John O'Donohue
Encyclopedia
John O'Donohue was an Irish
poet, author, priest, and Hegelian philosopher. He was a native Irish
speaker, and as an author is best known for popularizing Celtic spirituality
.
in the area of Connemara
and County Clare
, where his father Patrick O’Donohue was a stonemason, while he mother Josie O’Donohue was housewife.
O'Donohue became a novice
at Maynooth
, in north County Kildare, at age of 18, here he earned degrees in English, Philosophy, and Theology at St Patrick's College
in County Kildare
. He was ordained as Catholic
priest in 1982. O'Donohue moved to Tübingen
, Germany
in 1986, and completed his dissertation in 1990 on German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
for his PhD in philosophical theology
from Eberhard Karls University. In 1990, he returned to Ireland to continue his priestly duties, and began his post-doctoral work on the 13th century mystic, Meister Eckhart
.
(1997), which means "soul friend" in Gaelic
, was an international bestseller and catapulted him into a more public life as an author and much sought-after speaker and teacher, particularly in the United States. O'Donohue retired from the priesthood in 2000. O'Donohue also devoted his energies to environmental activism, and is credited with helping spearhead the Burren Action Group
, which opposed government development plans and ultimately preserved the area of Mullaghmore
and the Burren
, a karst landscape in County Clare
. Just two days after his 53rd birthday and two months after the publication of his final complete work, Benedictus: A Book of Blessings, O'Donohue died suddenly in his sleep on January 4, 2008 while on holiday near Avignon, France, at the age of 52. He was survived by his partner Kristine Fleck, his mother Josie, brothers PJ and Pat, and sister Mary.
Posthumous publications include The Four Elements, a book of essays, in 2010 and Echoes of Memory (2011), an early work of poetry, originally collected in 1994.
Talks & Interviews
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
poet, author, priest, and Hegelian philosopher. He was a native Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
speaker, and as an author is best known for popularizing Celtic spirituality
Celtic Christianity
Celtic Christianity or Insular Christianity refers broadly to certain features of Christianity that were common, or held to be common, across the Celtic-speaking world during the Early Middle Ages...
.
Early life and education
Eldest of his three siblings, he was raised in west IrelandRepublic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
in the area of Connemara
Connemara
Connemara is a district in the west of Ireland consisting of a broad peninsula between Killary Harbour and Kilkieran Bay in the west of County Galway.-Overview:...
and County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
, where his father Patrick O’Donohue was a stonemason, while he mother Josie O’Donohue was housewife.
O'Donohue became a novice
Novice
A novice is a person or creature who is new to a field or activity. The term is most commonly applied in religion and sports.-Buddhism:In many Buddhist orders, a man or woman who intends to take ordination must first become a novice, adopting part of the monastic code indicated in the vinaya and...
at Maynooth
Maynooth
Maynooth is a town in north County Kildare, Ireland. It is home to a branch of the National University of Ireland, a Papal University and Ireland's main Roman Catholic seminary, St. Patrick's College...
, in north County Kildare, at age of 18, here he earned degrees in English, Philosophy, and Theology at St Patrick's College
St Patrick's College, Maynooth
St Patrick's College, Maynooth is the "National Seminary for Ireland" , and a Pontifical University, located in the village of Maynooth, 15 miles from Dublin, Ireland. The college and seminary are often referred to as Maynooth College. The college was officially established as the Royal College...
in County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
. He was ordained as Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
priest in 1982. O'Donohue moved to Tübingen
Tübingen
Tübingen is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, on a ridge between the Neckar and Ammer rivers.-Geography:...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1986, and completed his dissertation in 1990 on German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel was a German philosopher, one of the creators of German Idealism. His historicist and idealist account of reality as a whole revolutionized European philosophy and was an important precursor to Continental philosophy and Marxism.Hegel developed a comprehensive...
for his PhD in philosophical theology
Philosophical Theology
Philosophical theology is the disciplined employment of philosophical methods in developing or analyzing theological concepts. It therefore includes natural theology as well as philosophical treatments of orthodox and heterodox theology....
from Eberhard Karls University. In 1990, he returned to Ireland to continue his priestly duties, and began his post-doctoral work on the 13th century mystic, Meister Eckhart
Meister Eckhart
Eckhart von Hochheim O.P. , commonly known as Meister Eckhart, was a German theologian, philosopher and mystic, born near Gotha, in the Landgraviate of Thuringia in the Holy Roman Empire. Meister is German for "Master", referring to the academic title Magister in theologia he obtained in Paris...
.
Career
O'Donohue's first published work, Anam CaraAnam cara
Anam cara is an Irish language term meaning "soul friend." The term was greatly popularized by John O'Donohue's 1997 bestselling work of the same name, Anam Cara. As O'Donohue puts it:...
(1997), which means "soul friend" in Gaelic
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
, was an international bestseller and catapulted him into a more public life as an author and much sought-after speaker and teacher, particularly in the United States. O'Donohue retired from the priesthood in 2000. O'Donohue also devoted his energies to environmental activism, and is credited with helping spearhead the Burren Action Group
Burren Action Group
Burren Action Group evolved as a local response to oppose plans by the Irish National Parks and Wildlife Service to develop a large scale interpretative centre at Mullaghmore in the Burren, Co. County Clare, Ireland...
, which opposed government development plans and ultimately preserved the area of Mullaghmore
Mullaghmore
Mullaghmore is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. It is a noted holiday destination, characterised by a skyline dominated by the monolithic shape of the mountain Ben Bulben....
and the Burren
The Burren
The Burren is a karst-landscape region or alvar in northwest County Clare, in Ireland. It is one of the largest karst landscapes in Europe. The region measures approximately 250 square kilometres and is enclosed roughly within the circle made by the villages Ballyvaughan, Kinvara, Tubber, Corofin,...
, a karst landscape in County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
. Just two days after his 53rd birthday and two months after the publication of his final complete work, Benedictus: A Book of Blessings, O'Donohue died suddenly in his sleep on January 4, 2008 while on holiday near Avignon, France, at the age of 52. He was survived by his partner Kristine Fleck, his mother Josie, brothers PJ and Pat, and sister Mary.
Posthumous publications include The Four Elements, a book of essays, in 2010 and Echoes of Memory (2011), an early work of poetry, originally collected in 1994.
Works
- Anam Cara (1997)
- Eternal Echoes (1998)
- Conamara Blues: Poems (2000)
- Divine Beauty: The Invisible Embrace (2003)
- Benedictus: A Book of Blessings (2007)
- Published in the U.S. as To Bless the Space Between Us (2008)
- The Four Elements (2010)
- Echoes of Memory (2011)
External links
- John O'Donohue Official Website.
Talks & Interviews
- The Inner Landscape of Beauty from American Public Media "Speaking of Faith", the last interview (Fall 2007) with O'Donohue before his death.