Peadar O Gealacain: A Great Irish Scribe

County Louth Archaeological and History Society

Peadar O Gealacain: A Great Irish ScribeAuthor(s): E. G. F. and Henry MorrisSource: Journal of the County Louth Archaeological Society, Vol. 6, No. 4 (Dec., 1928), pp.167-180Published by: County Louth Archaeological and History SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27728259 .

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JOURNAL OF THE COUNTY LOUTH

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

No. 4. 1928 Vol. VI.

<Peabar 0 #ealacam*

A Great Irish Scribe.

HILE the characteristic feature of the history of Ireland during the

nineteenth century is the political resurgence of the Gael, another

note,?less prominent, indeed, but more fundamental in the long

run?is the de-Gaelicising of the Gael himself.

In this humiliating chapter we see the picture of an ancient race abandoning its language, tradition and customs ; its people changing their very names. But

in the ever-thickening darkness there are some bright spots that shine like stars

amid the prevailing gloom. They are those who saw that the loss of the national

language and literature could not be compensated for by political victories and

who raised their voices in a vain effort to stem the national retreat. And of these none now challenge our admiration more than the men?mostly poor and humble?

who laboriously wrote by the light of the flickering home-made candle copying our literature, prose and poetry, to hand it down to a

posterity that was every year

growing more heedless before their very eyes. Nothing can explain this devotion

in the midst of discouragement but their natural attachment to the language as

something that was a part of themselves, and their appreciation of its beauties.

"Oh, heavens !" wrote Peter Galliganina footnote to a beautiful Irish poem he had finished copying,

" was there ever anything half so sweet or to be compared

to our dear but neglected Irish language ? "

Many of these scribes were schoolmasters, but it would appear that they were

literary men first and foremost, but were obliged to take up teaching simply as

a means of livelihood, though a poor one at that.

One of the most indefatigable of the Irish scribes was Peter Galligan?in Irish

Pcadar O Gealacain, of Moynalty, Co. Meath. His people came from Co. Cavan

some generations earlier. In a note in one of his MSS. he tells us he was "

the son



l68 COUNTY LOUTH ARCHAEOLOGICAL JOURNAL

of Patrick, the son of Luke, the son of Sean, the son of Eamonn, the son of Sean

0 Galligan from Sliabh gCliath adjacent to Cavan." He was born in 1793, on

29th June. His mother was Margaret Williams, and he recounts her death with the exacti

tude of fond affection. She died on Friday morning about 2 o'clock on the 8th

September, 1837. He did not know her age, but his aunt, Mary Williams, who

died in December, 1829, was 81 years of age. Both mother and aunt were buried

in one grave in the churcyhard of Munter Connaught, Co. of Cavan, "

and my aunt's

daughter, Anne Cunningham, is buried with them. May the King of Glory have

mercy on their souls."

Munter Connaught is a parish lying to the west of Lough Ramor, in the extreme

south of Co. Cavan adjoining Co. Meath.

Where Galligan was born is uncertain. His mother would probably be buried

with "

her own people," so that her burial place would give no indication of his

father's home, but it is likely to have been in or about Bailymacane, Moynalty, Co. Meath, where Peter continued to live for most of his life.

He got a fairly good education both in Irish and English, the latter, no doubt, at some of the local

" Hedge Schools," and in a short time learned to write a beautiful

hand in both languages. I do not think Irish was formally taught in the ordinary

" Hedge Schools,"

but in north Meath as well as in south Monaghan and Cavan there were numerous

poets and writers in Irish, so that at an early age Galligan would become

acquainted with, and learn to read Irish MSS. Around that district these Irish

writers formed a kind of fraternity into which Galligan would appear to have been

initiated quite early in life, for we find him copying MSS. before he was thirty years of age?perhaps indeed much earlier, but this is the earliest surviving MS. that

1 have seen.

He gives a list of these Irish poets and writers "

that he was familiarly acquainted with." They were : James Tevlin of Billy wood near Kells; Peter Daly, William

Walsh (died about 1839), Matthew Monaghan of Mullagh, Patrick Reilly, Peter

Coalrake, and Michael Clarke of White wood near Nobber.

