The Ó'Neachtain Family

Hard times require brave and courageous men, not only in political or militaristic affairs but also in the affairs of the intellectual world. Ireland in the 1640's made a push for greater independence, gathering the native and old English (Anglo-Norman) nobility from all over the island together and unifying them under the Confederacy. The majority of the island was under a single government known as the Irish Catholic Confederation who swore that they would remain loyal to King Charles I and the Royalist army as they battled for control of England against Oliver Cromwell in return for greater freedoms to run the nation under their own terms. As the Royalists fell and Cromwell conquered Ireland, the last hopes for the salvation of Gaelic Ireland died and the nation was left to suffer under Cromwell's oppression. This was a major blow in the fall of the native society as the language and culture was to be continuously downtrodden and replaced by the ruling establishments until the mid 1800's. At this time of great loss however, there were a few beacons of hope for Gaelic Ireland, one of which was Sean Ó'Neachtain and his family.

Born in the latter stages of the 1640's (died in 1729), Sean entered into the world of the Confederacy. He was reared in Roscommon and being well taught by his tutors in poetry and writing, he became talented in the intellectual arts and went on to become a famous poet. There was little work to be found for a Gaelic intellectual in Cromwell's Ireland however and like many scribes and teachers of the late 17th century, moved to Dublin in search of work somewhere between 1670 and 1690.

Sean had his first child Tadhg in 1671 (died in 1752) followed by another two children later on. Tadhg followed Sean in his studies and soon became a well known scribe. By the start of the 1700's scholars were converging in Dublin bringing with them a great wealth of manuscripts to be studied, opening an era of great study of Gaelic antiquities. In 1707 Tadhg had his first son Peter, it was after this that Tadhg decided to move out of his father’s house and took a 17-year lease on part of a house on Earl street where he established his school. This school ended up attracting all kinds of scribes and antiquarians around Dublin, bringing their manuscripts to be studied, translated and have copies of them made. The Ó'Neachtain household became a central nervous system for underground Gaelic and Catholic studies at this period of time, helping to keep alive the Gaelic Ireland which was being stamped out.

The work of Sean and Tadhg was difficult to keep going through a lack of funding however and as was the same with all antiquarians required a patron, one of which did come from a Protestant Pastor. Anthony Raymond was a Pastor in the Church of Ireland who developed an interest in the Irish language, it was this interest that he decided to fund the work of the Ó'Neachtain's. His interest was not simply for a love of the language though as his motivations were entirely based upon his idea that he could convert the local Catholics if he could speak their language. Regardless of his motivations, they worked together and the Ó'Neachtain's circle continued to grow. It became a place where the Gaelic intellectuals could meet each and establish a footing for themselves. One very important man who entered into their circle was a young Charles O'Connor who became great friends with Tadhg.

Charles O'Conor went on to become one of Ireland's most important antiquarians of the 18th century. It was the links to the Ó'Neachtain's that gave O'Conor a great platform in such a difficult time. The Ó'Neachtain school was Ireland's greatest lifeline between the collapse of the last remnants of Gaelic Ireland and the revival of Gaelic culture in the late 1800's. They were some of the most influencial players in the survival of the memory of Gaelic Ireland in a time where all else tried to destroy it.