Brian Taylor’s work is Volume 21 in The Edwin Mellen Press’s Studies in British Literature; a series title that George A. Birmingham, alias author, playwright, expert on early Christian monasticism, supporter of Irish Home Rule, satirist, native of Belfast city, Church of Ireland cleric, and self-affirmed Irishman Canon James Owen Hannay, would have used to great ironic effect in one of his novels.

Hannay’s life spanned two world wars, the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War. As a Belfast Protestant and a minister of the Church of Ireland, he caused some concern amongst his Northern Irish relatives and friends through his espousal of the Gaelic League and his promotion of the revival of the Irish language (he was responsible for organising the first every Irish language Communion Service in St.Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral in Dublin), not to mention his support for Irish Home Rule.

On the other hand, as a novelist and playwright he outraged certain sections of the Gaelic League support through what they interpreted as his sectarian and condescending portrayal of a Catholic Priest and of the simpleton portrayal of a young Irish girl. Through what could be seen as an organised campaign, his detractors actions led him to resign his senior role in the Gaelic League.

It was Hannay’s novel writing and forays into the world of theatre that brought him most fame and earned him the accolade of “the most widely known Irishman at present living in England”.

Hannay first started writing novels to finance his children’s education. Between 1903 and the year of his death, he produced some 63 novels, his earlier works being primarily political in intent, but the majority, while continuing to contain thinly veiled political and social commentary, are better classified as humours farce.

In addition to his novels, Hannay produced eight works of theology and biblical criticism, an autobiography, a biography of his father-in-law, Bishop Frederick Richards Wynne, numerous articles of political commentary, and managed to write and deliver many lectures, on both sides of the Atlantic.

The above contains only some of the details of James Owen Hannay’s life and works as gleaned from Brian Taylor’s book. Taylor has done an admirable job of collating facts and opinions about his subject. His book follows Hannay’s life chronologically, and divides it into six sections demonstrating the stages Hannay and his family moved through. His treatment is sensitive to Hannay as a person and his book is as much about Ada, Hannay’s wife, and family as about the man himself.

I learnt about George A. Birmingham through my wife’s love of a book called, “The Simpkins Plot”. In doing a little research about Birmingham I discovered how interesting, paradoxical and complex a person the author was. His living through key events in both Irish and European history, added to my interest in the man and my researches led me to Brian Taylor’s book. Having sought out the book as a starting point for a serious look at George A. Birmingham’s novels, I am delighted to say it is a wonderful piece of writing that is informative on his life and work and of the political environment surrounding Hannay and his family. ( )