But he was familiar wth the writing of over two score of other Irish poets whose names he recounts. The North-Meath and South-Cavan districts had for

over a hundred and fifty years been prolific in a succession of Irish poets, writers

and scribes, amongst them being Rev. Paul O'Brien (died 1826), William Buidhe

O Ciarain or Maolciarain of Oristown near Kells, Patrick Smyth of Emlagh near

Kells, Patrick O Brien (second cousin of Rev. Paul O Brien) of Grangegeeth near

Slane (died about 1827), William O Brien (great-grandfather of Rev. Paul), Philip O Farrelly and his son Sean of Mullagh, Co. Cavan, Feardorcha O Farrell of Mullagh,

probably another relative ; Fiachra MacBrady and his brother Philip, known as



PEADAR O GEALACAIN 169

Parson Brady, and Brian Dubh O Reilly, all of Stradone, Co. Cavan ; Cathaoir

MacCabe of Co. Cavan ; Turlough O Carolan and Sean O Neachtain of Co. Meath.

Even this list does not profess to be exhaustive.

Galligan was cradled in the midst of this district, rich in Irish song, and such

was the tradition to which he succeeded by a kind of natural inheritance.

But with the downfall of the Gael the days had passed when the cultivation

of Irish poetry was a remunerative profession, and Peter Galligan in his twenty

first year adopted school teaching as a career. He gives a detailed account in one

of his MSS. of his experiences as teacher, showing the unsettled life and uncertain

tenure of a hedge-schoolmaster of those days.

The practice, as is well known, was for a teacher to carry on his school for a

few weeks or months in one farmer's house where he was hospitably maintained

and then move to another; the irregular lengths of the visits depending, perhaps, on

his welcome or on the contributions of his scholars.

The following is the record referred to :? "

An exact account of the several places in which I have taught, together with

the dates, as follows :?

"

My first commencement was in Ardamagh at Francis Flood's house, on

9th June, 1814 ; next at Tom Lynch's, near the bog, on the ist February, 1815 ;

then at Pat Muldoon's, ist May, 1815 ; continued there till October, 1816, then

left off ; then commenced at my own place in June, 1817?two months ; then com

menced at Nancy MacMahon's, Dec. 9th, 1817, and continued there till ist May,

1819 ; then removed to Christopher Gearty's house on 6th May, 1819, and con

tinued there till May ist, 1820 ; then removed to Owen Gearty's stable, on Monday,

5th June, 1820, and continued there till October following ; then commenced at

Pat Muldoon's, on Wednesday, Nov. 22nd, 1820, and continued there till 23rd

May, 1821 ; commenced again at Widow Flood's, Ardamagh, on Thursday, May

24th, 1821, and continued till 23rd October following ; then at Hugh Tully's, Arda

magh, on Wednesday, Dec. 12th, 1821, and continued until May, 1822 ; then con

tinued in Widow Flood's again from May ist, 1822, until October following ; then

commenced at P. Muldoon's on Thursday, January 2nd, 1823, until Sept. 26th,

1823, at which time I have drawn a memorandum of the above places and times

and dates.

[Addendum.] "

After shutting up school at P. Muldoon's, Castlecom, September 26th, 1823, I had no school until February, 1824. I set out for Michael Clarke's, Whitewood, and opened at his place on ?

February, 1824, and continued no more than a fort

night until I shut up again. Then I had no school until June following, when I

opened school at Owen Cassidy's house, Tamlis, on Friday, 4th June, 1824, and



170 COUNTY LOUTH ARCHAEOLOGICAL JOURNAL

remained there till Saturday, 4th October, 1824, and then removed to Philip Cassidy's, October 4th, 1824. I remained there till 19th October, and shut up school till

November 19th, and did not begin again until 18th April, 1825. Commenced in

Cruisetown, Monday, 18th April, 1825, f?r twelve months.?Peter Galligan."

Thus in twelve years he taught school in sixteen places, and had no school at

all during one-third of the time.

The "

Irish Society "

estabUshed in Dublin about this time with the aim of

converting the Catholic people to Protestantism by teaching them to read the

Bible in Irish, offered employment to educated young men as Irish schoolmasters.

The district of Kingscourt including North Meath and part of Louth and Armagh was the first in which these schools were set up. Through the exertions of Rev.

