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^^k. 


THE    RIGHT  REV.  JAMES  WALSHE.D.D 
BISHOP  OFKILDAREAND  LEIGHLiN. 


COLLECTIONS 


RELATING  TO  THE  DIOCESES  OF 


KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 


BY   THE 


RET,    M,    COMERFORD,    M.R.LA, 


"  Mementote   Pnepositorum   vestrorum,   qui  vobis  locuti  sunt  verbum  Dei, 
quorum  intuentes  exitum  conversation  is,  imitamim  Fidem.   -Ad  Heb.  xw.l. 


DUBLIN  : 
JAMES       DUFFY       AND       SONS, 

15  WELLINGTON  QUAY,  DUBLIN, 
AND  1   PATERNOSTER  ROW,  LONDON. 


DUBLIN  : 

prinfeb  bn   (gbmnnb   $htrke   anb   (JTo. 

61    &  62  GREAT  STRAND   STREET 


669419 


TO  THE 

,  g>ame0 

BISHOP  OF   KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN, 
THE  VENERATED  SUCCESSOR  OF   ST.    CONLAETH   AND  ST.    LASERIAN, 

AND  OF  AN  UNBROKEN   DOUBLE  LINE  OF 
HOLY  PRELATES,   FOR  FOURTEEN  HUNDRED  YEARS, 

${p8  Ww  e  ix  gtbitateb, 

WITH  MUCH  REVERENCE   AND  AFFECTION. 


CONTENTS. 


BISHOPS  OF  KlLDARE. 

BISHOPS  or  LEIGHLIN. 

BISHOPS  OF  KlLDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN  (UNITED). 

ST.  PATRICK'S  COLLEGE,  CARLOW. 

MISCELLANEA. 


PORTRAIT  OF  RIGHT  REV.  DR.  WALSHE,  Bishop  of  Kildare 
and  Leighlin, — Frontispiece. 

Page 

SCULPTURED  STONE  AND  INSCRIPTION,  Kildare,  14 

RIGHT  REV.  DR.  DELANY,  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin    -  87 

RIGHT  REV.  DR.  DOYLE,  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin  93 

RIGHT  REV.  DR.  NOLAN,  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin       -  121 

RIGHT  REV.  DR.  HALY,  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin  HO 

RIGHT  REV.  DR.  LYNCH,  Coadjutor  Bishop  of  Kildare  and 

Leighlin  161 

COLLEGE  AND  CATHEDRAL,  Carlo w  165 


E  R  JETA  T  A. 

Page    54,  line    1,  for  Vatican,  read  Later  an. 
Page    84,  line  13,  for  College,  read  Colleges. 

Page  169,  line  24,  read- the  Rev.  James  Murphy  died  Curate  of  Balli- 
nakill ;  the  Rev.  John  Cleary  was  P.P.  of  Myshall. 

Page  233,  line  13,  read  Maryborough  and  Bagnalstown. 


PREFACE. 


THE  desirableness  of  collecting  and  placing  in  lasting  shape  the 
Records  and  traditions  of  the  various  Dioceses,  is  generally 
admitted.  Each  year  that  this  work  is  delayed  is  attended  with 
a  proportionate  loss  of  valuable  information.  Different  causes 
combine  towards  rendering  the  acquisition  of  this  class  of 
information  peculiarly  difficult.  The  ancient  Records  that  would 
have  thrown  light  on  our  early  national  and  ecclesiastical  affairs, 
have,  to  a  great  extent,  disappeared.  The  period,  extending 
over  three  hundred  years,  during  which  the  cruel  penal  code 
was  rigorously  enforced,  furnishes  but  scanty  documentary  intelli 
gence,  and  that  confined  in  great  measure  to  official  papers  pre 
served  in  the  Roman  archives,  and  those  Returns  ordered  from 
time  to  time  by  a  hostile  legislature,  apprehensive  of  the  spread 
of  Popery.  The  Catholics  of  that  sad  period,  so  far  from  having 
any  inducement  to  place  on  record  the  affairs  of  the  Church  in 
Ireland,  had  cogent  reasons  for  the  contrary  course,  and  thought 
themselves  fortunate  in  being  allowed  to  pass  unnoticed,  since 
notice  meant,  in  most  instance,  persecution.  Still,  with  all  these 
drawbacks,  a  skilful  gleaner  could  collect  much  information  of 
an  interesting  and  valuable  kind  illustrative  of  the  history  of  the 
Church  in  the  several  districts  of  Ireland.  The  compiler,  in 
putting  together  the  materials  contained  in  this  volume,  desires, 
in  a  very  humble  way,  to  do  for  his  native  Diocese  what 
other  clergymen  have  so  efficiently  done  for  theirs,  whilst,  at  the 
same  time,  he  unfeignedly  regrets  that  it  has  not  fallen  to  more 
competent  hands  to  collect  the  scattered  remnants  of  information 
that  survive  the  lapse  of  time  and  the  rage  of  persecution  in  the 


yiii  PREFACE. 

venerable  Churches  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin.  It  is  also  to  be 
deplored  that  those  Records  which,  from  having  been  compiled 
within  the  district,  might  justly  have  been  expected  to  supply 
special  information, — the  Records  of  the  Cathedral  of  Kildare, 
the  Long  Book  of  Leighlin,  the  Yellow  Book  of  St.  Moling,  the 
Book  of  Clonsast,  the  Annals  of  Clonenagh,  Duiske,  etc.,— have, 
one  and  all,  been  lost.  Such  local  interest  as  these  Collections 
may  possess  is  largely  owing  to  the  valuable  aid  in  their  com 
pilation  received  from  others,  chief  amongst  whom  was  one  who 
whilst  these  pages  are  at  press,  has  passed  away  from  amongst 
us> — the  Very  Rev.  Dr.  Kane,  V.G.  The  clergy  of  the  Diocese 
have  shown  much  readiness  in  supplying  local  information ;  and, 
from  outside,  help  has  been  rendered  kindly  and  ungrudgingly, 
by  the  Bishop  of  Ossory,  himself  a  child  of  the  diocese,  by  Mr. 
W.  M.  Hennessy,  of  the  Public  Record  Office,  by  the  Sisters  of 
St.  Brigid  at  Tullow  and  Mountrath,  and  those  of  the  Presen 
tation,  at  Carlow  and  Mountmellick,  and  others  not  a  few. 

Carlow  College  has  been  but  briefly  treated  of  in  these  pages, 
and  chiefly  from  an  ecclesiastical  point  of  view  ;  consequently, 
many  lay  students  who,  by  a  distinguished  career  in  the  Senate? 
on  the  bench,  in  the  learned  professions,  and  in  the  walks  of 
literature,  have  shed  lustre  on  their  alma  mater,  have  not  been 
referred  to.  For  a  like  reason  the  lay  Professors,  past  and 
present,  many  of  them  gentlemen  of  marked  literary  abilities 
and  high  attainments,  have  not  been  included  in  our  notice. 

In  Part  2  of  these  Collections,  which  is  already  in  progress, 
the  Parishes  will  be  treated  of  in  detail. 

The  Compiler  will  be  grateful  for  further  information  bearing 
on  the  matter  in  hands. 


MONASTEHEVAN, 

August  20&,  1883. 


BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE. 


ST.  CONLAETH,  or  Conlain,  is  regarded  as  the  first  Bishop  of 
Kildare.  In  a  list  of  the  Bishops  of  this  See,  given  in  the  Red 
Book  of  the  Earls  of  Kildare,  two  other  names  are  given  as 
those  of  Prelates  who  preceded  St.  Conlaeth ;  the  first  is  named 
Lony,  and  the  other  Ivor.* 

That  this  is  a  mistake  may  be  assumed  from  the  fact  that  in 
the  Life  of  St.  Brigid  (Fourth  Life,  lib.  2,  c.  19),  St.  Conlaeth 
is  styled  "  the  first  Bishop  of  Kildare,"  and  it  appears  evident 
from  Cogitosus  that  there  was  not,  nor  could  there  have  been  a 
Bishop  before  him,  as  the  establishment  of  the  Monastery  and 
the  coming  into  existence  of  a  new  town,  were  the  causes  of  a 
Bishop  being  required  there,  (Lanigan,  Vol.  1,  p.  411,  note, 
134).  In  consequence  of  the  great  and  rapid  increase  of  her 
community,  and  to  meet  the  spiritual  wants  of  the  new  city  that 
rose  into  existence  around  this  already  famous  Monastery,  St. 
Brigid  made  application  for  the  appointment  of  a  Bishop.  It 
would  appear,  moreover,  that  great  deference  was  paid  to  her 
wishes  in  the  selection  of  the  individual.  Cogitosus  states  that 
"  she  appointed  Conlaeth  the  first  Bishop  of  her  city  of  Kildare," 
by  which,  of  course,  is  meant  that  he  was  chosen  in  consequence 
of  her  recommendation. 


*  This  List,  which  is  very  imperfect,  is  given  in  Hanmer's  Chronicle,  p.  90, 
copied  from  Stanihurst,  and  is  as  follows: — Lony,  Ivor,  Colnie,  Donatus 
David,  Magnus,  Eichard,  John,  Simon,  Nicholas,  Walter,  Richard,  Thomas' 
Robert,  Boniface,  Madogg,  William,  Galfride,  Richard,  James,  Wale,  Barrett 
Edmund  Lane. 

The  Martyrologies  of  Donegal  and  Tallaght,  at  June  24th,  have  the  entry : 

"Lpn  of  Cill-Gabhra."  Colgan  (Trias  Thaum.,  p.  565.)  surmises  that  the 
similarity  of  the  two  names,  Cill-Gabhra  and  Cill-Dara,  may  have  occasioned  a 
mistake.  The  Rev.  Author  of  the  Loca  Patriciana  remarks  that  Lon  or  Loniua 
may  have  been  Lonan,  son  of  Dubhtach,  and  that  he  might  have  had,  for  a  time, 
the  spiritual  guardianship  of  St.  Brigid' s  Monastery,  until  a  permanent  Pastor 
was  appointed.  This  is  not  very  improbable,  as  Cill-Gabhra  was  located  in  Slieve- 
Mairghe  near  Sletty,  and  therefore  not  very  distant  from  Kildare. 

Ivor,  the  other  supposed  predecessor  of  St.  Conlaeth,  was  probably  St.  Ivor  of 
Beg-Erin.  In  the  Life  of  St.  Brigid  (Third  Life,  c.  54;  Fourth  Life,  lib.  2, 
c.  43),  Ibar,  or  Ivor  is  referred  to  as  in  communication  with  St.  Brigid.  Dr. 
Lanigan  thinks  that  the  circumstance  of  the  personal  friendship  that  existed 
between  these  Saints  may  have  led  to  the  mistake  of  placing  hinri  at  Kildare. 


2  BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE. 

St.  Conlaeth,  whose  first  name  was  Ronnchenn,  and  was  also 
called  Mochanna-Daire,  was  of  the  Dal-Messincorb  tribe.  Before 
his  appointment  to  the  new  See  of  Kildare,  he  had  lived  as  a 
recluse  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  Plain  of  the  Liffey,  the 
precise  spot  being,  as  it  is  supposed,  that  since  known  as  Old 
Connall,  near  the  present  town  of  Newbridge.     The  author  of 
the  Fourth  Life  of  St.  Brigid  (lib.  2,  c.  19),  thus  refers  to  him  :— 
"Conlianus  Episcopus  Sanctus  et  Propheta  Dei,  qui  habebat 
cellam   in  Australi  parte  Campi  Liffei,  venit  in  curru  ad  S. 
Brigidam,     :    .     .     .     quern    S.   Brigida  primum   Episcopum 
elegit  in  sua  civitate  Killdara."     The  wording  of  this  passage 
would  seem  to  imply  that  Conlaeth  was  already  a  Bishop  before 
he  was  placed  at  Kildare,  but  this  title  is  here  given  him  only 
because  it  was  the  one  by  which  he  was  usually  referred  to  m 
after  times.     The  exact  date  of  his  appointment  as  Bishop  of 
Kildare  is  not  recorded,  but  probably  it  was  not  earlier  than  the 
year  490.  (Lanigari). 

