Edmund Rice was born in the townland of Westcourt near the village of Callan in County Kilkenny on June 1, 1762. His parents, Robert and Margaret Tierney Murphy Rice, were prosperous farmers. The family spoke Irish but would also have spoken English in order to conduct their business affairs.
Edmund Rice's birth in Westcourt, a townland near Callan, County Kilkenny, and his upbringing as the son of prosperous farmers Robert and Margaret Tierney Murphy Rice are key elements that shaped his life. The family's bilingualism (Irish and English) is also significant to understanding their daily lives.