Robert Winning of Kingscourt the scheme was begun here in 1823, and by end of

the year there were 31 schools in operation.

The salary tempted Galligan to take service in conducting one of these schools, which was started apparently in the neighbouring parish of Nobber. The scheme

was vigorously fought by the Catholic priesthood, and Father Halpin, P.P. of Nobber,

exposed Galligan's Irish school with such effect that he could get no pupils.

This may have been the school at Cruisetown which he mentions last in the

above list. All the earlier schools it may be noted, were held in the farmers' houses.

That at Cruisetown for which he mentions no host may have been the beginning of his course as a teacher for the Irish Society.

Galligan's own account1 is as follows :?

" About 1820 there was an Irish Society established in Dublin for the purpose

of extending and propagating a knowledge of the native language through Ireland.

This Society established superintendents and local inspectors in many districts

for the purpose of inspecting Irish schools. The schools were taught by Irish

scholars of course, whom Thornton (a local satirist) terms ' Thady Connellan's

volunteers.' Thady Connellan was a Roman Catholic, and the first rate (sic) Irish

scholar in Ireland ; and he was a professor of the Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and other

languages. These Irish teachers were under the greatest persecution everywhere

by priests and by their hearers, as it was considered a Protestant system."

Galligan may not have realised the ulterior object of the Irish Society of which

its sympathetic historian says "

It primarily sought to teach the Scriptures in the

native dialect without distinctly meaning to proselytise.?(McWalter's "

Refor

mation Movement in Ireland ") and his love of the language probably supplemented the inducement of the salary.

Thaddens Connellan, an Irish scholar, compiled Irish school books for the Irish

Society. 1 In the Edinburgh MS.



PEADAR O GEALACAIN 171

Thenceforth Galligan seems to have devoted himself largely to the copying of Irish manuscripts. This work could not have been continuous, as he mentions

that some of his MSS. were written at intervals during two or more years. This

pursuit would not provide him a living, but I have not discovered what other

occupation he had.

From 1823 until 1844, as notes in his MSS. show, he lived at Ballymacain or

Ballymacathain or Cainstown in the parish of Moynalty, north Meath. He prob

ably had a small farm here, may have taught school at intervals, and as time allowed

pursued his darling task of copying Irish MSS. Apparently he also lived at times at Ardamagh, Kilmainham Wood.

He married a girl called Sinead ni Thanaiste, or Jane Tennison, and had a

brother-in-law, Patrick Tennison.

The poem on his Belfast visit shows that he had children. His inscription m

my volume of Dr. Gallagher's "

Irish Sermons "?to be referred to later?where

he calls himself "Peter Galligan, senr.," would suggest that he had a son called

Peter.

MS. I.?The earliest MS. of his that I have seen is the "

Nobber MS.," so called, because it remained about Nobber until a few years ago. When I first discovered it, it was in the possession of Thomas Boylan

near Nobber, an old man then over 70 years,

who knew Irish well, and could read the MS. So fearful was he of losing it that he

would not lend it to me to make extracts. When he died he bequeathed it to Owen

Smith of Nobber, who allowed me to copy it, but came to me every evening and

brought it home for security. He refused to sell or part with it, answering "

No, I will keep it here to show that there was once learning in Nobber." The MS. was

written during the years 1823 and 1824, and in it he gives two addresses "

Ardamaha "

near Nobber, and "Ballymacain." It will be noted that at this period he was

teaching school?when he could manage to keep a school together.

The MS. is a large volume, but only about one-fifth of it is in Irish. The English consists of cures, songs, and historical pieces. Some of the penmanship is beautiful.

It is the least valuable of his MSS., due no doubt to his youth and inexperience. However, I have drawn largely on it in my

" Cead de Cheoltaibh Uladh

" and else

where.

MS. II.?The next in order of date is a MS. at present in the possession of Dr.

Douglas Hyde, and is numbered 39th in his collection. Dr. Hyde has kindly

supplied me with the following description of it :?

