Charles O'Conor, (Irish: Séarlas Ó Conchubhair Donn; 1 January 1710 – 1 July 1791), also known as Charles O'Conor of Belanagare,[1] was a member of the Gaelic nobility of Ireland and antiquarian who was enormously influential as a protagonist for the preservation of Irish culture and Irish mythology during the 18th-century. He combined an encyclopaedic knowledge of Irish manuscripts and Gaelic culture in demolishing many specious theories and suppositions concerning Irish history.[citation needed]
Charles O'Conor of Ballinagare (1710–1791) , in middle age.
O'Conor was an activist for Catholic Emancipation during the eighteenth century. He worked relentlessly, first for the relaxation and then the complete repeal of the Penal Laws, and was a co-founder of the first Catholic Committee in 1757, along with his friend Dr. John Curry and Mr. Wyse of Waterford. In 1788 he became a member of the Royal Irish Academy.
His collection of manuscripts and manuscript copies, annotated with his copious notes and comments, made up the first part of the Annals of the Four Masters (originally the property of Fearghal Ó Gadhra) that were collected at the Stowe Library, and at that time many of them were the only copies known to exist.[citation needed]
Charles O'Conor was born in 1710, in County Sligo, to a cadet branch of the land-owning family of O'Conor Don and was sent for his education to Father Walter Skelton's school in Dublin. He grew up in an environment that celebrated Gaelic culture and heritage. He began collecting and studying ancient manuscripts at an early age.
His marriage brought him financial stability so that he could devote himself to his writing, but he was widowed in 1750, within a year of his father's death. When his eldest son Denis married in 1760, he gave up the residence at Bellanagare to him and moved into a small cottage that he had built on the estate. He would devote the remainder of his life to the collection and study of Irish manuscripts, to the publication of dissertations, and especially to the cause of Irish and Catholic emancipation.
In the 1749 census of the Diocese of Elphin, O'Conor was listed as having 4 servants in Bellanagare and 5 couples living on his land who also worked as servants.[2]
Professional life
O'Conor was well known in Ireland from his youth, as a civil-tongued, but adamant advocate of Gaelic culture and history, who had suffered for his adherence to the Roman Catholic faith. He was profoundly knowledgeable about Irish culture and history.
Samuel Johnson in 1775.
He garnered fame outside Ireland through his Dissertations on the ancient history of Ireland (1753). Like all of his works, his account was everywhere consistent with the historical record. The book was generally well received, and when Samuel Johnson was made aware of it, he was moved to write a letter to O'Conor in 1755, complimenting the book, complimenting the Irish people, and urging O'Conor to write on the topic of Celtic languages.[3]
Malvine, dying in the arms of Fingal, by Ary Scheffer.
The book was less well received in some Scottish circles, where there existed a movement to write Celtic history based upon Scottish origins. When James Macpherson published a spurious story in 1761 that he had found an ancient Gaelic (and Scottish) cycle of poems by a certain "Ossian", among the critics who rejected it as false was O'Conor, as an inclusion (Remarks on Mr. Mac Pherson's translation of Fingal and Temora) in the 1766 rewrite of his 1753 work. While the issue was laid to public rest by others (notably Samuel Johnson), the issue was laid to intellectual rest by O'Conor in 1775, with the publication of his Dissertation on the origin and antiquities of the antient Scots. That the issue occurred provided O'Conor the opportunity to establish Ireland as the source of Gaelic culture in the minds of the non-Irish general public.
An Irish manuscript from the Cathach of St. Columba.
O'Conor's later life was that of the respected dean of Irish historians. He continued to write as he had always done, in favour of ideas that he himself favoured and were consistent with the historical record, and against any and all ideas that were inconsistent with the historical record, including those of other Irish historians. Such was his esteemed reputation that even those whom he challenged would include his challenges in the next edition of their own books. He would continue to collect, study, and annotate Irish manuscripts, and when he died, his collection became the first part of the Annals of the Four Masters at the Stowe Library. In 1883 these were returned to the Royal Irish Academy library.[4]
His unfinished History of Ireland, that Johnson had encouraged in 1777,[6] was destroyed on his instructions at his death.[7]
In his Tour in Ireland (1780) Arthur Young mentioned his visit to O'Conor:
At Clonells, near Castlerea, lives O’Connor, the direct descendant of Roderick O’Connor, who was king of Connaught six or seven hundred years ago; there is a monument of him in Roscommon Church, with his sceptre, etc. I was told as a certainty that this family were here long before the coming of the Milesians. Their possessions, formerly so great, are reduced to three or four hundred pounds a year, the family having fared in the revolutions of so many ages much worse than the O’Niels and O’Briens. The common people pay him the greatest respect, and send him presents of cattle, etc., upon various occasions. They consider him as the prince of a people involved in one common ruin.
