Robert Wilson Lynd (1879 -1949) was an Irish writer, editor of poetry, urbane literary essayist and strong Irish nationalist. Lynd was educated at Royal Belfast Academical Institution, studying at Queen's University. His father served a term as Presbyterian Church Moderator but he was just one of a long line of Presbyterian clergy in the family. He began as a journalist on The Northern Whig in Belfast. He also wrote for the Daily News (later the News Chronicle), being its literary editor 1912-47. He used the pseudonym YY (Ys, or wise) in writing for the New Statesman. According to C. H. Rolph's Kingsley (1973), Lynd's weekly essay, which ran from 1913 to 1945, was "irreplaceable".