The MS. measures 8 inches by 6\ inches, and is bound in a rough cover of paste board and leather, stitched all over probably by Galligan himself. The scribe

divided the MS. into two parts and paged each separately. On the first page the

title of the MS. is given thus in fanciful red lettering?Ai 5 r-o CoimtieAfSAf Aûr*

eAChcfiA tv<\ ccii|\A"on. On page 1 the scribe writes "

Ay< v\a f5j\?o?A yo te

peA*oA|\




? JêAtACAn, fAn ccAifLeAn-CAtn ?fTmiA?A b-p?Aj; a cconrmA t?a ?Y?it), ata ati ceAC-pAT)

L? TTTCCTOT) T)0 1111*0 T?A SAttlTIA, m? le 50 tCTC ?AT1 5?, f? CAOÂT) A1f\ TTT?CTO "| ATI feAC?

t;? tJe?Tg." (= 1827).

On page 2 of the cover he has written "

Peter Galligan's Book, bound by him

self, on Monday, August the 3rd, 1829, in the 37th year of his age, and in the 8th

year of the reign of King George IV."

On page 2 of the MS. there is a table of contents, 27 items, all chapters from

the 6acc|\a t?a gCurvAt). The first part contains CouiieAfÂ-p t?a ^CnrvAt), 106 pp.

which is completed. The second part contains eAccrvA t?a ^Chât), 195 pp., but

breaks off incomplete in the middle of a sentence.

The binding was most probably done only when the writing was finished, so

that this MS. therefore was executed during the years 1827-29. So far Dr. Hyde.

MS. III.?During the years 1841-44 Galligan wrote a large MS. which I will

call the Edinburgh MS. as it is at present preserved in the Library of the University of Edinburgh. The title page runs :

" Peter Galligan's Sixth Volume, being a collection of Irish Songs and Poems,

&c, and also a few good pieces in Prose. Transcribed by himself from Mr. Peter

Daly's MS. and also from other authors."

The MS. contains 256 pieces, the vast majority being in Irish verse. More

than any other MS. of his that I have seen it is plentifully sprinkled with notes, the latter curiously enough nearly always in English, dealing with the authors and

incidents of the poems. Many of the biographical notes are very interesting and

valuable. On page 697 of the MS. he writes :? "

Now my dear Reader I will shortly terminate my long and laborious task .... and let you know a little further information (sic) on the contents of this

manuscript, which, if preserved, will be a memorial for ages."

Then on the following page (698) he continues :? "

This ends, my dear Reader, this large and comprehensive manuscript, which

is lengthened to 722 pages, including the contents, making in all about 4 quires of paper in octavo, or eight leaves in a sheet of folio.

The transcription of it commenced on the 10th August, 1841, and [it] was

completely finished on the 10th February, 1844, a period of 2| years, at intervals, that the writing of it cost.

And what a vast quantity of ink and pens have been used in the work,

together with the price of candles in the winter season. Therefore, to value all

the labour attending it, [it] has been truly and correctly estimated that the MS. is lawfully and honestly worth ?5 sterling,1 if ever it be sold, which I believe it will

1 Earlier in the MS. (at page 488) he made the same estimate :

" This MS. is worth ?5, &c."



PEADAR O GEALACAIN I73

not, as it is a most valuable collection, containing more or less of the productions

of all the principal Irish bards both ancient and modern.

My gentle reader when this page you see

Let your prayers and blessings for the writer be ;

If I be dead invoke the Power on high

To save my soul when in the dust I lie ;

Or if I be living, pray for my success,

And length of days with peace and happiness.

A t?igte?ijA 5JA?1T), zy?t c?yeAy u? mo j\A?in

to?ot) "o'ui^tiig cfAi?ceAC p?ijAceAC m "oo ceAtu? :

ITl?'f nit) 50 ?puit m? f?nue f?of 1 serv?

te m'AviAm a f?bAit, 5111*0 T)o gn?t ?TIac T)? ;

11o m?'f rut) 50 iriAifitn, b?oT) T)'Acmtiirme 50 cf?An

p? m? beic pAogAtA? te 5A? f?e 'ûy f?Ati.

peAOAf\ VIa geAtACAirt.

poificionn "| pimc A]\ a?i m?j\-fAotAp yo teif ati f^f?o?n?i-p -poiriifv?i'oue Ap

An *oeiceAT3 t? "oe'n m? Pa?|aa ha pAOittr?, 'fAn mbtiA'?Airi TÂO?f Af\ T?UigeAfriA

mite 50 teic 5A11 50, f? CA05AT) ajv t/? picit) Aûy au ceAtAif p? /?eoig, 1 tnbAite

rmc CAttiAoin, 1 bpAf\Air*ce ??UigeAnAtUA, 1 gCormuAe ?ia ??li'?e, 111 Aoif a "?eic

mbtiA'?AnA A|\ *o? picit), t? p?it peAT>Aifv f o cuait) cajac

t)eAiiriACc te n-A AnAm 50 CAitip ha Jt?ijte, ?i|\ b'Aic teif 50 "oeAfvbtA

o?ncA? gi?f ceotCA?."

