author
William J. (William John) Fitz-Patrick
1830–1895
Drawn to the hidden corners of Irish history, this 19th-century writer became known for digging up letters, diaries, and forgotten episodes from Ireland’s political and religious past. His books helped keep figures like Daniel O’Connell, Wolfe Tone, and Lord Edward Fitzgerald vivid for later readers.
1 Audiobook
Secret Service Under Pitt
by William J. (William John) Fitz-Patrick
About the author
Born in Dublin on August 31, 1830, he was an Irish historian and biographer whose work centered on Ireland’s public life, especially the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was educated at Clongowes Wood College and went on to build a reputation as a determined researcher with a taste for overlooked documents and controversial stories.
His best-known books include The Sham Squire and the Informers of 1798, Ireland before the Union, and studies of major Irish figures such as Daniel O’Connell, Bishop Doyle, and Wolfe Tone. Much of his writing focused on the 1798 rebellion, catholic emancipation, and the political tensions that shaped modern Irish history.
He died in Dublin on December 24, 1895. Readers still turn to his work for its energy, detail, and clear fascination with the personalities behind Irish history.