Michael Moor

Moor, Michael, D.D., Provost of Trinity College, was born in Bridge-street, Dublin, in 1640. He was educated in France; for some years taught philosophy and rhetoric in the college at Grassin, and upon his return home was ordained a priest by Luke Wadding (not the Franciscan), who was Catholic Bishop of Ferns in 1684. For some time Moor had, as Vicar-General, charge of the whole diocese of Dublin. During James II.'s personal government of Ireland he was, in opposition to the Jesuits, and although a Catholic, made Provost of Trinity College. He did much to mitigate the sufferings of the Protestant prisoners; and it was largely owing to his exertions that the valuable collections in the Library were preserved from injury during the military occupation of the College.

In preaching before the King he upon one occasion took the text: "If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." This so incensed his Majesty (who having a Jesuit confessor with weak eyes, considered the discourse levelled against himself) that he deprived Moor of his preferments, and obliged him to retire to France, whence, on James's return, he removed to Rome, where he enjoyed the favour of Innocent XII. and Clement XI. After James II.'s death he returned to France, and, according to Harris's Ware, was made Rector of the University of Paris, in which he established an Irish College. To it he bequeathed his choice library, which, however, was found sadly thinned at his death, owing to the depredations of an amanuensis he had employed when afflicted in his latter days with blindness. He died in Paris, 22nd August 1726, aged 85, and was buried in the chapel of the Irish College. Harris's Ware gives a list of his theological works, which are all in Latin. No mention is made of him in the history of "The Irish College, Paris," which appeared in the Irish Ecclesiastical Record in 1866.

Sources

233. Manuscript and Special Information, and Current Periodicals.

339. Ware, Sir James, Works: Walter Harris. 2 vols. Dublin, 1764.