Richard Daly (1758â€"1813) was an Irish actor and theatrical
manager.Daly was born in County Galway, second son to Joseph Daly, a
prosperous farmer. Though he entered Trinity College Dublin in 1773
there is no record that he ever took a degree. His character was
violent; Jonah Barrington said he fought sixteen duels in the two
years, three with swords and the rest with pistols, including one with
Barrington, who claimed to have nearly killed him.Daly squandered his
father's inheritance. He went to England to try for a career on the
stage, was tutored by Charles Macklin and debuted as Othello at
London's Covent Garden on 4 March 1779 to an ill-received performance.
He was back in Dublin in May with a travelling theatre company and
purchased the deserted Smock Alley Theatre, which he refurbished and
opened in November 1780. Until 1796 he managed theatres in Cork,
Limerick, Newry and Waterford but he favoured his dissolute lifestyle
over business. He was, however, awarded an exclusive fourteen-year
parliamentary patent to perform drama in Dublin as deputy master of
the revels, at one stroke removing competition from rival companies.
manager.Daly was born in County Galway, second son to Joseph Daly, a
prosperous farmer. Though he entered Trinity College Dublin in 1773
there is no record that he ever took a degree. His character was
violent; Jonah Barrington said he fought sixteen duels in the two
years, three with swords and the rest with pistols, including one with
Barrington, who claimed to have nearly killed him.Daly squandered his
father's inheritance. He went to England to try for a career on the
stage, was tutored by Charles Macklin and debuted as Othello at
London's Covent Garden on 4 March 1779 to an ill-received performance.
He was back in Dublin in May with a travelling theatre company and
purchased the deserted Smock Alley Theatre, which he refurbished and
opened in November 1780. Until 1796 he managed theatres in Cork,
Limerick, Newry and Waterford but he favoured his dissolute lifestyle
over business. He was, however, awarded an exclusive fourteen-year
parliamentary patent to perform drama in Dublin as deputy master of
the revels, at one stroke removing competition from rival companies.
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