During  his  Episcopate  St.  Conlaeth  made  a  pilgrimage  to  Kome. 
In  the  Metrical  Life  of  St.  Brigid  (Trias  Thaum.)  attributed  to 
St.  Brogan,  it  is  stated  of  him  that  he  brought,  when  returning 
from  Rome,  certain  precious  vestments  for  the  use  of  his  Church 
at  Kildare.  "  She"  (i.e.  St.  Brigid)  "  blessed  the  vestments  of 
Conlaeth  which  he  brought  with  him  from  Leatha  (Home)." 
Cogitosus  also  refers  to  these  vestments ;  recording  the  great 
charity  of  St.  Brigid,  he  relates  that,  "  she  gave  to  the  poor  even 
the  transmarine  and  rare  vestments  of  Bishop  Conlaeth,  of 
glorious  light,  which  he  was  accustomed  to  use  when  offering  the 
Sacred  Mysteries  at  the  altars,  on  the  Festivals  of  our  Lord  and 
the  Yigils  of  the  Apostles."  (Tr.  Thaum.  p.  522.) 

Colgan  speaks  of  St.  Conlaeth  as  if  he  was  both  Abbot  and 
Bishop,  but  it  does  not  appear  that  there  were  any  monks  at 
Kildare  till  a  much  later  period.  There  was,  no  doubt,  a  body 
of  clergy  under  St.  Conlaeth  for  the  service  of  the  Church,  but  it 
by  no  means  follows  that  they  were  members  of  a  religious  Order. 
Colgan's  strange  statement  that  St.  Brigid  was  invested  with 
jurisdiction  over  the  Abbots,  or,  what  would  be  the  same  thing, 
the  Bishops  of  Kildare,  is  totally  inadmissible.  All  that  can  be 
admitted  is  that,  in  St.  Brigid's  time,  the  Church  expenses  seem 
to  have  been  defrayed  out  of  the  resources  of  the  nunnery,  and 
that,  in  consequence,  she  and  her  immediate  successors  had  a 
joint  right  to  the  use  of  the  Church.  (Lanigan,  Vol.  1,  p.  411.) 

St.  Conlaeth  was  a  skilled  artificer  in  gold  and  silver.  A  very 
ancient  crozier,  said  to  have  belonged  to  St.  Finnbharr,  of 
Termon-Barry  in  Connacht,  and  believed  to  have  been  made  by 
St.  Conlaeth,  the  artificer  of  St.  Brigid  of  Kildare,  is  now  pre- 


BISHOPS   OF   KILDAKE. 


served  in  the  Museum  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy.  (Professor 
O'Curry's  Lectures,  p.  338.) 

After  governing  his  See  for  about  twenty  years,  St.  Conlaeth 
died  on  the  3rd  of  May,  519.     «  A.D.  519.   St.  Connlaedh,  Bishop 
of  Cill-dara,  Bngid's  Brazier,  died  on  the  third  of  May."  (Four 
Masters).     Some  authors  state  that  he  met  with  a  violent  death, 
having  been  torn  to  pieces  by  wolves.     His  relics,  however,  were 
recovered,  and  were  preserved  at  Kildare  in  a  richly  ornamented 
shrine.     In  the  Annals  of  Ulster  the  placing  of  the  relics  of  St. 
Conlaeth  in  a  shrine  of  gold  and  silver,  is  recorded  to  have  taken 
place  in  the  year  799.     "  A.D.  799,  Positio  reliquiarum  Conlaid 
In  scnn  oir  ocus  airgit"     Father  Shearman  (Loca.  Patr.)  states 
that  the  remains  of  St.  Conlaeth  were,  on  this  occasion,  taken 
from  his  grave  in  the  Dionlatha  of  Cinel  Lugair,  which  he  sup 
poses  to  have  been  the  present  Killeen  Cormac,  for  the  purpose 
of  being  enshrined.     The  following  interesting  description  of  the 
Church  _of  Kildare  and  its  shrines  of  St.  Brigid  and  St.  Conlaeth 
occurs   in   the   Life  of  St.    Brigid  by  Cogitosus  (pp.    523-4.) 
This  author,  who  wrote  early  in  the  ninth   century,  describes 
them  as  they  existed  in  his  time.     "  Nor  is  the  miracle  that 
occurred  in  repairing  the  Church,  to  be  passed  over  in  silence 
m  which  repose  the  bodies  of  both,  that  is,  Bishop  Conlaeth  and 
this  holy  virgin  St.  Brigid,  on  the  right  and  left  of  the  decorated 
altar,  deposited  in  monuments  adorned  with  various  embellish 
ments  of  gold  and  silver  and  gems  and  precious  stones,  with 
crowns  of  gold  and  silver  depending  from  above.     For  the  num 
ber  of  the  faithful  increasing,  the  Church,  occupying  a  spacious 
area,  and   elevated  to  a   menacing  height,  and  adorned   with 
painted  pictures,  having  within  three  oratories  large  and  separated 
by  partitions  of  planks  under  one  roof  of  the  greater  house 
wherein  one  partition,— decorated  and  painted  with  figures,  and' 
covered  with  linen  hangings,— extended  along  the  breadth  in 
the  eastern  part  of  the  Church,  from  the  one  to  the  other  party- 
wall  of  the  Church,  which  (partition)  has  at  its  extremities  two 
doors  —and  through  the  one  door,  placed  in  the  right  side,  the 
Uhief  Prelate  enters  the  Sanctuary  accompanied  by  his  regular 
school,  and  those   who  are  deputed  to  the  sacred  ministry  of 
ottering  Sacred  and  Dominical  sacrifices ;  through  the  other  door, 
placed  in  the  left  part  of  the  partition  above-mentioned,  and 
lying  transversely,  none  enter  but  the  abbess  with  her  virgins 
and  widows  among  the  faithful,  when  going  to  participate  in  the 
banquet  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Jesus  Christ.     But  another 
partition  dividing  the  pavement  of  the  house  into  two  equal 
parts,  extends   from  the  eastern   (recte  western)    side   to   the 
transverse  partition  lying  across  the  breadth.     Moreover,  the 


BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE. 


Church  has  in  it  many  windows,  and  one  adorned  door-way  on 
the  right  side,  through  which  the  priests  and  the  faithful  of  the 
male  sex  enter  the  Church,  and  another  door-way  on  the  left 
side,  through  which  the  congregation  of  virgins  and  women 
among  the  faithful  are  wont  to  enter.  And  thus,  in  one  very 
great  temple,  a  multitude  of  people,  in  different  order  and  ranks, 
and  sex,  and  situation,  separated  by  partitions,  in  different  order 
and  (but)  with  one  mind  worship  the  Omnipotent  Lord."- 
(Petries  translation.  Round  Towers,  p.  198.) 

In  the  year  836,  a  Danish  fleet  of  30  ships  arrived  in  the 
Liffey,  as  did  another  in  the  Boyne ;  they  not  only  plundered 
every  church  and  abbey  within  the  territories  of  Magh-Liffe  and 
Magh-Breagh,  not  suffering  an  individual  to  escape,  but  also 
destroyed  Kildare  by  fire  and  sword,  and  carried  away  the  rich 
shrines  of  St.  Brigid  and  St.  Conlaeth.  (M'Geoghegan,  and 
O'Halloran.) 

The  succession  to  the  See  of  Kildare,  from  the  death  of  St. 
Conlaeth  to  the  Episcopate  of  St.  Aed,  who  died  in  638,  has  been 
lost;  but  that  it  continued  uninterrupted,  we  learn  from 
Cogitosus,  who  speaks  of  the  Church  of  Kildare,  "which,"  he 
says,  "  the  Archbishop  of  the  Irish  Bishops,  and  the  Abbess  whom 
all  the  Abbesses  of  the  Scots  pay  a  veneration  to,  do  always  rule 
over  in  a  happy,  perpetual  and  rightful  succession."  (Prolog, 
ad  Vit.  S.  Brig.) 

In  this  passage  we  find  the  Prelate  of  Kildare  styled  Arch 
bishop  ;  this  title  of  Archbishop  of  the  Province  of  Leinster  first 
belonged  to  Sletty.  By  a  Decree  of  a  Synod,  held  at  the  request 
of  Brandubh,  King  of  Leinster,  early  in  the  seventh  century, 
this  dignity  passed  to  the  Bishopric  of  Ferns  (Usher,  p.  965)  ; 
it  afterwards  was  transferred  to  Kildare.  It  should,  however, 
be  observed  that  these  Archbishops  were  not,  strictly  speaking, 
Metropolitans,  nor  were  they  invested  with  Archiepiscopal  power 
or  that  jurisdiction  provided  by  the  Canon  Law.  They  enjoyed 
by  courtesy,  and  very  often  through  the  favour  of  Princes,  a 
degree  of  honorary  pre-eminence  ;  hence  we  find  the  title 
passing,  in  those  days,  from  one  See  to  another.  (Brenan; 
Eccl.  Hist  1,  150.) 

Peter  Walsh  (Prospect,  p.  224,)  mentions  one  Maelcoba  as 
Bishop  of  Kildare  under  date  A.D.  610 ;  but  Ware  thinks  that 
he  has  mistaken  him  for  another  of  the  same  name  who  was 
Bishop  of  Clogher. 

ST.  AED  or  HUGH,  surnamed  Dubh  or  Dark,  is  the  next 
Bishop  of  Kildare  of  whom  there  is  any  record.  He  died  on  the 
10th  of  May,  638.  "  A.D.  638.  Aedh-Dubh,  Abbot  and  Bishop 
of  Cill-dara,  died.  He  had  been  at  first  King  of  Leinster." 


BISHOPS  OF  KIDARE.  5 

(Four  Masters.)  Though  Aed  is  here  stated  to  have  been  King 
of  Leinster,  it  seems  more  probable  that  he  was  merely  of  the 
Blood  Royal.  ^  There  does  not  appear  to  have  been  a  King  of 
Leinster  of  this  name  before  638  except  Aed-Kerr  who,  accord 
ing  to  the  Four  Masters,  died  in  591,  in  the  15th  year  of  his 
reign.  Colgan  thinks  that  the  Annalists  may  have  meant  591, 
as  the  year  of  his  abdication,  but  it  is  more  probable  that  they 
were  different  persons.  We  are  left  in  doubt  by  Colgan  whether 
the  4th  of  January  or  the  10th  of  May  was  the  feast  day  of  St. 
Aed.  It  may  be  that  both  were  festivals  in  his  honour. 

Our  Annalists  make  no  mention  of  a  Bishop  of  Kildare, 
expressly  as  such,  from  the  death  of  St.  Aed,  in  638,  to  that  of 
Maeldoborcon  in  704,  or  708  according  to  some  authorities.  As 
most  probably  a  religious  house  for  men  had  been  established  at 
Kildare  by  this  time,  the  chasm  may  be  partially  filled  up,  if  we 
regard  the  title  of  Abbot  as  synonymous  with  that  of  Bishop  ; 
many  of  our  Irish  writers  are  found  to  do  this  whenever  Bishops 
had  Monasteries  annexed  to  their  Cathedrals.— (Ware  ;  Lanigan) 
In  the  record  of  the  death  of  St.  Aed  by  the  Four  Masters,  we 
see  him  styled  Abbot  and  Bishop  of  Kildare.  We  have  inserted 
in  brackets  here  and  further  on  the  names  of  those  who 
appear  in  our  Annals  as  Abbots,  and  who,  probably,  were 
also  Bishops  of  Kildare. 