I will return later to this Edinburgh manuscript, a large part of which I have

copied.

About this time Robert Mac Adam of Belfast, who was a combination of a

successful business man and an enthusiastic Irish scholar and archaeologist, heard

of Galligan and invited him to come to Belfast.

Galligan left the green grassy plains of Meath and travelled north. A friend

of his, Hugh MacDonald, who was already in Belfast, and who in all probability was the person who introduced Galligan to McAdam, wrote a long humorous Irish

piece in the old romantic style, partly in prose and party in verse, which he calls "

The Adventures of Peter Galligan." To him it was indeed an adventure. He was quite bewildered by a visit to Mac Adam's iron works?the Soho foundry in

Townsend Street, Belfast, the workers in which are described as a lot of black




demons, under the command of an arch-demon, Joe English, the foreman. In this

piece MacAdam is eulogised thus :?

11 For a manly man is MacAdam, who highly esteems the Gaelic, And who is friendly, too, and beloved by all its bards and poets.

'Tis our hope that the High-King will shower luck on him in this world,

And, after death, elevate him to the skies.

And as regards that famed fount of all the muses,

By my conscience, me thinks he has drained it dry. For in the language of authors and a study of their verses

I should not compare with him any other man whether of Ulster or Leinster."

However, it was not to show him foundries, that MacAdam brought the ex

pert Irish scribe to Belfast, but to have him copy Irish MSS., and he got him to

work with as little delay as possible.

MS. IV.?Galligan wrote out for him the long life of St. Mogue?the great saint of Drumlane, Rossinver, and Ferns?" copied faithfully," says Galligan in the preface,

" out of the old book of Brian Caragher, of Cloghan Maol

in Co. Louth."1 Brian Caragher's old book is now in the R.I.A., where it is

numbered 24, p. 21?a description of its contents will be found at p. 97 of the

Catalogues of Irish MSS. in R.I.A. It is from the Reeves Collection. Dr. Reeves

probably got it from the Caraher family.

It runs to 98 pages of his close beautiful script, "

written by Peter Galligan of

the parish of Moynalty, Co. Meath, for the use and pastime of that defender of the

old Gaelic, Master Robert MacAdam, a gentleman of the old Irish Society, now in

Belfast, Co. Antrim, the age of Christ 1844."

This note is in Irish : "

Beloved Reader," he concludes, "

give your blessing to

the scribe whether he be alive or dead."

The MS. is numbered XXIII in the Belfast Collection. I have made a

private copy of it.

MS. V.?He next collected into one large volume of 315 pages all the poems he

could find of An Dall MhacCuarta. These are 45 in number, and comprise all

the better known of MacCuarta's compositions.

This compilation was

probably made at Galligan's own suggestion, for he was

a great admirer of MacCuarta. In one of his other MS. he says, after praising some

of the works of the Munster poets, notably Collins' "

Lament for Timoleague Abbey," " but James Courtenay (MacCuarta,) in my opinion, stands at the head of all the

Irish Bards both ancient and modern."

1 Cloghan Moyle in parish of Clonkeen, four miles north of Ardee, adjoining Cardistown,

the residence of Mr. Thomas J. Caraher., of whom Brian Caraher was probably a kinsman.




This collection also of MacCuarta's poems is preserved in the Belfast Public

Library, where it is numbered XXIV.

MS. VI.?The MS. numbered XX, also in the Belfast Collection, gives us twenty

pages filled with "

first lines "

of poems, which, says a pencil note, probably by MacAdam, are in

" the Miscellany copied by Galligan." This most valuable Miscellany

is now missing. For many years after MacAdam's death1 this collection of MSS. was

not guarded as it should, and it is clear that some of them?we know not how many? were lost or purloined. Fortunately those that survived are now in safe custody

in the Belfast Public Library. We can imagine what a big night there was in Moynalty on Galligan's return

from Belfast, when all his old cronies from Whitewood and Billywood, and Nobber :

Tevlin, Boylan, etc., gathered ?ound him in the local tavern to hear an account

of his Belfast adventures.

