Deirtear i dtaobh a leabhair Sixteen Irish sermons, in an easy and familiar stile (1736), ar tháinig eagráin iomadúla amach, nach raibh leabhar Gaeilge eile is mó a raibh glaoch air, taobh amuigh de Pious miscellany Thaidhg Ghaelaigh Uí Shúilleabháin. 18 eagrán a foilsíodh idir 1736 agus 1820. Tá cuntas air in Inis-Owen and Tirconnell, being some account of Antiquities and Writers of the Co. Donegal (1895), le William James Doherty. Tá eolas níos deimhnithí ag Ciarán Mac Murchaidh in Irisleabhar Mhá Nuad. 1998 (‘Nótaí beathaisnéise ar an Dr Séamas Ó Gallchobhair’). Is é an cuntas is deireanaí a bhfuil ag Proinsias Mac Cana in Collège des Irlandais and Irish Studies (2001).

Cheaptaí uair gurbh i bparóiste na nGleannta, Co. Dhún na nGall, in aice an tsráidbhaile féin, a rugadh é ach síltear anois gurbh é an Jacobus Gallagher é a fuair céim mháistir i bPáras 2 Lúnasa 1715 agus arbh as deoise na Cille Móire dó. Dhealródh sé gur oirníodh é roimh dhul dó go dtí an Mhór-roinn. Fuair sé oideachas i gColáiste na nGael i bPáras agus i gColáiste an Phropaganda sa Róimh. Coisriceadh ina easpag ar Ráth Bhoth é i nDroichead Átha 14 Samhain 1725. Is mar fheirmeoir láidir a ghléasadh sé é féin agus é ag múineadh Gréigise agus Laidine d’ábhair sagairt sa deoise. Bhí sé ar cuairt i Ráth Maoláin nuair ba dhóbair go ngabhfaí é. Seo mar a chuireann Maureen Wall síos ar an eachtra in The Penal Laws, 1691–1760 (1967): ‘Bishop James Gallagher’s troubles in the diocese of Raphoe were largely caused by the refusal of a degraded priest to give up the parish of Killygarvan when ordered to do so by the bishop. Father Peter Hegarty, who was appointed in his stead, was shot by a local magistrate when the Catholics of the parish were about to rescue him while he was being escorted to gaol in 1734.’ Theith an t-easpag go dtí oileán i Loch Éirne agus chaith bliain ann. Is lena linn sin a d’athscríobh sé na seanmóirí le haghaidh cló.

Aistríodh é 18 Bealtaine 1737 go dtí deoise Chill Dara agus Leithghleanna. In Almhain, agus an portach ina thimpeall, a bhí cónaí air. Dúirt an t-easpag cáiliúil James Warren Doyle (‘J.K.L.’) ina thaobh: ‘The haunts and retreats frequented by the bishop of Kildare in the times of persecution are still pointed out by the aged inhabitants of those marshes with a sort of pride mingled with piety.... he lived in yonder old walls in common with the young priests whom he prepared for the mission. He sometimes left us with a staff in his hand, and, being absent for months, we feared he would never return; but he always came back until he closed his days amongst us’ (The life, times, and correspondence of the Right Rev. Dr. Doyle, 1861 le W.J. Fitzpatrick). Air a thit sé An Teagasg Críosduidhe do réir ceasda agus freagartha le Aindrias Ó Duinnshléibhe a cheadú. D’éag sé i mBealtaine 1751 agus deirtear gurbh in Almhain a cuireadh é. In Éigse, geimhreadh 1977–8, tá aiste ag Séamus Ó Néill i dtaobh ar féidir d’fhoghraíocht Uí Ghallchobhair a thuiscint ón litriú a chleacht sé. Thug an tAthair Pól Breathnach eagrán nua amach in 1911: Seanmóirí Muighe Nuadhad, an ceathramhadh imleabhar. Scríobh Tomás Ó Rathile léirmheas fada in Gadelica, 1912–13; déanann sé comparáid ann idir na heagráin éagsúla.

Diarmuid Breathnach

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