["  A.D.  694.  Loichene  Meann,  or  the  Silent,  surnamed  the 
Wise,  Abbot  of  Kildare,  died."  (Four  Masters).  From  the 
Annals  of  Ulster  it  would  appear  that  he  met  with  a  violent 
death.  "  A.D.  695.  Lochini,  Sapiens,  Abbas  Cille-daro,  jugulatus 
est."  This  holy  man  is  numbered  amongst  our  Irish  Saints. 
His  festival  is  set  down,  in  the  Martyrology  of  Tallaght,  at  the 
12th  of  January,  and  again  at  12th  of  June. 

A.D.  697.  The  Abbot  Forannan  died,  on  the  15th  of  January. 
(Tr.  Thaum.)  ] 

"  A.D.  707.  MAELDOBORCON,  Bishop  of  Kildare,  died  on  the 
19th  of  February."  (Four  Masters.)  "A.D.  708.  Maeldoborcon, 
Episcopus  Cille-daro,  pausavit."  (Annal  Ult.)  The  death  of 
this  Prelate  is  stated  by  some  to  have  taken  place  in  the  year 
704  (Ware).  Keating  (Book,  2,  p.  46,)  relates  that  King  Congall 
Kennmagar  persecuted  the  Church  at  this  time,  and  burned  the 
secular  and  regular  clergy  of  Kildare ;  but  Lanigan  discredits 
this  statement,  judging  to  the  contrary  from  the  peaceable  and 
prosperous  reign  ascribed  to  this  monarch  by  old  writers.  A 
great  conflagration,  it  is  true,  laid  Kildare  waste  in  709.  (Four 
Masters),  during  this  King's  reign ;  and,  as  we  may  suppose  that 
some  clerics  lost  their  lives  in  this  fire,  this  circumstance  may 
have  given  occasion  to  the  story. 


BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE. 


"  A.D.  732.  ST.  TOLA,  Bishop  of  Clonard  and  of  Kildare,  died 
on  the  3rd  of  March."  (Four  Masters).  The  Annalists  are  silent 
as  to  whether  this  Prelate  was  Bishop  of  those  Sees  at  the  same 
or  at  different  periods.  Colgan,  A  A.  SS.  p.  793,  gives  the  Life  of 
St.  Tola,  hermit,  abbot  of  Dysert-Tola,  in  Meath,  which  convent 
he  founded.  He  makes  him  son  of  Dunchad  and  Bishop  of 
Clonard,  and  places  his  death  in  this  same  year,  but  at  the  30th 
of  March.  Dr.  Lanigan  does  not  believe  that  St.  Tola  was  Bishop 
of  Kildare,  and  states  his  reasons  for  this  opinion  in  Ecd.  Hist. 
Vol.  3,  p.  174,  note. 

[A.D.  743.  Dodimog,  the  Anchorite,  Abbot  of  Clonard  and 
Kildare,  died.  (Four  Masters.)  This  Saint  was  also  called 
Diman,  Modimag,  and  Dodimog.  He  died  on  the  3rd  of  March, 
on  which  day  he  is  commemorated  in  the  Martyrology  of  Tallaght. 
"  Modimoc  Eps."  i.e.  Bishop  Modimoc.  His  being  sfyled  Bishop 
in  this  entry  gives  strong  grounds  for  concluding  that  he  was 
Bishop  of  Kildare. 

"A.D.  747.  Cathal,  son  of  Forannan,  Abbot  of  Cill-dara,  died. 
(Four  Masters.) 

A.D.  755.  Entigern,  a  Bishop,  was  killed  by  a  priest  at  the 
altar  of  St.  Brigid  at  Kildare,  between  the  crocaingel  and  the 
altar,  (i.e.  at  the  latticed  partition  between  the  laity  and  the 
clergy — 0 'Donovan) ;  from  whence  it  arose  that,  ever  since,  a 
priest  does  not  celebrated  Mass  in  the  presence  of  a  Bishop  at 
Kildare.  (Four  Masters.)  In  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  this 
event  is  set  down  at  the  year  756,  and  in  the  Annals  of  Ulster, 
at  761 ;  the  true  date,  according  to  0'Donovan,is  762,  as  marked 
by  Tighernach.  "  Occisio  Echtighern,  Episcopi,  a  sacerdote,  in 
dertaig  (oratorio)  Cill-daro."] 

"  A.D.  782  (rede  787,  O'Donovan)  LOMTUILE,  Bishop  of  Cill- 
dara,  died."  And  again,  under  same  date  ;  "  Snedhbran,  Bishop 
of  Cill-dara,  died.  (Four  Masters.)  Colgan,  Tr.  Thaum.  p. 
629,  refers  to  the  former  as  "  called  by  some,  Bishop  of  Kildare." 

[Our  Annalists  make  no  express  reference  to  a  Bishop  of 
Kildare  between  the  years  787  and  833.  The  following  entries 
are  found  in  the  Four  Masters;  whether  or  not  the  individuals 
referred  to  represent  the  succession  in  this  See,  must  remain  a 
matter  of  uncertainty. 

'*  A.D.  792  (recte  798,  O'Donovan),  Eudus  Ua  Dicholla,  Abbot 
of  Cill-dara,  died." 

"A.D.  799  (recte  804,  O'D.)  Faelan,  son  of  Ceallach,  Abbot 
of  Cill-dara,  died." 

"A.D.  816.  Airbheartach,  of  Cill-dara,  died." 

"A.D.  817.  Laisren,  of  Cill-dara,  died."  Harris  thinks  it 
probable  that  this  is  the  Lasran  Mac  Moctigern,  Bishop  of 


BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE.  7 

Kildare,  whose  death  is  recorded  at  874 ;  he  would  account  for 
this  discrepancy  by  supposing  a  change  of  figures  to  have 
occurred  when  copying  MSS.  It  appears  much  more  probable, 
if  a  mistake  did  take  place,  that  it  was  in  assigning  the  death  of 
Lasren  to  874,  in  which  year  a  Bishop  of  Kildare  of  another 
name  is  stated  to  have  died. 

"A.D.  821.  Muireadach,  son  of  Ceallach,  Abbot  of  Cill-dara, 
died." 

"A.D.  827.  Siadhal  (Sedulius)  son  of  Fearadhach,  Abbot  of 
Cill-dara,  died."  It  is  probable,  if  indeed  not  quite  certain, 
that  Sedulius  was  not  a  Bishop.  This  Siadhal,  or  Shiel,  was  the 
author  of  Annotations  on  the  Epistles  of  St.  Paul  which  are  still 
extant.*] 

"  A.D.  833.  TUATHCHAR,  Bishop  and  Scribe  of  Cill-dara,  died." 
(Four  Masters.) 

"  A.D.  839.  ORTHANACH,  Bishop  of  Cill-dara,  died."  (Four 
Masters.) 

"  A.D.  862.  AEIDHGENBRIT,  Bishop  of  Cill-dara,  a  scribe  and 
anchorite,  died ;  one  hundred  and  sixteen  years  was  his  age  when 
he  died."  (Four  Masters.)  Colgan  (Tr.  Thaum.  p.  629) 
mentions  that  this  Venerable  Prelate  died  on  the  18th  of 
December,  at  which  day  the  entry:  Aedgein  Arda  lonain, 
occurs  in  Mart.  TallagTit, 

"A.D.  868.  COBHTHACH,  Abbot  of  Kildare,  who  was  a  wise 
man  and  learned  doctor,  died.  Of  him  was  said : — 

"  Cobhthach  of  the  Cuirreach  of  races,*  intended  King  of  Liphthe  of 

tunics, 
Alas  !  for  the  great  son  of .  Muireadhach.    Ah  grief  !  the  descendant  of 

the  comely,  fair  Ceallagh  ; 

Chief  of  scholastic  Leinster,  a  perfect,  comely,  prudent  sage, 
A  brilliant,  shining   star,  was  Cobhthach,  the   successor  of  Conladh," 

(i.e.  Bishop  of  Kildare.) 


*  This  writer  is  not  to  be  confounded  with  a  still  more  remarkable  man 
of  the  same  name,  a  poet  and  theologian,  who  flourished  in  the  fifth  century. 
There  can  be  hardly  a  doubt  that  he,  too,  was  an  Irishman;  Dr.  Lanigan  gives 

what  would  appear  to  be  decisive  reasons  for  arriving  at  this  conclusion Eccl. 

Hist.  Vol.  I,p.l7,et  seqq.  Some  of  the  most  beautiful  Hymns,  still  read  in  the 
Divine  Office,  are  taken  from  the  writings  of  this  author,  as,  for  example,  A  Solis 
ortus  Cardine  ;  Hostis  Herodes  impie  (since  altered  into  Crudelis  Herodes,  Deum), 
etc.— see  Ware  and  Harris,  Irish  Writers  at  Sedulius.  His  most  remarkable 
compostion  is  his  Carmen  Paschale,  and  its  accompanying  Paschal  Prose.  See 
Dr.  Moran's  Essays  on  the  Early  Irish  Church,  p.  202. 

t  From  Cormac's  Glossary  it  appears  that  the  ancient  Irish  had  chariot  races  at 
the  Curragh;  that  author  conjectures  that  the  name  Curragh  is  derived 
a  curribus.  The  chariot  is  frequently  referred  to  in  the  Life  of  St.  Patrick. 


8  BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE. 

"A.D.  870.  MAENGAL,  Bishop  of  Cill-dara,  died."  (Four 
Masters.) 

"  A.D.  873.  RoBHARTACH-MAC-UA-CEARTA,  (from  whom  Inis- 
Robhartagh  was  called),  Bishop  of  Cill-dara,  scribe  and  abbot  of 
Cill-achaidh  (Killeigh),  died."*  (Four  Masters.)  Ware  styles 
this  Prelate  ROBERTA  MAC  NASERDA,  and  records  that  he  died  on 
the  15th  of  January,  on  which  day  in  Mart.  Tall,  his  festival  is 
marked — Robertaigh  in  Inis  moir.  In  this  same  year,  the 
Four  Masters  record  the  death  of  "LACHTAN,  son  of 
Moichtighearn,  Bishop  of  Cill-dara,  and  abbot  of  Fearna." 
Colgan  styles  him  "  the  abbot  Lasran  Me  Moetigern,"  and  else 
where  (A  A.  SS.  p.  367),  calls  him  Bishop  of  Kildare.  This  entry 
may  refer  to  the  Lasran  whose  death  is  recorded  to  have  taken 
place  in  the  year  817  (vide supra),  and  inserted  hereby  an  error 
of  the  copyist. 

"A.D.  878.  SUIBNE  UAFiNNACHTA,  Bishop  of  Cill-dara,  died." 
(Four  Masters.)  "The  Abbot  Suibny  O'Fianachta,  died  on 
the  27th  September."  (Tr.  Thaum.  p.  629  )  His  name  appears 
amongst  the  Saints  of  Ireland,  in  the  Mart.  TalL  at  the  27th 
Sept. 

"A.D.  881.  SCANNAL,  Bishop  of  Cill-dara,  died."  (Four 
Masters.)  The  Annals  of  Ulster  refer  his  death  to  the  year  884. 
Colgan  states  (Tr.  Thaum.  p.  629),  that  "the  Abbot  Scannail 
died  on  the  27th  of  June  ;"  and  on  that  day  his  name  appears  in 
the  Mart.  Tall. 

A.D.  885.  LARGIS,  or  LARGISIUS  MAC  CRONIN,  Bishop  of  Kil 
dare,  was  slain  in  battle  by  the  Danes.  "A  battle  was  gained  over 
Flann,  by  the  forigners  of  Ath-Cliath  (the  Danes  of  Dublin),  in 
which  were  slain  Aedh,  King  of  Connacht,  and  Lerghus,  son  of 
Cruinden,  Bishop  of  Cill-dara."  (Four  Masters.)  The  Annals 
of  Inisfallen  assign  the  year  888,  as  that  of  this  Prelate's  death. 

["A.D.  900.  Dubhan,  Abbot  of  Cill-dara,  died."  (Four 
Masters.) 

"A.D.  903.  Siubne,  Abbot  of  Cill-dara,  died."  (Id.) 

