Geoffrey Keating
Encyclopedia
Seathrún Céitinn, known in English
as Geoffrey Keating, was a 17th century Irish
Roman Catholic
priest, poet
and historian
. He was born in County Tipperary
c. 1569, and died c. 1644. He is buried in Tubrid Graveyard
in the parish of Ballylooby-Duhill
.
It was generally believed until recently that Keating had been born in Burgess, County Tipperary; indeed, a monument to Keating was raised beside the bridge at Burgess, in 1990; but Diarmuid Ó Murchadha writes,
In November 1603, he was one of forty students who sailed for Bordeaux
under the charge of the Rev. Diarmaid MacCarthy to begin their studies at the Irish College which had just been founded in that city by Cardinal François de Sourdis
, Archbishop of Bordeaux. On his arrival in France he wrote a poetical "Farewell to Ireland", and upon hearing of the Flight of the Earls
wrote "Lament on the Sad State of Ireland." After obtaining the degree of Doctor of Divinity at the University of Bordeaux
he returned about 1610 to Ireland
and was appointed to the cure of souls
at Uachtar Achaidh in the parish of Knockgraffan, near Cahir
, where he put a stop to the then-common practice of delaying Mass until the neighbouring gentry arrived.
His major work, Foras Feasa ar Éirinn (literally "Foundation of Knowledge on Ireland", more usually translated "History of Ireland") was written in Early Modern Irish and completed ca. 1634.
The Foras Feasa traced the history of Ireland
from the creation of the world to the invasion of the Normans
in the 12th century, based on the rich native historical and pseudohistorical traditions (including that of the Milesians
), historical poetry, annals and ecclesiastical records. The Foras Feasa circulated in manuscript
as Ireland's English administration would not give authority to have it printed because of its pro-Catholic arguments. Later in 1634 a political campaign for a general reform of anti-Catholic laws, known as the "Graces"
, was denied by the viceroy.
Having old English ancestry, Keating's political view was that Ireland's nobility and natural leadership derived from the surviving Gaelic clan chiefs and Old English landed families who had remained Roman Catholic. He also accepted the Stuart dynasty as legitimate because of its part-Gaelic ancestry. This had a continuing influence on the politics of the Confederate
and Jacobite
supporters in Ireland until Papal recognition of the Stuarts ended in 1766. Keating continued to have an influence on Irish genealogical writers such as O'Hart
into the 1800s.
One edition was printed in Dublin by J. Christie, 16 Ross-Lane in 1809. Keating's first name was spelt Jeoffry . Volume 1 contains 486 pages, Volume 2, 467 with 4 pages of notes and 12 pages of subscribers.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as Geoffrey Keating, was a 17th century Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
priest, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
. He was born in County Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
c. 1569, and died c. 1644. He is buried in Tubrid Graveyard
Tubrid
Tubrid or Tubbrid was formerly a civil and ecclesiastical parish situated between the towns of Cahir and Clogheen in County Tipperary, Ireland...
in the parish of Ballylooby-Duhill
Ballylooby
Ballylooby , is a village in the barony of Iffa and Offa West, South Tipperary in Ireland. It is also a parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Waterford and Lismore.- Location :...
.
It was generally believed until recently that Keating had been born in Burgess, County Tipperary; indeed, a monument to Keating was raised beside the bridge at Burgess, in 1990; but Diarmuid Ó Murchadha writes,
In November 1603, he was one of forty students who sailed for Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
under the charge of the Rev. Diarmaid MacCarthy to begin their studies at the Irish College which had just been founded in that city by Cardinal François de Sourdis
François de Sourdis
François d'Escoubleau de Sourdis was a French Catholic prelate, the Archbishop of Bordeaux and founder of the Irish College there in 1603.-Biography:...
