Daniel MacCarthy Glas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Daniel MacCarthy (Glas)
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| Born | 28 April 1807 London, United Kingdom
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| Died | 9 April 1884 (aged 76) Southampton, United Kingdom
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| Education | St. Edmund's, Old Hall Green, Hertfordshire |
| Occupation | Author and historian |
| Years active | 1840–1880 |
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Notable work
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(i) The Life and Letters of Florence MacCarthy Reagh, Tanist of Carbery, MacCarthy Mór (ii) A Historical Pedigree of the Sliochd Feidhlimidh, the MacCarthys of Gleannacroim |
| Spouse(s) | Harriet Alexandrina Bassett Popham (1804–1847) |
| Parent(s) | Daniel MacCarthy and Mary Anne Ward |
Daniel MacCarthy (Glas) (born April 28, 1807 – died April 9, 1884) was a writer who loved history. He wrote historical novels, Irish history books, and biographies (life stories of people). Daniel was born in London, but his family was from Ireland.
He often wrote letters to many important people. These included archaeologists (who study old things), antiquarians (who study ancient objects), and early experts in Irish history. They were all part of a big movement in the 1800s to learn more about Ireland's past. You can still find his letters in places like the Royal Irish Academy and the Cork City and County Archives.
Contents
Daniel MacCarthy's Early Life
Daniel MacCarthy was born into a family that owned ships and sold coal. His family lived in East London. He went to a Roman Catholic school called St. Edmund's College.
After school, Daniel spent several years traveling in Europe. When he was 25, he got married in Naples. His wife was the daughter of a famous naval officer, Admiral Sir Home Popham. They had three children together: one daughter and two sons. Sadly, only one of his sons lived longer than Daniel.
What Daniel MacCarthy Wrote
Daniel MacCarthy had enough money to live comfortably, so he could focus on his writing. At first, he wrote historical novels. Some of his books included The Siege of Florence, Massaniello, and The Free Lance.
Later, he started writing more serious history books. In 1867, he published The Life and Letters of Florence MacCarthy Reagh. This book was a detailed biography of his relative, Florence MacCarthy Reagh (who lived from 1560 to 1640).
In 1875, Daniel published another important work. It was called A Historical Pedigree of the Sliochd Feidhlimidh, the MacCarthys of Gleannacroim. This book traced the family tree of many members of the MacCarthy Clan from West Cork, Ireland. Daniel believed he was related to this part of the family.
Family History and Giving Back
While researching his family history, Daniel found strong connections to his family's original home in Dunmanway, Ireland. He cared a lot about this area and gave money to many good causes there, including helping children get an education.
However, Daniel's money situation changed in 1866 when a bank called Overend and Gurney Bank failed. This meant he lost a lot of his income. Because of this, his dream of buying back his family's old property near Dunmanway, including the castle at Togher, never came true.
Family Connections and Modern Science
Daniel's great-uncle, Denis, moved from Dunmanway in the mid-1700s. He became a very successful shipowner and coal merchant in London. Daniel's first cousin was Sir Charles Justin MacCarthy, who became the Governor of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).
Daniel believed his family came from the Lords of Gleannacroim, who were cousins of the MacCarthy Reagh family. He even added "Glas" to his name, which was connected to that family group.
Interestingly, a direct male descendant of Daniel MacCarthy took part in a Y-DNA study. This study showed that Daniel's paternal (father's side) genetic origins were quite different from what he wrote in his family history books. This shows how modern science can sometimes add new information to historical research!
The Daniel MacCarthy (Glas) Archive
In 2017, about 2,000 important documents were given to the Cork City and County Archive in Ireland. These documents were collected by Daniel MacCarthy during his research. They also included family items. The donation came from his descendants, Don and Susan MacCarthy, who live in Oregon, USA.
Among these documents is a very old family tree from 1784, put together by John Collins. Experts say this family tree is "immensely important" for understanding culture and history. The archive also has a rare copy of a map of Ireland from 1567, made by John Goghe. These items help us learn more about Daniel MacCarthy and the history he studied.