"  A.D.  920.  Flanaghan  TJa  Riagain,  Abbot  of  Cill-dara,  and 
heir-apparent  of  Leinster,  died." — (Id.)  Colgan  states  of  him 
that  "  he  was  esteemed  the  best  scribe  and  anchorite  in  the 
Kingdom  of  Leinster."  (Tr.  Thaum.  p.  629.)  ] 

"AD.  929.  CRUNMOEL,  Bishop  of  Cill-dara,  died."  (Four 
Masters.)  "  Crunmoel,  surnamed  Boeth,  died  on  the  llth  of 

*  Inis  Robhartaigh,  i.e.  the  Island  of  Robhartaigh.  Dr.  Lanigan,  Vol.  3, 
p.  322,  suggests  that  the  locality  here  indicated  may  be  the  Island  of  Allen,  near 
Kildare,  in  which  there  is  a  place  called  Robertstown. 


BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE. 

December,  on  which  day  his  memory  is  revered."  (Colgan,  Tr. 
Thaum.  p.  630;  AA.  SS.  929). 

"A.D.  949  or  950.  MAELFINAN,  Bishop  of  Kildare,  died." — 
(Ware). 

[The  names  of  Culean  McCellach  and  Mured  McFoelan,  are 
here  inserted,  as  they  may  have  been  Bishops,  as  well  as  Abbots 
of  Kildare,  it  is,  however,  much  more  probable  that  the 
immediate  successor  of  Maelfman  was  Animosus,  who  is  repre 
sented  as  having  been  very  old  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

"  A.D.  953.  Cuilan,  son  of  Ceallach,  abbot  of  Cill-dara,  was 
slain."  (Four  Masters.)  "This  year,  the  abbot  Culean 
McCellach  was  slain,  and  the  town  of  Kildare  was  pillaged  by 
Blacar,  the  son  of  Godfred,  at  the  head  of  the  Danes  of  Dublin." 
(Colgan,  Tr.  Thaum.  p.  629). 

"  A.r>.  965.  Mured  MacFoelan,  abbot  of  Kildare,  of  the  Royal 
Blood  of  Leinster,  was  slain,  by  Amlave,  Prince  of  the  Danes, 
and  Kerbal  MacLorcan."  (A A.  SS.  p.  107  ;  Harris's  Ware.)  ] 

"A.D.  980.  (981  according  to  O'Donovan),  ANMEHADH,  Bishop 
of  Cill-dara,  completed  his  virtuous  life  in  this  world,  at  an 
advanced  age."  (Four  Masters.)  "  B.  Aumchadius,  Episcopus 
Kildarensis,  sancte  traductam  vitam  in  senectute  bona  finivit." 
(Tr.  Thaum.  p.  630).  "  St.  Anmcha,  Bishop  of  Kildare,  died, 
an  old  and  holy  man."  (Annal.  Clonmacn.)  In  Colgan's 
Copy  of  the  Four  Masters,  it  is  stated  that  he  died  at  a  place 
called  Kenntar,  "  in  loco  qui  Kenntar  appellatur."  To  this  holy 
Prelate,  called  in  Latin,  ANIMOSUS,  is  ascribed  the  Fourth  Life  of 
St.  Brigid,  published  by  Colgan.  In  various  passages  of  his 
work,  the  author  expresses  himself  in  such  terms  as  to  lead  the 
reader  to  infer  that  he  was  a  monk  or  Bishop  of  Kildare.  The 
Preface  is  addressed  to  certain  brethren,  and  is  as  follows : — 
"  My  mind,  brethren,  is  filled  with  three  emotions,  viz. :  of 
love,  of  shame,  and  of  fear.  Love  urges  me  to  commit  to 
writing  a  life  of  the  illustrious  Brigid,  lest  that  great 
abundance  of  virtues  which  God's  grace  conferred  on  her,  or  the 
many  miracles  accomplished  through  her,  should  be  hidden  and 
unheard.  I  feel  prevented  through  shame,  lest,  as  I  suppose,  my 
very  plain  discourse  or  poor  judgment  may  displease  my  educated 
readers  or  hearers.  Yet,  my  fear  is  still  greater,  for  my  weakness 
of  mind  in  the  composition  of  such  a  work  presents  a  danger ; 
since  I  dread  the  taunts  of  critics  and  enemies  tasting  my  very 
small  intellectual  viands.  But,  as  the  Lord  ordered  his  poor  to 
offer  little  gifts,  when  about  to  build  his  Tabernacle,  ought  we 
not  give  ours  to  build  up  his  Church?  What  is  she  but  a 
congregation  of  the  just  ?  How  is  a  prudent  life  formed,  unless 


10  BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE. 

through  the  examples  and  records  of  the  prudent  ?  Therefore 
shall  I  give  a  first  place  to  love,  I  shall  trample  on  shame,  and 
I  shall  tolerate  the  carpers.  I  adjure  you,  O  wise  reader  and 
intelligent  hearer,  that  you  overlook  the  text  arrangement,  and 
consider  only  the  miracles  of  God  and  of  his  blessed  handmaid. 
Indeed  every  husbandman  should  be  fed  on  the  fruits  drawn 
from  the  furrows  of  his  own  field."  (Father  O'Hanlon's  Lives 
of  Irish  Saints,  Vol.  2,  p.  11,  note.) 

"  A.D.  985.  MURCHAD  MAcFLAN,  Comorban  of  Conlaeth  (i.e. 
Bishop  of  Kildare),  died."  (Four  Masters.) 

"A.D.  1028.  MAEL  MARTIN,  Bishop  of  Kildare,  died."  (Ware.) 
Colgan  states  that  this  Prelate  died  in  1030 ;  he  styles  him 
Abbot  of  Kildare.  (Tr.  Thaum.  p.  630.) 

"A.D.  1042.  MAELBRIGID,  or  BRIGIDIAN,  Bishop  of  Kildare, 
died."  (Ware.)  Colgan  refers  his  demise  to  the  same  date, and, 
as  usual,  calls  him  Abbot  of  Kildare. 

[At  the  year  1076,  the  death  is  recorded  of  "Kelius,  son  of  Dona- 
gan,  Bishop  of  Leinster."  That  the  title  of  Bishop  of  Leinster  was 
attached  to  the  See  of  Kildare  at  this  period  cannot  be  questioned. 
Both  Mael  Brigid,  who  died  in  ]  097,  and  Ferdomnach,  who  died 
in  1101,  are  designated  by  the  double  title  of  Bishop  of  Kildare 
and  of  Leinster.  What  raises  a  doubt  about  Kelius  having  been 
Bishop  of  Kildare  is  that  his  name  does  not  occur  in  the  Lists  of 
the  Bishops  of  this  See,  quoted  by  Colgan.  (Tr.  Thaum-  p.  229.) 
The  explanation  suggested  by  Lanigan,  namely,  that  in  this  case 
the  title,  Bishop  of  Leinster,  meant  no  more  than  that  he  was  a 
Leinster  Bishop,  and  that  he  was  called  so  because  there  is  no 
record  of  the  particular  See  he  governed, — looks  improbable. 
Kelius  is  represented  as  a  distinguished  elder  amongst  those  of 
Ireland,  and  died  in  the  reputation  of  sanctity,  at  Glendaloch,  in 
the  above  year.  (Tr.  Thaum.  p.  308.)  ] 

"A.D.  1085.  FINN,  son  of  GUSSAN,  son  of  GORMAN,  Bishop  of 
Cill-dara,  died  at  Cill-achaidh,"  i.e.  Killeigh,  King's  County- 
(Four  Masters.)  Ware  states  that  he  died  at  Achonry.  A 
Bishop  of  Kildare  of  the  same  name,  who  died  in  1160  (vide 
infra),  is  recorded  to  have  died,  also  at  Killeigh  and  to  be  there 
interred.  (Ware.)  Evidently  there  is  some  confusion  here; 
whether  it  be  caused  by  the  similarity  of  name  of  two  distinct 
bishops  or  by  the  name  of  one  being  entered  twice  over,  by 
mistake,  would  be  difficult  to  determine.  The  latter  explana 
tion  appears  to  be  the  more  probable,  as  there  certainly  was  a 
Bishop  of  Kildare  of  this  name  at  the  latter  date. 

The  next  Bishop  of  this  See  appears  to  have  been  FERDOMNACH, 
who  was  Bishop  of  Kildare  in  1096  (Usher.  Ind.Chron.  ad  ann.), 


BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE.  11 

in  which  year  he  assisted  at  a  Council  held  in  Ireland,  by  King 
Moriertach  O'Brien,  together  with  Idunan,  Bishop  of  Meath, 
Samuel,  Bishop  of  Down,  and  other  Prelates,  all  of  whom 
subscribed  an  Epistle  to  Lanfranc,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury, 
recommending  for  consecration  Malchus,  the  first  Bishop  of 
"Waterford.  It  would  appear  that  Ferdomnach  resigned  his  See 
in  this  same  year  ;  he  lived  until  the  year  1101  (Tr.  Thaum.  p. 
630),  yet  the  deaths  of  two  other  Bishops  of  Kildare  are  stated 
to  have  taken  place  in  the  interval.  Ware  says,  but  apparently 
without  authority,  that  Ferdomnach  returned  to  his  See  on  the 
death  of  Aed  O'Heremon.  In  the  record  of  his  death  he  is 
styled  Bishop  of  Kildare,  but  it  can  be  supposed  that  he  retained 
the  title,  without  having  resumed  the  administration  of  the 
Diocese.  (Lanigan,  Vol.  '3,  p.  454 ;  Harris's  Ware.) 

"A.D.  1097.  MAELBRIGHDA  MAC  ANTIRE  O'BROLCHAN,  Arch- 
priest  or  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  of  all  Leinster,  post  penitentiam 
optimam,  quievit."  (Annal.  Ult.  ad  Ann.)  The  Four  Masters 
recording  the  death  of  this  Prelate  in  this  year,  style  him  "  a 
learned  Doctor  and  Bishop  of  Cill-dara  and  of  Leinster." 

"A.D.  1100.  AED  O'HEREMON,  Bishop  of  Kildare,  died."  (Four 
Masters;  Ware.) 

"A.D.  1101.  FEARDOMNACH,  Bishop  of  Cill-dara,  died."  (Four 
Masters.)  Vide  Supra. 

"A.D.  1108.  The  Bishop  MAC-MIC-DONNGHAIL,  Bishop  of  Cill- 
dara,  died."  (Four  Masters.) 

"  A.D.  1146.  CORMAC  O'CATHSUIGH,  styled  Bishop  of  Leinster, 
by  the  Four  Masters,  died."  (Harris's  Ware.) 

"  A.D.  1148.  UA  DUIBHIN,  Bishop  of  Cill-dara,  died."  (Four 
Masters.)  He  is  styled  Abbot,  by  Colgan.  (Tr.  Thaum.  p.  630.) 

