Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Macdonlevy, Cormac
MACDONLEVY, CORMAC (fl. 1459), physician, called in Irish MacDuinntshleibhe, was descended from the royal family of Ulidia, who were driven from their kingdom by John de Courcy [q. v.], and settled in Kilmacrenan, co. Donegal, about 1200, where they became hereditary physicians to the O'Donnells. Muiris MacDonlevy (d. 1395), son of Paul, who is called ' ollamh leighis chenel conaill,' professor of physic of the tribe of Conaill, i.e. of O'Donnell and his neighbours, is the first physician of the family mentioned in the chronicles. Cormac calls himself ' baisiller a fisighecht,' bachelor of medicine (Arundel MS. 883, fol. 113 b, in British Museum), and was a physician of the Arabian school. He travelled through Ireland in 1459, wrote at Cloyne, co. Cork (Sari. MS. 546, fol. 11), a translation into Irish of Gualterus on the doses of medicine, of which the original holograph copy is in the British Museum Library, 546 in the Harleian collection. He also translated into Irish a treatise on the organs of animals from Isaac's ' De Dietis,' a well-known mediaeval treatise. His original manuscript is in the British Museum, Arundel 333. He writes a clear, rather square Irish hand, using numerous contractions. He had read Gadaesden, Gordonius the Arabian, and Galen.
Subsequent members of the family mentioned in the ' Irish Annals ' are :
Donnchadh MacDonlevy, M.D. (d. 1526), physician, son of Eoghan, famous for his general learning and wealth. He died 30 Sept. 1526.
Eoghan MacDonlevy, M.D. (d. 1586), physician, son of Donnchadh, was believed to be the best physician of his time in Ireland, and was also famous for his general learning.
As the family originally came from Ulidia, the lesser Uladh, or Ulster, the members of it are often called in Irish writings, instead of MacDonlevy, Ultach, that is, Ulsterman, and from this the name of MacNulty, Mac an Ultaigh, son of the Ulsterman, is derived.
[Arundel 333 and Harleian 546 in Brit. Mas. ; Annals Rioghachta Ei rearm, ed. J. O'Donoran, vol. v. ; Norman Moore's Essay on the History of Medicine in Ireland in St. Bartholomew's Hospital Reports, vol. xi.]