Father C. P. Meehan
Encyclopedia
Father Charles Patrick Meehan (July 12, 1812 – March 14, 1890) was an Irish Catholic priest, historian and editor.
, County Longford
, the native place of his parents. In 1828 he went to the Irish Catholic College, Rome, where he studied till he was ordained priest in 1834. Returning to Dublin in the same year he was appointed to a curacy at Rathdrum, County Wicklow
. After nine months he was transferred to a curacy at the parish church of Saints Michael and John, Dublin. In that position he continued till his death, on 14 March 1890.
A friend and confessor
to the poet James Clarence Mangan
, Meehan encouraged him to write his autobiography.
, a radical nationalist newspaper, under the pen-name 'Clericus'. In July, 1860, James Duffy
founded the Hibernian Magazine, edited by Martin Haverty
, It was a monthly, price eight pence, and ran for two years. The contributors included Meehan, Julia Kavanagh
, Denis Florence MacCarthy
, John O'Donovan
, William Carleton
, Thomas D'Arcy McGee, and William John Fitzpatrick
, and the articles were all signed. It ceased after two years, but a second series was started in 1862, with Meehan as editor, which extended to six volumes and ended in June 1865.
From materials gathered while in Wicklow, he compiled a "History of the O'Tooles, Lords Powerscourt", published without his name and long out of print. His other works are:
Meehan also wrote "Tales for the Young", and translated others which he named "Flowers from Foreign Fields". He edited Thomas Davis's "Literary and Historical Essays" (1883), Mangan's "Essays and Poems" (1884), and Richard Robert Madden
's "Literary Remains of the United Irishmen" (1887). He also wrote verse, which is to be found in various anthologies.
His book "The Fate and Fortunes of Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone and Rory O'Donnel, Earl of Tyrconnel; their flight from Ireland, and death in exile" was highly praised on publication. According to a newspaper The Limerick Vindicator - "Father Meehan .... boldly lifts the veil off those foul and treacherous deeds which fill some of the blackest pages in Ireland's disastrous history"
He also published a biography of Mangan in 1884.
Life
He was born at 141 Great Britain Street, Dublin, on 12 July 1812. He received his early education at BallymahonBallymahon
Ballymahon on the River Inny is a town in the southern part of County Longford, Ireland. It is located at the junction of the N55 National secondary road and the R392 regional road. Ballymahon derives its name from Gaelic Baile Mathuna Town of Mahon...
, County Longford
County Longford
County Longford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Longford.Longford County Council is the local authority for the county...
, the native place of his parents. In 1828 he went to the Irish Catholic College, Rome, where he studied till he was ordained priest in 1834. Returning to Dublin in the same year he was appointed to a curacy at Rathdrum, County Wicklow
Rathdrum, County Wicklow
Rathdrum is a village in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is situated high on the western side of the Avonmore river valley, which flows through the Vale of Clara.-People:Born in Rathdrum:...
. After nine months he was transferred to a curacy at the parish church of Saints Michael and John, Dublin. In that position he continued till his death, on 14 March 1890.
A friend and confessor
Confessor
-Confessor of the Faith:Its oldest use is to indicate a saint who has suffered persecution and torture for the faith, but not to the point of death. The term is still used in this way in the East. In Latin Christianity it has come to signify any saint, as well as those who have been declared...
to the poet James Clarence Mangan
James Clarence Mangan
James Clarence Mangan, born James Mangan was an Irish poet.-Early life:Mangan was the son of a former hedge school teacher who took over a grocery business and eventually became bankrupt....
, Meehan encouraged him to write his autobiography.
Works
He wrote poetry for The NationThe Nation (Irish newspaper)
The Nation was an Irish nationalist weekly newspaper, published in the 19th century. The Nation was printed first at 12 Trinity Street, Dublin, on 15 October 1842, until 6 January 1844...
