‘Tá lampa dFocal do mo mar Choraibh’ Thy words are a lamp unto my feet. Sacred to the memory of Thomas Olden, D.D., M.R.I.A.,, Historian of Church of Ireland, Gaelic Scholar, for thirty years Vicar of Ballyclough Parish, Co. Cork. Born 1st March, 1823. Died 29th October 1900. An eminent Irish Scholar, Antiquarian and Church Historian. He served God in his generation. Erected by a few friends.
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From Colonel Grove White:
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Thomas Olden, son of Robert Olden, of Cork. T.C.D.; B.A., 1846′ M.A. 1888; B.D. 1897; D.D. (Honoris Causa) 1898; M.R.I.A. 1870. Obtained honours in science, gold medal in logic and ethics, and first-class Div. Test. He was ordained deacon, 12th July, 1846, at Down, for the curacy of Cullen, Cork; and priest, 30th May, 1847, at Midleton, by * Laban signifies mud, dirt, or perhaps the meaning may be Leath (Lah), Half-La-bawn, half-bawn. REV. THOMAS OLDEN, D D. » I – • • BALLYCLOUGH (LAVAN ) PARISH AND CASTLE ’47 Bishop of Killaloe. Wa s curate of Tullilease, Cloyne, i860, and vicar of same, 27th August, i860 to 1868 (vide his important work in that parish). He married on 28th July, 1853, Sophie Elizabeth, dau. of the Rev. James Morton, V. Clonfert (Brady), and by her, who died 27th December, 1899, had issue—1. James Morton Ruxton Fitzherbert, b. 25th May, 1854, who was unfortunately drowned, together with his cousin, Robert Aidworth, when at Rossal College, in Lancashire, in 1868; 2. George Gustavus, ob. juv. ; 1st, Olivia; 2nd, Sophia Jane Louisa; and 3rd, Dorothea Emily Morton, wife of Rev. John Harding Cole, B.A., last R.V. of Leighmoney, Cork. Dr. Olden was a scholar of much distinction, a learned antiquarian, and well versed in the Irish language. He published many valuable writings, amongst them being—The Epistles and Hymn of St. Patrick (3rd ed. S.P.C.K., 1894); A History of the Church of Ireland (2nd ed., 1895); ZTre Scriptures in Ireland One Thousand Years Ago, a translation from the Wurtzburg Glosses; sixty-three “Lives of Distinguished Irishmen,” in the Dictionary of National Biography; numerous papers in the Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, the Royal Society ‘of Antiquaries, and the St. Paul’s Ecclesiological Society, etc., etc. In recognition of his merits, his University conferred upon him (Honoris Causa) the Degree of D.D. in 1898. Dr. Olden resigned Ballyclogh, owing to ill-health, in July, 1899, but retained his stipend and glebe; and the parish of Ballyclogh, with Dromdowney was added to Castlemagner union (q.v.) Dr. Olden died at his vicarage, Ballyclough, on the 29th of October, 1900, aged JJ years. Of him, the Bishop of the Diocese said, in his annual pastoral letter, January, 1901 :—”We were proud of him in this diocese. We felt it to be an honour that he was numbered amongst our Clergy. By his learning and ability he has done a great work for the Church. As an Irish scholar, there were not many that could surpass him. But it is as the historian of the Church of Ireland that he will ever be remembered. Although he was so learned, and so distinguished, hse was kind and gentle and unassuming in his manner, and was dearly loved by his family and his friends, and by the people amongst whom hie ministered for thirty-one years. A mural tablet has been erected to his memory in Ballyclough Church by his parishioners and friends.” The late Rev. Dr. Olden also wrote:— St. Patrick and his Mission, Dublin, 1894, an(* a now very scarce and valuable pamphlet: Some Notices of St. Colman of Cloyne, Bishop and Poet. Cork: T. Morgan, 1881. To the Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries he contributed a paper on ” The Voyage of St Brendan,” 4th quarter, 1891. To the Cork Historical and Archceological Journal he contributed a paper on “Kilmaclenine” in No. 39, July-Sept., 1898, besides some interesting notes to the article on St. Beretchert of Tullylease, that appeared in the No. for February, 1895, and he also contributed still more frequently to the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, of which he was a ember. The wording of his mortuary tablet will be found later on in the portion of the present series relating to Ballyclough Church. . (Lewis, pub. 1837), under “Ballyclogh”
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West Cork History 