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 MacCARTHY

57

McCarthy

Macariiis. Fifty homilies have been preserved which bear his name, but these and an "Epistle to the monks", with other dubious pieces, cannot be ascribed to him with absolute certainty.

Hist. Lausiaca, xvii; Hist, monachorum, xrviii: a Coptic Life was edited by Am^uneau in Monuments pour servir d I'histoire dt VEgyple c'hrttienne au IVt, V,, VUet V7/. siec/es (Paris. 1895), S>Tiac tr. by Bedjan in Acta sanctorum et martyrum syriace, V, 1895; BCTLER, The Ijausiac History of Palladius. II, 193; ZoCK- LEB. Askese u. Moncbihum (Frankfort. 1897), 226. For the homilies ascribed to MACARina see P. L.. XXXIV, 409 sqq.; of. Barde.nhewer, Patrology, tr. Sh-^han (St. Louis, 1908), 266 sqq.

Patrick J. Healv.

MacCarthy. Bartholomew, Irish scholar and chronologist, b. at Conna, Ballynoe, Co. Cork, 12 Dec, 1843; d. at Inniscarra, Co. Cork, 6 Mar., 1904. He was educated at Mount Melleray Semi- nary, Co. Waterford, and at St. Colman's College, Fermoy, Co. Cork, afterwards studying at Rome, where he was ordained in 1869. On his return to Ireland he was appointed professor of Classics at St. Colman's, where he remained about three years. He then went as curate to Mitchelstown (where he was at the time of the famous Mitchelstown Massacre), and afterwards to Macroom and Youghal. In 1895 he was appointed parish priest of Inniscarra, near Cork, where he died. He was the author of the following works: (1) "Essays on various Early Irish Ecclesiastical Fragments", written while he was in Rome and pubhshed mostly anonymously in the "Irish Ecclesiastical Record" (1864 sqq.); (2) "The Stowe Missal", perhaps his most celebrated work, published in the "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy", XXV II (1886), 135-268, in which he es- tablishes the date of Moelchaich's recension as about 750 or at least the eighth century, and proves that the so-called Middle Irish corruptions can be paral- leled from old Irish MSS., none of which are later than the ninth century; he also separates the earher portion of the text into (a) the original Mass, dating from at least A.D. 500, called "Missa Patricii" in the "Book of Armagh" (a. d. 807), and (b) later augments and Roman contents; (3) Four Dissertations on the Codex Palatino-Vaticanus, No. 830 (Chronica Mariani Scottij, published in the Todd Lecture Series of the Royal Irish Academy, III (1892), illustrated by studies on old Irish PiletriC; the Synchronisms from the "Book of Ballymote", Paschal computation.s, and various Irish historical documents: (4) "New Textual Studies on the Tripartite Lifeof St. Patrick" puljlished in the "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy", XXIX, 183 sqq., in which he proves that portion of the material of the "Vita Tripartita" must date back to the middle of the sixth centurj'; (5) "The Annals of Ulster". On the death of Wilham M. Hennessey, Dr. MacCarthy was asked by the Government to continue the editing of this most im- portant collection of Irish Annals in the Rolls Series. He published vols. II (1893), III (1895), and IV (1901). In the introduction to the fourth and final volume of these annals he treats in detail of various important questions connected with the history of chronology among the nations of western Europe. Of peculiar interest are his discussions of the ancient Paschal Cycle of 84 years and other Paschal com- putations in vogue in Ireland, the origin of a.d. dating in Irish annals, the methods of rectifying errors in the same, and the history of the various British or Irish faLsifications which appeared during the disputes regarding Easter in the insular churches of the West, such as the "Acts of Ca'sarea", the "Athanasian Tractate", the "Book of Anatolius", and the "EpLstle" of Cyril.

MacCarthy was a man of great ability and wide learning and was recognized as one of the foremost of Irish scholars and as the highest aulhoritj' on all matters of Irish chronology, especially on lho.se touching the Paschal question. A few months before

his death he had been chosen by the Government on the recommendation of the Council of the Royal Irish Academy to edit the "Annals of Tighearnach". As a critic he was excessively inclined to fault- finding. He often spoke slightingly of the labours of his predecessors, for instance of John Colgan, O.S.F., theO'Clerys, Eugene O'Curry, etc., while his carping criticisms of contemporary scholars often led to warm discussions (cf. "Irish Ecclesiastical Record", 1883, and "Gaelic Journal", I, 8, 263). A rather bitter letter of his criticising a favourable review of John Salmon's "Ancient Irish Church as a Witness to CathoUc Doctrine" in the "Irish Ecclesiastical Record" (.\ugust, 1897, 16t>-170) led to a learned controversy between these two Catholic scholars, which was carried on in that periodical the following year. At the same time it cannot be denied that his extensive knowledge and critical acumen contributed very much to the elucidation of many an obscure point in Irish history both ecclesiastical and profane. Irish Catholic Directory (1870-1905); Minutes of the Royal Irish Academy (Session, 1903-4); Gaelic Journal, I, II; Irish Ecclesiasti- cal Record (1864-189S) ; and the various works of the author.

John MacErlean.

McCarthy, Justin, Irish politician, journalist, novelist, and historian, b. at Cork, 22 Nov., 1830; d. at Folkestone, England, 24 June, 1912. He was the son of Michael McCarthy, and was educated at a private school in his native city. .4t the age of eighteen he ob- tained a position on the literary staff of the "Cork Ex- aminer". In 1853 he went to Liver- pool as a journal- ist; in 1860 be- came Parliamen- tary reporter of the London "Morning Star", which he edited later (1864-68). From 1868 till 1871 he lectured with great success throughout the United States of America and was one of the assist- ant editors of the New York "Inde- pendent". On his return to England he contributed frequently to the "Nineteenth Century", the "Fortnightly Review", and the "Contemporary Review", and for many years was leader wTiter for the Lon- don "Daily News". From 1879 till 1896 he was a member of the British Parhament, represent- ing the Irish constituencies of County Long- ford, Derry City, and North Longford. In Novem- ber, 1880, he joined the Irish Land League, which won so many victories for the Catholic pe.asant ry ; two years later he became chairman of the National Land and Labour League of Great Britain. In 1886 he re- visited the United St.atcs. From 1890 till 1,S96 he was chairman of the Irish Parliamentary party in suc- cession to Parnell, having previously been vice-chair- man for many years. His courtesy and moderation won him the respect of ail parties in Parliament. Though participating so actively in the political life of Ireland, McCarthy took more interest in letters than in poUtics. Ilia fir.st novel, "The Wjiterdale Neigh- bours", appeared in 1867, and was followed by about twenty others, many of which are still popular. Of these the chief are: "Dear Lady Disdain" (1875); "A Fair Saxon" (1873); "Miss Misanthrope" (1877)

Justin McC.