Augustine Birrell was a prominent British Liberal politician, barrister, and man of letters. He served in the cabinet as President of the Board of Education and later as the Chief Secretary for Ireland from 1907 to 1916. His tenure as Chief Secretary ended with his resignation following the Easter Rising of 1916, an event for which he was heavily criticized. Despite his controversial political career, Birrell was also a celebrated author and critic, admired for his witty and charming essays, a style that became known as 'birrelling'.