"A.D.  1160.  FINN  MAC  GORMIAN,  Bishop  of  Cill-dara,  and  who 
had  been  abbot  of  the  monks  of  Inbhair-chinn-trachta,  for  a 
time,  died."  (Four  Masters.)  "  Finn  (mac  Tiarcain)  O'Gorman, 
abbot  of  the  monastery  of  Greenwood,  succeeded,  and  died  at 
Killeigh,  in  1160,  and  was  there  buried."  (Ware.)  The  monastery 
of  which  this  Prelate  had  been  abbot  previous  to  his  appoint 
ment  to  the  See  of  Kildare,  was  that  of  Newry,  Co.  Down.  It 
was  called  by  the  several  names  of  Monasterium  Nevorense, 
Dubhar-chinn,  Triagh,  and  Monasterium  de  viride  Ligno  (Green 
wood),  and,  in  Irish,  it  was  called  Na-  Juar.  (Archdall.  Monast. 
Hib.)  This  Bishop  was  amongst  those  who  assisted  at  the 
Synod  of  Kells,  or  Mellifont,  in  1152,  as  appears  from  the  list 
quoted  by  Keating  from  the  Annals  of  Clonenagh,  no  longer 
extant.  (Lanigan,  Vol.4t,p.  140.)  Bishop  O'Gorman  was  the 


12  BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE. 

author  of  the  Book  of  Leinster,  one  of  the  most  valuable  Irish 
historical  works  that  have  been  preserved  to  us.  A  fac-simile 
of  this  work  has  been  lately  published  by  the  Royal  Irish 
Academy,  at  a  cost  of  £1,500,  half  of  which  was  defrayed  out  of 
funds  voted  by  Parliament,  and  the  other  half  by  the  Board  of 
Trinity  College,  Dublin,  in  which  Library  the  MS.  has  been 
preserved.  For  a  long  time  this  wonderful  old  manuscript  was 
supposed  to  have  been  the  Book  of  Glendalough,  but  the  late 
Professor  O'Curry  ascertained  that  it  was,  in  reality,  the  Book 
of  Leinster,  and  fixed  its  age  and  identified  its  writer  from 
internal  evidence.  The  book  was  compiled  by  Bishop  Finn 
McGorman,  for  Dermod  McMorrogh,  King  of  Leinster,  to  whom, 
probably,  the  Bishop  had  at  one  time  been  tutor.  Professor 
O'Looney  of  the  Catholic  University  informs  us,  in  a  memoir  of 
the  Book  of  Leinster  and  its  contents,  that  the  manuscript  in  its 
present  state  consists  of  205  loose  leaves;  the  general  size  of  the 
vellum  is  lojby  9  inches.  The  manuscript  contains  a  collection 
of  historical  tracts,  tales,  poems,  genealogies,  etc.  It  begins  with 
a  Book  of  Invasions  of  Erinn  ;  after  which,  the  succession  of  the 
monarchs  to  1169  ;  then  follow  poems  on  Tara,  and  an  ancient 
plan  and  explanation  of  the  banqueting-hall  of  that  Royal 
residence;  on  the  Boromean  Tribute,  and  the  battles  that  ensued 
down  to  its  remission;  a  copy  of  the  Dinnsenchus,  a  topographical 
tract  compiled  at  Tara  about  the  year  550 ;  an  ample  list  of  the 
early  Saints  of  Erin,  as  well  as  pictures  of  social  and  political  life 
in  Ireland  during  the  reign  of  the  renowned  King  MacNessa. 
The  general  superintendence  of  the  publication  of  this  fac-simile 
lithograph  was  originally  entrusted  to  Mr.  J.  T.  Gilbert,  F.S.A., 
and,  on  his  retirement,  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  Dr.  Atkinson, 
T.C.D.,  who  has  prepared  an  Introduction  to  the  volume. 

"  MALACHIAS  O'BiRN,  alias  O'BRIN,  succeeded  ;  who  is  men 
tioned  in  the  Life  of  St.  Laurence,  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  published 
by  Surius.  He  died  on  the  1st  of  January,  1176."  (Ware.)  The 
reference  to  this  Prelate  in  the  Life  of  St.  Laurence  is  to  the 
effect  that  the  Saint,  on  a  certain  occasion,  ordered  him  to 
undertake  the  cure  of  a  lady  who  was  mad,  and  possessed  by  an 
evil  spirit,  but  that  O'Brin  declined  the  task,  alleging  that  he 
was  not  of  sufficient  merit  to  expel  devils.  Harris  pretends  that 
he  was  right  in  making  this  excuse  if  what  historians,  as  he 
pompously  calls  them,  say  of  him  be  true.  But  these  historians 
of  Harris  are  only  Giraldus,  who  is  well  known  to  have  told  and 
repeated  a  great  number  of  falsehoods.  The  story  is,  that  when 
Fitzstephen  was,  in  the  year  1171,  besieged  in  Carrig,  near 
Wexford,  by  Donald,  an  illegitimate  son  of  Dermod  Mac 
Morrough,  and  the  Danes  of  Wexford,  O'Brin,  with  O'Hethe, 


BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE.  13 

Bishop  of  Ferns,  perjured  themselves  to  make  Fitzstephen 
believe  Dublin  had  been  taken  by  the  Irish,  and  all  the  foreigners 
destroyed ;  in  consequence  of  which  Fitzstephen  and  his  party 
surrendered.  This  was  evidently  a  fable  patched  up  to  apologize 
for  Fitzstephen's  having  surrendered.  Ware,  treating  of  this 
affair,  shows  that  he  did  not  believe  Giraldus,  whose  tract  he  had 
before  his  eyes.  Giving  an  account  of  these  two  Prelates,  he 
omits  all  reference  to  that  story,  and  it  was  reserved  for  Harris 
to  foist  the  slanderous  tale  into  that  honest  writer's  works. 
(Lanigan,  Vol.  4,  p.  232.) 

"A.D.  1177.  NEHEMIAS  was  made  Bishop  and  sat  about  18 
years."  (Ware.)  The  name  of  this  Prelate  is  attached,  as  a 
subscribing  witness,  to  a  grant  of  a  carrucate  of  land  called 
Dunower  (Dunore),  with  a  mill  and  all  its  appurtenances,  made 
in  1178,  to  the  Abbey  of  St.  Thomas,  Dublin,  by  King  Henry 
II.,  for  the  souls  of  Geoffry,  Earl  of  Anjou,  his  father,  the 
Empress  his  mother,  and  all  his  ancestors,  and  for  the  King 
himself,  and  his  sons.  (Monast.  Hib.  p.  178.) 

We  have  no  record  of  a  Bishop  of  Kildare,  from  the  death  of 
Nehemias,  which  took  place  about  1195,  to  the  appointment 
of  Cornelius,  which  is  assigned  by  Ware  to  the  year  1206. 

"  A.D.  1206.  CORNELIUS  MAC&ELAN,  Rector  of  the  Church  of 
Cloncurry,  afterwards  Archdeacon  of  Kildare,  was  lawfully 
chosen  Bishop,  and  consecrated  in  1206."  (Ware.)  The  same 
author,  and  also  the  Four  Masters  state  that  he  died  in  1222 ; 
the  Annals  of  Innisfail  set  it  down  in  1223.  He  certainly  died 
between  July  29th,  1222,  and  the  12th  of  March,  1223.  There 
is  evidence  in  Close  Rolls  (6  Hen.  III.,  Sweetman's  Cat.  Doc.\ 
of  his  being  still  living  at  the  former  date,*  and,  at  the  latter 
date  we  find  the  King  empowering  the  Archbishop  of  Dublin, 


*  May  19th,  1222.  Bull  of  Pope  Honorius  III.  to  the  Archbishop  of  Cashel. 
Henry,  King  of  England  has  complained  that  the  Archbishop,  by  his  own 
authority,  against  Statutes  of  the  General  Council,  and  without  reasonable  cause, 
after  appeal  to  the  Pope,  published  a  sentence  of  interdict  against  the  King's 
subjects  and  laws.  The  Pope  commands,  if  this  be  so,  that  within  15  days,  the 
Archbishop  relax  the  sentence.  Otherwise  the  Pope  commands  the  Bishops  of 
Kildare,  Meath,  and  Ossory,  that  they,  after  notice  according  to  ecclesiastical 
form  shall  have  been  given,  relax  that  sentence,  hear_any  question  that  may  re 
main,  decide  absolutely  without  appeal,  and  cause  their  decree  to  be  observed  by 
the  Pope's  authority.  .  .  .  July  29th,  1222.  The  King,  to  the  Bishops  of 
Kildare,  Meath,  and  Ossory.  In  the  cause  between  the  King  and  Donat,  Arch 
bishop  of  Cashel,  brought  by  authority  of  Papal  letters  touching  the  new  vill  of 
Cashel  and  the  relaxation  of  the  interdict,  published  against ^the  King's  tenants 
and  lands  in  Monster,  Decies,  and  Desmond,  the  King  constitutes  Henry,  Arch 
bishop  of  Dublin,  as  his  proctor,  and  will,  by  the  Archbishop,  hold  valid  the 
Bishop's  decree,  and  suffer  it  to  be  executed;  the  King  has  signified  the  same  to 
the  opposing  party.  (Pat.  Sen.  III.  apud  Sweetman.} 


14)  BISHOPS  OF  KIM) ARE. 

justiciary,  to  approve  of  Kalph  of  Bristol  as  his  successor. 
(Pat.  7.  Hen.  III.  Idem.) 

A.D.  1223.  RALPH  DE  BRISTOL,  so  called,  probably  from  having 
been  born  in  that  city,  treasurer  .of  St.  Patrick's,  Dublin,  was 
consecrated  Bishop  of  Kildare  in  this  year.  William  of 
Malmesbury's  book  of  the  Antiquities  of  Glastonbury  is  extant 
in  the  Library  of  Trinity  College,  Cambridge,  wherein  Ralph  de 
Bristol  is  mentioned  amongst  those  who  granted  14  days  of 
Indulgence  to  the  Abbey  of  Glastonbury,  15  days  of  Indulgence 
to  the  Church  of  Toore,  and  13  days  of  Indulgence  to  the  Church 
of  the  Holy  Trinity  of  Godenie.  This  Bishop  went  to  great 
expense  in  repairing  and  beautifying  the  Church  of  Kildare. 
There  are  still  remaining  at  the  Cathedral  of  Kildare  some 
ancient  sculptures  that  would  appear  to  belong  to  the  period  of 
Bishop  Ralph's  restoration.  One  is  a  full-sized  recumbent 
figure  of  a  bishop.  It  has  no  inscription.  Some  have  supposed 
that  this  was  the  tomb  of  Bishop  Lane,  who  died  in  1522  ;  but 
from  an  examination  of  the  ornamentation-work  on  the  sides,  it 
has  been  pronounced,  by  those  qualified  to  form  an  opinion,  to 
belong  to  a  much  earlier  date,  probably  to  the  13th  century. 
On  each  side  of  the  head  of  the  figure  is  an  angel  offering 
incense ;  this  would  lead  to  the  belief  that  the  figure  is  intended 
to  represent  one  of  the  Sainted  Prelates  of  Kildare,  probably  St. 
Conlaeth.  Another  stone  has  two  groups  scultpured  on  front ; 
one,  the  Crucifixion,  the  other,  our  Lord  bound  and  seated  in 
front  of  the  cross ;  on  one  side  a  figure  with  the  word  Centurio 
carved  overhead,  and  beneath  this  group  is  the  following  in  very 
old  raised  text :  "  Ecce  Homo.  To  them  that  devoutly  say  V. 
pr.  nr.  and  V.  ave  before  this  ymage  ar  grant  ocxvi  yeres  and 
xxvi  dayes  of  pardon"  Ralph  de  Bristol  died  about  the 
beginning  of  the  year  1232.  (Annal  Mulif.  ad  ann.)  He 
wrote  the  Life  of  St.  Laurence  O'Toole,  a  correct  MS.  of  which 
is  said  to  be  in  Ussher's  Library  in  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  and 
is  the  same  Life  as  published  by  Surius.  (Harris's  Ware.) 

JOHN  DE  TAUNTON,  Canon  of  St.  Patrick's,  succeeded.  In 
November,  1232,_  licence  was  sent  for  the  Chapter  of  St.  Brigid, 
Kildare,  by  their  messengers,  William  Precentor,  John  de 
Taunton  and  GeofTry  de  Chamberleng,  to  elect  a  Bishop  in  their 
Church,  vacant  by  the  death  of  Ralph,  late  Bishop  of  Kildare. 
(Pat.  17  Hen.  III.)  John  de  Taunton  was  elected,  and,  on  the 
6th  of  August,  1233,  the  Royal  assent  was  given.  On  the  10th 
of  November  following,  a  Mandate  issued  to  Maurice  Fitzgerald, 
justiciary,  to  give  the  Bishop  seisin  of  the  See  and  all  lands  and 
tenements  thereto  belonging,  whereof  Ralph,  his  next  predecessor, 


BISHOPS  OF  KILDAKE.  15 

was  seized  at  his  death.  Mandate  also  to  the  Knights,  free 
tenants,  and  others  of  the  See,  to  be  intentive  and  respondent  to 
the  Bishop,  as  their  lord.  (Close  E.  18  Hen.  III.,  apud 
Sweetman.)  He  died  about  the  beginning  of  summer,  1258,  and 
was  buried  in  his  Church.  (Ware.) 

