Mary Catherine Ferguson Explained

Mary Catherine Guinness Ferguson (1823–1905) was an author and biographer in Dublin, Ireland.

Life

She was born at Stillorgan, co. Dublin, on 13 September 1823,[1] to Robert Rundell Guinness (1789-1857) and his first wife Mary Anne Seymour (died 1837). She was educated partly at home and partly at Woodside, Cheshire. Keenly interested from an early age in Irish art and archæology.

On 16 August 1848, she married the lawyer and antiquarian Samuel Ferguson, becoming Lady Ferguson when he was knighted in 1878. Their circle of acquaintances included George Petrie and William Reeves.

She died in Dublin on 5 March 1905, and was buried in her husband's grave at Donegore, co. Antrim. They had no children, but raised the children of her brother-in-law John Ferguson after their mother's death . Irish scholars, writers and artists often net at Ferguson's home.

Works

Her own interest in Irish art and archaeology produced:

Her biographical works include:

She is listed in the Dictionary of Irish Biography.[3]

References

AttributionFerguson, Mary Catherine. David James . O'Donoghue. 12 . 1912.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Dictionary of Irish Biography - Cambridge University Press. 2021-04-03. dib.cambridge.org.
  2. Sir Samuel Ferguson: In the Ireland of His Day; Kessinger 2006,
  3. Maguire & Quinn eds; Royal Irish Academy; Cambridge University Press (2009)