R. McAdam
| R. McAdam | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| File:McAdam, R..jpg | |||
| Born | 1808 | ||
| Died | 1895 | ||
| Occupation |
antiquarian academic | ||
| |||
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1853.08.04 A letter from R. McAdam Esq. of Belfast with a present of The Ulster Journal of Archaeology No. 3 was read
Notes From Elsewhere
Robert Shipboy McAdam Antiquarian and Gaelic Scholar 1808-1895
Educated at R.B.A.I., McAdam was a member of that remarkable generation of Presbyterian industrialists who embraced all branches of culture and saw no contradiction between the encouragement of the Irish language and loyalty to the Crown.
His works he set up, the Soho Foundry in Townsend Street, Belfast, eventually employed 250 people. He patented a design for a steam turbine and sold his products as far afield as Egypt, learning Arabic in the process: it was one of the many languages of which he had some knowledge; he is known to have spoken and written at least thirteen.
At the age of 22 McAdam founded the Ulster Gaelic society - the first of its kind in Ireland - and collected a large number of Irish manuscripts, as well as publishing a Gaelic dictionary, compiled with the help of a native Irish speaker. Most of his documents are held in the Central Library, Belfast. He was also active in the Literary Society, the Natural History and Philosophical Society and the Harmonic and Harp Societies. He was one of the founders of the Belfast Museum and edited the Ulster Journal of Archaeology for nine years. He is buried in Nowtownbreda Cemetery.
