The Right Reverend

Nicholas Walsh
Born
Waterford
Died14 December 1585
Kilkenny
OccupationBishop of Ossory (Church of Ireland)
Known forBible translation into Irish

Nicholas Walsh (died 1585) was Bishop of Ossory in the Church of Ireland, noted for having introduced prayer-books and catechisms printed in the Irish language. He began the work of translating the Bible into Irish but was not able to complete this before his murder in 1585.

The son of Patrick Walsh, Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, Nicholas Walsh was consecrated a priest in 1567. He introduced prayer-books and catechisms printed in Irish. He was appointed Chancellor of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, in 1571 and Bishop of Ossory in 1578.[1] Starting in 1573, Walsh worked on translating the New Testament into Irish. Walsh's efforts came to an end when he was stabbed to death in his house in Kilkenny by a disaffected member of his flock on 14 December 1585.[1][2] He was succeeded in his translation effort by his assistant John Kearney and by Nehemiah Donnellan and William Daniel (Uilliam Ó Domhnaill), successive Archbishops of Tuam.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ a b Williams, N. J. A. (2004). "Walsh, Nicholas (d. 1585)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/28615. Retrieved 19 February 2013. (subscription or UK public library membership required)
  2. ^ Ware, Sir James, translated by Walter Harris (1736 edn). Writers of Ireland (Dublin: Ebenezer Rider): "Nicholas Walsh, Bishop of Ossory, writ Learned Sermons in Latin, yet extant in his own Hand Writing. He also attempted the translation of the New Testament, into Irish about the Year 1573, but his Design was Prevented by a horrid Murther committed on him in 1585." (Chap. XII).
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