John Lynch (Gratianus Lucius) facts for kids

John Lynch (who also used the name Gratianus Lucius) was an Irish Roman Catholic priest. He was also a famous historian and an important church leader called an Archdeacon of Tuam. He lived a long time ago, from about 1599 to 1677.

John Lynch's Early Life and Education

John Lynch was born into a family with both Irish and Norman roots in Galway, Ireland. This was probably around the year 1599. People say his father, Alexander Lynch, was a school teacher.

He went to school with the Jesuits, who are a group of Catholic priests. Around 1622, he became a priest himself. Because of the rules at the time, he had to hold church services, called Mass, in secret. He would do this in private homes. He also ran a school.

Life as an Archdeacon and Exile

Later, John Lynch was chosen to be the Archdeacon of Tuam. This meant he was a senior priest in that area. He lived in an old castle that once belonged to an Irish king, Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair. He was also good friends with another important Irish scholar, Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh.

In 1652, the city of Galway was taken over by a powerful army called the New Model Army. After this happened, John Lynch had to leave Ireland and move to France. Some of his books were printed there, in a town called St. Malo. John Lynch lived the rest of his life in France and passed away there.

John Lynch's Writings and Books

John Lynch was a very busy writer and historian. He wrote several important books and letters.

Books About Irish History

• He translated a famous book called ‘History of Ireland’ by Geoffrey Keating into Latin. This was a handwritten copy.
• One of his most well-known books was called ‘Cambrensis Eversus’. This long title basically means "Giraldus Cambrensis Overthrown." In this book, Lynch strongly defended Irish history. He showed that another writer, Giraldus Cambrensis, had made many mistakes and wasn't always fair when writing about Ireland. This book was printed around 1662. It was later translated into English so more people could read it.

Letters and Other Works

• He wrote a letter in 1664 to a historian in Paris, M. Boileau. This letter was about old Scottish history.
• He also wrote two books called ‘Alithinologia’ and ‘Supplementum Alithinologiæ’. In these books, he argued against the ideas of another friar named Richard Ferral. Ferral had written things that Lynch believed were unfair and untrue about many Irish leaders and people. Lynch wanted to set the record straight and defend the Irish.
• John Lynch also wrote a poem in Latin around 1667. It was a reply to the question, "Why don't you return to your home country?" This poem showed his feelings about being away from Ireland.
• Another book he wrote was called ‘Pii Antistitis Icon’. This was a biography, which means a life story, of his uncle, Francis Kirwan. Francis Kirwan was a bishop. This book was printed in 1669 and was also later translated into English.