Charles Patrick Meehan facts for kids

Charles Patrick Meehan (born July 12, 1812 – died March 14, 1890) was an Irish Catholic priest, a person who studies history (a historian), and an editor. He was known for his writings and for helping to preserve important Irish stories.

About Charles Patrick Meehan's Life

Charles Patrick Meehan was born in Dublin, Ireland, on July 12, 1812. He started his education in Ballymahon, County Longford, which was where his parents were from.

In 1828, when he was about 16, he went to the Irish Catholic College, Rome to study. He worked hard there and became a priest in 1834. That same year, he returned to Dublin.

His first job as a priest was in Rathdrum, County Wicklow. After about nine months, he moved to a church in Dublin called Saints Michael and John. He stayed there as a priest until he passed away on March 14, 1890.

Meehan was a good friend and trusted advisor to the famous poet James Clarence Mangan. He even encouraged Mangan to write his life story. Charles Patrick Meehan was also chosen to be a member of the Royal Irish Academy, which is a group that promotes learning and research in Ireland.

What Charles Patrick Meehan Wrote and Edited

Charles Patrick Meehan was a busy writer and editor. He wrote poems for a newspaper called The Nation, which was a newspaper that supported Irish independence. He used the pen-name 'Clericus' for his poems.

He also wrote articles for Duffy's Hibernian Magazine. In 1862, he became the editor of this magazine when it was relaunched as Duffy's Hibernian Sixpence Magazine.

Books and Translations

Meehan wrote several important books about Irish history. One of his early works was a "History of the O'Tooles, Lords Powerscourt," which was about an old Irish family. He didn't put his name on this book.

Here are some of his other well-known books:

• History of the Confederation of Kilkenny (1846): This book was about a time in Irish history when Catholic leaders formed a government.
• The Geraldines, their Rise, Increase and Ruin (1847): This book told the story of another important Irish family, the Geraldines.
• Fate and Fortunes of the Earls of Tyrone and Tyrconnell (1868): This book was about two powerful Irish leaders, Hugh O'Neill and Rory O'Donnel, and their journey into exile. This book gave a new, more romantic name to this event: "The Flight of the Earls". Before this, it was known as "The Departure of the Chiefs of Ulster." People really liked this book when it came out. One newspaper said that Father Meehan "boldly lifts the veil off those foul and treacherous deeds which fill some of the blackest pages in Ireland's disastrous history."
• Rise and Fall of the Irish Franciscan Monasteries and Memoirs of the Irish Hierarchy in the Seventeenth Century (1870): This book was about religious buildings and leaders in Ireland during the 1600s.

Meehan also translated books from other languages into English. For example, he translated Alessandro Manzoni's "La Monaca di Monza" (1848). He also translated a biography of Francis Kirwan, a bishop, from Latin.

He also wrote stories for young people called "Tales for the Young" and translated other stories, which he named "Flowers from Foreign Fields."

Editing Other Authors' Works

Besides writing his own books, Meehan also helped to publish the works of other important Irish writers. He edited:

• Thomas Davis's "Literary and Historical Essays" (1883).
• James Clarence Mangan's "Essays and Poems" (1884).
• Richard Robert Madden's "Literary Remains of the United Irishmen" (1887).

He also wrote a biography of his friend, James Clarence Mangan, in 1884.