Alice Curtayne was born in 1901 at Tralee, Co. Kerry. She received her education in England and Italy. A hagiologist, she grew up with no ambition to write, but became infatuated enough with St. Catherine of Siena s letters to the reigning Pope to study in depth about the saint and compile notes for years. After being told she should write about the saint, she eventually found the time to do so and published St. Catherine of Siena in 1929. She went on to write several other notable books, including A Recall to Dante, The Catholic Literary Revival, St. Brigid of Ireland, and The Irish Story. Alice Curtayne died in 1981.