Caesar Otway

Who was Caesar Otway?

Caesar Otway was born at Castle Otway near Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, Ireland in 1780. He was an Irish author and clergyman who wanted to study and improve the condition of the poor.

In 1803 he married Frances Hastings with whom he had five children: John Hastings Otway, Caesar George Otway, Loftus Otway, Jane Otway and Frances Otway. His parents were Cooke and Elizabeth Otway and his elder brothers included Admiral Robert Otway and Loftus who became a general. Cooke had been an officer in the Irish Volunteers militia.

In 1810 he graduated from Trinity College, Dublin with holy orders. He worked as a parish clergyman for seventeen years before becoming assistant chaplain at the Magdalen Asylum in Dublin. When his wife died in 1833 he remarried. His second wife was Elizabeth la Touche, daughter of James Digges la Touche of Dublin, on 17 January 1837.

He is best remembered as a writer of Irish tales. His writings, which display humour and sympathy with the poorer classes in Ireland, include Sketches in Ireland, Sketches in Erris and Tyrawley and A Tour in Connaught. He was a good friend of the writer William Carleton and was involved in the establishment of various journals during his lifetime.