James Stephens

Born in Dublin and largely self-educated, he worked in ordinary jobs before becoming known as a poet, novelist, and storyteller. Reliable reference sources agree that he was an Irish writer who became especially associated with retellings of Irish myth and fairy lore, along with original fiction shaped by the same imaginative spirit.

His best-known book is The Crock of Gold (1912), and other notable works include The Charwoman's Daughter, Irish Fairy Tales, and Deirdre. Readers and critics have often been drawn to the mix of lyricism, comedy, and folklore in his writing.

There is some disagreement in reference sources about his birth year: some list 1880, while others give 1882, the date supplied here. He died in London in 1950.