Muiris mac Seaán Ulltach Ó Duinnshléibhe facts for kids
Muiris mac Seaán Ulltach Ó Duinnshléibhe was also known as Father Muiris Ulltach. He was an important Irish priest and scholar who lived from the early 1600s to the 1630s. He is remembered for his work as a translator and his role in preserving Irish history.
Life in Spain
Father Muiris Ulltach traveled to Spain early in his life. In 1602, he was with a famous Irish leader, Aodh Ruadh Ó Domhnaill, in Simancas Castle. He was there with another important religious figure, Archbishop of Tuam Fláithrí Ó Maol Chonaire, when Ó Domhnaill passed away.
A Talented Translator
Father Muiris Ulltach was very skilled with languages. In the 1620s, he took a Latin book called Brevis synopsis Provinciae Hyberniae FF Minorum and translated it into the Irish language. This book was about the history of the Franciscan order in Ireland.
His translation was very important. It was used by Mícheál Ó Cléirigh and his team when they were writing the famous historical work, the Annals of the Four Masters. These "Annals" are a collection of historical records about Ireland. In 1641, Ó Cléirigh wrote that Father Muiris Ulltach, who was a leader at the Donegal monastery, had done this translation.
Guardian of Bundrowes
As Ó Cléirigh mentioned, Father Muiris Ulltach was the guardian (a type of leader) of the Franciscan convent (a religious community) in Bundrowes, County Donegal. He held this important role from 1632 to 1635.
In 1624, Father Muiris Ulltach had an idea. He knew that stories about Ireland's saints were written in a special, sometimes hidden, way. He asked the head of the Franciscan order in Donegal, who was also named Muiris Ulltach, for help. He wanted to get help from Cú Choigcríche Ó Cléirigh, who knew a lot about Irish history and had old books. Father Muiris Ulltach wanted to organize the stories of the saints in a clear way, similar to how saints are listed in a Roman Martyrology (a book listing saints and their feast days).
