William Larminie whose family was descended from the Hugenots was born in Castlebar on the 6th August 1849. After graduating from Trinity College he took up employment as a civil servant in the Indian office in London. In 1892 he retired without pension, as he wanted to concentrate on his writing. This annoyed his mother greatly. He returned to Ireland in 1892 and came to live at Prince of Wales Terrace in Bray, Co. Wicklow where he began to write in a full time capacity.

He published "Fand and other Poems" in 1892, "West Ireland Folk Tales and Romances" in 1893, "The Development of English Metres" in 1894, and "Joannes Scotus Eringend" in 1897.

He also translated J. Scotus Erigend's "De Devisione Naturae" and he was the first to advocate the use of assonance (commonly used in Gaelic poetry) in the English language.

He died in Bray on the 19th January 1900.

Article by Brian Hoban