Nicholas Tuite MacCarthy
Nicholas Tuite MacCarthy (Born Dublin, Ireland May, 1769- Died Annécy, Savoy 3 May, 1833) was a renowned Jesuit preacher in late eighteenth and early nineteenth century France. Called the Abbé de Lévignac, Nicholas left Ireland for Toulouse with his parents when he was four years of age. [1] Over the succeeding six decades he dedicated his life to preaching throughout France and indeed Europe. Tuite MacCarthy spent many years studying in the Sorbonne and elsewhere but, with his studies interrupted by war and ill-health, he only entered the priesthood in 1814, at forty-four years of age. Within three years of becoming a priest he was offered the Bishopric of Montauban, which he declined. The following year he entered the Jesuits, and took his simple vows by 1820, promising to dedicate his life to preaching.[2]
Background
Tuite MacCarthy was one of the eleven children of Count Justin MacCarthy (18 August 1744-) of Spring House in County Tipperary and Mariam (Mary) Winifred Tuite (Sept 1747-), daughter of Nicholas Tuite of St. Croix in the island of Montserrat. [3] Nicholas Tuite MacCarthy's uncle, Robert Tuite, was chamberlain to the King of Denmark [4] His maternal grandfather, Nicholas Tuite of St Croix, was the son of Richard Tuite of Tuitestown in County Westmeath. It was this Richard who fled Ireland as part of the Wild Geese in 1691 following an extraordinary family background in Ireland.[5] Richard was one of only two surviving sons (the other being Robert) of Walter Tuite of Tuitestown and his wife, Margaret O'More, daughter of David O'More of Portallen in County Laois. Richard's remaining eleven brothers, Nicholas Tuite MacCarthy's great granduncles, were all killed in the wars in Ireland in 1691.[6]
References
- ^ New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia
- ^ New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia
- ^ Genealogical Office of Ireland Manuscript Collection, N.L.I., (GO Mss 175, pp 61-64)
- ^ Genealogical Office of Ireland Manuscript Collection, N.L.I., (GO Mss 175, p 61.) The Catholic Encyclopedia mistakenly says that Nicholas's maternal grandfather was chamberlain to the King of Denmark.
- ^ Genealogical Office of Ireland Manuscript Collection, N.L.I., (GO Mss 161, p. 95)
- ^ John Lodge Peerage of Ireland, Volume 3, 1789, pp. 25-28