Theobald Stapleton
Encyclopedia
Theobald Stapleton, alias Teabóid Gallduf or Gallduff (1589 – 13 September 1647), was an Irish
Roman Catholic
priest born in County Tipperary
, Ireland
. Little is known of his career, except that he was a priest living in Flanders
.
In 1639, he published a catechism
in Early Modern Irish to promote the use of the language in religious literature. It was the first Roman Catholic book in which the Irish language
was printed in antiqua type. The book, published in Brussels
, was called or, in Irish, .
Stapleton's catechism was also the first notable attempt to simplify Irish spelling
. He advocated and used a simplified spelling of Irish to encourage literacy among less educated people. In Stapleton's system, silent letters in certain words were replaced, e.g., the idhe in the word ("sitting") was replaced by í in (as in modern Irish). He also brought the spelling closer to the pronunciation, e.g. by replacing thbh as in ("terror") by f, giving uafás as in modern Irish. However, only authors of devotional literature adopted his spelling system; the classical spelling system remained in place until the 20th century.
In September 1647, in the Sack of Cashel
, during the Irish Confederate Wars
Stapleton was captured in the cathedral at Cashel
by Parliamentarian
soldiers under the command of Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin
, and put to death on the spot
.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
priest born in County Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Little is known of his career, except that he was a priest living in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
.
In 1639, he published a catechism
Catechism
A catechism , i.e. to indoctrinate) is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present...
in Early Modern Irish to promote the use of the language in religious literature. It was the first Roman Catholic book in which the Irish language
Irish 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...
was printed in antiqua type. The book, published in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, was called or, in Irish, .
Stapleton's catechism was also the first notable attempt to simplify Irish spelling
Irish orthography
Irish orthography has evolved over many centuries, since Old Irish was first written down in the Latin alphabet in about the 6th century AD. Prior to that, Primitive Irish was written in Ogham...
. He advocated and used a simplified spelling of Irish to encourage literacy among less educated people. In Stapleton's system, silent letters in certain words were replaced, e.g., the idhe in the word ("sitting") was replaced by í in (as in modern Irish). He also brought the spelling closer to the pronunciation, e.g. by replacing thbh as in ("terror") by f, giving uafás as in modern Irish. However, only authors of devotional literature adopted his spelling system; the classical spelling system remained in place until the 20th century.
In September 1647, in the Sack of Cashel
Sack of Cashel
The Sack of Cashel was a notorious atrocity which occurred in the Irish County of Tipperary in the year 1647, during the Irish Confederate Wars, part of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
, during the Irish Confederate Wars
Irish Confederate Wars
This article is concerned with the military history of Ireland from 1641-53. For the political context of this conflict, see Confederate Ireland....
Stapleton was captured in the cathedral at Cashel
Cashel, County Tipperary
Cashel is a town in South Tipperary in Ireland. Its population was 2936 at the 2006 census. The town gives its name to the ecclesiastical province of Cashel. Additionally, the cathedra of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly was originally in the town prior to the English Reformation....
by Parliamentarian
Roundhead
"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
soldiers under the command of Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin
Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin
Murrough McDermod O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin and 6th Baron Inchiquin , was known as Murchadh na dTóiteán ....
, and put to death on the spot
Summary execution
A summary execution is a variety of execution in which a person is killed on the spot without trial or after a show trial. Summary executions have been practiced by the police, military, and paramilitary organizations and are associated with guerrilla warfare, counter-insurgency, terrorism, and...
.
Sources and external links
- Ryan-Hackett, Rita. 1995. The Stapletons of Drom, alias Font-Forte, Co. Tipperary. Killiney: Thornvale.
- Theobald Stapleton at the Catholic Encyclopedia
- St. John D. Seymour: The Storming of the Rock of Cashel by Lord Inchiquin in 1647.English Historical Review, Vol. 32, No. 127 (July, 1917)
- Araltas.com
- Simplified Spelling System
- Franciscans in Cashel and Emly
- The Spiritual Rose ed. Malachy McKenna