It is not suggested that Galligan remained in Belfast while copying these three

MSS. It is much more likely that MacAdam having given the scribe an idea of the

kind of matter he wanted, and Galligan having told him what he could supply, that the latter came back to the Co. Meath and made his transcripts there, posting them on to MacAdam according as he completed them. No doubt their trans

cription occupied some years.

M.S. VIL?The next MS. in order of date is that numbered 3B38 in the R.I.A.

collection,

It is entitled "

A Select Collection of Irish Songs and Poems from the great O Doirnin, the Bards of Donegal, and others, together with some fragments of Irish

history, &c, commenced Tuesday, April 5th, 1853."

The volume is marked VII by Galligan. On the title page is the following in

scription, "

Ex libris Eugenii Finerty, T.C.D."

But there appear to be two distinct tracts bound together in this volume, for towards the end occurs this entry :?

" This book was commenced on

Friday, February 21st, 1845, and was com

pletely finished on Good Friday, April 10th, 1846."

It contains over a dozen poems by MacCuarta, a dozen by O Doirnin, eight by Aodh Mac Domhnaill, half a dozen by MacCooey, and three or four each by Cathal

Buidhe, Seumas O Dorrian and Tadh O Tiomanaidhe, the two latter being Co.

Donegal Poets. I have a private copy of most of the matter in this volume

MS. VIII. This one is also in the R.I.A. collection where it is numbered 3. B. 39.

Galligan calls it his "

8th volume." Pages 77-92 aie missing.

The contents show 16 pieces prose and verse, up to p. 325. "

Notes "

on Tcacht

Connlaoch bring it up to page 342. At the end of Caora an tSagairt occurs the

1 Died 1895, born 1808. See account of him in Ulster Journal of Archaeology, Jan. 1895. B



I76 COUNTY LOUTH ARCHAEOLOGICAL JOURNAL

date, March 12th, 1847. But a geneaology of the scribe is dated 4th Nov., 1848. These indicate the years in which the MS. were written. I have published several

pieces out of both these volumes.

MS. IX.?X.?A MS. of Galligan's, which is now in New York, is described by Rev. L. O Murray in the 1915 number of this Journal, Vol. Ill, part 4, p. 318. It

consists of two books now bound together into one large volume ; the first compiled in

1850-51 containing 103 pieces of poetry in 186 pages. They include poems by MacCuarta, O Doirnin, Carolan, MacCooey, etc. ; the second, wrritten in 1851, con

taining 153 pages, mostly Ossianic poems with some other pieces. A list of their

contents appears in Father O Murray's article.

Galligan wrote these two books for J. T. Rowland of Drogheda, a Solicitor, who had been obliged to leave Ireland after 1857 to escape arrest for his connection

with the political movement. He found a refuge in New York, carrying the MSS.

with him.

MS. XL?XII.?Dr. Hyde called my attention to, and supplied me with the

following account of MS. 20 of the Ferriter Collection in University College, Dublin, entitled

" Irish Songs." The book measures 9 inches by 7 inches and is bound in

pasteboard with leather back.

This again consists of two distinct tracts, the first consisting of 186 pp. contains

103 songs, the second consisting of 159 pp. contains 19 Fenian lays and 6 other

poems.

A colophon on p. 186 shows that it was written by Galligan in 1850-1 for Master

J. T. Rowland duine-uasal Drogheda.

Dr. Hyde also informs me that MS. 38 in his collection which is a copy of Sc?c?h S ac\\ Amante t?a tiAicj\i>oe by &ot> mAc Cdgriwell (1618) was once in

Galligan's possession. Inside the cover the following is printed :? "

This valuable manuscript was repaired and rebound on Saty. July the 13th

1844 by P. Galligan, Cainstown, near Moynalty, Co. Meath, for his own use and

improvement, and for the benefit of others who may happen to get it after his death. .... It is a volume worthy of being preserved and transcribed."

