Ulick J. Bourke Uileog de Búrca | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ulick Joseph Bourke (1829-12-29)29 December 1829 Castlebar,County Mayo, Ireland |
| Died | 22 November 1887(1887-11-22) (aged 57) Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland |
| Education | St Jarlath's College Maynooth College |
| Occupation(s) | Scholar, writer,Roman Catholic priest |
| Parent(s) | Ulick and Cecilia (née Sheridan) Bourke |
Ulick Joseph Bourke (English:/ˈjuːlɪk/YOO-lik; also known by his name in Irish,Uileog de Búrca; 29 December 1829 – 22 November 1887) was anIrish scholar and writer who founded theGaelic Union, which later developed into theGaelic League (orConradh na Gaeilge). Among his works wereThe College Irish Grammar andPre-Christian Ireland.[1]
Ulick Joseph Bourke was born 29 December 1829 in Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland, the son of Ulick and Cecilia Sheridan Bourke[2] Bourke was educated atErrew Monastery where he studied Irish under Irish scholar and historian, James Hardiman. At age 16 he enteredSt. Jarlath's College in Tuam, County Galway, in May 1846. He then attendedMaynooth College in Maynooth, County Kildare,[3] where he wrote theCollege Irish Grammar.
He was ordained aRoman Catholic priest on 25 March 1858, inTuam by his mother's first cousin, the ArchbishopJohn MacHale. After leaving Maynooth, he was appointed Professor of Irish, logic, and humanities at St Jarlath's College; where he taught from 1859 to 1878. He was also president of St Jarlath's College, from 1865 to 1878.[3]
Bourke was named as aCanon of the Cathedral of Tuam in 1872. During his stay at St Jarlath's, he acted for some time as private secretary to Archbishop MacHale.[3]
In 1878, Bourke served as parish priest of Kilcolman,Claremorris,Diocese of Tuam. In July 1879 he convened a mass meeting relating to theLand War, a series of civil protests to improve the position of tenant farmers, where Bourke counseled moderation. In 1879, he served on the committee of the Land League.
He was one of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the allegedKnock apparitions of the Blessed Virgin in 1879.[3]
Bourke's educational and publishing interests played an important role in the subsequentGaelic revival that was taking place in Ireland. He was a member of theOssianic Society and published Irish columns in several journals including theTuam News and "successfully publicized" the Irish language issue in the US and Europe.[4]
During 1866, Bourke was elected a member of theRoyal Irish Academy.[3]He was a founding member of theSociety for the Preservation of the Irish Language (Cumann Buan-Choimeadia Na Gaeilge) in 1876, serving as its first chairman.[5] He later seceded from the society with its original founders, and in March 1880, established theGaelic Union, along with David Comyn (1854–1907) of theGaelic Journal.[4]
The Union, a society established for the cultivation and preservation of the Irish Language, later developed into theGaelic League. The Gaelic Union established theGaelic Journal which remained in print until and played an important part in the revival.
He died in Castlebar on 22 November 1887, aged 57, and was buried on 25 November 1887, at Bearnacarrol (Claremorris) in County Mayo.[3]
A plaque in honour of Uileog de Búrca was erected by Conradh na Gaeilge at the place of his birth on Linnenhall Street inCastlebar, County Mayo. AGaelscoil,Gaelscoil Uileog de Búrca inClaremorris was also named in his honour in 1981.[6] The late scholar's name is also given to the Claremorris branch of Conradh na Gaeilge.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Ulick Joseph Bourke".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
