Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh facts for kids

Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh (pronounced Doo-wal-takh Mac Ir-vish-ee), also known as Duald Mac Firbis, was an important Irish scribe, translator, historian, and genealogist. He lived from about 1643 to 1671. He was one of the last scholars trained in the old Irish Gaelic ways.

Dubhaltach belonged to the Mac Fhirbhisigh family, a very important family from northern Connacht, Ireland. His most famous work is Leabhar na nGenealach, which means The Book of Genealogies. This huge book was finally published in 2004, over 300 years after he wrote it!

Who Was Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh?

Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh was probably born in County Sligo, Ireland, in the early 1600s. He was called "Dubhaltach Og" (young Dubhaltach) to tell him apart from his grandfather, "Dubhaltach Mór" (big Dubhaltach).

He was the oldest of four sons. We don't know if he ever got married or had children. He might have gone to school in Galway, where he learned English, Latin, and some Greek. This is clear because he used all these languages in his writings. He might also have studied at a special school for poets and scholars in County Tipperary.

Dubhaltach lived during a very tough time in Ireland. There were wars, hunger, and sickness from 1641 to 1653. But it's interesting that he never wrote about these big events in his books.

When Did Dubhaltach Start His Work?

We know for sure that Dubhaltach was working by May 5, 1643. At that time, he was in Ballymacegan, translating an old Latin dictionary. He also copied an old book called the Fragmentary Annals of Ireland. He made this copy for a friend, Rev. Dr. John Lynch.

In 1643, he also copied other important texts. These included a legal book and the Chronicon Scotorum, which is a record of Irish history. He likely made these copies for John Lynch too.

Working in Galway Town

Between 1643 and 1645, Dubhaltach moved to Galway. In April 1645, he finished copying a 70-page history book called Seanchas Síl Ír. This copy is very valuable today because some pages of the original book have been lost.

Dubhaltach also did work for the Poor Clares, a group of nuns in Galway. In 1647, he finished translating a book about the rules of St. Clare from English into Irish. He noted that he was writing this at the "College of Galway," which was near a church.

What Was His Greatest Book?

In April 1649, Dubhaltach began working on his most important book, Leabhar na nGenealach, or the Book of Genealogies. This book is a huge collection of Irish family histories. It covers both old Irish families and Anglo-Norman families. It goes from ancient times up to the mid-1600s.

We don't know how long he spent gathering all the information for this book. He noted that on April 13, 1649, he finished a part about the Ui Bhruin family. In August of that year, he finished a list of the Kings of Ireland. He got this information from another famous book called the Annals of the Four Masters.

Writing During a Plague

Dubhaltach finished the list of kings on August 8, 1649. Right around that time, a terrible sickness called the bubonic plague arrived in Galway. Over the next nine months, about 3,700 people in the town died.

After most of the book was written, Dubhaltach added an index. An index is a list of names or topics in a book, which was very rare for Irish books back then. He finished the index on December 28, 1650. At this time, English forces were taking over Ireland. In July, they started a nine-month attack on Galway, which ended in the town giving up in April 1652.

In July 1653, he added more material to the book, including a list of saints' family trees. He used very old manuscripts from the 1100s and 1400s for this part.

Later Years and Important Work

In April 1656, Dubhaltach was a witness at the wedding of his family's lord, Dathi Og O Dubhda. He might have even written the wedding agreement in English.

In October 1657, Dubhaltach was writing in Sligo town, near a ruined church. This was against the rules at the time, as Catholics were not allowed in towns like Sligo. He was adding more information to Leabhar na nGenealach from old books that are now lost.

Around 1662, he was mentioned in an official report for paying taxes on a house near his hometown. He was also mentioned in a printed book for the only time in his life, in a book by his friend John Lynch.

Working for Sir James Ware

In 1665 and 1666, Dubhaltach worked in Dublin for Sir James Ware. Sir James was a famous historian. Dubhaltach translated parts of old Irish history books, like the Annals of Inisfallen and the Annals of Tigernach, into English for him.

He also used old family documents to write about early Irish bishops. Many of the books he used for this are now gone. Sir James used much of Dubhaltach's work in his own book about Irish bishops, published in 1665.

