The Rev. CanonCosslett Quin, in IrishCosslett Ó Cuinn (Derriaghy,County Antrim, 27 February 1907 – 6 December 1995) was a priest of theChurch of Ireland who translated theNew Testament intoIrish.[1][2]
Quin was born to Charles Edward Quin,rector of Derriaghy,[3] and Edith Isobel Waddell.[4][5] He studied atCampbell College,Belfast, and later atTrinity College Dublin, where he received hisBachelor of Divinity inTheology in 1940.
Quin was a poet, theologian, critic, biblical scholar, member of theecumenical movement, and a scholar of the Irish language. During his studies, he developed a strong interest inUlster Irish, and often visited the Irish-speakingGola Island andDerrybeg. He also published articles inÉigse: A Journal of Irish Studies on the dialects of Irish spoken onRathlin Island and inCounty Kilkenny. Quin compiled the folklore of native Irish speakers from the islands ofTory andArranmore off the coast ofCounty Donegal, includingRóise Mhic Ghrianna.[6] Quin spoke 12 languages.[3]
While working in Belfast andInishowen in 1931, Quin was promoted to the post ofdeacon. In 1961, he was appointed professor of Biblical Greek at Trinity College, and began work on a new translation of the New Testament. He also translated the Book of Psalms, the Prayer Book of the Church of Ireland and theApocrypha into Irish, as well as theological works byWalter Eichrodt andRome and Canterbury: A Biblical and Free Catholicism byEmmanuel Amand de Mendieta.[4]
Although it was unusual in his lifetime for Protestants to hold leading positions in the Irish language movement, Quin was for a time President ofOireachtas na Gaeilge.[7] He was made acanon of St Patrick's Cathedral in 1966,[2] before retiring from the ministry in 1971.[3]
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