Peadar Uí Gealacáin
Encyclopedia
Peadar Uí Gealacáin, aka Peter Galligan (29 June 1793 – c. Feb. 1860) was an Irish scribe
and hedge school master.
Of Ballymacane (or Ballymacain) townland
in the parish of Moynalty
, Kilmainhamwood, Kells
, County Meath
, Uí Gealacáin was by 1814 a hedge school
master, being educated in Irish
, English
, and mathematics
. In 1824 average attendance at his school was thirty-five boys, six girls. He taught reading
, writing
, arithmetic
, geography
and Catholic catechism
(though himself a member of the Established church).
Uí Gealacáin transcribed Irish manuscripts and collected ancient songs, but his main interest was in mathematics
and general literature
. His surviving manuscripts were compiled between 1823 and 1858. One, Royal Irish Academy
MS. 3.B. 39, contains his genealogy
, which reads:
He was also a contributor to several almanac
s.
He was married to Jane Tennison, and their children are believed to have included Margaret (fl.
1837) and Peter (fl. 1840). His mother's name was Margaret Williams of Munterconnacht parish, Lough Ramor
,who died in 1837. Her sister was a Mary Cunnigan, who died in 1829; her daughter, Anne, died in 1842. All of the family are interred in the graveyard of Munterconnacht, but without any tombstones. Due to clearances and emigration, by the early 20th century many of his relatives and their descendants left the area.
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...
and hedge school master.
Of Ballymacane (or Ballymacain) townland
Townland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
in the parish of Moynalty
Moynalty
Moynalty is a village in the north-west of County Meath in Ireland. It is located at the junction of the R194 and R164 regional roads north of Kells, near the border with County Cavan. It was part of the Kells Poor Law Union...
, Kilmainhamwood, Kells
Kells, County Meath
Kells is a town in County Meath, Ireland. The town lies off the M3 motorway, from Navan and from Dublin. In recent years Kells has grown greatly with many Dublin commuters moving to the town....
, County Meath
County Meath
County Meath 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 ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Uí Gealacáin was by 1814 a hedge school
Hedge school
A hedge school is the name given to an educational practice in 18th and 19th century Ireland, so called due to its rural nature. It came about as local educated men began an oral tradition of teaching the community...
master, being educated in 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...
, English
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...
, and mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
. In 1824 average attendance at his school was thirty-five boys, six girls. He taught reading
Reading (process)
Reading is a complex cognitive process of decoding symbols for the intention of constructing or deriving meaning . It is a means of language acquisition, of communication, and of sharing information and ideas...
, writing
Writing
Writing is the representation of language in a textual medium through the use of a set of signs or symbols . It is distinguished from illustration, such as cave drawing and painting, and non-symbolic preservation of language via non-textual media, such as magnetic tape audio.Writing most likely...
, arithmetic
Arithmetic
Arithmetic or arithmetics is the oldest and most elementary branch of mathematics, used by almost everyone, for tasks ranging from simple day-to-day counting to advanced science and business calculations. It involves the study of quantity, especially as the result of combining numbers...
, geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
and Catholic catechism
Catechism
A catechism , i.e. to indoctrinate) is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present...
(though himself a member of the Established church).
Uí Gealacáin transcribed Irish manuscripts and collected ancient songs, but his main interest was in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and general literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
. His surviving manuscripts were compiled between 1823 and 1858. One, Royal Irish Academy
Royal 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...
MS. 3.B. 39, contains his genealogy
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
, which reads:
He was also a contributor to several almanac
Almanac
An almanac is an annual publication that includes information such as weather forecasts, farmers' planting dates, and tide tables, containing tabular information in a particular field or fields often arranged according to the calendar etc...
s.
He was married to Jane Tennison, and their children are believed to have included Margaret (fl.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1837) and Peter (fl. 1840). His mother's name was Margaret Williams of Munterconnacht parish, Lough Ramor
Lough Ramor
Lough Ramor is a large natural lake of 741 hectares situated near Virginia, County Cavan. From early records Vita Tripartita identified as being in the territory of Cenal Muinreamhair. The literal meaning of the term Muinreamhair is 'fat-neck' and appears to be derived from a prehistoric or...
,who died in 1837. Her sister was a Mary Cunnigan, who died in 1829; her daughter, Anne, died in 1842. All of the family are interred in the graveyard of Munterconnacht, but without any tombstones. Due to clearances and emigration, by the early 20th century many of his relatives and their descendants left the area.
Source
- The Schools and Scholars of Breiffne, Phillip O Connell, Dublin, 1942