Ellen Odette Cuffe, Countess of Desart (née Bischoffsheim; 1 September 1857 – 29 June 1933) was a London-born Jewish woman who was best known as an Irish politician, company director, Gaelicist and philanthropist[1] in Ireland.

[3] After the death of her husband Lady Desart left the house in Cuffesgrange and moved to her home in Aut Even (a transcription of Áit Aoibhinn, the Irish for Beautiful Place) on the outskirts of Kilkenny city.

[5] On 3 November 1910, Lady Desart formally opened the Carnegie Library for the very first time with a silver key supplied by P.T.

[6] She was appointed to the Irish Free State Seanad Éireann as an independent member in December 1922 by the President of the Executive Council.

She is buried along with her Anglo-Irish husband William Cuffe (from Desart Cuffsgrange, County Kilkenny) in Falmouth, Cornwall.