Legacy
His legacy in modern history is succinct. Though the effort was promoted by many, it was largely through his effectiveness that Ireland received the recognition that it deserved as the font of Gaelic culture and the premier disseminator of literacy in ancient times. O'Conor also strove for the presentation of Celtic Christianity as something separate from early Roman Catholicism as a means of allaying Protestant British distrust of the Catholic Irish, a perspective that has survived into modern times.[citation needed]
O'Conor's support for the first Catholic Committees from 1758 was copied nationwide, resulting in the successful, but slow, repeal of most of the Irish penal laws in 1774-1793.
An account of his life, "Memoirs of the life and writings of the late Charles O'Conor of Belanagare", was written by his grandson, Charles O'Conor. Another grandson Matthew O'Conor, also became a historian and used papers collected by his grandfather to write "The History of Irish Catholics from the Settlement in 1691". Another grandson Owen O'Conor became O'Conor Don in 1820. A prominent supporter of Catholic Emancipation and was a close associate of Daniel O'Connell and the first catholic member of parliament for Roscommon since before the penal laws.
Partial bibliography
Among O'Conor's principal works are:
Dissertations on the ancient history of Ireland (1753)
Principles of the Roman Catholics (1756)
Introduction to Dr. Curry's Civil Wars (1756)
The Protestant Interest of Ireland considered (1757)
Dissertations on the ancient history of Ireland. To which is subjoined, a dissertation on the Irish colonies established in Britain. With some remarks on Mr. Mac Pherson's translation of Fingal and Temora. (1766)
A dissertation on the origin and antiquities of the antient Scots, and notes, critical and explanatory, on Mr. O'Flaherty's text – included in The Ogygia vindicated: against the objections of Sir George Mackenzie, king's advocate for Scotland in the reign of king James II, by Roderic O'Flaherty (1775)
On the Heathen State and Topography of Ancient Ireland (1783)
Moran, Patrick Francis (1899), The Catholics of Ireland Under the Penal Laws in the Eighteenth Century, London: Catholic Truth Society
Napier, Alexander (1889), "Appendix IV. Johnson's Relations with Charles O'Conor.", The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. (by James Boswell), vol. III, London: George Bell and Sons, pp. 477–480
O'Conor, Charles (c. 1750), "The Ancient Regal Family of O'Conor of Connaught", in Hardiman, James (ed.), A Chorographical Description of West or H-Iar Connaught (by Roderic O'Flaherty in 1684), Dublin: Irish Archaeological Society (published 1846), pp. 134–142
O'Conor, Charles (1775), "The Editor's Preface", The Ogygia [by Roderic O'Flaherty] Vindicated, Dublin: G. Faulkner, pp. i–xxii
O'Conor, Charles (1775), "A Dissertation on the Origin and Antiquities of the antient Scots of Ireland and Britain.", The Ogygia [by Roderic O'Flaherty] Vindicated, Dublin: G. Faulkner, pp. xxv–xlviii
O'Conor, Charles (1783), "Second Letter to Colonel Vallancey, on the Heathen State, and Antient Topography of Ireland", Collectanea de Rebus Hibernicis (by Charles Vallancey), vol. III, Dublin: Luke White (published 1786), pp. 647–677
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This article is about the Irish antiquary For other uses see Charles O Conor disambiguation Charles O Conor Irish Searlas o Conchubhair Donn 1 January 1710 1 July 1791 also known as Charles O Conor of Belanagare 1 was a member of the Gaelic nobility of Ireland and antiquarian who was enormously influential as a protagonist for the preservation of Irish culture and Irish mythology during the 18th century He combined an encyclopaedic knowledge of Irish manuscripts and Gaelic culture in demolishing many specious theories and suppositions concerning Irish history citation needed Charles O Conor Charles O Conor of Belanagare Born1 January 1710Killintrany County Sligo IrelandDied1 July 1791 1791 07 01 aged 81 Bellanagare County Roscommon IrelandOccupationWriter AntiquarianNationalityIrishNotable worksDissertations on the ancient history of IrelandSpouseCatherine O FaganChildren4 Denis Charles Bridget Anne Charles O Conor of Ballinagare 1710 1791 in middle age O Conor was an activist for Catholic Emancipation during the eighteenth century He worked relentlessly first for the relaxation and then the complete repeal of the Penal Laws and was a co founder of the first Catholic Committee in 1757 along with his friend Dr John Curry and Mr Wyse of Waterford In 1788 he became a member of the Royal Irish Academy His collection of manuscripts and manuscript copies annotated with