K. F. (Katherine Frances) Purdon

Born in 1852 at Hotwell near Enfield, County Meath, Katherine Frances Purdon was educated in England and at Alexandra College in Dublin. She returned to her family home in Meath, and that landscape stayed central to her writing.

Purdon became known as a novelist, playwright, and contributor to Irish and English periodicals. She was associated with the Irish Revival and was also a member of the United Irishwomen. Much of her work draws on rural Irish life, especially the people, speech, and customs of her home region.

Her books include The Folk of Furry Farm and Candle and Crib, and she also wrote for younger readers. She died in 1920, leaving a body of work that still stands out for its lively sense of place and sympathy for ordinary lives.