland, and the fifth-largest on the island of Ireland. Located in County Londonderry, the city now covers both banks of the River Fo ...
on 23 October 1886. She was the eldest child of John and Catherine Coyle (née McKenna). Catherine Coyle was born in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, but was brought up in Ireland and had Irish roots. The Coyle family was initially wealthy, but Kathleen Coyle's autobiography, ''The Magical Realm'', details the decline of their fortunes, in particular how her father had no occupation and instead lived on his wife's inheritance. John Coyle was an alcoholic and died young in his 40s. Coyle suffered an injury in childhood which resulted in a permanent limp. Coyle was primarily educated privately at home, receiving some schooling in a local convent. She spent three weeks at the Young Ladies' Academy in Derry, but left as her family could not afford the fees. In 1906, her mother sold the family home in Glendermott and moved to
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
. Whilst there, Coyle worked in a public library. Three years later, in 1909, the Coyles moved to London, and in an effort to support her family Coyle took up employment in a newspaper office. It was during this time in London that Coyle met
Rebecca West Dame Cecily Isabel Fairfield (21 December 1892 – 15 March 1983), known as Rebecca West, or Dame Rebecca West, was a British author, journalist, literary critic and travel writer. An author who wrote in many genres, West reviewed books ...
, with West noting that she was "impressed and almost alarmed by her endowment of poetic sensitivity."


Activism and writing

Coyle returned to Ireland in 1911, and whilst in
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
she became involved in the
socialist Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...
movement. Under the name Selma Sigerson, Coyle co-wrote a pamphlet entitled ''Sinn Fein and socialism'' with
James Connolly James Connolly (; 5 June 1868 – 12 May 1916) was a Scottish people, Scottish-born Irish republicanism, Irish republican, socialist, and trade union leader, executed for his part in the Easter Rising, 1916 Easter Rising against British rule i ...
that was published in 1919. It was through this movement she met her husband, Charles O'Meagher. They were married in 1915, and had a son, Kestrel, and a daughter, Michele. They separated in 1919, when Coyle returned to London to live with her mother. At this time Coyle became active in the
suffragist Suffrage, political franchise, or simply franchise is the right to vote in public, political elections and referendums (although the term is sometimes used for any right to vote). In some languages, and occasionally in English, the right to vo ...
movement. Wanting to focus on developing a writing career, she placed her children in foster care, moved out from her mother's house to a rented room. She published her first book, ''Piccadilly'', in 1923. In 1923, she moved to
Ostend Ostend ( ; ; ; ) is a coastal city and municipality in the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke, Raversijde, Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the la ...
with her children, later moving to Antwerp, then to Paris in 1926. It was in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
she became an acquaintance of
James Joyce James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (born James Augusta Joyce; 2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic. He contributed to the modernist avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influentia ...
and
Nora Barnacle Nora Barnacle Joyce (born Norah Barnacle; 21 March 1884 – 10 April 1951) was the muse and wife of Irish author James Joyce. Barnacle and Joyce's life together has been the subject of much popular interest. ''Nora Barnacle'', a 1980 play by ...
. From 1926 onwards, Coyle produced a steady number of novels, which she stated were written to earn money rather than for literary merit. ''A Flock of Birds'' (1930) was entered by
Jonathan Cape Jonathan Cape is a British publishing firm headquartered in London and founded in 1921 by Herbert Jonathan Cape, who was head of the firm until his death. Cape and his business partner Wren Howard (1893–1968) set up the publishing house in ...
for a literary prize, which came second to
E. M. Forster Edward Morgan Forster (1 January 1879 – 7 June 1970) was an English author. He is best known for his novels, particularly '' A Room with a View'' (1908), ''Howards End'' (1910) and '' A Passage to India'' (1924). He also wrote numerous shor ...
's ''A Passage to India''. Other works by her that have been lauded by critics are ''Liv'' (1928), and her autobiography, ''The Magical Realm'' (1943).


Selected writings


Novels

Source: * Picadilly, Dutton (New York, NY), 1923. * The Widow's House, Dutton (New York, NY), 1924. * It Is Better to Tell, J. Cape (London), 1927. * Shula Agra (title means "Youth in the Saddle"), Dutton (New York City), 1927. * Liv, introduction by Rebecca West, Dutton (New York, NY), 1929. * A Flock of Birds, Dutton (New York, NY), 1930. * The French Husband, Dutton (New York, NY), 1932. * The Skeleton, Dutton (New York, NY), 1933. * Morning Comes Early, Dutton (New York, NY), 1934. * Undue Fulfillment, Morrow (New York, NY), 1934. * Immortal Ease, Dutton (New York, NY), 1939. * Who Dwell with Wonder, Dutton (New York, NY), 1940. * To Hold against Famine, Dutton (New York, NY), 1942.


Other Works

Source: * The Magical Realm (memoir), Dutton (New York, NY), 1943, with a biographical note by Siobhan Campbell, Wolfhound Press (Dublin), 1997. * Josephine, (nonfiction), illustrated by Peggy Bacon, Harper (New York, NY), 1942. * Major, and the Others (short stories), Dutton (New York, NY), 1942. * Brittany Summer (juvenile), illustrated by
Richard Floethe Richard Floethe (1901–1988) was an American artist. He served as the art director of the Works Progress Administration's (WPA) Federal Art Project (FAP) New York City poster division and then went on to illustrate numerous books. Biography Fl ...
, Harper (New York, NY), 1940.


Later life

Despite producing a large amount of writing, Coyle often struggled with money. In total, she published 19 novels and two autobiographies. She left Europe to move to the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
in 1937, with financial help from American friends. Coyle lived in
New Hampshire New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
with her daughter Michele, an artist, where she joined an artists' group the
MacDowell Colony MacDowell is an artist's residency program in Peterborough, New Hampshire. The program was founded in 1907 by composer Edward MacDowell and his wife, pianist and philanthropist Marian MacDowell. Prior to July 2020, it was known as the MacDo ...
. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
Coyle wrote short stories for women's magazines. Coyle later moved to Princeton, where she was involved in research on
Joan of Arc Joan of Arc ( ; ;  – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the Coronation of the French monarch, coronation of Charles VII o ...
and
St. Paul Paul, also named Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Christian apostle ( AD) who spread the teachings of Jesus in the first-century world. For his contributions towards the New Testament, he is generally ...
, and also reviewed books for the press. In 1951, she moved to
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, and she died there on 25 March 1952. Coyle's work has enjoyed new interest in the late 20th century.


References


External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coyle, Kathleen 1886 births 1952 deaths Women writers from Northern Ireland Women non-fiction writers from Northern Ireland Writers from Derry (city) 20th-century women writers from Northern Ireland 20th-century writers from Northern Ireland