There is in my possession a copy of the 1798 Dublin edition of Dr. Gallagher's " Irish Sermons

" and a note within says

" This book was neatly bound and repaired

by P. Galligan, Senr., on Saturday, Jany. 22nd, 1848, for his own use."

It should be noted that whatever differences arose between him and the Rev.

Father Halpin over the Irish Society's schools they left no permanent trace on his

religious opinions, as he more than once in those frequent colophons in his MSS.

tells us that he is a "ball don Eagluis Chatoiliceach Romhanach," "

a member of the

Roman Catholic Church."

The foregoing is all I have been able to glean of the MS. remains of

Peter Galligan ; there may be others in Dublin in the part of the Academy collection




still uncatalogued, or elsewhere in private hands. But it might be well to set down

here a table recapitulating in concise form all I have said about these manuscripts.

I

II

HI

(VI of Galligan)

IV

V

VI

VII

(VII of Galligan)

VIII

(VIII of Galligan)

IX

X

XI

XII

Date of the MS.

1823-4

1827-9

1841-4

1844

1844

1844

1845-6 1853

1847-8

1850-1

1858?

1850-1

1850-1

Its present location

In private hands ?formerly the " Nobber" MS.

Dr. Hyde's Collection

Library of Edinburgh University

Belfast Municipal Library

Ditto

Ditto

K. I. A. No. 3 B. 38

R. I. A. No. 3 B. 39

New York

New York

University College, Dublin

University College, Dublin

Contents of MS.

Mostly English, but about one-fifth of it is Irish poems : modern

Prose Tales

256 pieces mostly modern Irish poems of Meath and South Ulster

Life of St. Mogue : Prose

45 poems of An Dal? mhac Cuarta

First lines of poems in the large miscellany: 20 pages

About 60 poems by the South Ulster and Co. Donegal poets

Modern Poems and some prose pieces

ro3 Poetical pieces of the South Ulster and Meath poets

Fenian lays and a long prose piece

103 poetical pieces. This would appear to be a replica of No. IX

19 Fenian lays and 6 modern poems ;

appears to be a replica of No. X.

It is remarkable that no MSS. remain to show that he did any copying during the ten years 1830-1840. Owen Smith told me that he transcribed for Dr. Reeves,

but if so this would have been at a much later date.

As will appear directly Galligan had in his possession towards the end of his

days sixteen volumes of Irish MSS., which he bequeathed to a benefactor, and these

would be exclusive of the Nobber MS. I, the Belfast ones (IV, V, VI) and of the

Rowland ones (IX and X), and possibly also of XI and XII if these latter had found



I78 COUNTY LOUTH ARCHAEOLOGICAL JOURNAL

their way to America. Let us assume that Dr. Hyde's MS. 38 was one of the 16,

though not Galligan's own work.

This leaves only seven, or possibly only five, of the 16 MSS. now traceable.

We may hope that the others are not altogether lost, and that the activities of students or librarians may bring some more of them to light.

Let us now come back to the Edinburgh MS.?III.

A note in a different hand on the final page of the MS. reads :? "

These 16 volumes of Irish MSS. were willed and given me by Peter Galligan, a hedge school master and a good transcriber of Irish Manuscripts, and collector

of ancient Irish songs, in the year 1863.1 He lived near Kells in the Co. Meath, and was very thankful to me for some little kindness which I conferred on him, and on his only relative, a niece, since dead.

I doubt much if any of our national schoolmasters have the talent, perseverance,

and patriotic feeling thai this poor fellow possessed.

I trust that I have to a certain extent rendered him independent and happy in his latter days, without him applying to any society whatever for support, (of which he had the greatest abhorrence).

He was one of the most simple-minded, honourable, and upright men I have

ever met, and was I believe the last of that noble class of men of the last century called

' Hedge Schoolmasters.'

He knew nothing of classics, and differed in this from his fellow ' Hedge School

masters '

in the South and West, but his heart and feelings even in his lowly position, were such as every Irishman may be proud of. He has gone the road which all must travel ; would that all our lives were as blameless as his.

E. G. F."

Who E.G.F. was is shown on the inside of the cover (at back) in the note?

" Ex libris Eugenii Guilford Finnerty."

