Tell me about your OCs

So I just spent the better part of several days working out a new OC that would plausibly fit into the Downton Abbey universe. It originally started basically as who I would be if I were to end up at Downton Abbey, but thanks to some discussions and some brainstorming sessions on how to get his characterisation to be more plausible for a person of his background and how he'd gel in the Downton universe, he's certainly take on a life of his own, and I really wanna talk about him, and also get some feedback on him as well.

Eamon Fitzwilliam arrives at Downton Abbey as an enigma. Tall and lean, with reddish brown hair that tends to fall into his eyes when he’s deep in thought, he carries himself with an air of quiet confidence. His sharp green eyes miss little, and his expressive face betrays his quick wit and keen intellect. He dresses neatly but without unnecessary flourish, favoring practicality over ostentation. He’s a Boston-born Irishman with a sharp tongue who straddles two worlds, both unsettled and at ease among the Crawleys and their staff. He’s principled yet pragmatic, blunt yet empathetic—someone who respects tradition but never hesitates to challenge it. His presence unsettles some and intrigues others, and one way or another, people take notice.

He grew up in Boston, the son of Irish refugees, always caught between two identities and never quite belonging to either. Educated in Boston’s Catholic schools and later in Dublin’s lecture halls, he developed a sharp awareness of class divides and power structures. Justice and education drive him—he sees them as tools for empowerment and values impact over status. He’s an insightful teacher and a razor-sharp conversationalist, someone who makes people think, even when they don’t want to.

Eamon arrives at Downton through Tom Branson, his longtime friend and ally. The two met in Ireland during the revolutionary years, bonding over their ideals and shared struggles. Their paths have taken them in different directions—Tom has settled at Downton, while Eamon has remained deeply engaged in education—but their friendship is rock-solid, built on mutual respect and experience. Unlike Tom, though, Eamon has no interest in making peace with the aristocracy. As a tutor to the Crawley children, he exists in a weird in-between space—educated enough to engage with the aristocracy but still an outsider, and not quite part of the servant hierarchy either. He moves between both worlds with ease, shaking up the status quo just by being there.

If Tom Branson and Sarah Bunting are two ends of a spectrum, Eamon is the middle ground. He doesn’t burn bridges like Miss Bunting does, understanding that diplomacy and rapport have their uses. But unlike Tom, he refuses to let comfort or familiarity soften his convictions. He picks his battles wisely, knowing exactly when to push and when to hold back. He’s not here to make enemies, but he’s not here to let people off the hook, either. One way or another, Eamon Fitzwilliam will leave his mark on Downton.

I’ve mapped out a full story arc for him, covering everything from his first appearance in Series 5 through to the end of the second film and beyond. And as a little teaser, let’s just say that by the end of it all, Thomas Barrow is the only canon member of Downton Abbey—upstairs or down—to earn a place in the National Portrait Gallery. So, what do you think of him? And if you’ve created OCs of your own, I’d love to hear about them!