Born: 23 July 1655, Drogheda, County Louth
Entered: 07 September 1675, San Andrea, Rome, Italy - Romanae Province (ROM)

Left Society of Jesus: 1678??

◆ In Chronological Catalogue Sheet as Ent 07/09/1675 and Old/15 (1)
In Chronological Catalogue Sheet as Ent 1671 x 2 (one under the other)

◆ Old/15 (1) has Ent 1671

◆ Old/16 has : “James O’Meara”; Ent 1671 Rome

◆ Old/17 has Ent 07/09/1675 St Andrea

◆ CATSJ A-H has DOB c1654 Irish in England; Ent 07/09/1675 St Andrea;
Wore the habit of a student of “Nazione”
Son of Edmund Meara and Catherine Brais
“Studied in Ireland and entered Irish College in Rome on 28/03/1672 with a distinguished examination in Philosophy. In 1675 Ent our noviceship in Rome, at the end of which he was not allowed to make his vows on account of chronic headache.
1677 Sent to teach Grammar at College of Pistoia, but as he had not completely recovered his health was sent by the Superior to Ireland in 1678 for recovery and to be attended to by his father, a celebrated doctor, and to remain in the Society. The change of air suited him and he traveled with Fr Chamberlin as far as Poitiers.” Arch of Irish College Rome Lib I

◆ George Oliver Towards Illustrating the Biography of the Scotch, English and Irish Members SJ
MEARA, JAMES, left the school of the Society at Drogheda, with William Plunkett, for Rome, in 1671.

◆ Henry Foley - Records of the English province of The Society of Jesus Vol VII
MEARA, JAMES, Father (Irish). After studying his humanities at Drogheda, he entered the Society at Rome in 1671. (Id.)

◆ MacErlean Cat Miss HIB SJ 1670-1770
1678 ROM Cat
Collegium Pistoia
“James Meara”
Aged 23 Born 23/07/1655 Irish
Entered 07/09/1676 (recte 1675)
Teaching Grammar 1

◆ Calendar of MacErlean Transcipts Addenda Irishmen who entered Rome and Spain 1561-1772 (Finegan)
James Meara 21
07 September 1675 Entered St Andrea Rome

◆ Fr Edmund Hogan SJ “Catalogica Chronologica” :
DOB Ulster c 1651; Ent 1671 Rome;

His grandfather Dermot O’Meara, a physician, writer on medecine and poet was educated at Oxford.
His father Edmund O’Meara was a Doctor of Oxford, a member of the College of Physicians, and died in 1680 leaving three sons : William MD, Francis, a Major in Tyrconnell’s Horse, who was killed at the Boyne; and James the Jesuit (cf Ware’s “Writers)