Munster Express, 12. 01. 1907.
A RELIGIOIUS LITERATURE IN IRISH.
THE PUBLICATION OF THE MANUSCRIPTS IN THE COLLEGE LIBRARY.
(By the Rev. M. Sheehan, D.D., Ph. D., Maynooth.
Fortunately for us, the materials through which our religious literature may be revived have been considerably amplified by the scribes of the early potion of the last century. That great lover of books, Dr. Murphy, Bishop of Cork, bequeathed to our library his valuable collection of about one hundred manuscript volumes. About one-fourth of them are religious prose works, some of which were printed centuries ago, but are no longer procurable, whilst the remaining three-fourths consist mainly of poetry, religious or secular. The latter must be left out of consideration for the present.
The following are the chief original works on the spiritual life: “Mirror of Penance” by Rev. Hugh McAingil, Professor of Theology, printed in Irish characters at Louvain in 1618, “Paradise of the Soul”, by the Rev. Anthony Gearnon, Franciscan, printed at Louvain and dedicated to the Most Rev. Thomas Fleming, Archbishop of Dublin, “The Spiritual Mirror” compiled by Michael O’Longan.
The following translations are found:- “Think Well On It” by W. Cotter, School Master at Clonmult, Cloyne, 1817; Father Paul Segneri’s “True Wisdom” by John O’Connell, Schoolmaster, 1813; “Trumpet Of Heaven” from the French, by the Rev. Timothy O’Connell, Carmelite Friar; “Emanuel” or “Desiderius” by Father O’Clery, Franciscan, printed at Louvain in 1616. In addition to these there are several lives of Christ and the Saints, including some Irish Saints. Most of these lives are historical, the remainder are legendary or fanciful.