William Maunsell Hennessy (1829–1889) was an Irish official and scholar.
Life
Hennessy was born at
Castle Gregory,
County Kerry. After school education he emigrated to the United States, where he lived for some years. He returned to Ireland and wrote in newspapers, but concentrated on
Irish literature
Irish literature comprises writings in the Irish, Latin, English and Scots ( Ulster Scots) languages on the island of Ireland. The earliest recorded Irish writing dates from the 7th century and was produced by monks writing in both Latin a ...
: he was a native speaker. In 1868 he obtained an appointment in the
Public Record Office, Dublin. He rose to be the assistant-deputy-keeper, and held office till his death.
[Moore, Norman (1891). " Hennessy, William Maunsell". In ''Dictionary of National Biography''. 25. London. pp. 424-425.]
Losing his wife and a married daughter, Hennessy suffered from depression. He died in Dublin on 13 January 1889.
Works
Hennessy's major works were editions of Irish texts with introductions and translations. He published in 1866 (Rolls Series) the ''
Chronicon Scotorum
''Chronicon Scotorum'', also known as ''Chronicum Scotorum'', is a medieval Irish chronicle.
Overview
According to Nollaig Ó Muraíle, it is "a collection of annals belonging to the ' Clonmacnoise group', covering the period from prehistoric tim ...
'' of
Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh
Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh (), also known as Dubhaltach Óg mac Giolla Íosa Mór mac Dubhaltach Mór Mac Fhirbhisigh, Duald Mac Firbis, Dudly Ferbisie, and Dualdus Firbissius (fl. 1643 – January 1671) was an Irish scribe, translator, histori ...
, a summary of Irish history up to 1150, with a glossary. In 1871 he edited, in two volumes of Irish text and translation, ''
The Annals of Loch Cé'', an Irish chronicle, 1014–1590. In 1875, he revised and annotated an edition of ''The Book of Fenagh'', the house-book of
St. Caillin's Abbey,
County Leitrim
County Leitrim ( ; gle, Contae Liatroma) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Connacht and is part of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the village of Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the ...
; and in 1887 one volume of the ''
Annals of Ulster'', carrying the chronicle up to 1056. He translated the ''
Tripartite Life of St Patrick'' (1871); revised the ''Pedigree of the White Knight'' (1856); edited the text of the ''Poets and Poetry of Munster'' (Dublin, 1883); translated and added a tract on ''Cath Cnucha'' from ''Leabhar na h-Uidhre'', and ''Mac Conglinne's Dream'' from ''Leabhar Breac''.
Elected Todd professor at the
Royal Irish Academy 1882–4, Hennessy prepared a text and translation of ''Mesca Ulad'', the drunkenness of the Ulstermen, which was published in 1889, immediately after his death; he left another old tale, ''Bruiden Dáderga'', in proof. He wrote an article in ''La Revue Celtique'' on the ancient Irish goddess of war, and essays on
Ossian and Ossianic literature in ''
The Academy'' (1 and 15 August 1871). He left with other manuscripts an edition of
Edward O'Reilly's ''Irish Dictionary'' with additions.
Bibliography
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References
External links
Hennessy, W. M. (ed.) (2012) “Chronicum Scotorum: A Chronicle of Irish Affairs, from the Earliest Times to AD 1135”, Cambridge Library CollectionRegistration required.
Attribution
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hennessy, William Maunsell
1829 births
1889 deaths
Members of the Royal Irish Academy
Irish book editors
Irish translators
19th-century translators