The Duchess Who Wasn’t Day in Ireland 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

The annual celebration of The Duchess Who Wasn’t Day occurs on August 27. This day honours the life of Margaret Wolfe Hungerford, a novelist who published the majority of her works under the pen name ‘The Duchess.’ The number of Margaret Wolfe Hungerford’s published works exceeds 57, though it could be much higher given that the majority of her early works were published under the pseudonym ‘Anonymous.’ Additionally, she has contributed to several publications. She was in charge of a large family consisting of four daughters and two sons.

The background of The Duchess Who Wasn’t Day

Margaret Wolfe Hungerford, the eldest daughter of an Irish Church Minister, was born in Rosscarbery, County Cork, in 1885, where she honed her literary abilities. Margaret enjoyed composing stories for her friends and won numerous writing contests in school. At the age of 17, she wed Edward Argles, a Dubin attorney, in 1872. She was left with three daughters after her 23-year-old widowhood. After that, she began writing to support herself and her family with a great deal of passion. She returned to her childhood home in Rosscarbery, Milleen House. She had been writing throughout her marriage, but only after she began publishing did her career take off.

When she returned to Cork, she fell in love with Thomas Henry Hungerford, the eldest son of the local proprietor. His family did not allow him to join the army despite his training. In 1881, he travelled to South Africa to fight in the Boer War, but his mother called him back, claiming she was concerned about his father. This was a ruse to get him married to a wealthy young woman.

He discreetly wed Margaret in London, which his mother disapproved of. Margaret Wolfe Hungerford continued to reside and write in St. Brenda’s for another eight years. She ultimately perished of typhoid fever on January 24, 1897, at the age of 42.

THE DUCHESS WHO WAS NOT PARTICIPATING IN DAY ACTIVITIES

Study up on the duchess

Examine the fascinating life of Margaret Wolfe Thunderford. Discover what motivated her to write the stories that she did.

Discover other anonymous authors

Many women, including Margaret Wolfe, used pseudonym names to publish their works. Learn how they attempted to defy societal expectations by reading about them.

Peruse her works

Examine her publications. Her additional works consist of A Little Rebel, Phyllis, Faith and Unfaithfulness, and Molly Bawn.

5 FACTS REGARDING MARGARET WOLFE HUNGERFORD

The phrase “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is taken from the novel “Molly Bawn.”

Just a decade after the Great Famine, she received a quality education, which suggests that she had an affluent childhood.

“Phyllis” was her first novel, followed by “Molly Bawn.”

Each morning, she devoted three hours to writing in a well-organized space that contained all of her reference materials.

She was still working on “The Coming of Chloe” when she passed away, leaving unfinished work.

THE DUCHESS WHO WASN’T DAY DATES

Year	Date	Day
2023	August 27	Sunday
2024	August 27	Tuesday
2025	August 27	Wednesday
2026	August 27	Thursday
2027	August 27	Friday