SIMON  DE  KILKENNY, so  called  because  he  was  born  in  that  city, 
a  Canon  of  Kildare,  was  elected  to  this  See  in  1258,  and  obtained 
the  Royal  assent  on  the  21st  of  October,  the  same  year,  A  short 
chronicle  of  the  Dominicans  places  his  death  at  April,  1272,  but 
it  is  more  likely  that  he  lived  to  the  year  1275.  John  de 
Samford,  Escheator  of  Ireland,  only  accounts  for  the  profits  of 
the  See  from  the  vigil  of  St.  Michael,  4th  Edwd.  I,  that  is,  1275, 
to  their  restoration  to  Nicholas  Cusack  (Chief  Remembrancer.) 
So  that  either  the  Escheator  did  not  account  for  the  full  time  of 
vacancy  or  else  Simon  did  not  die  till  1275.  (Harris's  Ware.) 

On  the  death  of  Simon,  one  part  of  the  Chapter  of  Kildare 
elected  Stephen,  Dean  of  Kildare,  another  part  stood  firm  to 
William,  the  Treasurer  of  Kildare.  This  proved  a  cause  of 
tedious  contest  at  Rome,  and  was  the  occasion  of  a  long  vacancy 
in  the  See.  Finally,  Pope  Nicholas  III.  annulled  both  elections, 
and  declared  NICHOLAS  CUSACK, — a  Minorite  and  a  native  of 
Meath,— Bishop,  on  the  27th  of  November,  1279.  Wadding, 
ad  ann.  1279,  tells  us,  and  in,  the  Eegisi.  Pontif.  torn.  5,  p. 
459-60,  gives  the  Bull  of  Nicholas  III.,  attesting,  that  neither 
election  was  nulled,  but  that  both  had  resigned  their  claims, 
after  prosecuting  them  at  Rome.  The  Treasurer  resigned  by 
letter,  the  Dean  resigned  personally  before  the  Pope  who  fully 
recognised  the  right  of  election  in  the  Chapter,  and,  only  to 
prevent  evil,  appointed  Cusack  De  Apostolica  Plenitudine.  A 
letter  from  "  Nicholas  de  Cusack  of  the  Order  of  Franciscans, 
and  elect  of  Kildare,"  to  the  King,  dated,  Paris,  the  Feast  of  St. 
Matthias  Apostle  (1279),  sets  forth  "  that  the  Canons  of  Kildare 
had,  sometime  before,  during  vacancy  in  their  Church,  dis 
cordantly  held  two  elections  of  two  persons ;  those  persons 
having  voluntarily  renounced  all  right  under  the  elections,  the 
Pope,  of  the  plenitude  of  his  power,  had  lately  promoted  him 
(Nicholas)  to  be  Bishop,  as  appears  by  the  Pope's  letters  which 
he  sent  for  inspection.  Having  been  enjoined  to  proceed  at 
once  to  the  Pope's  presence,  he  besought  the  King  to  order  the 
temporalities  of  the  Church  to  be  restored  in  his  name  to  Hugh 
de  Fraxiniis,  his  Proctor  and  Commissioner  General,  receiving 
from  him  on  the  Bishop's  behalf  the  customary  oath  of  fealty 
which  the  Bishop  himself  will  humbly  and  dutifully  tender  to 
the  King  on  his  return  from  the  Court  of  Rome."  (Royal  Letters  ; 
Cal  Doc.  Siveetman.)  On  the  24th  December,  1280,  the  King 


16  BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE. 

intimates  to  the  Knights,  free  and  other  tenants  of  the  Bishopric 
of  Kildare,  that,  the  Pope  having,  as  appears  from  his  letters 
directed  to  the  King,  conferred  the  Bishopric  on  Nicholas  de 
Cusack,  the  King  accepts  the  collation,  takes  fealty  from  Nicholas 
and  restores  the  temporalities  ;  Mandate  accordingly  to  the  above 
Knights,  etc.,  to  be  intentive  and  respondent  to  Nicholas  as  their 
Bishop  ;  Mandate  also  to  Robert  de  Ufford,  justiciary  of  Ireland, 
to  deliver  to  Nicholas  or  his  attorney  the  temporalities  of  his 
See  ;  and  a  further  Mandate  to  Stephen,  Bishop  of  Waterford, 
treasurer,  to  cause  payment  to  be  made  out  of  the  King's 
treasure  to  Nicholas,  Bishop  of  Kildare,  of  100  marks,  of  the 
King's  gift.  (Pat.  9  Edwd.  I.,  Cal.  Doc.  Sweetman.) 

In  1292,  this  Prelate  was  joined  in  commission  with  Thomas 
St.  Leger,  Bishop  of  Meath,  to  collect  a  Disme  or  tenth,  granted 
by  the  Pope  to  the  King  for  the  relief  of  the  Holy  Land.  The 
Papal  document  commanded  that  a  tenth  of  all  ecclesiastical 
rents,  profits  and  oblations  in  Ireland,  according  to  their  true 
value,  should  be  paid  towards  the  expenses  of  the  meditated 
Crusade,  and  "because,"  the  document  adds,  "there  are  various 
valuations  of  these  revenues  in  that  country,  we  impose  it  on 
your  consciences,  that,  on  due  consultation  in  the  places  to  be 
taxed,  you  study  to  assess  the  true  and  honest  value  thereof." 
(Rymer's  Foedera,  ad  ann.)  Such  valuation  was  accordingly 
made  in  the  course  of  three  years,  and  is  yet  extant.  This 
estimate  is,  in  a  legal  point  of  view,  the  more  important,  because 
all  the  taxes,  as  well  to  the  successive  Kings  as  to  the  Popes, 
were  regulated  by  it,  down  to  the  20th  year  of  the  reign  of  Henry 
VIII.  (D' Alton's  Memoirs  of  Archbps.  Dub.  p.  108.)  This 
assessment  is  known  as  Pope  Nicholas's  Taxation.  Bishop 
Nicholas  Cusack  died  in  September,  1299,  and  was  buried  in  his 
own  Church.  (Ware.} 

WALTER  DE  VEELE,  sometimes  called  WALTER  CALFE,  Chan 
cellor  of  Kildare,  succeeded.  King  Edward  I.  confirmed  his  election 
on  January  5th,  1300,  and  he  was  restored  to  the  temporalities 
of  his  See  on  the  same  day.  His  consecration  took  place  in  St. 
Patrick's,  Dublin.  During  his  Episcopacy,  in  1310,  a  Parliament 
was  held  at  Kildare.  He  died  in  November,  1832,  and  was 
buried  in  his  Church.  (Ware.)  A  drawing  of  the  Seal  of  this 
Bishop  is  in  the  Archives  of  Christ  Church,  Dublin. 

EICHARD  HULOT,  or  HOWLOT,  succeeded  in  1333,  after  an  in 
terval  of  half-a-year.  He  had  been,  first,  Canon,  and  afterwards 
Archdeacon  of  Kildare.  He  obtained  restoration  of  the  temporals 
on  the  26th  of  April,  1334,  and  died  on  the  24th  of  June,  1352. 
(Book  of  Obits.) 


BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE.  17 

THOMAS  GIFFARD,  Chancellor  of  Kildare,  was  elected  Bishop 
by  the  Dean  and  Chapter  of  Kildare,  and  was  consecrated  in  135 3, 
or,  as  some  state,  in  1355.  He  died  on  the  25th  of  September, 

1365,  and  was  buried  in  the  Cathedral  of  St.  Brigid.    (Ware.) 
After  the  death  of  Dr.  Giffard,  the  See  continued  vacant'  for 

one  year. 

ROBERT  DE  AKETON,  a  Hermit  of  St.  Augustine,  succeeded,  in 

1366.  He   had  been   elected   Bishop  of  Down,  on  the  18th 
November,  1365,  but  that  election  having  been  annulled  by  the 
Pope,   he  was   appointed  to  the  See  of  Kildare  in  the  yea** 
following.     He  was  still  living  in  1367,  but,  how  long  after  that 
he  survived,  does  not  appear.    If  we  may  credit  certain  short  MS. 
Annals   of  his   Order,   he   died,  Bishop   of  Kildare  in   1368. 
(Harris's  Ware.) 

One  GEORGE,  is  stated  to  have  been  the  next  Bishop  and  to 
have  died  in  1401.  (Ware.) 

The  Parliament  _of  England,  oppressed  by  the  increasing 
expense  of  supporting  the  Government  of  Ireland,  addressed 
King  Edward  III.  on  the  subject,  who  immediately  despatched 
Nicholas  Dag  worth  hither,  to  convene  a  Parliament  for  granting 
a  liberal  subsidy.  Writs  were  issued  to  the  Bishops,  to  choose 
two  of  the  clergy  in  each  diocese ;  the  Sheriffs  were  to  hold 
county  elections,  and  cities  and  boroughs  were  to  return 
members.  This  representation  of  Ireland  sat  at  Westminster  in 
1376.  The  clergy  who  represented  the  Diocese  of  Kildare  were 
William  White  and  Richard  White.  Leighlin  sent  none.  The 
representatives  for  the  County  of  Kildare  were  John  Rochford 
and  Peter  Rowe ;  those  for  County  Carlow  were  Geoffrv  de 
Valle  and  Philip  de  Valle. 

^  HENRY  DE  WESSENBERCH,  a  Minorite,  was  provided  to  this 
See,  by  the  Pope,  on  the  4th  of  the  Ides  of  December,  1401,  says 
Luke  Wadding  in  the  5th  Vol.  of  his  Annals  of  that  Order;  of 
whom  I  find  nothing  more.  (Ware.) 

THOMAS  was  the  next  Bishop.  He  died  in  1405.  (Ware.)  In 
1405,  the  King  presents  a  Clerk  to  the  Treasurership,  the 
temporalities  of  the  See  being  in  his  hands  by  resignation  of 
Robert,  the  late  Bishop.  (Rot.  Pat.  7  Hen.  IV.)  Perhaps 
Robert  was  a  mistake  for  Thomas.  (Fasti.) 

The  name  of  the  Prelate  who  filled  the  See  of  Kildare  between 
the  death  of  Thomas  and  the  appointment  of  Donald  Orici, 
which  took  place  on  the  26th  October,  1419,  is  not  recorded  • 
but,  that  there  was  a  Bishop  in  the  interval,  appears  from  the 
wording  of  the  entry  in  the  Vatican  Archives.  "  Sept.  Kal. 

B 


13  BISHOPS  OF  KILDAEE. 

Novembris,  1419,  provisum  est  ecclesiae  Daren,  in  Hib.  Vac.  per 
mortem,  de  persona  Donaldi  Oricii,  Mindeu  (Miden  ?)"  (Brady's 
Episcopal  Succession.) 

JOHN  MADOCK,  Archdeacon  of  Kildare  and  a  member  of  the 
University  of  Oxford,  succeeded.  He  died  in  1431.  Bale  makes 
mention  of  one  Quaplod,  a  Carmelite,  who,  he  says,  was  Bishop 
of  Kildare  in  those  days  ;  but  in  this  he  appears  to  have  been 
mistaken.  Quaplod  was  Bishop  of  Derry,  and  not  of  Kildare, 
as  appears  from  Leland,  De  Script.  Brit.  (Harris's  Ware.)  This 
error  is  easily  accounted  for  ;  the  Latin  names  of  the  two  Sees 
Derriensis  and  Darensis  being  so  nearly  alike,  the  one  may  have 
been  readily  mistaken  for  the  other. 

