Nicholas Callan
Nicholas J. Callan , full Nicholas Joseph Callan (born 1799 in Darver , County Louth , † 1864 in Maynooth , County Kildare ) was an Irish inventor , Roman Catholic clergyman and physicist .
Life
Callan studied philosophy and Roman Catholic theology and was ordained a priest in 1823. He then studied at the La Sapienza University in Rome. During his time in Rome he met pioneers in electrical engineering such as the Italians Luigi Galvani and Alessandro Volta . In Ireland he got a job as a university lecturer in Maynooth .
The first spark inductor was developed by Callan at St Patrick's College in Maynooth in 1836 after preliminary work by Michael Faraday . The design did not correspond to the later usual cylindrical design, but was designed in the shape of a horseshoe. The spark inductor developed by William Sturgeon a year later represented an improvement .
Works (selection)
- Electricity and Galvanism (Introductory Book), 1832
Web links
- Rev. Nicholas J. Callan (1799-1864) IEEE Milestone in Electrical Engineering and Computing. maynoothuniversity.ie(English).
- Science Gallery: Callan. Maynooth College: National Science and Ecclesiology Museum(English, pictures of historical devices with a brief explanation).
- Maynooth College: Professor Nicholas Callan. Archived from the original on December 8, 2004 .
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Callan, Nicholas |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Callan, Nicholas J .; Callan, Nicholas Joseph (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Irish inventor, Roman Catholic clergyman and physicist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1799 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Darver , County Louth |
| DATE OF DEATH | 1864 |
| Place of death | Maynooth , County Kildare |