Reverend James Owen Hannay (1865-1950) was born in Belfast and educated at Haileybury and Trinity College, Dublin. He wrote some of his books under the pseudonym George A. Birmingham. His most famous works include: The Spirit and Origin of Christian Monasticism (1903), The Seething Plot (1905), Hyacinth (1906), Benedict Cavanagh (1907), The Northern Iron (1907), The Bad Times (1908), Spanish Gold (1908), The Search Party (1909), Lalage's Lovers (1911), The Major's Niece (1911), The Red Hand of Ulster (1912), The Simpkins Plot (1912), The Adventures of Dr. Whitty (1913), General John Regan (1913), Gossamer (1915), Inisheeny (1920), Send for Dr O'Grady (1923), Found Money (1923), The Great Grandmother (1923), King Tommy (1924), Goodly Pearls (1926), Fidgets (1927), The Hymn Tune Mystery (1930), Wild Justice (1930), and Elizabeth and the Archdeacon (1932).