Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Otway, Cæsar
OTWAY, CÆSAR (1780–1842), miscellaneous writer, son of Loftus Otway, was born in 1780 in co. Tipperary of an English family long settled there. He matriculated at Trinity College, Dublin, on 6 Dec. 1796, being then sixteen years of age, graduated B.A. in 1801, and, after being ordained, was given the curacy of a country parish, where he remained seventeen years. His second appointment was to the assistant-chaplaincy of Leeson Street Magdalen Chapel, Dublin, where he became one of the leading preachers. In conjunction with Joseph Henderson Singer [q. v.], he started, in 1825, the ‘Christian Examiner,' the first Irish religious magazine associated with the established church. It was in this periodical that William Carleton, encouraged by Otway, begun his literary career. Otway was an enthusiastic antiquary and an admirer of Irish scenery, and he co-operated with George Petrie [q. v.] in the first volume of the ‘Dublin Penny Journal.’ in which he wrote under the pseudonym of ‘Terence O'Toole.’ He was also a contributor to the ‘Dublin University Magazine.’ Ill-health prevented him from realising his design of writing a history of Ireland, and of editing the works of Sir James Ware. He died in Dublin on 16 March 1842.
His works are: 1. ‘A Letter the Roman Catholic Priests of Ireland’ (signed ‘C. O.'), 8vo, 1814. 2. 'A Lecture on Miracles...with Appendices' 8vo, 1823. 3. ‘Sketches in Ireland,' anon. 8vo, 1827, 4. ‘A Tour in Connaught,' anon. 8vo, 1839. 5. ‘Sketches in Erris and Tyrawly,' anon. 8vo, 1841. 6. ‘The Intellectuality of Domestic Animals,' a lecture, 16mo, 1817.
[Athenæum, 1842, p. 294; Dublin University Magazine, vols. xiv. xix. (portrait), information from Dr. Ingram. Trin. Coll. Dublin; Wills's Irish Nation, iv. 456-8.]