Poet. Born at Blackhall, County Kildare, he was educated at Bath, at the Abbey High School in Winchester, and at Trinity College Dublin. Although his academic career was distinguished, he declined the opportunity of reading for a scholarship because he had fallen in love and felt unable to take the vow of celibacy which was then required. Instead, in November 1817, he took holy orders and was given the curacy of Ballyclog in County Tyrone; but, after only a few weeks, he transferred to Donoughmore in County Down. He remained there for three years, but was rejected by the lady for whom he had abandoned his academic career, and he caught consumption. In 1821, he abandoned his work and moved to Queenstown (now Cobh), where he died. As a poet, Wolfe is remembered only for his lines "On the Burial of Sir John Moore at Corunna", which he wrote in the rooms of his college friend, Samuel O'Sullivan. It was published in the Newry Telegraph on April 19th. 1817, and was reprinted in many other periodicals, but was forgotten until, after Wolfe's death, Lord Byron drew the attention of the public to it. Wolfe's only volume of verse, "Poetical Remains", appeared posthumously in 1825. In addition to his most famous poem, it included fourteen other works of an equally high standard.
Poet. Born at Blackhall, County Kildare, he was educated at Bath, at the Abbey High School in Winchester, and at Trinity College Dublin. Although his academic career was distinguished, he declined the opportunity of reading for a scholarship because he had fallen in love and felt unable to take the vow of celibacy which was then required. Instead, in November 1817, he took holy orders and was given the curacy of Ballyclog in County Tyrone; but, after only a few weeks, he transferred to Donoughmore in County Down. He remained there for three years, but was rejected by the lady for whom he had abandoned his academic career, and he caught consumption. In 1821, he abandoned his work and moved to Queenstown (now Cobh), where he died. As a poet, Wolfe is remembered only for his lines "On the Burial of Sir John Moore at Corunna", which he wrote in the rooms of his college friend, Samuel O'Sullivan. It was published in the Newry Telegraph on April 19th. 1817, and was reprinted in many other periodicals, but was forgotten until, after Wolfe's death, Lord Byron drew the attention of the public to it. Wolfe's only volume of verse, "Poetical Remains", appeared posthumously in 1825. In addition to his most famous poem, it included fourteen other works of an equally high standard.
Bio by: Iain MacFarlaine
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