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Life
1694-?1761 [Dunlevy; Donleavy; var. 1765; DD; LLD]; b. prob. Sligo; ed. nr. Ballymote, and Irish College, Paris, 1710; studied law; Prefect of the Irish College, where he drew up a new code of rules, making it subject to the University and the the diocese of Paris; Titular Dean of Raphoe, later Dean Raphoe; publ. An Teagasg Críosduidhe do reir ceasada agus freagartha or The Cathecism, or Christian Doctrine (Paris 1742), in Irish and English, being an “abridgement of Christian doctrine ” by Giolla Brighde Ó hEódhasa (or Bonaventura), and with an appendix on “The elements of the Irish Language”, was still in use in Maynooth up to 1848. ODNB DIW DUB OCIL FDA
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Works
[Bonaventura O’Hussey’s] An Teagasg Críosduidhe do reir ceasada agus freagartha/The Cathecism or Christian Doctrine by way of question and answer (Paris: James Guerin 1742), 8o. [Listed in English form only in Marsh’s Library Cat., as infra.]
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CriticismBryan Fanning & Tom Garvin, ‘Andrew Dunleavy, The Catechism of Christian Doctrine (1742)’ in Books That Define Ireland (Sallins: Merrion 2014), Chap. 5.
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Commentary
Dominic Daly, The Young Douglas Hyde (1974) writes of Andrew Donleavy’s Catechism (Paris 1742; Dublin eds., 1822, 1848): the edition includes questions and answers in English and Irish, together with ‘an abridgement of the Christian doctrine in rhymed Irish, composed upwards of an Age ago by the zealous and learned F. Bonaventure Ó hEoghusa of the Order of S. Francis; and also with the elements of the Irish language, in Favour of such as would fain learn to read it; and thereby be useful to their Neighbour.’ The author bewails the fact that Irish is now ‘on the Brink of Utter Decay, to the great dishonour and shame of the Natives, who shall always pass every where for Irish-men, Although Irish-men without Irish is an Incongruity, and a great Bull. Besides, the Irish-Language is undeniably a very Ancient Mother-Language, and one of the smoothest in Europe, no way abounding in Monosyllables, nor clogged with rugged Consonants ... And there is still extant a great Number of old valuable Irish Manuscripts, both in publick and private Hands, which would, if translated and published, give great Light into Antiquities of the Country, and furnish some able Pen with Materials enough, to write a compleat history of the Kingdom; What a Discredit then must it be to the whole Nation, to let such a Language go to Wrack ...’. (Daly, p.40-41.)
Muriel McCarthy and Caroline Sherwood-Smith, eds., Hibernia Resurgens: Catalogue of Marsh’s Library (1994), citing The Cathecism, or Christian Doctrine by way of question and answer (Paris James Guerin 1742), 8o; written ‘in consideration of those great evils, which arise from ignorance, partly for want of instructive books’; the second book to be printed with the new Irish type designed by Conor O’Begley [sic] for his English Irish dictionary (1732); contained An abrdigement of Christian doctrine in Irish verse [sic] compiled by Giolla Brighde Ó hEódhasa.
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References
Dictionary of National Biography gives dates ?1694-?1761; prefect at Irish College, Paris, and licenciate of law, Paris Univ. DD.; published The Cathecism or Christian Doctrine (1742), extant in Irish and English, with an appx. on The Elements of the Irish language.
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