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The actor dramatist Charles Macklin was born Cathal MacLoughlin in 1690 near
Culdaff
on the Inishowen Peninsula.
After his father's death in 1704 Macklin's family moved to Dublin where his mother ran an ale house in Werburg Street in Dublin's Liberty. Macklin was educated at Islandbridge and took a job as an errand boy in Trinity College, Dublin before running away to join a troup of strolling players in Bristol. He made his professional debut in the title role in Shakespeare's *Richard III* in 1724 and a year later he made his first appearance on the London stage in the role of Alcander in Dryden and Lee's *Aedipus*. Macklin continued to act on the London stage for several years before playing the part of Brazen in fellow Irishman George Farquhar's *Beaux Strategem* in 1733 after which Macklin's reputation was assured. Such was Macklin's portrayal of Shylock that Alexander Pope declared This is the Jew that Shakespeare drew. Macklin began tutoring actors on Shakespearian drama in the 1740's and wrote his first play, *Henry VII* in 1745. He went on to write seven more plays, most notably *Love á La Mode*(1759) and *A Trueborn Irishman*(1761). Throughout the 1760's and 1770's Macklin divided his time between London and Dublin where he had considerable theatrical investments. However he was so protective of his drama that he sued numerous theatres who put on unlicensed versions of his plays and lost his fortune in law suits. While Macklin was one of the most popular actor dramatists of the 18th century he ended his days impoverished in London, forced to take to the stage again even in his nineties. In 1793 when he was no longer able to act he sold the publishing rights to his much guarded plays to augment his income. Charles Macklin died at the age of 107 and was buried in Poet's Corner in St. Paul's Cathedral, London on the 16th of July, 1797. For further information see Charles Macklin Autumn School. Rugadh an aisteoir/drámadóir Charles Macklin mar Cathal Mac Loughlin í 1690 taobh lé Cúil Dabhcha ar Leathinis Inis Eoghain. Í ndiaidh bás a athara i 1704, chuaigh clann Mhacklin go Baile Atha Cliath áit a raibh teach leanna ag a mhathair i Sraid Werburg íns Na Liberties, í mBaile Atha Cliath. Fuair Macklin a chuid oideachais ag Islandbridge agus ghlac sé post mar theachtaire í gColaiste na Trionoide, Baile Atha Cliath sular ndeachaigh sé ar falróid le grúpa aisteoirí fánacha í mBristol. |
Charles Macklin as Shylock |
| Thosaigh sé a ghairm mar aisteoir nuair a ghlac sé an phriomhpáirt i *Richard III* le Shakespeare í 1724, agus a bliain ína dhiaidh sin chuaigh Macklin ar an stáitse i Londain don chéad uair nuair a ghlac sé páirt Alcander í *Aedipus* le Dryden agus Lee.
Lean Macklin air ag aisteoireacht ar an staitse i Londain ar feadh roinnt blianta sular ghlac sé páirt mar Brazen í *Beaux Strategem* a scríobh a chomhpháirtí Éireannach George Farquhar í 1733. Ina dhiaidh seo bhí a chliú deimhnithe. B'amhlaidh feabhas an léiriuchán a rinne Macklin ar pháirt Shylock go ndúirt Alexander Pope faoi "This is the Jew that Shakespeare drew." Thosaigh Macklin ag tabhairt treoir do aisteoirí i ndramaíocht Shakespeare sna 1740oidí agus scríobh sé a céad dráma, *Henry VII* í 1745. Ina dhiaidh seo, scriobh sé seacht drámaí eile, *Love á La Mode* (1759) agus *A Trueborn Irishman* (1716) a ba shuntasaí dóibh seo. I rith na 1760oidí agus na 1770oidí, bhí sé ag cur faoi i Londain agus i mBaile Atha Cliath, áit ar a raibh infheistiochtaí tabhachta aige i ndramaiocht. Ach bhí sé chomh cúramach faoina chuid drámaí gur chuir sé an dlí ar uimhir amharclanna a thaispeáin leagáin da chuid drámaí gan cheadúnas, agus chaill sé a mhaoin i gcúiseanna dlí. Cé gurbh é Macklin an t-aisteoir/drámadóir a ba ghairmiúila ag deireadh na 18ú aoise déag, chaith sé deireadh a shaoil agus a laethe i mbochtanas i Londain, agus bhí ar dul ar an ardán fiú nuair á bhí sé tuairim is nocha bliain d'aois. Í 1793, nuair nach raibh sé abalta dul ar an staitse, dhíol sé cló-chearta dena dramaí a bhí comh caomhnaithe sin aige, mar nach raibh go leor teacht isteach aige. Fuair Charles Macklin bás nuair a bhí sé 107 agus cuireadh é í Poets' Corner in Ard Eaglais Naomh Paul i Londain ar an 16ú lá de Iuil, 1797.© Feic Charles Macklin Autumn School |