Richard Dehan

Born Clotilde Augusta Inez Mary Graves in County Cork in 1863, the writer behind Richard Dehan was an Irish novelist, dramatist, and journalist who also used the name Clo Graves. She became known for her independence and for choosing a male pen name at a time when that choice could open doors in publishing and theatre.

Her career was remarkably varied. She wrote fiction under the name Richard Dehan and won wide notice for The Dop Doctor, while also finding success as a playwright in London and New York. Alongside novels and plays, she worked in journalism and built a reputation as a prolific, versatile professional writer.

What makes her especially memorable now is not just the range of her work, but the force of her personality. Contemporary accounts describe someone who challenged Victorian expectations in both public life and authorship, making her a striking figure in early 20th-century literature as well as an intriguing one for modern readers.