Maelbrighte Ó Hussey

Maelbrighte Ó Hussey (in Irish, Maol Brighde Ó hEodhusa; in Latin, Brigidus Hossæus), known also as Giolla-Brigid and as Bonaventura Hussey, was a Franciscan Friar, teacher, poet and Catholic author.

Biography

He was born in the Diocese of Clogher, in Ulster. Little is known of his life. The first definite information about him dates from 1 November 1607, on which day he became one of the original members of the Irish Franciscans at their college of St. Anthony at the University of Leuven in Flanders. It seems, however, that he had previously been at Douai in northern France. At Louvain, he lectured first in philosophy and afterwards in theology.

His fame rests upon his profound knowledge of the history and language of Ireland, for which, according to the chronicles of his order, he was even in his own time held in high esteem. Ó Hussey remained as guardian of the college at Leuven until his death in 1614.

Writings

As far as we know, his works were all written in Irish, and one of his writings, "A Christian Catechism" (Leuven, 1608), was the first book printed on the Continent in the Irish character. The book must have met with considerable success, for it was several times reprinted and revised.

Among his other works are to be mentioned:

• a metrical abridgment in 240 verses of the Catholic Catechism
• a poem for a friend who had fallen into heresy
• a poem on the author entering the Order of St. Francis
• three or four poems preserved in manuscript in the British Museum and the Royal Irish Academy.

A letter in Irish from him to a Father Nugent, the superior of the Irish Jesuits, is printed in Rev. E. Hogan's "Hibernia Ignatiana" (p. 167).

References

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Maelbrighte O'Hussey". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.