Author

Born in Calcutta, India on 18th July 1811, William Thackeray had close links with Ireland. One of his ancestors, Elias Thackeray, was Vicar of Dundalk from 1771 to 1845.

After leaving Trinity College, Cambridge, Thackeray went to Paris to study art. There, in 1836, he married Isabella Creagh Shaw of Doneraile, Co Cork. It is said the vevacious Mrs. O'Dowd in his famous novel 'Vanity Fair' was based on his Irish mother-in-law, Mrs. Shaw.

In 1842 Thackeray arrived in Dublin to begin a three-month tour of Ireland to write his distinguished 'Irish Sketch Book', which was published in 1843. One of the places he stayed at during his travels was Lismore.

William Thackeray died suddenly on 24th December 1863 having suffered for many years from heart trouble.

The original manuscript of his 'Irish Sketch Book' is in Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.A.