, a radical nationalist newspaper, under the pen-name 'Clericus'. In July, 1860, James Duffy
James Duffy (Irish publisher)
James Duffy was a prominent 19th century Irish author and publisher.-Career:Duffy was educated at a hedge school and began his business as a bookseller through purchasing Protestant bibles given to Catholics. He then traveled to Liverpool where he traded them for more valuable books...
founded the Hibernian Magazine, edited by Martin Haverty
Martin Haverty
-Life:Born in County Mayo on 1 December 1809, he received most of his education at the Irish College, Paris. He came to Dublin in 1836. In the following year he joined the staff of the Freeman's Journal, with which he was connected until 1850....
, It was a monthly, price eight pence, and ran for two years. The contributors included Meehan, Julia Kavanagh
Julia Kavanagh
Julia Kavanagh was an Irish novelist, born at Thurles in Tipperary, Ireland.-Biography:She was the daughter of Morgan Peter Kavanagh , author of various philological works and some poems...
, Denis Florence MacCarthy
Denis Florence MacCarthy
Denis Florence MacCarthy was an Irish poet, translator, and biographer, born in Lower O'Connell Street, Dublin.-Life:McCarthy was born in Lower O'Connell Street, Dublin, on 26 May 1817, and educated there and at Maynooth. He acquired an intimate knowledge of Spanish from a learned priest, who had...
, John O'Donovan
John O'Donovan (scholar)
John O'Donovan , from Atateemore, in the parish of Kilcolumb, County Kilkenny, and educated at Hunt's Academy, Waterford, was an Irish language scholar from Ireland.-Life:...
, William Carleton
William Carleton
William Carleton was an Irish novelist.Carleton's father was a Roman Catholic tenant farmer, who supported fourteen children on as many acres, and young Carleton passed his early life among scenes similar to those he later described in his books...
, Thomas D'Arcy McGee, and William John Fitzpatrick
William John Fitzpatrick
William John Fitzpatrick was an Irish historian.-Life:He was born in Thomas Street, Dublin. The son of a rich merchant, he had an interest in investigative biography...
, and the articles were all signed. It ceased after two years, but a second series was started in 1862, with Meehan as editor, which extended to six volumes and ended in June 1865.
From materials gathered while in Wicklow, he compiled a "History of the O'Tooles, Lords Powerscourt", published without his name and long out of print. His other works are:
- "History of the Confederation of Kilkenny" (1846);
- "The Geraldines, their Rise, Increase and Ruin" (1847);
- translation of Manzoni's "La Monaca di Monza" (1848);
- "Portrait of a Christian Bishop" (1848); biography of Francis KirwanFrancis Kirwan-Life:Kirwan was born in the town of Galway to Matthew Kirwan and Juliana Lynch, both members of The Tribes of Galway. He was educated on the continent, returning to Ireland in 1614 to be ordained a priest...
, Bishop of KillalaBishop of KillalaThe Bishop of Killala is an episcopal title which takes its name after the town of Killala in County Mayo, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishoprics.-History:...
, translated from the Latin of John LynchJohn Lynch (Gratianus Lucius)John Lynch, pseudonym Gratianus Lucius, D.D., was an Irish Roman Catholic priest, known as a historian and Archdeacon of Tuam.-Life:...
"; - "Lives of the most eminent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, of the Order of St. Dominic, translated from the Italian of Vincenzo Marchese" (1852);
- "Fate and Fortunes of the Earls of Tyrone and Tyrconnell" (1868);
- "Rise and Fall of the Irish Franciscan Monasteries and Memoirs of the Irish Hierarchy in the Seventeenth Century" (1870).
Meehan also wrote "Tales for the Young", and translated others which he named "Flowers from Foreign Fields". He edited Thomas Davis's "Literary and Historical Essays" (1883), Mangan's "Essays and Poems" (1884), and Richard Robert Madden
Richard Robert Madden
Richard Robert Madden was an Irish doctor, writer, abolitionist and historian of the United Irishmen....
's "Literary Remains of the United Irishmen" (1887). He also wrote verse, which is to be found in various anthologies.
His book "The Fate and Fortunes of Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone and Rory O'Donnel, Earl of Tyrconnel; their flight from Ireland, and death in exile" was highly praised on publication. According to a newspaper The Limerick Vindicator - "Father Meehan .... boldly lifts the veil off those foul and treacherous deeds which fill some of the blackest pages in Ireland's disastrous history"
He also published a biography of Mangan in 1884.