Oliver J. (Oliver Joseph) Burke

Born in Ower, Headford, County Galway, Oliver Joseph Burke was educated at Trinity College Dublin from 1841 and later graduated with a B.A. in 1854, the same year he was called to the Irish Bar. He is generally described as an Irish barrister and historian, and his work shows both scholarly interest and a close connection to the west of Ireland.

Burke wrote on a wide spread of historical subjects. His books include The Abbey of Ross, Co. Galway (1868), The History of the Lord Chancellors of Ireland (1879), The History of the Catholic Archbishops of Tuam (1882), Anecdotes of the Connaught Circuit (1885), and The South Isles of Aran, Co. Galway (1887). Together, these works suggest a writer drawn to Irish religious history, the legal world, and the stories of Galway and Connacht.

Although he is not widely known today, Burke's writing still appeals to readers interested in Irish local history and 19th-century historical storytelling. His books often combine careful historical detail with a clear affection for the people and places he wrote about.