Clare Past Forum

Fr. Anthony Cogan (b. 1826 Meath) is the "Ignatius Murphy" of the Meath Diocese for his having researched and produced an exhaustive diocesan history in three volumes, available in the Reading Room section of the Ask About Ireland website. There it is also reported that Fr. Cogan gathered a great library of manuscripts and such, to archive historical material which he fervently believed to enrich the study of historical events and sites in Co. Meath. That entire archive was burned in 1909 by order of his bishop, but the book series was published and preserves the fact that an O'Brien and a McNamara took their families to Meath, with a descendant, Fr. Paul O'Brien, described as a relative of the great harpist/musician Carolan.

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/reading-r ... e-of-meat/

For those able to visit Ennis there are materials on the Diocese of Meath, including Anthony Cogan’s three-volume diocesan history, as well as works by Patrick Fagan (“The Diocese of Meath in the eighteenth century”) and Paul Connell (“The Diocese of Meath under Bishop John Cantwell 1830 – 66”) in the Irish Collection of Clare County Library's Local Studies Centre. In addition, Alfred P. Smyth’s study of Anthony Cogan is also available in the Centre in Ennis (“Faith, famine and fatherland in the Irish midlands: perceptions of a priest and historian, Anthony Cogan, 1826 – 1872”).

There is also an article by Father John Brady in "Archivium Hibernicum" of interest. His article, 'Documents concerning the Diocese of Meath' is in volume VIII, dated 1941 of "Archivium Hibernicum".

This journal is available in the Periodicals Collection of the Local Studies Centre in Ennis.

Polycarp