WILLIAM,  Archdeacon  of  Kildare,  succeeded,  by  provision  of 
Pope  Eugenius  IY.  His  appointment  took  place  on  the  8th  of 
August,  1431.  "S.D.N.  de  novo  providit  de  persona  Wilhelmi, 
archidiaconi  ecclse.  Daren,  eidem  ecclesiae  vac.  per  obitum.  Cui 
alias  per  D.  Martinum  praedecess.  Nostrum  ejusdem  Wilhelmi 
persona  prov.  fuerat,  et  infra  tempus  in  Constitutione  super  hoc 
dedita praefixum,  literas  confici  non  fecerat."  (Vatican  Archives, 
Brady.)  This  Prelate  died  in  April,  1446.  A  drawing  of  a  seal 
is  given  in  the  "  Irish  Penny  Journal,"  1840 ;  it  is  inscribed, 
"  Sigillum  Willmi  Dei  Gracia  Kyldarens.  Epi."  Probably  it  was 
the  Seal  of  William  who  became  Bishop  in  1432.  It  bears  a 
triple  canopy ;  underneath  this,  in  the  centre,  is  a  figure  of  the 
Virgin  and  Child  ;  and,  on  the  sides,  SS.  Patrick  and  Brigid. 
Below,  in  a  niche,  is  a  Bishop,  between  two  shields,  one  of  which 
bears  the  Royal  Arms  of  England  and  France,  and  the  other, 
two  keys  in  saltier,  with  a  Royal  crown  above  the  crossing.  It 
is  observed  that  these  are  the  Arms  of  the  See  of  York — Query 
the  reason  for  the  Royal  Arms — was  that  Bishop,  a  member  of 
a  family  sprung  from  the  Blood  Royal  of  England  ?  (Cotton's 
Fasti.) 

GEOFFRY  HEREFORD,  a  Dominican,  was  advanced  to  this  See,  in 
1447,  at  the  instance  of  King  Henry  VI.  His  name,  as  Bishop 
elect  of  Kildare,  occurs  in  the  following  entry,  dated  1st 
September,  1447 :— "  R.P.D.  Galfridus  Herford,  electus  Daren, 
person aliter  obtulit,"  etc.  (Brady's  Episc.  Sue.)  Ware  states 
that  his  consecration  took  place  at  Easter,  1449,  but  it  could 
hardly  have  been  delayed  so  long  after  his  appointment.  He 
died  about  1464,  and  was  buried  at  Kildare.  (Ware.) 

RICHARD  LANG  next  appears  as  Bishop  of  Kildare.  Ware 
describes  him  as  "  a  man  of  great  gravity  and  prudence."  On 
the  death  of  John  Bole,  Archbishop  of  Armagh,  in  1470,  Dr. 


BISHOPS  OF   KILDAKE.  19 

Lang  of  Kildare  had  the  temporalities  of  that  See  committed  to 
his  care;  he  continued  custodee  for  about  three  years.  The 
Dean  and  Chapter  of  Armagh  earnestly  requested  the  Pope  to 
appoint  him  their  Archbishop,  but  Sixtus  IV.  made  another 
appointment.  A  copy  of  the  commendatory  letter  of  the  Dean 
and  Chapter  of  Armagh  is  to  be  found  in  the  Registry  of  Armagh 
(Regist.  Octav.)  Therein  they  testify  that  Richard  was  "  noble 
both  by  birth  and  merit,  well  instructed  in  Apostolical  and 
Ecclesiastical  discipline,  in  faith  truly  Catholic,  by  nature 
prudent,  wise,  docile  and  patient;  in  behaviour  temperate,  in  life 
chaste,  sober,  humble,  affable,  compassionate  and  learned  ;  well- 
read  in  the  Law  of  God  ;  wary  in  expounding  the  Scriptures, 
and  deeply  versed  in  the  Tenets  of  the  Church."  (Harris's 
Ware.)  Dr.  Brady  (Episc.  Succn.)  says  that  "  on  the  death  of 
Hereford,  Richard  Lang  was  appointed,  and,  although  his  title 
to  the  See  was  challenged  by  the  Pope,  held  it  until  his  death 
in  1474  " 

DAVID  succeeded,  but  died,  according  to  Wadding  (Annal. 
Tom.  6,  p.  830)  before  his  Apostolic  letters  were  completed. 

JAMES  WALE,  a  Minorite  and  Doctor  of  Divinity,  was  chosen 
Bishop  of  Kildare,  and  consecrated  on  the  5th  of  April,  1475. 
He  died  on  the  28th  of  April,  1494,  and  was  buried  in  the 
Church  of  the  Franciscans,  in  London,  of  which  he  was  Guardian, 
having  resigned  his  See  long  before  his  death  and  lived  in  great 
tranquillity  in  that  monastery,  having,  meantime,  been  suffragan 
to  the  Bishop  of  London.  (Harris's  Ware.) 

WILLIAM  BARRETT  succeeded  to  the  Bishopric  of  Kildare  on 
the  resignation  of  Dr.  Wale.  He,  also,  resigned  this  See,  soon  after 
his  appointment.  He  is,  doubtless,  the  same  William,  called 
Bishop  of  Kildare,  who  was  Vicar  to  the  Bishop  of  Clermont,  in 
France,  in  1493.  The  period  during  which  this  Prelate  and  his 
immediate  predecessor  governed  the  See  of  Kildare,  was  but 
seven  years.  (Ware.) 

EDMUND  LANE  succeeded,  in  1482,  on  the  resignation  of  Dr. 
Barrett.  He  was  a  great  benefactor  to  his  Cathedral  Church! 
He  founded  a  College  at  Kildare  in  which  the  Dean  and  Chapter 
might  live  after  a  collegiate  manner.  This  Prelate  was  induced 
by  the  Earl  of  Kildare,  to  assist  at  the  coronation  of  Lambert 
Simnel;  he  was,  afterwards,  pardoned  for  this  in  1488  (MS. 
Marsh's  Library,  No.  35),  and  did  his  homage  and  fealty  before 
Sir  Richard  Edgecomb,  whom  the  King  had  commissioned  for 
that  purpose,  on  the  24th  of  July  in  that  year.  In  3494,  he 
assisted  at  a  Provincial  Synod,  held  in  Christ's  Church,  Dublin 


20  BISHOPS  OF  KILDAEE. 

under  the  presidency  of  Archbishop  Walter  Fitzsimon.  Ware 
states  that  he  died  in  1522,  but  this  is  a  mistake,  as  the 
Consistorial  Act,  appointing  his  successor,  in  ]  526,  mentions  that 
the  See  had  been  vacant  13  years.  Therefore,  Dr.  Lane  must 
have  died  about  the  year  1513.  He  was  buried  in  his  own 
Church.  Ware  adds  that  a  monumental  effigy  of  a  Bishop,  still 
to  be  seen  at  Kildare,  without  any  inscription,  is  supposed  to  be 
that  of  this  Prelate.  The  reasons  for  doubting  the  accuracy  of 
this  supposition  have  been  already  stated.  (See  p.  14.)  In 
Harris's  Ware  an  engraving  is  given  of  a  seal,  inscribed: 
"  Sigillum  Edmundi,  Dei  Gra.  Darensis  Epi.  1496."  This 
seal  represents  two  figures  under  a  double  canopy,  probably 
those  of  SS.  Brigid  and  Conlaeth ;  below,  within  a  niche,  is  a 
Bishop  in  his  robes,  seated ;  on  each  side  of  him  is  a  shield, 
charged  with  armorial  bearings.  (Fasti.) 

During  the  prolonged  vacancy  that  intervened  in  this  See, 
after  the  death  of  Dr.  Lane,  a  suit  at  law  was  carried  on 
between  Hugh  Inge,  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  and  the  Dean 
and  Chapter  of  Kildare,  concerning  the  right  of  visiting 
the  Diocese  of  Kildare  during  the  vacancy  of  the  See. 
This  disputed  point  was  finally  referred  to  the  arbitration 
of  Dermod,  Bishop  of  Kilmore,  a  learned  Canonist,  and  Walter 
Wellesley,  Prior  of  Conall.  There  is  extant  (Lib.  Niger,  p.  35), 
a  copy  of  a  bond  for  £40,  executed  by  the  said  Archbishop,  to  the 
Dean  and  Chapter  of  Kildare,  dated  the  13th  of  November, 
1523,  and  conditioned  to  stand  by  the  arbitration  of  the  said 
persons.  How  the  controversy  ended  is  not  recorded.  (Harris's 
Ware.) 

In  1523,  we  find*  the  Earl  of  Kildare  writing  to  Cardinal 
Wolsey  in  favour  of  the  promotion  of  EDWAED  DILLON,  Dean  of 
Kildare,  to  be  Bishop  of  that  See.  The  following  is  the  text  of 
this  letter.  From  the  Chapter  House,  Bag.  Ireland,  No.  18: — 

EARL  OF  KILDARE  to  CARDINAL  WOLSEY. 

"  In  my  moosi  humble  maner  I  recommaunde  me  unto  your 
Grace,  beseching  God  to  rewarde  Your  Grace  for  the  good 
favoures  that  pleased  you  to  shew  unto  me  in  my  causes  at  all 
tymes.  Pleas  it  your  Grace  to  be  advertised  that  at  my  being 
in  England,  eight  years  passed,  I  made  peticion  to  the  Kinges 
Grace  that  I  might  have  had  the  next  avoidaunce  and  denomi 
nation  of  the  Bisshopprik  of  Kildare,  where  withall  he  was  then 
contented  ;  which  Bisshopprik  do  not  excede  the  yerely  valure 
of  an  hundrith  mark  Stirling,  the  substance  whereof  lieth  in  the 
Irishry,  and  will  not  be  lightly  had  but  by  temporall  power.  It 


BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE.  21 

is  now  voide  by  the  dethe  of  the  last  Bishop  there,  so  as  I  have 
now  writtyn  to  the  Kinges  Grace  disiring  to  have  his  letters  of 
denomination  therefore  unto  this  berer,  Maister  Edward  Dillon, 
Deane  of  the  Cathedrall  Chirch  of  Kildare,  foresaid ;  which  is  of 
vertuous  living  and  of  English  name  and  condicion  ;  unto  whom 
I  beseche  your  Grace  to  be  good  and  gracious  lord,  and  that  he 
may  have  youre  gracious  favoures  in  the  expedicion  of  the  same 
and  the  rather  at  this  my  poore  contemplacion,  etc.,  etc.  Writtyn 
at  my  manour  of  Maynoth,  the  8th  day  of  Februarii,"  (1523.) 
State  Papers,  Hen.  VIII.  Vol.  2.  From  Ware  and  the  official 
entry  of  Dr.  Dillon's  appointed  as  Bishop,  it  appears  that  his 
name  was  Thomas,  not  Edward.  This  maybe  a  mistake  on  the 
part  of  the  Earl  of  Kildare.  If  not,  it  may  be  concluded  that, 
failing  in  obtaining  the  Bishopric  for  Edward,  he  procured  the 
promotion  for  a  namesake,  perhaps  a  brother. 

On  the  24th  of  August,  1526,  THOMAS  DILLON  was  appointed 
to  the  See  of  Kildare,  then  for  13  years  vacant.  "  Die  24  Augusti, 
1526,  referente  Card.  Campegio,  providit  ecclesiae  Daren,  in 
Hibernia,  quae  per  XIII.  annos  vacavit  per  obitum  Edmundi 
extra  Romanam  Curiam,  vacanti,  de  persona  Thomas  N.  (sic) 
cum  retentione  Monasterii  Sti  Petri,  et  aliorum  beneficiorum 
prout  in  cedula."  (Barberini  Archives.)  This  Prelate  was  a 
native  of  Meath,  and  had  been  educated  at  Oxford.  (Ware.)  It 
is  stated  that  Dr.  Dillon  vacated  the  See  in  1528,  and  was 
succeeded  by  Dr.  Stoll.  He  died  in  1529. 

