Maoilín Óg Mac Bruaideadha facts for kids
Maoilín Óg Mac Bruaideadha was an Irish poet and scholar who lived a long time ago. He was known for translating a part of the New Testament (which is a section of the Christian Bible) into the Irish language. He did this important work at Trinity College in Dublin.
Maoilín Óg passed away on December 31, 1602. His son, Concubhair Mac Bruideadha, followed in his footsteps. Both Maoilín Óg and his son Concubhair were often mentioned in old official papers, like the Inchiquin Manuscripts. They often acted as people who helped solve problems and make decisions in their community.
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Who Was Maoilín Óg?
Maoilín Óg Mac Bruaideadha came from a place called Kilkee in County Clare, Ireland. He followed his father, Maoilín mac Conor, as the family's ollamh in 1582. An ollamh was a very respected master poet and historian in old Ireland. It was a very important role in society.
Stories from History
Old Irish history books, called the Annals of the Four Masters, tell us about Maoilín Óg.
A Story from 1599
In the year 1599, the Annals tell a story about Maoilín Óg. He met with a powerful leader named O'Donnell. Maoilín Óg explained that a long time ago, a place called Grianan Oiligh was destroyed. He believed that because of this, God allowed the area of Thomond to be attacked and robbed by O'Donnell's army.
Maoilín Óg went to O'Donnell to ask for his cattle back, which O'Donnell's soldiers had taken. O'Donnell gave all his cattle back to him! After this, Maoilín Óg wrote a short poem to thank him. This shows how respected he was as a poet and scholar.
His Passing in 1602
The Annals of the Four Masters also recorded when Maoilín Óg passed away. They wrote that he died on the very last day of December in 1602. The Annals described him as one of the best historians, poets, and rhymers in all of Ireland. He wrote many historical poems.
Translating the Bible
Maoilín Óg was one of the few Irish scholars of his time who worked with the new English rulers. He even worked for Trinity College for a while in the 1590s. He was also part of a group that translated the New Testament into the Irish language. This translation was done to help more people in Ireland read the Christian Bible in their own language.
His Poems
Maoilín Óg wrote many poems. Six of his poems are listed in the Annals of the Four Masters. One of his famous poems is called Brathair don bhás an doidhbhreas, which means Poverty is death’s brother. He wrote this poem for a powerful leader named Connor O'Brien, 3rd Earl of Thomond.
