Froinsias Ó Maolmhuaidh facts for kids
Froinsias Ó Maolmhuaidh (also known as Francis Molloy) was an Irish Franciscan friar. He was a smart writer and a theologian, which means he studied religion. He also studied language. He wrote the very first grammar book for the Irish language that was printed. This important book was written in Latin. He lived from about 1606 to 1677.
Contents
About Froinsias Ó Maolmhuaidh
His Early Life
Froinsias Ó Maolmhuaidh was born in a part of Ireland called the Diocese of Meath. It was most likely in the area of Firceall in what is now County Offaly. We don't know exactly where he fit into his family. But he wrote down stories he heard when he was young. One story was about a huge Christmas party. It had 960 guests and lasted for twelve days! This party was held by Calvagh O'Molloy, who was the chief of his family.
Froinsias Ó Maolmhuaidh was probably the uncle of Reverend Seán Ó Dálaigh. Seán Ó Dálaigh was a student at Saint Isidore's College in Rome. He also helped check Ó Maolmhuaidh's grammar book before it was printed.
His Journeys and Studies
Froinsias Ó Maolmhuaidh joined the Friars Minor (a group of Franciscans) in Rome. This happened on August 2, 1632. In 1642, when he was about 36, he became a lecturer in philosophy in Vienna, Austria. Philosophy is the study of knowledge and existence.
While in Vienna, he wrote a book about theology. It was called Disputatio theologica de incarnatione verbi. This book was published in 1645. In 1647, he was told to go back to Rome. He taught philosophy at the Irish Franciscan College of St. Isidore. By 1652, he was teaching theology there. He continued teaching until at least 1677. He was also the president of the college for a time in 1671.
His Published Works
Froinsias Ó Maolmhuaidh was still in Rome when his book Iubilatio genethliaca was published in 1658. In 1663, he started preparing a course on philosophy for printing. The first part of his Philosophia was published in Rome in 1666. However, no other parts were ever published.
His most famous work was Lucerna fidelium. This book was an Irish language catechism. A catechism is a book that teaches the basic beliefs of a religion. This book taught about Catholic church doctrine. It was published in Rome in 1676. He started this project in 1670. Important friends in Rome, like Monsignor Baldeschi and Cardinal Altieri, helped him.
His last printed book was Grammatica Latino-Hibernica. This was the first printed grammar book for the Irish language. It came out in 1677. The book was written in Latin. It had 25 chapters. Nine chapters were about the letters of the alphabet. Three chapters were about where words come from (etymology). One chapter was about short forms of words and secret writings. The last 12 chapters were about how words sound and how poems are made. At the end of the book, there was an Irish poem by Molloy. The poem was about how people were forgetting the old Irish language. It also talked about hopes for the language to become strong again.
His Role as an Irish Franciscan
In 1664, Froinsias Ó Maolmhuaidh went to a big meeting of the Franciscan order in Rome. He went on behalf of the Irish leader of the Franciscans. He had been working for his fellow Irish Franciscans for many years. They respected him a lot. In 1670, he was chosen to represent the Irish Franciscan group in Rome.
In 1671, some people wanted him to become the bishop of Kildare in Ireland. Even the sister of Pope Clement X supported him. But Oliver Plunkett, who was the archbishop of Armagh, did not agree. This might have stopped him from becoming bishop. He never returned to Ireland, even though he wanted to near the end of his life.
His Final Years
A special stone at St. Isidore's College said he died in 1684. But later, people found out he died sometime in late 1677. He passed away while traveling through France on his way to Ireland. He was with Seán Ó Dálaigh when he died.
See also
- Ó Maolmhuaidh
- Ailbe Ua Maíl Mhuaidh, bishop of Ferns, died 1223
- Mícheál Ó Cléirigh
- Séamus Ó Siaghail
- Luke Wadding
- Valentine Browne, OFM
