Dermod O'Meara
Encyclopedia
Dermod O'Meara was an Irish physician
and poet
, author
of the first medical work printed in Dublin in 1619. He was the father of Edmund O'Meara
.
Dermod was the son of Domhnaill O'Meara, chief of the O'Meara sept and foster-father to Thomas Butler. His family were hereditary physicians and poets to the Earls of Ormond.
Dermod's first published work—also the first book of Latin verse published in Ireland—was Ormonius, published in 1614. It is a praise poem in the epic style about the life of Thomas Butler. In it, O'Meara describes himself as one of the vates
, and claims that Thomas was suckled as a baby by Aine, an Irish goddess.
Subsequently, O'Meara studied medicine at, and graduated from, Rheims. He Returned To Ireland and wrote De Moribus: Pathologia Hereditaria Generalis, a text on hereditary diseases. In It, he claims that some diseases as well as other traits are inherited, that there are two sets of hereditary information, one from the mother and one from the father, and that weak traits may be masked by strong traits.
In later life, Dermod O'Meara and his family broke with the house of Ormond during the Confederation of Kilkenny, in which they favored a complete break with England. Dermod was reported to have gone to the court of King Charles I
. He was indicted in Ireland for high treason, but apparently never apprehended.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of the first medical work printed in Dublin in 1619. He was the father of Edmund O'Meara
Edmund O'Meara
Edmund O'Meara Irish physiologist and one of the last prominent champions of the medical ideas of Galen. Son of Dermod O'Meara who was a physician, poet and author...
.
Dermod was the son of Domhnaill O'Meara, chief of the O'Meara sept and foster-father to Thomas Butler. His family were hereditary physicians and poets to the Earls of Ormond.
Dermod's first published work—also the first book of Latin verse published in Ireland—was Ormonius, published in 1614. It is a praise poem in the epic style about the life of Thomas Butler. In it, O'Meara describes himself as one of the vates
Vates
The earliest Latin writers used vātēs to denote "prophets" and soothsayers in general; the word fell into disuse in Latin until it was revived by Virgil...
, and claims that Thomas was suckled as a baby by Aine, an Irish goddess.
Subsequently, O'Meara studied medicine at, and graduated from, Rheims. He Returned To Ireland and wrote De Moribus: Pathologia Hereditaria Generalis, a text on hereditary diseases. In It, he claims that some diseases as well as other traits are inherited, that there are two sets of hereditary information, one from the mother and one from the father, and that weak traits may be masked by strong traits.
In later life, Dermod O'Meara and his family broke with the house of Ormond during the Confederation of Kilkenny, in which they favored a complete break with England. Dermod was reported to have gone to the court of King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
. He was indicted in Ireland for high treason, but apparently never apprehended.