Nehemiah Donnellan
Encyclopedia
Nehemiah Donnellan Archbishop of Tuam
, fl. c. 1560-1609.
.
He was entered as Nehemiah Daniel on 13 January 1579-80 at King's College, Cambridge
, and shortly afterwards matriculated in the same name. Subsequently he migrated to Catharine Hall, where he took the degree of B.A. in 1581-2.
Two days later he received restitution of the temporalities. In the writ of privy seal directing his appointment, it was alleged that he was very fit to communicate with the people in their mother tongue, and a very meet instrument to retain and instruct them in duty and religion; and that he had also taken pains in translating and putting to the press the Communion Book and New Testament in the Irish language, which her majesty greatly approved of.
It is asserted by Teige Ó Dubhagáin (see Dugan
), who drew up a pedigree of the Donellan family, that he was never in holy orders, but probably the genealogist may have been led to make this startling assertion simply by an unwillingness to acknowledge the orders of the reformed church. In addition to his see the archbishop held by dispensation the rectory of Kilmore in the county of Kilkenny, and the vicarages of Castle-doagh in the diocese of Ossory, and of Donard in the diocese of Dublin. He voluntarily resigned his see in 1609, and dying shortly afterwards at Tuam, was buried in the cathedral there.
, and continued the version of the New Testament which had been commenced by John Kearney and Nicholas Walsh, bishop of Ossory, and which was completed by William O'Donnell or Daniell, who was afterwards raised to the archiepiscopal see of Tuam. It was published in 1602 at Dublin, under the title of Tiomna Nuadh ar dtighearna agus ar slanaightheora Iosa Criosd, ar na tarruing gu firinneach as Gréigis gu gaoidheilg. Re Huilliam O Domhnuill. It was brought out at the expense of the province of Connaught and of Sir William Usher, the clerk of the council in Ireland. Great expectations were formed of this undertaking, and it was confidently believed that it would be the means of destroying the Roman church in Ireland. It is a noteworthy fact that of the four scholars engaged in translating the New Testament into the Irish vernacular, three - Kearney, Walsh, and Donellan - received their education in the university of Cambridge.
Archbishop of Tuam
The Archbishop of Tuam is an archiepiscopal title which takes its name after the town of Tuam in County Galway, Ireland. The title was used by the Church of Ireland until 1839, and is still in use by the Roman Catholic Church.-History:...
, fl. c. 1560-1609.
Background
Donellan was born in the county of Galway, a son of Mael Sechlainn Ó Dónalláin, by his wife Sisly, daughter of William Ó Cellaigh of Calla. He was a descendant of Domnallan mac MaelbrigdiDomnallan mac Maelbrigdi
-Biography:Domnallan was the son of Maelbrigdi, a member of the Ui Maine dynasty, located in south-east Connacht. His pedigree is given as Domnallan mac Maelbrigdi mic Grenain mic Loingsich mic Domnallain mic Bresail mic Dluthaig mic Fithchellaig mic Dicholla mic Eogain Find.-Descendants:The...
.
He was entered as Nehemiah Daniel on 13 January 1579-80 at King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
, and shortly afterwards matriculated in the same name. Subsequently he migrated to Catharine Hall, where he took the degree of B.A. in 1581-2.
Career
On his return to his native country he acted for some time as coadjutor to William Ó Maolalaidh, archbishop of Tuam, and afterwards, on the recommendation of Thomas, earl of Ormonde, he was appointed the successor of that prelate, by letters patent dated 17 August 1595.Two days later he received restitution of the temporalities. In the writ of privy seal directing his appointment, it was alleged that he was very fit to communicate with the people in their mother tongue, and a very meet instrument to retain and instruct them in duty and religion; and that he had also taken pains in translating and putting to the press the Communion Book and New Testament in the Irish language, which her majesty greatly approved of.
It is asserted by Teige Ó Dubhagáin (see Dugan
Dugan
Dugan or Duggan is an Irish surname that arose simultaneously in a number of areas, including Cork, Roscommon, Galway, Wexford and Fermanagh. The best known family of the name had its territory near the modern town of Fermoy in north Cork, and were originally the ruling family of the Fir Maighe...
), who drew up a pedigree of the Donellan family, that he was never in holy orders, but probably the genealogist may have been led to make this startling assertion simply by an unwillingness to acknowledge the orders of the reformed church. In addition to his see the archbishop held by dispensation the rectory of Kilmore in the county of Kilkenny, and the vicarages of Castle-doagh in the diocese of Ossory, and of Donard in the diocese of Dublin. He voluntarily resigned his see in 1609, and dying shortly afterwards at Tuam, was buried in the cathedral there.
Tiomna Nuadh
Donellan was a master of the Irish languageIrish 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 continued the version of the New Testament which had been commenced by John Kearney and Nicholas Walsh, bishop of Ossory, and which was completed by William O'Donnell or Daniell, who was afterwards raised to the archiepiscopal see of Tuam. It was published in 1602 at Dublin, under the title of Tiomna Nuadh ar dtighearna agus ar slanaightheora Iosa Criosd, ar na tarruing gu firinneach as Gréigis gu gaoidheilg. Re Huilliam O Domhnuill. It was brought out at the expense of the province of Connaught and of Sir William Usher, the clerk of the council in Ireland. Great expectations were formed of this undertaking, and it was confidently believed that it would be the means of destroying the Roman church in Ireland. It is a noteworthy fact that of the four scholars engaged in translating the New Testament into the Irish vernacular, three - Kearney, Walsh, and Donellan - received their education in the university of Cambridge.
Family
By his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Nicolas O'Donnell, he had issue:- - John
- - James, who was knighted, and became lord chief justice of the common pleas in Ireland
- - Edmund, of Killucan in the county of Westmeath
- - Teigue, of Ballyheague in the county of Kildare
- - Murtough, who received holy orders in the Roman Catholic Church.