Conal Holmes O'Connell O'Riordan

Conal Holmes O'Connell O'Riordan (pseudonym Norreys Connell) (29 April 1874 – 18 June 1948) was an Irish dramatist and novelist.

He was born in Dublin and educated at Clongowes Wood College and Belvedere College. He had intended a military career until he suffered a spinal injury in a fall from a horse He moved to London at the age of 16 to pursue a career as an actor and dramatist. His first book was In the Green Park (1894). Later novels include the ‘Adam’ trilogy, beginning with Adam of Dublin (1920); and the ‘Soldier’ series, including Soldier Born (1927), Soldier of Waterloo (1928), and Soldier's End (1938).

He succeeded John Millington Synge as director of the Abbey Theatre, Dublin from 1909 to 1915. His plays include Rope Enough (1913), His Majesty's Pleasure (1925), and The King's Wooing (1929).

Novels

His novels include:

• In the Green Park or The Half-Pay Deities (1894)
• The House of the Strange Woman (1895)
• The Fool and His Heart (1896)
• The Pity of War (1906)
• Adam of Dublin (1920)
• Adam and Caroline (1921)
• In London: The Story of Adam and Marriage (1922)
• Rowena Barnes (1923)
• Married Life (1924)
• The Age of Miracles (1925)
• Young Lady Drazincourt (1925)
• Soldier Born (1927)
• Soldier of Waterloo (1928)
• Soldier’s Wife (1935)
• Soldier's End (1938)
• Judith Quinn, a Novel for Women (1939)
• Judith’s Love (1940)

Play

His plays include:

• Rope Enough (1913)
• His Majesty's Pleasure (1925)
• Napoleon’s Josephine (1928)
• The King's Wooing (1929)