Parnell, Thomas (1679–1718)

Irish poet, born in Dublin, and educated there at Trinity College. Parnell wrote various isolated poems, showing a fine descriptive touch, the most important being ‘The Hermit’, ‘The Night Piece’, and ‘The Hymn to Contentment’. He was a friend of Jonathan Swift, and the English poet Alexander Pope, whom he helped with his translation of the Iliad.

Parnell was ordained in 1700, and appointed vicar of Finglas and archdeacon of Clogher. He visited London 1712–18 where he contributed verse to the Spectator and The Guardian.