Muircheartach Ó Cionga
Encyclopedia
Muircheartach Óg Ó Cíonga, (aka Murtagh King) Old Testament
translator and Irish
scribe
, c. 1562-c.1639.
ic family, who were residents of the barony of Kilcoursey, County Offaly
, known as Fox's Country. They were poets, scribes, and drafted legal documents for their patrons, mainly the families of Fox and Mageoghegan.
Muircheartach first apparent appearances are as Murtagh O Kinge of Kilcolly and Murtho O King of Fox's County in fiants of the 1590s. In the 1610s he was an agent and receiver
to Lord Lambert's land's neart Athlone, County Westmeath
(he appeared as a witness for dowager
Lady Lambert in the 1630s). He appears to have been among the native grantees who received land in the plantation of his locality around the year 1620.
, (later Bishop of Kilmore
, to teach Irish to himself and students at Trinity College, Dublin
. Under Bedell's influence, Ó Cíonga converted and was ordained a priest on 23 September 1633. This provided him with an income while he translated the Old Testament
and Apocrypha
into Irish, been selected as an acknowledged master of the language, post in prose and verse. It was published in 1685 under the title Leabhuir na Seintiomna ar na ttarruing go Gaidhlig trechiram & dhithracht an Doctuir Uilliam Bedel/The Books of the Old Testament translated into Irish by the care and diligence of Doctor William Bedel.
By the end of his life, serious questions had arisen concerning Ó Cíonga's fitness to be a Church of Ireland
minister. He was accused of attending Catholic
mass
with his family, inappropriately administering baptism
and holy communion. Bedell defended him, concerned that attacks on Ó Cíonga's character would detract from the reputation of the translation. He was alive in December 1638 but died shortly after, survived by his wife, Margery, and their children. Mrs. King was supported by James Ussher
, Bishop Anthony Martin of Meath and Sir James Ware
in a land dispute with William Bayly, who in 1638 had seized a benefice
of Ó Cionga's.
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
translator and Irish
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...
scribe
Scribe
A scribe is a person who writes books or documents by hand as a profession and helps the city keep track of its records. The profession, previously found in all literate cultures in some form, lost most of its importance and status with the advent of printing...
, c. 1562-c.1639.
Overview
Ó Cíonga was a member of an Irish bardBard
In medieval Gaelic and British culture a bard was a professional poet, employed by a patron, such as a monarch or nobleman, to commemorate the patron's ancestors and to praise the patron's own activities.Originally a specific class of poet, contrasting with another class known as fili in Ireland...
ic family, who were residents of the barony of Kilcoursey, County Offaly
County Offaly
County Offaly is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe and was formerly known as King's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. Offaly County Council is...
, known as Fox's Country. They were poets, scribes, and drafted legal documents for their patrons, mainly the families of Fox and Mageoghegan.
Muircheartach first apparent appearances are as Murtagh O Kinge of Kilcolly and Murtho O King of Fox's County in fiants of the 1590s. In the 1610s he was an agent and receiver
Receiver
-Technology:* The listening device part of a telephone** The handset that sometimes contains the above device** The headset that can also contain the above device.* Audio-Visual receiver* Digital media receiver...
to Lord Lambert's land's neart Athlone, County Westmeath
County Westmeath
-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...
(he appeared as a witness for dowager
Dowager
A dowager is a widow who holds a title or property, or dower, derived from her deceased husband. As an adjective, "Dowager" usually appears in association with monarchical and aristocratic titles....
Lady Lambert in the 1630s). He appears to have been among the native grantees who received land in the plantation of his locality around the year 1620.
Association with William Bedell
Ó Cíonga was employed from 1627 by William BedellWilliam Bedell
William Bedell was an Anglican churchman.-Early life:He was born at Black Notley in Essex, and educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he was a pupil of William Perkins. He became a fellow of Emmanuel in 1593, and took orders...
, (later Bishop of Kilmore
Bishop of Kilmore
The Bishop of Kilmore is an episcopal title which takes its name after the parish of Kilmore in County Cavan, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishoprics.-History:...
, to teach Irish to himself and students at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
. Under Bedell's influence, Ó Cíonga converted and was ordained a priest on 23 September 1633. This provided him with an income while he translated the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
and Apocrypha
Apocrypha
The term apocrypha is used with various meanings, including "hidden", "esoteric", "spurious", "of questionable authenticity", ancient Chinese "revealed texts and objects" and "Christian texts that are not canonical"....
into Irish, been selected as an acknowledged master of the language, post in prose and verse. It was published in 1685 under the title Leabhuir na Seintiomna ar na ttarruing go Gaidhlig trechiram & dhithracht an Doctuir Uilliam Bedel/The Books of the Old Testament translated into Irish by the care and diligence of Doctor William Bedel.
By the end of his life, serious questions had arisen concerning Ó Cíonga's fitness to be a Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
minister. He was accused of attending 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"...
mass
Mass
Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:...
with his family, inappropriately administering baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
and holy communion. Bedell defended him, concerned that attacks on Ó Cíonga's character would detract from the reputation of the translation. He was alive in December 1638 but died shortly after, survived by his wife, Margery, and their children. Mrs. King was supported by James Ussher
James Ussher
James Ussher was Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland between 1625–56...
, Bishop Anthony Martin of Meath and Sir James Ware
Sir James Ware
Sir James Ware was an Irish historian.-Early life:Born at Castle Street, Dublin, Ware was the eldest son of James Ware, who arrived in Ireland in 1588 as a secretary to Lord Deputy FitzWilliam. His father was knighted by King James I, was elected M.P...
in a land dispute with William Bayly, who in 1638 had seized a benefice
Benefice
A benefice is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The term is now almost obsolete.-Church of England:...
of Ó Cionga's.