Tantalisingly enough there is no date to this note, but from the statement

that Galligan willed the 16 volumes to him in 1863 we may conclude that he died

about this year. He would hardly have parted with his beloved treasures until

the very last.

It is fortunate to have this appreciation of poor Galligan from one who knew

him and was able to understand his worth, and appraise the unselfishness and

patriotism of his life's toil.

1 It appears that 1853 was written first and then a 6 made in heavier ink over the 5.




But how comes it that this fine collection of Irish song is now in Edinburgh ?

This is explained by a letter now found loose in the MS.

It runs : "

2 Belvidere Avenue,

Dublin,

July, 1883. My Dear Sir,

I received your note this morning, and am well pleased that the manuscript interests you.

Retain it as long as you please, and copy it at your leisure.

I shall D.V. be at Glencar on Sunday or Monday next on my way to Waterville

with plenary powers to repair the ruins on Church Island.

I hope that I may have the pleasure to meet you, when we could open, perfectly, some of the artificial caves on the mainland which may be of some antiquarian -interest.

Believe me (in haste), Yours very faithfully,

Eugene G. Finnerty.

Hon. J. Abercrombie,

Breen's Hotel."

It appears from the Records in the Board of Works Office that Mr. Finnerty was met by Sir Thomas Deane, Architect of the Board of Works at Waterville, in

June, 1883, and is described by him as an enthusiastic archaeologist who wras quite conversant with the ruins, and to whom he intrusted the overseeing of works which

the Board of Works were having carried out in Church Island by local men. How

he got acquainted with Peter Galligan and obtained the MSS. we know not.

A Mr. William Fenelon is given in Thorn's Directory as the occupier of 2 Belvidere

Avenue during the eighties, and the present residents do not know anything of

Finnerty, but for part of that period E. J. Finneran, C.E., 157 Rathgar Road,

appears in Thorn's Directory and is probably the same person.

Honble. John Abercromby was younger son of Lord Abercromby of

Clackmannan, Scotland (and great-grandson of the celebrated Sir Ralph Abercromby).

He succeeded his brother as 5th Baron Abercromby, and died in 1924.

He was President of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and appears to have

been engaged in archaeological exploration in Ireland when Mr. Finnerty met him.

He was for a time Rector of Edinburgh University, where he established a

chair of Archaeology, now held with distinction by Professor V. Gordon Childe.

This may have determined his presentation of the MS. to that library. It is clear



l8o COUNTY LOUTH ARCHAEOLOGICAL JOURNAL

from the above that the MS. was only lent to Abercromby, and that perhaps through Mr. Finnerty's death it remained in his possession. This seems to be his and

the University's only title to the MS.

Had Mr. Finnerty subsequently given Mr. Abercromby complete possession of the volume the latter no doubt would have destroyed Finnerty's letter of July,

1883, but intending to return the volume he kept the letter in the MS., so as to have

the owner's name and address at hand when he should be returning it. And that

day never came.

Irish students cannot but regret the loss of this fine collection of Meath and

Ulster songs. If our National University properly represented the case to the

authorities of the University of Edinburgh it might procure the restoration of the

MS. It is of very little use to Scotch students, but would be of great value for Irish

students in Dublin.

As a copyist Galligan was generally faithful, but he occasionally exercised the

prerogative of editorship?a right which seems to have been traditional with Irish

scribes from time immemorial. Even Michael O Clery, on the margin of one of his

MSS. plaintively complains that his Franciscan superiors will not allow him to edit

as he fain would wish to do, but insist on his copying his originals exactly as he

found them.

Galligan composed a few Irish songs which appear in his MSS., but neither the

subject nor the verse is of any particular worth.

We who live in an age when Irish is "

in high esteem in Dublin of the wine

drinking goblets "

should not let the name of this devoted lover of the language be forgotten. He sleeps his last sleep in the quiet graveyard of Kilmainham wood, three miles north-west of Nobber.

Henry Morris.

I gratefully acknowledge the help received in preparing this article from Dr.

Douglas Hyde, Seamus OCasaide, Editor of "

The Irish Booklover," Liam S. O Gogan of the National Museum, Maire Ni Bhroin of the R.I.A., and Rev. L. P. Murray,

Dundalk.



Documents

Peadar O Gealacain: A Great Irish Scribe