Life
1766-1842 [Matias Ó Conmhair; occas. Mathias]; b. Galway; learnt
English in Galway at eight, and also fencing; connected with Irish
Volunteers; left Ireland after ‘imprudent act’ and emig. to
America; travelled in Indian lands as trader with one John Ridgway,
a Quaker from Mountmellick; m. Rebecca Archer [cailín darb],
1787, with whom a dg. Cecilia; travelled to Mexico and New Orleans;
settled in Philadelphia, where he was appointed State Interpreter and
opened a translation office and language school at 108 Union St.; wrote
autobiographical essay in 1798, describing himself as a ‘Catholic
and Republican’; d. Philadelphia; prepared an English-Irish dictionary
in manuscript before his death, now missing; National Library in Dublin
holds more than a dozen boxes of material from his work on Spanish,
French, Irish, &c.
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Works
Rasgos historicos y morales sacados des autores celebres de diversas
nacionalidades y destinados a la instruccion y entretenimiento de los
estudiantes del idioma espanol por Santiago Matthias O Conway (Philadelphia;
printed by Thomas & William Bradford 1809); The Knights Templares,
a Historical tragedy, with notes as it was represented on the French
theatres. To which is prefixed, an interesting story of the origin,
character, and persecution of that illustrious order; trans. from the
original of M. Raynouard (Philadelphia: Brown & Merritt 1808),
80pp.; Hispano-Anglo grammar, containing the definitions, structure,
infelctions, reference, arrangement, concord, government and combination
of the various classes of words in the Spanish language. Also an appropriate
vocabulary, familiar phrases, dialogues, and a complete index (Philadelphia:
Thomas Dobson 1810).
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Criticism
Lawrence F. Flick, ‘Mathias James O’Conway, Philologist, Lexicographer
and Interpreter of Languages’, in Records of the American Catholic
Historical Society, X, 3 (Sept. 1899), pp.257-59; Do., X,
4 (Dec. 1899), pp.385-422; Do., XI, 1 (March 1900), pp.9-32;
and Do., Vol. IX, 2 (June 1900), pp.156-77.
David Barnwell, ‘Maitias ó Conmhaí: Teangeolaí (1766-[18]42) [paper read in School of Celtic Studies/DIAS, 22 Samhain 2002], published electronically by on the DIAS webpage; also contact by email.
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