History of NUI Galway, the Science Faculty and associated scientists.

Ruairi O’Flaherty (1629-1718)

One of the Galway O’Flaherty family, he lived in Moycullen Castle from 1629 to 1649.  He attended the Alexander Lynch School in Galway city, a school renowned for attracting scholars from all over Ireland.  Being Irish and Catholic, O’Flaherty lost all his wealth after the execution of King Charles I and fled to Sligo.  Despite this he continued his studies in the Classics and History and wrote his first book in Latin.  His greatest publication in English, "Chronological Description of West or h-Iar Connaught" was published after his death.  This book was the first scientific account of fauna by an Irishman, other than that written by Augustin, one thousand years earlier.  The book provides information on the introduction of freshwater fish to Ireland and provides the first account of seabirds and marine life.  It also includes an account of the first experimental study of animal behaviour recorded in Ireland.  This study was made on the homing potential of salmon. 

Sources:

Irish Innovators in Science and Technology.  Published jointly by the Royal Irish Academy and Enterprise Ireland, an updated and enlarged version of the two-volume People and Places in Irish Science & Technology published in 1985 and 1990.  Charles Mollan, William Davis and Brendan Finucane (eds), Royal Irish Academy and Enterprise Ireland,

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