Bhí Caroline Nolan, Oifigeach Forbartha, i nDroichead na Bandan ag bualadh le cléir na háite, ina measc, an tUrr. Kingsley Sutton (Cloch na Coillte), an tUrr Anne Skuse (Moviddy Union), an tUrr John Ardis (An Sciobairín), an tUrr. Denis MacCarthy (Droichead na Bandan), agus bhí an Canónach George Salter agus an tUrr Tony Murphy ó Chumann Gaelach na hEaglaise ag roinnt a saineolais leo. Táimid buíoch do Denis MacCathy a thug an-aire, agus ceapairí álainn, dúinn ann.
Ní thiocfaidh linn dul go Droichead na Bandan gan smaoineamh ar an Onórach Richard Boyle (1st Earl of Desmond) agus a mhac iomráiteach, Robert Boyle, atá clú agus cáil ar de bhrí a chuid oibre ceannródaíochta i gceimice nua-aimseartha. Ach tá clú air Robert Boyle i saol na Gaeilge freisin de bhrí go raibh ról lárnach aige sa chéad fhoilseachán don Bhíobla i nGaeilge, Bíobla Bedell. Chuir William Bedell tús leis an aistriúchán nuair a bhí sé ina Propast i gColáiste na Tríonóide agus, ina ndiaidh sin, ina Easpag i gCill Mór. Ach fuair sé bás sular raibh an tionscnamh críochnaithe aige.
De réir Choláiste an Rí, Londain (According to King’s College London):
The manuscript of the translation was rescued by his friend Denis Sheridan, who many years later gave it to Narcissus Marsh (1638–1713), provost of Trinity College Dublin. With the aid of two Jesuit scholars, Andrew Sall and Paul Higgins, and of the scientist Robert Boyle, Marsh revised the translation. Boyle nursed it through the printing process in London and an edition of 500 copies was finally published in 1685.
In recent weeks Caroline Nolan, Development Officer with Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise met with a number of clergy in Bandon to encourage the greater use of Irish in services. St Peter’s Church Bandon could not have been a more fitting location as it was Richard Boyle’s son, the Hon Robert Boyle, considered by many as the ‘father of modern chemistry’ who oversaw, and financed, the first translation of the bible into Irish.
William Bedell, an Essex man, was Provost of Trinity College and later became the Bishop of Kilmore. He began the work of translating the bible into Irish but died before it was completed. This is just one example of how members of Church of Ireland have been influential in supporting and preserving the Irish language down through history.
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