Ulick J. Bourke

Ulick Joseph Bourke ( ; also known by his name in Irish, Uileog de Búrca; 29 December 1829 – 22 November 1887) was an Irish scholar and writer who founded the Gaelic Union, which later developed into the Gaelic League (or Conradh na Gaeilge). Among his works were The College Irish Grammar and Pre-Christian Ireland.

Biography Ulick Joseph Bourke was born 29 December 1829 in Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland, the son of Ulick and Cecilia Sheridan Bourke Bourke was educated at Errew Monastery where he studied Irish under Irish scholar and historian, James Hardiman. At age 16 he entered St. Jarlath's College in Tuam, County Galway, in May 1846. He then attended Maynooth College in Maynooth, County Kildare, where he wrote the College Irish Grammar.

Ecclesiastical life He was ordained a Catholic priest on 25 March 1858, in Tuam by his mother's first cousin, the Archbishop John MacHale. After leaving Maynooth, he was appointed Professor of Irish, logic, and humanities at St Jarlath's College; where he taught from 1859 to 1878. He was also president of St Jarlath's College, from 1865 to 1878.

During 1866, Bourke was elected a member of the Royal Irish Academy. The late scholar's name is also given to the Claremorris branch of Conradh na Gaeilge.

Works The College Irish Grammar (Dublin, 1856) Easy Lessons or Self-instruction in Irish (Dublin, 1860) – Appeared first in The Nation. The Bull Ineffabilis Deus (Dublin, 1868) – The definition of the Immaculate Conception in four languages; Latin, Irish, French and English. Memoir of the Bishop and his Times (Dublin, 1877) – A memoir of James O'Gallagher (Roman Catholic Bishop of Kildare). The Life and Labours of St. St. Augustin, Bishop of Hippo Regius, with an account of the Canons Regular and of the Augustinian Friars in Ireland (Dublin, 1879) A Plea for the Evicted Tenants of Mayo (Dublin, 1883) – Addressed to William Ewart Gladstone. A Complete Irish Dictionary (Dublin) – The beginning of it was published in The Nation and the final piece was not completed until his last illness.