his copious notes and comments made up the first part of the Annals of the Four Masters originally the property of Fearghal o Gadhra that were collected at the Stowe Library and at that time many of them were the only copies known to exist citation needed Contents 1 Early life 2 Professional life 3 Legacy 4 Partial bibliography 5 See also 6 Footnotes 7 Sources 8 External linksEarly life EditCharles O Conor was born in 1710 in County Sligo to a cadet branch of the land owning family of O Conor Don and was sent for his education to Father Walter Skelton s school in Dublin He grew up in an environment that celebrated Gaelic culture and heritage He began collecting and studying ancient manuscripts at an early age His marriage brought him financial stability so that he could devote himself to his writing but he was widowed in 1750 within a year of his father s death When his eldest son Denis married in 1760 he gave up the residence at Bellanagare to him and moved into a small cottage that he had built on the estate He would devote the remainder of his life to the collection and study of Irish manuscripts to the publication of dissertations and especially to the cause of Irish and Catholic emancipation In the 1749 census of the Diocese of Elphin O Conor was listed as having 4 servants in Bellanagare and 5 couples living on his land who also worked as servants 2 Professional life EditO Conor was well known in Ireland from his youth as a civil tongued but adamant advocate of Gaelic culture and history who had suffered for his adherence to the Roman Catholic faith He was profoundly knowledgeable about Irish culture and history Samuel Johnson in 1775 He garnered fame outside Ireland through his Dissertations on the ancient history of Ireland 1753 Like all of his works his account was everywhere consistent with the historical record The book was generally well received and when Samuel Johnson was made aware of it he was moved to write a letter to O Conor in 1755 complimenting the book complimenting the Irish people and urging O Conor to write on the topic of Celtic languages 3 Malvine dying in the arms of Fingal by Ary Scheffer The book was less well received in some Scottish circles where there existed a movement to write Celtic history based upon Scottish origins When James Macpherson published a spurious story in 1761 that he had found an ancient Gaelic and Scottish cycle of poems by a certain Ossian among the critics who rejected it as false was O Conor as an inclusion Remarks on Mr Mac Pherson s translation of Fingal and Temora in the 1766 rewrite of his 1753 work While the issue was laid to public rest by others notably Samuel Johnson the issue was laid to intellectual rest by O Conor in 1775 with the publication of his Dissertation on the origin and antiquities of the antient Scots That the issue occurred provided O Conor the opportunity to establish Ireland as the source of Gaelic culture in the minds of the non Irish general public An Irish manuscript from the Cathach of St Columba O Conor s later life was that of the respected dean of Irish historians He continued to write as he had always done in favour of ideas that he himself favoured and were consistent with the historical record and against any and all ideas that were inconsistent with the historical record including those of other Irish historians Such was his esteemed reputation that even those whom he challenged would include his challenges in the next edition of their own books He would continue to collect study and annotate Irish manuscripts and when he died his collection became the first part of the Annals of the Four Masters at the Stowe Library In 1883 these were returned to the Royal Irish Academy library 4 In 1766 he was introduced by Edmund Burke to the Revd Thomas Leland at Trinity College Dublin and was using its library and meeting its Provost from 1767 5 His unfinished History of Ireland that Johnson had encouraged in 1777 6 was destroyed on his instructions at his death 7 In his Tour in Ireland 1780 Arthur Young mentioned his visit to O Conor At Clonells near Castlerea lives O Connor the direct descendant of Roderick O Connor who was king of Connaught six or seven hundred years ago there is a monument of him in Roscommon Church with his sceptre etc I was told as a certainty that this family were here long before the coming of the Milesians Their possessions formerly so great are reduced to three or four hundred pounds a year the family having fared in the revolutions of so many ages much worse than the O Niels and O Briens The common people pay him the greatest respect and send him presents of cattle etc upon various occasions They consider him as the