John O'Brien (bishop)

[5] Focalóir Gaoidhilge-Sax-Bhéarla or an Irish-English Dictionary was used by famed writer, Goethe, to translate pieces of James MacPherson’s Ossian from Scots-Gaelic (Gàidhlig) into his native German language.

The reception of Ossian in Europe While the Focalóir uses obsolete spellings and has been superseded as a reference text, it was an important source for future dictionaries.

Upon O'Brien's elevation to bishop, the poet Seán na Ráithíneach Ó Murchadha composed celebratory verse and was rewarded with a gold coin.

A book of regulations for the clergy of his diocese published in 1756 was notable for the emphasis it placed on catechesis, its determined opposition to clandestine marriages, and the large number of sins that were reserved for episcopal absolution.

[8] In August 1758 O'Brien placed Mitchelstown and the surrounding area under interdict when a dispute concerning a local clerical appointment turned violent, an action that prompted Baron Kingston to issue a warrant for the bishop's arrest in 1758, offering a reward of £20".