Murrough Ó Laoí
Encyclopedia
Murrough Ó Laoí, Irish
Physician
, fl. 1668 – 1684.
Ó Laoí was a descendant of a hereditary medical family to the O'Flaherty
, who were first mentioned in Crichaireacht cinedach nduchasa Muintiri Murchada
, c. 1000. They moved west across Lough Corrib
with the O'Flahertys, continuing their profession into the 17th century. He himself lived in Letterdeskert, just west of Carna
, County Galway
states
In a version given to John O'Donovan
in 1839, Ó Laoí was a member of a ship's crew who landed on the island, and were warned off by a man who told them it was enchanted. As they were leaving, the man gave Ó Laoí a book, telling him not to open it for seven years. Ó Laoí obeyed the instructions, and was able to practise surgery and medicine. O'Donovan was told that Ó Laoí descendants had recently sold the book in Dublin.
and Latin
, in the 15th-century giving lists of diseases, their symptoms and cures under various columns. In his notes to Iar-Connacht, James Hardiman
supposes that with the loss of the family lands during the Cromwellian era, Murrough invented the Hy-Brazil adventure to establish and set himself up in business, using the old family book.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
Physician
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...
, fl. 1668 – 1684.
Ó Laoí was a descendant of a hereditary medical family to the O'Flaherty
O'Flaherty
Ó Flaithbertaigh, Gaelic-Irish surname, anglicized as O'Flaherty-Overview:This Gaelic-Irish surname is written as "Ua Flaithbertach" or "Ua Flaithbertaig" in Old Irish and Middle Irish texts....
, who were first mentioned in Crichaireacht cinedach nduchasa Muintiri Murchada
Crichaireacht cinedach nduchasa Muintiri Murchada
Crichaireacht cinedach nduchasa Muintiri Murchada is a tract concerning the medieval territory called Muintir Murchada, located in County Galway, Ireland.-Outline:...
, c. 1000. They moved west across Lough Corrib
Lough Corrib
Lough Corrib is a lake in the west of Ireland. The River Corrib or Galway river connects the lake to the sea at Galway. It is the second largest lough in Ireland . It covers 178 km² and lies mostly in County Galway with a small area of its northeast corner in County Mayo.The first canal in...
with the O'Flahertys, continuing their profession into the 17th century. He himself lived in Letterdeskert, just west of Carna
Carna
-Places:*Cârna, a commune in Dolj County, Romania*Càrna, an island in Loch Sunart on the west coast of Scotland*Carna, County Galway, a village in Connemara in the west of Ireland...
, County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
Hy-Brazil
Hy-Brazil is a mythical island said to be found off the west coast of Galway. In an account written in 1684, Ruaidhrí Ó FlaithbheartaighRuaidhri Ó Flaithbheartaigh
Ruaidhri Ó Flaithbheartaigh, King of Iar Connacht and Chief of the Name, fl. 1244-1273.-Biography:Ruaidhri was a brother of the preceding chief, Morogh...
states
There is now living, Morogh O'Ley, who immagines he was himself personally in O'Brazil for two days and saw out of it the iles of AranAran- Places :* The Aran Islands across the mouth of Galway Bay, Ireland or the largest island in that group** The Irish Earls of Arran take their title from the Aran Islands* Aran Fawddwy, a mountain in north Wales* Aran , in France...
, Golamhead, Irrosbeghill and other places of the west continent he was acquainted with. The manner of it he relates, that being in Irrosainhagh, in the month of April, Anno Domini 1668, going alone from one village to another, in a melancholy humour, upon some discontent of his wife, he was encountered by two or three strangers, and forcibly carried out by boat into O'Brazil, as such as were within it told him, and they could speak both English and Irish. He was ferried out hoodwink'd, in a boat, as he immagins, till he was left on the sea point by GalwayGalwayGalway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
; where he lay in a friend's house for some dayes after, being very desperatly ill, and knowes not how he came to Galway then. But, byt that means, about seven or eight years after, he began to practise both chirugery and phisicki, and so continues ever since to practise, tho' he never stdyed not practised either in his life before, as all we that knew him since he was a boy can averr.
In a version given to 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:...
in 1839, Ó Laoí was a member of a ship's crew who landed on the island, and were warned off by a man who told them it was enchanted. As they were leaving, the man gave Ó Laoí a book, telling him not to open it for seven years. Ó Laoí obeyed the instructions, and was able to practise surgery and medicine. O'Donovan was told that Ó Laoí descendants had recently sold the book in Dublin.
The Book of Hy-Brazil
However fanciful its given origins, the Book of Hy-Brazil exists. It was written, in IrishIrish 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...
and Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, in the 15th-century giving lists of diseases, their symptoms and cures under various columns. In his notes to Iar-Connacht, James Hardiman
James Hardiman
James Hardiman , also known as Séamus Ó hArgadáin, was a librarian at Queen's College, Galway. The university library now bears his name...
supposes that with the loss of the family lands during the Cromwellian era, Murrough invented the Hy-Brazil adventure to establish and set himself up in business, using the old family book.