Pádraig de Brún facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pádraig de Brún
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| Born | 13 October 1889 Grangemockler, County Tipperary
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| Died | 5 June 1960 (aged 70) |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Education | Rockwell College, Holy Cross College, Royal University of Ireland, National University of Ireland, Irish College in Paris, Sorbonne |
| Occupation | Catholic Priest, mathematician and classical scholar |
| Parent(s) | Maurice Browne |
| Relatives | Michael Cardinal Browne (brother), Seán MacEntee (brother in law), Máire Mhac an Tsaoi, Maurice Browne (brother) |
Pádraig de Brún (born October 13, 1889 – died June 5, 1960) was a very smart and talented Irish person. He was a Catholic priest, a brilliant mathematician, a poet, and a scholar who studied ancient Greek and Roman writings. People sometimes called him Patrick Joseph Browne or just Paddy Browne. He even became the President of University College, Galway (UCG).
Contents
Early Life and Education
Pádraig de Brún was born in a place called Grangemockler in County Tipperary in 1889. His father, Maurice Browne, was a primary school teacher. Pádraig went to school locally, then to Rockwell College and Holy Cross College in Dublin.
Interestingly, a famous Irish leader named Éamon de Valera taught him mathematics at both colleges! In 1909, Pádraig earned his first university degree, a BA. Later, he got an MA degree and won a special scholarship. This scholarship allowed him to study even more mathematics in Paris, France.
In 1913, he became a Catholic priest in Paris. In the same year, he earned a D.Sc. (Doctor of Science) degree in mathematics from the Sorbonne, which is a very famous university.
Career and Achievements
After studying for a while in Germany, Pádraig de Brún became a professor of mathematics at St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, in 1914.
In 1945, he was chosen to be the President of University College, Galway. This meant he was in charge of the whole university. He held this important job until he retired in 1959. Today, a building at the university, Áras de Brún, is named after him.
After retiring from the university, he became the Chairman of the Arts Council of Ireland. This council helps support art and culture in Ireland. He also led the Council of the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, which is a place where very smart people do advanced research.
Pádraig de Brún was also a close friend of Seán Mac Diarmada, one of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising in Ireland.
Poetry and Translations
Pádraig de Brún was a very active writer, especially of poetry. One of his well-known poems in the Irish language is "Tháinig Long ó Valparaiso."
He also translated many famous old books from other languages into Irish. These included:
- Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, which are epic stories from ancient Greece.
- Sophocles' plays Antigone and Oedipus Rex, also from ancient Greece.
- Plutarch's Lives, a collection of biographies of famous Greeks and Romans.
- Dante's The Divine Comedy, a famous Italian poem.
Honours and Family
Because of his great work, the French Government gave Pádraig de Brún a special award called Chevalier of the Legion d'Honneur in 1949. This is one of the highest honours France can give. In 1956, the President of Italy also gave him an award called Al Merito della Repubblica Italiana.
In 1950, the Pope gave him the title of Monsignor. This is a special title given to certain Catholic priests.
Pádraig de Brún passed away in Dublin on June 5, 1960. His brother, Michael Browne, became a Cardinal, which is a very high rank in the Catholic Church. His sister, Margaret Browne, married an important Irish politician named Seán MacEntee. They had a daughter, Máire Mhac an tSaoi, who became a famous Irish language poet.
Pádraig de Brún loved the Irish language and culture. He bought land in Dún Chaoin in County Kerry, which is a Gaeltacht area where Irish is spoken every day. In the 1920s, he built a house there where his sister's children would stay.