prince of a people involved in one common ruin Legacy EditHis legacy in modern history is succinct Though the effort was promoted by many it was largely through his effectiveness that Ireland received the recognition that it deserved as the font of Gaelic culture and the premier disseminator of literacy in ancient times O Conor also strove for the presentation of Celtic Christianity as something separate from early Roman Catholicism as a means of allaying Protestant British distrust of the Catholic Irish a perspective that has survived into modern times citation needed O Conor s support for the first Catholic Committees from 1758 was copied nationwide resulting in the successful but slow repeal of most of the Irish penal laws in 1774 1793 An account of his life Memoirs of the life and writings of the late Charles O Conor of Belanagare was written by his grandson Charles O Conor Another grandson Matthew O Conor also became a historian and used papers collected by his grandfather to write The History of Irish Catholics from the Settlement in 1691 Another grandson Owen O Conor became O Conor Don in 1820 A prominent supporter of Catholic Emancipation and was a close associate of Daniel O Connell and the first catholic member of parliament for Roscommon since before the penal laws Partial bibliography EditAmong O Conor s principal works are Dissertations on the ancient history of Ireland 1753 Principles of the Roman Catholics 1756 Introduction to Dr Curry s Civil Wars 1756 The Protestant Interest of Ireland considered 1757 Dissertations on the ancient history of Ireland To which is subjoined a dissertation on the Irish colonies established in Britain With some remarks on Mr Mac Pherson s translation of Fingal and Temora 1766 A dissertation on the origin and antiquities of the antient Scots and notes critical and explanatory on Mr O Flaherty s text included in The Ogygia vindicated against the objections of Sir George Mackenzie king s advocate for Scotland in the reign of king James II by Roderic O Flaherty 1775 On the Heathen State and Topography of Ancient Ireland 1783 See also EditTadhg Og o Cianain Peregrine o Duibhgeannain Lughaidh o Cleirigh Micheal o Cleirigh Sylvester O Halloran James Ussher Sir James Ware Mary Bonaventure Browne Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh Ruaidhri o Flaithbheartaigh Uilliam o Duinnin Eugene O Curry John O Donovan scholar James MacLagan BellanagareFootnotes Edit The Letters of Charles O Conor of Belanagare 1772 1790 eds Charles O Conor C Ward and R Ward Irish American Cultural Institute 1980 Simms JG War and Politics in Ireland 1649 1730 A amp C Black 1986 p 296 Life of Johnson Including Boswell s Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides and Johnson s Diary of a Journey Into North Wales James Boswell pp 372 3 RICORSO Charles O Conor 1710 91 Essay on Burke at Trinity by Louis Cullen 1 Life of Johnson Volume III James Boswell pp 73 RICORSO Charles O Conor 1710 91 Sources EditStephen Leslie ed 1888 O Conor Charles 1710 1791 Dictionary of National Biography Vol 14 London Smith Elder amp Co pp 855 857 Moran Patrick Francis 1899 The Catholics of Ireland Under the Penal Laws in the Eighteenth Century London Catholic Truth Society Napier Alexander 1889 Appendix IV Johnson s Relations with Charles O Conor The Life of Samuel Johnson LL D by James Boswell vol III London George Bell and Sons pp 477 480 O Conor Charles c 1750 The Ancient Regal Family of O Conor of Connaught in Hardiman James ed A Chorographical Description of West or H Iar Connaught by Roderic O Flaherty in 1684 Dublin Irish Archaeological Society published 1846 pp 134 142 O Conor Charles 1775 The Editor s Preface The Ogygia by Roderic O Flaherty Vindicated Dublin G Faulkner pp i xxii O Conor Charles 1775 A Dissertation on the Origin and Antiquities of the antient Scots of Ireland and Britain The Ogygia by Roderic O Flaherty Vindicated Dublin G Faulkner pp xxv xlviii O Conor Charles 1783 Second Letter to Colonel Vallancey on the Heathen State and Antient Topography of Ireland Collectanea de Rebus Hibernicis by Charles Vallancey vol III Dublin Luke White published 1786 pp 647 677 O Conor Charles the grandson 1818 Bibliotheca Ms Stowensis vol I Buckingham J Seeley O Conor Charles the grandson 1819 Bibliotheca Ms Stowensis vol II Buckingham J Seeley O Donovan John 1891 O Conor Charles Owen ed The O Conors of Connaught An Historical Memoir Dublin Hodges Figgis and Co pp 292 297External links Edithttps archive org stream irishecclesiast02recogoog page n740 mode 2up Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Charles O 27Conor historian amp oldid 1163061949, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