Dubhaltach returned to work for Sir James in November 1666. He started translating parts of the Annals of Lackan, a history book written by his own family. But Sir James died on December 1, 1666, and Dubhaltach's job in Dublin ended.

How Did Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh Die?

After Sir James died, Dubhaltach might have traveled to Gort, looking for support from a local leader. He also might have gone to Larne in County Antrim. There, he seems to have sold or left about twelve of his old books to another scholar.

We don't know much about Dubhaltach until January 1671. His friend Ruaidhrí Ó Flaithbheartaigh wrote in a book that "Dualdus Firbisius died, killed by Thomas Crofton." Dubhaltach was stabbed to death by a man named Thomas Crofton near a village called Skreen in County Sligo. He was probably buried at his local church.

What Happened to His Books?

After Dubhaltach died, his books went to his lord, David O Dowd. His friend Ruaidhrí Ó Flaithbheartaigh got his copy of Chronicum Scotorum.

In 1702, Dubhaltach's family history books were owned by a merchant in Sligo. Leabhar na nGenealach was with him until 1705.

Later, Leabhar na nGenealach was copied by someone else in 1715 or 1716. Then it appeared in Dublin, owned by John Conry. He might have gotten it from another scholar's library.

In 1731, the book was sold to Dr. John Fergus in Dublin. After Dr. Fergus and his son died, his daughter sold his large library in 1766. Leabhar na nGenealach was bought by Robert Jocelyn for £7.1.0. For the next 150 years, it stayed at the Jocelyn family home in County Down.

Many scholars used Leabhar na nGenealach during this time, including Charles O'Conor and John O'Donovan. In 1911, the book was sold again at an auction in London. It was bought by a doctor named Michael F. Cox for £79.00. When Dr. Cox died in 1926, his son gave the book to University College Dublin. It is kept there forever in its library.

In 1971, a scholar named Nollaig Ó Muraíle began studying the book. This led to it being published in five volumes in 2004, making it available for everyone to read.

His Family and Legacy

We don't have many details about Dubhaltach's personal life. We don't know if he married or had children. He had three brothers, but no sisters are mentioned. He also didn't write down when his father died or his mother's name.

In the 1690s, a "Dudley Forbissy" was listed as someone who was "Outlawed for Foreign Treason." It's not clear if this was the same Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh, but it shows how his name was sometimes spelled.

In 1842, a farmer named John Mac Firbis wrote a letter to the Royal Irish Academy. He said he was a descendant of Dubhaltach's family and asked for some money for his ancestors' works. This suggests his family was struggling financially.

Today, some descendants of the Mac Fhirbhisigh family still live in Ireland, mainly in County Mayo, using the last name Forbes.

Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh's hard work saved many important old Irish history books. These include several history records, a legal book, and information about the church. His greatest achievement, Leabhar na nGenealach, is as big and important as the Annals of the Four Masters. But what's amazing is that he wrote it all by himself, while the Four Masters was written by a team of scholars.

His work as a collector and preserver of old texts is very important. He made sure these valuable stories and histories were not lost forever.

Books and Writings by Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh

Here are some of the important works Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh wrote or copied:

• Around 1640: Chronicum Scotorum (a history book).
• 1643: Duil Laithne (a Latin dictionary).
• 1643: Fragmentary Annals of Ireland (parts of Irish history).
• 1643: Bretha Nemed Déidenach (a legal book).
• 1645: Seanchas Sil Ir (a history of families).
• 1647: Part of "Rule of St. Clare" (a translation for nuns).
• 1649–1650: Leabhar na nGenealach (his masterpiece, the Book of Genealogies).
• 1656: O Dowd marriage articles (a wedding agreement).
• 1665: Translations of parts of the Annals of Inisfallen and Annals of Tigernach (more history books).
• 1665: List of Irish Bishops and extinct bishoprics (about church leaders).
• 1666: Translation of parts of the Annals of Lackan (his family's history).

See also

• Irish genealogies
• Mícheál Ó Cléirigh
• Sir James Ware
• Mary Bonaventure Browne
• Ruaidhrí Ó Flaithbheartaigh
• Charles O'Conor (historian)
• Eugene O'Curry
• John O'Donovan (scholar)