Henry O'Brien (classicist)
Encyclopedia
Henry O'Brien was an Irish classicist
and author best known for his hypothesis concerning Irish round towers
.
entitled "On the Origin and Use of the Round Towers of Ireland" which won a second place reward of £20. Henry O'Brien thought however that he should have won first place and in a lengthy preface to his published essay in book form entitled The Round Towers of Ireland, or the Mysteries of Freemasonry, of Sabaism, and of Budhism (1834) attacked archaeologist George Petrie
who won the £50 first place reward.
O'Brien later translated Phœnician Ireland, by Joaquín Lorenzo Villanueva in English but soon after died, at only 27 years of age by "bad health, aggravated by his studious habits", he was later buried in Hanwell, Oxfordshire
.
were created by a pre-Christian phallic
cult among the Tuatha Dé Danann
who he connected to the daughters of Danaus
. His theory when first published caused a lot of controversy at the time, as well as sparking criticism. Today, the mainstream consensus among archaeologists and historians is that the Irish round towers
were created during the early Medieval period, not pre-Christian period which O'Brien proposed.
Phoenician Ireland (translated by Henry O'Brien, 1837)
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
and author best known for his hypothesis concerning Irish round towers
Irish round tower
Irish round towers , Cloigthithe – literally "bell house") are early medieval stone towers of a type found mainly in Ireland, with three in Scotland and one on the Isle of Man...
.
Life
Henry O'Brien was the son of an aristocratic family from the west of Ireland. At an early age he studied Latin and Greek and took an interest in ancient Greek literature. Later he obtained a degree in classics at Dublin University. In 1833 O'Brien published an essay in the Transactions of the Royal Irish AcademyRoyal Irish Academy
The Royal Irish Academy , based in Dublin, is an all-Ireland, independent, academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is one of Ireland's premier learned societies and cultural institutions and currently has around 420 Members, elected in...
entitled "On the Origin and Use of the Round Towers of Ireland" which won a second place reward of £20. Henry O'Brien thought however that he should have won first place and in a lengthy preface to his published essay in book form entitled The Round Towers of Ireland, or the Mysteries of Freemasonry, of Sabaism, and of Budhism (1834) attacked archaeologist George Petrie
George Petrie
George Petrie , was an Irish painter, musician, antiquary and archaeologist of the Victorian era.-Personal life:...
who won the £50 first place reward.
O'Brien later translated Phœnician Ireland, by Joaquín Lorenzo Villanueva in English but soon after died, at only 27 years of age by "bad health, aggravated by his studious habits", he was later buried in Hanwell, Oxfordshire
Hanwell, Oxfordshire
Hanwell is a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire, northwest of Banbury.-Early history:Remains of a substantial Roman villa have been found just west of the B4100 main road....
.
Irish Round Tower theory
Henry O'Brien first proposed that the Irish round towersIrish round tower
Irish round towers , Cloigthithe – literally "bell house") are early medieval stone towers of a type found mainly in Ireland, with three in Scotland and one on the Isle of Man...
were created by a pre-Christian phallic
Phallus
A phallus is an erect penis, a penis-shaped object such as a dildo, or a mimetic image of an erect penis. Any object that symbolically resembles a penis may also be referred to as a phallus; however, such objects are more often referred to as being phallic...
cult among the Tuatha Dé Danann
Tuatha Dé Danann
The Tuatha Dé Danann are a race of people in Irish mythology. In the invasions tradition which begins with the Lebor Gabála Érenn, they are the fifth group to settle Ireland, conquering the island from the Fir Bolg....
who he connected to the daughters of Danaus
Danaus
In Greek mythology Danaus, or Danaos , was the twin brother of Aegyptus and son of Achiroe and Belus, a mythical king of Egypt. The myth of Danaus is a foundation legend of Argos, one of the foremost Mycenaean cities of the Peloponnesus...
. His theory when first published caused a lot of controversy at the time, as well as sparking criticism. Today, the mainstream consensus among archaeologists and historians is that the Irish round towers
Irish round tower
Irish round towers , Cloigthithe – literally "bell house") are early medieval stone towers of a type found mainly in Ireland, with three in Scotland and one on the Isle of Man...
were created during the early Medieval period, not pre-Christian period which O'Brien proposed.
Works
The Round Towers of Ireland, or the Mysteries of Freemasonry, of Sabaism, and of Budhism (1834)Phoenician Ireland (translated by Henry O'Brien, 1837)