Henry Ó Mealláin, O.F.M. (c. 1579 – after 1642) was an Irish Franciscan friar, and sometime Guardian of the Franciscan Friars of

Armagh Armagh ( ; , , " Macha's height") is a city and the county town of County Armagh, in Northern Ireland, as well as a civil parish. It is the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland – the seat of the Archbishops of Armagh, the Primates of All ...

. Ó Mealláin was born in Dromiskin,

County Louth County Louth ( ; ) is a coastal Counties of Ireland, county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. Louth is bordered by the counties of County Meath, Meath to the ...

, and educated at the Irish College of

Salamanca Salamanca () is a Municipality of Spain, municipality and city in Spain, capital of the Province of Salamanca, province of the same name, located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is located in the Campo Charro comarca, in the ...

. He returned to Ireland in 1605 as a priest. In 1625 he was nominated for the see of Armagh, but

Aodh Mac Aingil Aodh Mac Cathmhaoil, O.F.M. (; anglicised: Hugh MacCaghwell; 1571 – 22 September 1626), was an Irish Franciscan theologian and Archbishop of Armagh. He was known by Irish speakers at Leuven (Louvain) by the honorary name '' Aodh Mac Aingil'' ...

was chosen instead. He has been mistaken as the author of ''

Cín Lae Uí Mhealláin Cín Lae Uí Mhealláin is an account of the Irish Confederate Wars written by Tarlach Ó Mealláin, OFM. Described as "an account of the progress of the Confederate war from the outbreak of rebellion in 1641 until February 1647" its text "ref ...

'', which was written by his kinsman,

Tarlach Ó Mealláin Tarlach Ó Mealláin (floruit, fl. 1641–1650) was an Irish people, Irish Franciscan, author of Cín Lae Uí Mhealláin. Origins and background Ó Mealláin was of a Tír Eoghain ecclesiastical family who were the hereditary keepers of the Bell ...

. Tarlach attended a sermon preached by Henry at

Carnteel Carnteel ()) is a hamlet, townland and civil parish, about northeast of Aughnacloy in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is in the historic barony of Dungannon Lower. Carnteel village The village is southwest of Dungannon, close to the B35 ...

on the first Sunday of

Lent Lent (, 'Fortieth') is the solemn Christianity, Christian religious moveable feast#Lent, observance in the liturgical year in preparation for Easter. It echoes the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring Temptation of Christ, t ...

in 1642, and mentioned it in his Cín Lae, demonstrating that he and Henry were two different people.

Sources

* Charles Dillon: ''Cín Lae Uí Mhealláin'', pp. 337–95 ''Tyrone:History and Society.'' * Diarmaid Ó Doibhlin (2000): ''Tyrone's Gaelic Literary Legacy'', pp. 414–17, op.cit. 17th-century Irish Roman Catholic priests 17th-century deaths Christian clergy from County Louth People of the Irish Confederate Wars Irish Friars Minor Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown {{Ireland-reli-bio-stub