(Humphrey O'Sullivan 1780-1838)
Amhlaoibh O Suilleabhain (Humphrey O Sullivan) hedge school-master and diarist was born in the 1780's in Killarney, where his father Donncha was a hedge-school master. The family moved from Kilkenny to Waterford in 1789, and the following year came to Kilkenny, where Amhlaoibh's father taught school, at the cross roads, Killaloe and Ballykeefe. Later on, the family moved into Callan, where Amhlaoibh and his brother each had a school. He became a shopkeeper and merchant, married Maire Ni Dhulchanta, and spent the rest of his life in Callan where he died in 1838. But for the fact that he kept a diary, in Irish, for a relatively short period, from 1827-1835, he would probably never have been heard of after his death.Amhlaoibh was a collector and scribe of Irish manuscripts. Within a year of his death Hodges & Smith, the Dublin booksellers bought some of his manuscripts, including the diary. Later on the Royal Irish Academy acquired these manuscripts as part of a larger collection - 227 in all, for 1250 guineas. Ironically, almost half the purchase money came from the British Government, on the recommendation of sir Robert peel. The diaries remained unknown to the public until Seamus O Casaide published some extracts in the periodical Gadelica in 1912. He intended continuing publishing, but no other volume of Gadelica appeared.
Amhlaoibh O Suilleabhain was an exceptional person in many ways. There had been no tradition among writers of Irish keeping a personal diary. He was widely read both in Irish and English, and his decision to write a diary was influenced to some extent by the current fashion among writers of English. He must have been familiar with the works of English Naturalists such as Gilbert White, whose book 'The Natural History and Antiquities of Selbourne' first published in 1789, was based on his daily observations on natural phenomena - birds, plants, insects, the weather, etc in the district around Selbourne in the Southampton area. Amhlaoibh's first entry consisted solely of notes on the weather, plants and crops..........
From his diaries it is clearly evident that Amhlaoibh O Suilleabhain took a keen interest in history, literature, languages, natural sciences, economics, agriculture, folklore and politics. When not engaged in his business, he was occupied in teaching, collecting and transcribing manuscripts, in social and political work, and in creative writing. In spite of all these activities he found time to make a minute study of plant and bird life and to take a full part in the social life of the district. His diaries are an untapped source for social history.