Énrí Ó Muirgheasa facts for kids

Énrí Ó Muirgheasa (also known as Henry Morris) was an important Irish scholar, born on January 14, 1874. He spent his life working as a teacher and civil servant. He was also a passionate collector of old stories and a historian. Énrí Ó Muirgheasa helped keep the Irish language and its history alive. He passed away on August 13, 1945.

Early Life and Family

Énrí Ó Muirgheasa was born in a place called Cashlan East, in County Monaghan, Ireland. His parents were Lúcas Ó Muirgheasa and Máire Nic Ward, who were farmers. He went to Lisdoonan school to learn.

However, Énrí learned to read and write Irish from his granduncle, Proinsias Ó Conghaile. This early learning helped him become a great Irish language expert later on.

In 1906, Énrí married Eibhlín Ní Raghallaigh, who was a harpist and also a teacher. Sadly, their son Colum was born and died in 1907. Eibhlín also passed away in 1908. Later, in 1912, Énrí married Máire Woods from County Galway.

His Career and Work

Énrí Ó Muirgheasa started his career in education very early. In 1888, he became a monitor at Lisdoonan school. A monitor was like a student helper who assisted the teacher. While there, he helped start the first local group of the Gaelic League in Monaghan. The Gaelic League is an organization that works to promote the Irish language.

In 1900, Énrí became a qualified teacher after studying at St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra. He then got a teaching job in Dundalk in 1901. In Dundalk, he also helped create the Louth Historical and Archaeological Society. This group studied the history and old sites of the area.

Énrí moved to Strabane, County Tyrone, in 1907. There, he helped organize Irish language classes in schools. He continued to work in education, moving to Derry in 1912. After that, he became a school inspector in Skerries. As an inspector, he would visit schools to make sure they were teaching well.

In 1923, he became a divisional inspector in Sligo. By 1932, he was promoted to deputy chief inspector. This shows how important his role was in Irish education. Énrí Ó Muirgheasa also wrote many articles. His writings were published in different journals and newspapers.