, Archbishop of Bordeaux. On his arrival in France he wrote a poetical "Farewell to Ireland", and upon hearing of the Flight of the Earls
Flight of the Earls
The Flight of the Earls took place on 14 September 1607, when Hugh Ó Neill of Tír Eóghain, Rory Ó Donnell of Tír Chonaill and about ninety followers left Ireland for mainland Europe.-Background to the exile:...
wrote "Lament on the Sad State of Ireland." After obtaining the degree of Doctor of Divinity at the University of Bordeaux
University of Bordeaux
University of Bordeaux is an association of higher education institutions in and around Bordeaux, France. Its current incarnation was established 21 March 2007. The group is the largest system of higher education schools in southwestern France. It is part of the Academy of Bordeaux.There are seven...
he returned about 1610 to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and was appointed to the cure of souls
Cure of souls
In some denominations of Christianity, the cure of souls , an archaic translation which is better rendered today as "care of souls," is the exercise by a priest of his office. This typically embraces instruction, by sermons and admonitions, and administration of sacraments, to the congregation...
at Uachtar Achaidh in the parish of Knockgraffan, near Cahir
Cahir
Cahir is a town in South Tipperary in Ireland. The town is best known for its castle and the Swiss Cottage. It is in the barony of Iffa and Offa West.-Location and access:...
, where he put a stop to the then-common practice of delaying Mass until the neighbouring gentry arrived.
His major work, Foras Feasa ar Éirinn (literally "Foundation of Knowledge on Ireland", more usually translated "History of Ireland") was written in Early Modern Irish and completed ca. 1634.
The Foras Feasa traced the history of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
from the creation of the world to the invasion of the Normans
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
in the 12th century, based on the rich native historical and pseudohistorical traditions (including that of the Milesians
Milesians (Irish)
Milesians are a people figuring in Irish mythology. The descendants of Míl Espáine, they were the final inhabitants of Ireland, and were believed to represent the Goidelic Celts.-Myth:...
), historical poetry, annals and ecclesiastical records. The Foras Feasa circulated in manuscript
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
as Ireland's English administration would not give authority to have it printed because of its pro-Catholic arguments. Later in 1634 a political campaign for a general reform of anti-Catholic laws, known as the "Graces"
The Graces (Ireland)
The Graces were a proposed series of reforms sought by Roman Catholics in Ireland in 1628-1634.-Background:From 1570 to 1625 most people in the Kingdom of Ireland had remained Roman Catholic despite legislation that was increasingly excluding them from the political and official worlds...
, was denied by the viceroy.
Having old English ancestry, Keating's political view was that Ireland's nobility and natural leadership derived from the surviving Gaelic clan chiefs and Old English landed families who had remained Roman Catholic. He also accepted the Stuart dynasty as legitimate because of its part-Gaelic ancestry. This had a continuing influence on the politics of the Confederate
Confederate Ireland
Confederate Ireland refers to the period of Irish self-government between the Rebellion of 1641 and the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland in 1649. During this time, two-thirds of Ireland was governed by the Irish Catholic Confederation, also known as the "Confederation of Kilkenny"...
and Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
supporters in Ireland until Papal recognition of the Stuarts ended in 1766. Keating continued to have an influence on Irish genealogical writers such as O'Hart
John O'Hart
John O'Hart was an Irish genealogist. He was born in Crossmolina, Co. Mayo, Ireland. A committed Roman Catholic, O'Hart originally planned to become Catholic priest but instead spent 2 years as a police officer. He was an Associate in Arts at the Queen's University of Belfast...
into the 1800s.
One edition was printed in Dublin by J. Christie, 16 Ross-Lane in 1809. Keating's first name was spelt Jeoffry . Volume 1 contains 486 pages, Volume 2, 467 with 4 pages of notes and 12 pages of subscribers.
External links
- The History of Ireland (translation) of Foras Feasa ar Éirinn at University College Cork's CELT- Corpus of Electronic Texts
- The History of Ireland (English Translation) with memoir, notes and genealogies at The Ex-Classics Web Site.