printed books on Irish history. The author shows some colloquial acquaintance with the Irish language, but had not examined any manuscript except the 'Book of Lecan,' which was then at the Irish College in Paris, and which, he says, was difficult to read. The history is not critical; it inclines, for example, to the view that the Giant's Causeway is a specimen of early Irish architecture, but it contains a good deal of interesting information arranged in order. It concludes with an account of the confiscations and grants which followed the treaty of Limerick. The abbe's name appears as Ma-Geoghegan on the title of vol. 1., and as MacGeoghegan on that of vol. ii.; both are phonetic expressions of the Irish form MacEochagain ('Cunnrudh Mheig Eochagain agus an t-Sionnaigh,' line 2). He became one of the clergy of the church of St. Merry in Paris, and died there 30 March 1763.
[Works; Biographie Générale, Paris, 1855; Miscellany of Irish Archæological Society, vol. i. 1846; Topographical Poems of John O'Dubhagain, ed. O'Donovan, Dublin, 1862; National MSS. of Ireland, vol. ii.; information from the Bey. Patrick Bogle of the College des Irlandais, Paris.]
MACGEOGHEGAN, ROCHE, also called ‘Rochus de Cruce’ (1580–1644), Irish Dominican and bishop of Kildare, son of Ross MacGeoghegan, chief of the sept of the MacGeoghegans of Moycashel or Kinelfiacha, co. Westmeath, was born in 1580. He studied at the Irish College in Lisbon, at Coimbra, where he entered the order of St. Dominic, and at Salamanca, where he spent eight years. The general of the Dominicans was anxious to revive in Ireland the Dominican order, which at the death of Queen Elizabeth had become almost extinct, and MacGeoghegan was selected to carry the revival into effect. He was present at a general chapter of the Dominicans held at Milan in 1622, and was there appointed provincial of Ireland. He worked with indomitable energy in Ireland, restored his order to vigour, and, it is stated, converted to the catholic faith several persons of prominence in the country (Moran, Persecutions of Irish Catholics). On three occasions the government ordered his arrest, and a reward of 200l. was offered for his capture; but each time he succeeded in escaping. He ultimately resigned the office of provincial and withdrew to Louvain, where he aided in the foundation of a convent for Irish Dominicans. On the death of Peter Lombard [q.v.], archbishop of Armagh, in 1625, it was urged on Pope Urban VIII without result that he should appoint MacGeoghegan to the vacant see. In 1629 he was appointed bishop of Kildare, being consecrated at Brussels by the Archbishop of Mechlin. Throughout his episcopate he was the constant object of persecution, and was frequently obliged to keep in hiding. He died at Kilbeggan in co. Westmeath in 1644, and was buried in the cathedral of Kildare.
MacGeoghegan had collected a large library, which, according to Moran, was burned by his persecutors; according to others, he pledged it in order to relieve the poor of his flock.
[De Burgo's Hibernia Dominicana, pp. 98, 106, 108, 431, 487, 561; Moran's Historical Sketch of the Persecutions suffered by the Catholics of Ireland (wherein the author quotes from a manuscript History of the Irish Bishops, by Dr. John Lynch), pp. 366–71; Comerford's Collections relating to the Dioceses of Kildare and Leighlin, 1st ser. pp. 30–5; Meehan's Memoirs of the Irish Hierarchy in the Seventeenth Century, pp. 158–9, and Appendix, pp. 309–10, 341.]
MACGEORGE, ANDREW (1810–1891), antiquarian writer and historian, son of Andrew Macgeorge, lawyer, was born 13 May 1810, in Glasgow, where he received his school and university education. He was admitted into the Faculty of Procurators in 1836, becoming about the same time a member of his father's firm. After his father's death he was head of the firm till 1889, when he retired. Recognised as a sound ecclesiastical lawyer, Macgeorge was connected with some famous cases in the courts of the church of Scotland, and was in controversy an uncompromising churchman. He wrote, under the pseudonym of Veritas,' an elaborate series of articles on the principles of the free church, which were collected later for private circulation. He was skilled in heraldry, and as an antiquary he contributed important papers to the Archaeological Society of Glasgow. His love of art is illustrated by his biography of W. L. Leitch [q. v.], and by many water-colour paintings and clever caricatures. For 'Rab and his Friends,' by Dr. John Brown (1810-1882) [q. v.], he drew an illustration of the dog-fight, and Thackeray highly commended some of his caricatures when shown them by Dr. Brown. He took an active interest in the welfare of public institutions in Glasgow, notably the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, which was founded by his exertions, and of which he was long the secretary. His alma mater conferred on him the degree of LL.D. four months before his death, which took place at Row, Dumbartonshire, 4 Sept. 1891. In 1841 he married Miss Pollock of Whitehall, near Glasgow,
