Charles O'Conor (priest) facts for kids

Charles O'Conor (born 1764, died 1828) was an Irish priest and a writer who studied history. He worked for an important noblewoman, the Marchioness of Buckingham, as her personal priest (chaplain) and also managed her large collection of books and old writings (librarian). He helped organize many old documents, including a very famous one called the Stowe Missal. This important book is now kept at the Royal Irish Academy. Charles O'Conor came from a family of historians; his grandfather, Charles O'Connor, and his brother, Matthew O'Conor, were also well-known historians.

Who Was Charles O'Conor?

Charles O'Conor was known for being a kind and quiet person. People who knew him generally liked him. He had a lot of knowledge about history and books. He was often called 'the Abbé' by people in his local area. For many years, he was seen walking between Stowe and Buckingham, always reading a book.

Early Life and Education

Charles O'Conor studied at Ludovisi College in Rome from 1779 to 1791. After finishing his studies, he became a parish priest in Kilkeevin, County Roscommon, from 1792 to 1798. In 1796, he wrote a book about his grandfather, the historian Charles O'Connor. However, he later decided to stop its publication.

Working at Stowe

In 1798, Charles O'Conor was asked to work for Mary Nugent, the Marchioness of Buckingham. His job was to be her chaplain and to organize and translate a collection of old Irish manuscripts at Stowe. He brought many of his grandfather's papers, including 59 old Irish writings, to Stowe.

While at Stowe, O'Conor wrote a series of letters called Columbanus ad Hibernos (published between 1810 and 1813). In these letters, he supported the idea that the king should have a say in choosing Catholic bishops in Ireland. This view caused some disagreement, and he was temporarily suspended from his duties as a parish priest by John Troy, who was the Archbishop of Dublin.

As a librarian, he also worked on editing important historical texts. He edited the writings of the Four Masters and other old records from the Stowe Library. These were published as Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores Veteres between 1814 and 1826.

Later Years

After leaving Stowe in 1827, Charles O'Conor faced some health challenges. He passed away in Belenagare and was buried in Ballintober.