Rutherford Mayne

Born Samuel John Waddell in Tokyo on July 15, 1878, he was the son of a Presbyterian missionary and later became better known by the pen name Rutherford Mayne. He was educated in Belfast, trained as an engineer, and also worked in the Irish Land Commission, while building a parallel life in the theatre.

Rutherford Mayne was closely involved with the Ulster Literary Theatre from its early years and is remembered as one of the main dramatists associated with it. His plays, including The Turn of the Road and The Drone, are especially noted for their lively dialogue, comic touch, and vivid picture of Ulster rural society.

He was also an actor as well as a playwright, and his long career made him an important figure in the literary revival in Ulster. He died on February 25, 1967, in Dalkey, County Dublin.