Maxwell Henry Close
Encyclopedia
Maxwell Henry Close was an Irish
Church of Ireland
clergyman and geologist
who also contributed to the preservation of the Irish language
.
, the son of Henry Samuel Close, a well-known lawyer whose family came from Drumbanagher in County Armagh
. He was educated at Weymouth and at Trinity College
, Dublin, where he graduated in 1846; and two years later he entered holy orders
.
For a year he was curate of All Saints, Northampton
; from 1849 to 1857 he was rector of Shangton in Leicestershire
; and then for four years he was curate of Waitham-on-the-Wolds.
On the death of his father in 1861 he returned to Dublin, and while giving his services to various churches in the city, devoted himself almost wholly to literary and scientific pursuits, and especially to the glacial
geology of Ireland, on which subject he became an acknowledged authority. His paper, read before the Royal Geological Society of Ireland
in 1866, on the General Glaciation of Ireland is a masterly description of the effects of glaciation, and of the evidence in favor of the action of land-ice. Later on he discussed the origin of the elevated shell-bearing gravels near Dublin and expressed the view that they were accumulated by floating ice when the land had undergone submergence.
In 1872 George H Kinahan and Maxwell Close published jointly an important paper entitled The Glaciation of Iar-Connaught and its Neighbourhood in the Counties of Galway and Mayo. It was a private publication, accompanied by a large map showing the pattern of striae over Connemara
and south Mayo
.
He was for a time treasurer of the Royal Irish Academy
, an active member of the Royal Dublin Society
, and president in 1878 of the Royal Geological Society of Ireland
. Astronomy
and physics
, as well as the ancient language and antiquities of Ireland, attracted his attention. He was a founder member of the Gaelic Union, which he helped to finance, and the Society for the Preservation of the Irish language. Through the last decades of the 19th century he was Treasurer to both these societies. He was also a very early member of Conradh na Gaeilge
, the Gaelic League, which he supported financially. In his will he left £1,000 for the publication of a dictionary of Irish based largely on the old manuscripts. The first volume was published in 1913 and the final volume in 1973.
He died in Dublin.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
clergyman and geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
who also contributed to the preservation of the Irish language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
.
Life
He was born in Dublin, IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, the son of Henry Samuel Close, a well-known lawyer whose family came from Drumbanagher in County Armagh
County Armagh
-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...
. He was educated at Weymouth and at Trinity College
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, Dublin, where he graduated in 1846; and two years later he entered holy orders
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
.
For a year he was curate of All Saints, Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
; from 1849 to 1857 he was rector of Shangton in Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
; and then for four years he was curate of Waitham-on-the-Wolds.
On the death of his father in 1861 he returned to Dublin, and while giving his services to various churches in the city, devoted himself almost wholly to literary and scientific pursuits, and especially to the glacial
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
geology of Ireland, on which subject he became an acknowledged authority. His paper, read before the Royal Geological Society of Ireland
Royal Geological Society of Ireland
The Royal Geological Society of Ireland traces its origin to the founding in 1831 in Dublin of the Geological Society of Dublin, under the leadership of William Buckland and Adam Sedgwick....
in 1866, on the General Glaciation of Ireland is a masterly description of the effects of glaciation, and of the evidence in favor of the action of land-ice. Later on he discussed the origin of the elevated shell-bearing gravels near Dublin and expressed the view that they were accumulated by floating ice when the land had undergone submergence.
In 1872 George H Kinahan and Maxwell Close published jointly an important paper entitled The Glaciation of Iar-Connaught and its Neighbourhood in the Counties of Galway and Mayo. It was a private publication, accompanied by a large map showing the pattern of striae over Connemara
Connemara
Connemara is a district in the west of Ireland consisting of a broad peninsula between Killary Harbour and Kilkieran Bay in the west of County Galway.-Overview:...
and south Mayo
Mayo
- Places :Ireland* County Mayo* Mayo * Mayo * Mayo * Mayo East * Mayo North...
.
He was for a time treasurer of the Royal Irish Academy
Royal Irish Academy
The Royal Irish Academy , based in Dublin, is an all-Ireland, independent, academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is one of Ireland's premier learned societies and cultural institutions and currently has around 420 Members, elected in...
, an active member of the Royal Dublin Society
Royal Dublin Society
The Royal Dublin Society was founded on 25 June 1731 to "to promote and develop agriculture, arts, industry, and science in Ireland". The RDS is synonymous with its main premises in Ballsbridge in Dublin, Ireland...
, and president in 1878 of the Royal Geological Society of Ireland
Royal Geological Society of Ireland
The Royal Geological Society of Ireland traces its origin to the founding in 1831 in Dublin of the Geological Society of Dublin, under the leadership of William Buckland and Adam Sedgwick....
. Astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
and physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, as well as the ancient language and antiquities of Ireland, attracted his attention. He was a founder member of the Gaelic Union, which he helped to finance, and the Society for the Preservation of the Irish language. Through the last decades of the 19th century he was Treasurer to both these societies. He was also a very early member of Conradh na Gaeilge
Conradh na Gaeilge
Conradh na Gaeilge is a non-governmental organisation that promotes the Irish language in Ireland and abroad. The motto of the League is Sinn Féin, Sinn Féin amháin .-Origins:...
, the Gaelic League, which he supported financially. In his will he left £1,000 for the publication of a dictionary of Irish based largely on the old manuscripts. The first volume was published in 1913 and the final volume in 1973.
He died in Dublin.