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For the Scottish noble, see David Comyn, Lord of Kilbride.

David Comyn (in Irish, Dáithí Coimín or Dáithí Ó Coimín) (1854–1907) was a prominent Irish language revivalist, editor, and scholar whose work significantly shaped the Gaelic revival movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in County Clare, During a time of fast decline in Irish language, Comyn got very involved in activities to protect and advance it. From the 1870s until he passed away in 1907, he passionately supported restoring the Irish language, helping safeguard it through teaching, publishing, and academic work.

Biography

David Comyn, son of John Comyn and Keat Hassett, was baptised in Kilrush parish on 14 May 1854.

He moved to Dublin to work as a bank clerk in the National Bank (on whose banknotes his signature eventually appeared).

He threw in all his energies to support the movement, which started in the 1870s, to preserve the Irish language. From that time to his death, in 1907, he laboured zealously on its behalf, in the Gaelic Union and other kindred bodies. He was a Member of the Royal Irish Academy, the first editor of the Gaelic Journal, and edited and annotated a portion of Geoffrey Keating's History of Ireland, for the Irish Texts Society of London. He left his books and manuscripts as a gift to the National Library of Ireland.

By 1901, he was living at 43 Brighton Square in Rathmines.

He died (from cirrhosis of the liver) on 22 January 1907 at his home at 43 Brighton Square in Dublin and was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery. He left an estate of £4,464 12s. 9d.

The Gaelic Journal

Comyn played a huge role as part of the Gaelic Union, an organization established to prevent the decline of the Irish language among the population. The Union has focused on encouraging the use of Irish in primary and everyday life. Comyn made it his responsibility to provide more educational resources after realising insufficient enough material for those who wanted to learn the Irish language. This led to a new interest in trying to learn the language among people in Ireland.

In 1882, Comyn was appointed the first editor of the Gaelic Journal (Irisleabhar na Gaedhilge), the first bilingual publication in the Irish language. The magazine attempted to help both native speakers and Irish learners through various language courses, folklore, poetry and essays. It has become an important platform for Gaelic revival, attracting the contributions of other major supporters of Irish culture. During Comyn's tenure, the Gaelic Journal was extremely important in renewing public interest in the language.

Comyn's editorial work was highly regarded for his contributions to the Irish Literary Society. He was a key figure in the Irish Texts Society, where he edited and commented on a critical edition of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn. This work not only preserved one of Ireland’s most important historical texts but also made it more accessible to readers through his detailed annotations. His research reflected his deep understanding of the Irish language, history and literature, firming his reputation as an authoritarian voice in Irish studies.

Royal Irish Academy

Comyn's dedication to Irish education has earned him a membership in the Royal Irish Academy, one of Ireland's most prestigious intellectual institutions. This recognition reflects his important contribution to preserving Irish cultural and linguistic heritage. He continued to advocate Irish as a living language and supported local efforts to promote its teaching in schools and its use in everyday life.

Legacy

David Comyn died in 1907 and left a lasting legacy in the Gaelic revival movement. In his will, he inherited his extensive collection of books, manuscripts and academic notes to the National Library of Ireland. This collection contains rare texts and materials that are still invaluable to researchers studying the Irish language and culture. Comyn's work laid the foundations for many of the subsequent advances in the conservation of the Irish language, and his influence remains visible today.

Comyn's life embodies the spirit of Gaating a mixture of academic, activist and cultural pride. Through his editorial direction, his academic contributions and his dedication to education, he helped shape the modern reactivation of the Irish language. His work with the Gaelic Journal, the Gaelic Union and the Irish Texts Society remains fundamental for those who continue to strive to preserve and promote Ireland’s linguistic heritage.

External links

• COIMÍN, Dáithí (1854–1907) le Diarmuid Breathnach agus Máire Ní Mhurchú
• Comyn, David by Paul Rouse, in Dictionary of Irish Biography
• "David Comyn" by Br. Seán McNamara, reproduced from the Clare County Express in the Clare Association Yearbook 1993 Archived 14 November 2017 at the Wayback Machine (p. 61).
• Dáithí Coimín agus Aontacht na Gaeilge le Breandán Ó Conaire in Studia Hibernica No. 29 (1995–1997), pp. 117–156.
• Dáithí Ó Coimín agus bunú Irisleabhar na Gaeilge: Cuid a h-aon agus Cuid a dó le Breandán Ó Conaire i gComhar, Iml. 39, Uimh 4 (Apr., 1980), pp. 10–15 agus Uimh 5 (May, 1980), pp. 21–26.
• Location of Irish Scholar's House, Clare Champion, 18 June 1993, p. 10
• Geoffrey Keating Foras Feasa ar Éirinn: the history of Ireland D. Comyn and PS Dineen (eds.) 4 vols. Irish Texts Society (London 1902–14). (Available for download: https://archive.org/details/forasfeasaarir06keatuoft)