A native of Harmanstown, parish of Stackallen,
County Meath,
Paul Walsh described him as follows: "He cultivated Irish literature, not, however, as an original author. He is known as a diligent copier of MSS., and as a friend of
Tadhg O Neachtain, the lexico-grapher ... The two men were joint scribes of a MS. which
Edward O Reilly was in possession of in 1830." In a poem of c. 1726, Ó Neachtain refers to Mac Solaidh as follows: Mac Solaidh was the scribe of the first part of
Stair Eamonn Ui Clerigh (the story of Eamonn Ó Clerigh), composed by Ó Neachtain. He was the scribe of copies of
Geoffrey Keating's
Foras Feasa ar Éirinn, the
Spiritual Mirror on the Beginning and End of Human Life (compiled by
Thomas Mac Gabhrain), "and that his signature is found in the printed copy of
Mac Aingil's
Mirror of the Sacrament of Penance in the Library of
Maynooth ... Though his handwriting is not elegant he copied accurately enough, considering the opportunities he had, and the times in which he lived." ==A letter of 1718==