Rugadh Pádraig de Paor sa Cheallachán, Co. Phort Láirge ar an 8 Márta 1862. Fuair é a chuid oideachais i Scoil Náisiúnta Bhaile Mhic Gunair, i Scoil na hOllscoile Caitlicí, Port Láirge agus i gColáiste Eoin, Port Láirge. Oirníodh é sa bhliain 1885. Chaith sé seal i Learphóil agus i New South Wales san Astráil. Ar fhilleadh ar Phort Láirge dó, bhí sé ag obair mar Chigire na nDeoisí do Scoileanna, mar Seiplíneach i gColáiste Oiliúna De la Salle agus mar shagart óg i bPort Chládhach. Scoláire le spéis i réimse leathan ábhar ba ea é – sa seandálaíocht, sa stair, san oidhreacht, sa Ghaeilge agus i logainmneacha na hÉireann, logainmneacha Phort Láirge, ach go háirithe.
Scríobh sé an-chuid agus tá cáil faoi leith air dá shaothar mhór, The Placenames of Decies, agus tá muintir Phort Láirge go mór faoi chomaoin aige dá bharr. Tá cóip den leabhar ar fáil sa rannóg Staidéar Áitiúil i Leabharlanna Phort Láirge agus tá cur síos ar an méid atá ann ar fáil anseo. Bhí clú agus cáil ar an gCanónach de Paor mar léachtóir sa seandálaíocht i Má Nuad agus ó 1915 go dtí gur éirigh sé as i 1932, bhí sé mar Ollamh Seandálaíochta i gColáiste na hOllscoile, Corcaigh. Lean sé air ag scríobh agus ag staidéar go dtí lá a bháis ar an 16 Deireadh Fómhair, 1951.
I mí na Márta 2012, d’eagraidh Comhairle Contae Phort Láirge agus Comhairle Cathrach Phort Láirge (le tacaíocht ó Institiúid Teicneolaíochta Phort Láirge) seimineár mar chomóradh 150 bhliain ó rugadh an Canónach de Paor.
Seimineár i gComóradh ar an gCanónach de Paor
Patrick Power was born at Callaghane, Co. Waterford on the 8th March 1862. He was educated at Ballygunner National School, the Catholic University School, Waterford and St. John’s College Waterford. He was ordained in 1885. He spent time in Liverpool and in New South Wales, Australia. On returning to Waterford he worked as Diocesan Inspector of Schools, Chaplain to the De la Salle Training College and curate of Portlaw. He was a scholar with a great depth and breadth of interests in the archaeology, history, heritage, Irish language and placenames of Ireland and more particularly of Waterford.
He wrote extensively and is most particularly known for his great work “The Placenames of Decies” for which the people of Waterford owe him a great debt. A copy of the book is available in the Local Studies Section of Waterford Libraries and for a description of what the book contains click here. A man of great repute who lectured on archaeology at Maynooth and from 1915 until his retirement in 1932 he held the post of Professor of Archaeology at University College Cork. He continued to study and to write until his death on 16th October 1951.
In March 2012 the then Waterford County Council and Waterford City Councils (with the support of Waterford Institute of Technology) organised a seminar in WIT to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Canon Power.
