Matthew O'Conor Don ( ga, Mathghamhain Ó Conchubhair Donn; 1773–1844) of

Ballinagare Bellanagare () is a village in County Roscommon, Ireland. The N5 national primary road passes through it , though a by-pass is planned. The village is located between Tulsk and Frenchpark on the Dublin to Castlebar/ Westport road. History O' ...

County Roscommon "Steadfast Irish heart" , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Roscommon.svg , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Ireland , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Connacht , subdi ...

, Ireland was an Irish historian, the O'Conor Don and ''de jure'' King of Connacht. O'Conor Don was the grandson of Charles O'Conor Don (1710-1791) the famed Irish antiquarian of the 18th century. His brother the Rev. Charles O'Conor (1767-1828) was likewise a historian. Matthew was educated for the priesthood in Rome, but changed his mind and became by profession a lawyer.RICORSO: See O'Conor, Matthew under Authors A-Z
/ref> Matthew was highly regarded by fellow Irish scholars such as George Petrie and

John O'Donovan John O'Donovan may refer to: *John O'Donovan (scholar) (1806–1861), Irish language scholar and place-name expert *John O'Donovan (politician) (1908–1982), Irish TD and Senator *John O'Donovan (police commissioner) (1858–1927), New Zealand pol ...

. To the latter he gave unstinting aid during his field work in Roscommon for the Ordnance Survey; O'Donovan held him in very high regard, not only because of his historical efforts and political work, but also because of his noble descent and status as a Prince of the Royal Family of Connacht. In this he was not alone; during the Tithe War a large assembly of Roscommon Catholics unanimously elected him King of Connacht (in his absence) and sent word to him to meet them at Carnfree for the formal inauguration. He wrote ''The History of Irish Catholics from the Settlement in 1691'', based on letters of his grandfather Charles O’Conor to Dr. John Curry.

Bibliography

''The History of Irish Catholics from the Settlement in 1691''
(1813) ''Military History of the Irish Nation comprising a Memoir of the Irish Brigade in the Service of France... AD 1550-1738'' (1845).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oconor, Matthew 1773 births 1844 deaths People from County Roscommon Kings of Connacht 18th-century Irish people 19th-century Irish people Matthew 18th-century Irish historians 19th-century Irish historians