PETER  STOLL,  D.D.,  a  Dominican  friar,  was  promoted  to  this 
See  by  Clement  VII.,  on  March  15th,  1529.  (Hib.  Dbm.  p.  485.) 
The  following  uncomplimentary  reference  to  this  Prelate  is 
found  in  the  State  Papers,  Anno  1528,  ii.,  p.  141.  Cowley  to 
Wolsey: — "Anthony  Knevet  hath  obteyned  the  Bishoprik  of 
Kildare  to  a  symple  Irish  preste,  a  vagabounde,  without  lernyng, 
maners,  or  good  qualitye,  not  worthy  to  bee  a  hally  water  clerk, 
(Aquaebajulus ;  this  office  was,  by  a  constitution  of  Archbishop 
Boniface,  to  be  conferred  upon  poor  clerks. — Note  to  St.  Papers?) 
As  I  here  the  Kinges  Highnes  wol  pay  for  his  bulles  out  of  his 
owne  cofers  ;  whereof  others  in  Ireland  would  greatly  marvaille, 
soche  as  have  doon  the  Kinges  grace  good  service."  The 
appointment  of  Dr.  Stoll,  no  doubt,  frustrated  the  plans  of  the 
hangers-on  at  Court.  Evidently  his  being  an  Irishman  was 
regarded  by  them  as  a  disqualification. 

WALTER  WELLESLEY  succeeded,  on  the  1st  of  July,  1529.  "  Die 
Primo.Julii,  1529,  ad  relationem  Cardinalis  de  Cesis,  ecclesiae 
Daren,  in  Hibernia,  vacanti  per  obitum  Thomae,  defuncti  extra 


22  BISHOPS  OF   KILDAKE. 

Romanam  Curiam,  provisum  fuit  de  persona  Walter!  Welleschi." 
(Barberini  Archives).  Dr.  Wellesley  is  here  represented  as  the 
immediate  successor  of  Dr.  Dillon,  from  which  it  would  appear 
either  that  Dr.  Stoll  declined  the  proffered  dignity  or  that  his 
selection  was  not  confirmed  by  the  Pope.  Dr.  Wellesley  was 
Prior  or  Commendatarius  of  Conall,  and,  for  a  time,  Master  of 
the  Rolls  and  Privy  Counsellor.  His  appointment  was  made  by 
Pope  Clement  VII.,  at  the  instance  of  King  Henry  VIII.  Ten 
years  previously,  the  King  had  endeavoured  to  advance  him  to  the 
See  of  Limerick,  but  the  Pope  refused  to  sanction  the  appoint 
ment.  He  had  also  been  strongly  recommended,  by  the  Earl  of 
Surrey,  for  the  See  of  Cork  in  September  1520 ;  but  he  declined 
the  Bishopric  unless  he  were  allowed  to  keep  his  Priory  with  it 
— (State  Papers,  ii.,  p  42.)  Previous  to  his  advancement  to  the 
Episcopate,  we  find  him,  in  1528,  associated  in  a  Commission 
with  Sir  Walter  de  la  Hyde,  to  effect  the  liberation  of  the  Lord 
Justice  Delvin  whom  O'Conor  had  taken  prisoner.  He  held  his 
Priory  during  his  life,  in  virtue  of  a  dispensation.  On  the  14th  of 
June,  1535,  he  was  named  a  Commissioner,  with  Edward 
Staples,  Bishop  of  Meath,  John  Allen,  Master  of  the  Rolls, 
Gerald  Aylmer,  Chief  Baron  of  the  Exchequer,  and  Thomas 
Heth,  Chief  Remembrancer,  for  suppressing  and  dissolving  the 
Nunnery  of  Greyn  (Graney),  County  Carlow,  the  possession  of 
which  was  afterwards  given  to  the  King  by  Act  of  Parliament. 
These  appointments  to  Commissionerships  frequently  took  place 
without  the  knowledge  or  consent  of  those  named,  and,  in 
numerous  instances,  the  persons  appointed  refused  to  serve  upon 
them.  That  it  was  so  in  the  present  case  there  is  every  reason 
to  believe.  This  Prelate  died  in  1539,  and  was  buried  in  the 
Church  of  his  Order  at  Conall,  where  there  still  remains  to  his 
memory  an  altar  tomb  (now  built  into  the  wall),  having  the 
figure  of  a  Bishop,  with  mitre,  pastoral  staff,  &c.,  in  low  relief, 
and  around  the  verge  of  the  stone  this  inscription  in  Gothic 
characters: — "Hie  jacet  frater  Walterus  Wellesley,  quondam 
Episcopus  Darensis,  hujus  Domus  Commendatarius,  cujus 
animae  propitietur  Deus.  Qui  obiit  Anno  Domini  M.D.  ..." 
"  Here  Lieth  brother  Walter  Wellesley,  late  Bishop  of  Kildare, 
Prior  of  this  House,  to  whose  soul  may  God  be  merciful.  He 
died  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  M.D.  ..." 

On  the  death  of  Dr.  Wellesley,  DONALD  O'BEACHAN,  a  Minorite, 
of  the  Convent  of  Kildare,  was  provided  to  this  See  by  the  Pope, 
on  the  16th  of  July,  1540.  "  Die  16°  Julii,  1540,  referente  R.D. 
Card.  Ghinutio,  providit  ecclesiae  Kildaren,  in  Hibernia,  vacanti 
per  obitum  quondam  Waited  Walteront  (sic)  extra  Romanam 


BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE.  23 

Curiam  defuncti,  de  persona  fratris  Donaldi  Obechan,  etc." — 
(Barberini  Archives,  apud  Brady).  O'Beachan  died  a  few 
days  after  his  appointment. 

THADY  REYNOLDS,  rector  of  the  Church  of  Olmar,  in  the  diocese 
of  Meath,  was  appointed  by  the  Pope,  Bishop  of  Kildare,  on  the 
15th  of  November,  1540.  "Die  15°  Nov.,  1540,  referente 
Ghinutio,  providit  ecclesiae  Kildaren.  in  Hibernia,  vacanti  per 
obitum  Donaldi  Obegan,  extra  Romanam  Curiam  defuncti, 
de  persona  Thadei  Raynaldi,  presbyteri,  et  rectoris  parochialis 
ecclesiae  de  Olmar,  Miden.  dicec.,  cum  retention e  omnium  et 
singulorum — Absolvens,  etc."  (Barberini  Archives,  Brady). 
The  King,  who  was  then  in  open  revolt  against  the  Church, 
refused  to  acknowledge  Dr.  Reynolds,  and  went  about  making 
an  appointment  of  his  own,  in  the  person  of  William  Miagh. 
This  Miagh  had  Thomas  Lancaster  as  his  successor,  by  royal 
authority.  In  1554,  a  Commission,  composed  of  Dowdal,  Arch 
bishop  of  Armagh,  Thomas  Leverous,  and  other  delegates, 
deposed  Lancaster. 

On  the  1st  of  March,  1555,  THOMAS  LEVEROUS  was  nominated 
to  the  See  of  Kildare,  by  Queen  Mary,  and  was  confirmed  by  the 
Pope,  on  the  30th  of  August  following.  He  had  been  appointed 
Dean  of  St.  Patrick's,  Dublin,  the  year  previous,  and,  by  special 
privilege,  he  was  allowed  to  retain  that  dignity  after  his  appoint 
ment  as  Bishop  of  Kildare.  In  Cotton's  Fasti  it  is  stated  that 
Dr.  Leverous,  at  the  time  of  his  appointment  to  Kildare,  was 
Archdeacon  of  Armagh.  "  Die  30°  Aug.,  1555,  referente  R. 
Morono,  providit  ecclesiae  Daren.,  tune  per  obitum  bo.  mem. 
Walteri,  olim  Episcopi  Daren.,  extra  Romanam  Curiam  defuncti, 
vacanti,  de  persona  Thomae  Leveri  Episcopi  olim  Leighlinen., 
pro  quo  Sermus-  D.  Philippus  Rex  et  Sma  D.  Maria,  Angliae 
Regina  eidem  Sfci>  S.  super  hoc  scripserunt,  ipsumque  illi  in 
Episcopum  prefecit,  etc.  Et  cum  retentione  Decanatus  Ecclesiae 
StL  Patritii,  prope  et  extra  muros  Dublinen.  quern  obtinet  et 
cum  clausulis  opportunis,"  etc.  (Barberini  Archives). 

In  the  foregoing  Consistorial  Act,  as  Dr.  Brady  remarks,  the 
succession  is  traced  from  Leverous  to  Wellesley,  passing  over 
O'Beacan  and  Reynolds,  though  both  were  appointments  of  the 
Pope.  This  may  be  because  the  former  was  prevented  by  death, 
and  the  other,  by  the  opposition  of  the  King,  from  obtaining 
possession  of  the  See.  Dr.  Leverous  most  probably  had  received 
Episcopal  Consecration  many  years  previous  to  his  appointment 
to  Kildare.  In  1541,  information  reached  Rome  that  Dr. 
Saunders, Bishop  of  Leighlin,was  dead  ;  whereupon,  Dr.  Leverous 


24 


BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE. 


was  appointed  to  succeed  him,  as  we  learn  from  the  following 
Consistorial^entry :— "Die  lunae  14°  Novembris,  1541,  referente 
Reverendissimo  Cardinale  Gambara,  sua  Sanctitas  Providit 
Ecclesiae  Leghlinensi,  in  Hibernia,  vacanti  per  obitum  Matthei, 
olim  Episcopi  Leghlinensis,  extra  Romanam  Curiam  defuncti,  de 
persona  Thomae  Leuros,  Presbyteri  Midensis  (sic),  cum 
retentions  Parochialis  de  Conalis,  Ordinis  S.  Augustini  Darensis, 
Diocesios,  et  aliorum  obtentorum."  (Barberini  Archives).  In 
this  passage  Dr.  Leverous  (or  Leuros  as  he  is  there  named ; 
probably  his  real  name  was  Lewry  or  Lowry),  is  styled  a  priest 
of  Meath ;  either  this  is  a  mistake  or  else  he  may  have  held  a 
benefice  in  that  diocese  conjointly  with  that  of  Conall;  the  Act 
refers  to  his  possessing  more  benefices  than  one.  The  infor 
mation  which  led  to  his  election  to  the  See  of  Leighlin  proved 
unfounded,  as  Dr.  Saunders  lived  till  1549  ;  still  it  would  appear 
that  the  mistake  was  not  detected  until  after  the  consecration 
of  Dr.  Leverous  had  taken  place,  as,  in  the  official  record  of  his 
appointment  to  Kildare,  he  is  styled  Bishop  of  Leighlin,  "  olim 
Episcopus  Leghlinensis!' 

Dr.  Leverous  had  been  tutor  to  Gerald,  half-brother  to  the 
Earl  of  Kildare,  and  his  successor  in  the  title.  When  the  Earl 
and  his  five  uncles  were  treacherously  seized  and  sent  to  Eng 
land,  in  1535,  to  be  soon  after  led  to  the  scaffold,  the  boy  Gerald, 
the  only  hope  of  the  family,  was  saved  by  his  faithful  tutor. 
The  youth  was  then  lying  ill  of  small-pox  at  Dunore,  in  the 
County  Kildare,  but  "  his  nurse  immediately  committed  him  to 
the  care  of  his  tutor,  Thomas  Leverous,  a  priest  and  foster- 
brother  of  his  father,  who  carefully  conveyed  him,  in  a  large 
basket,  into  Offaley  to  his  sister  Lady  Mary  O'Conor.  There  he 
remained  until  he  had  perfectly  recovered,  when  he  was 
removed,  first  to  O'Dun's  Country,  and,  after  three  months,  to 
Thomond,  where  he  was  under  the  care  of  his  cousin,  James 
Delahoide,  eldest  son  of  Walter  Delahoide  of  Moyglare."  (Earls 
of  Kildare;  by  the  present  Duke  of  Leinster.)  During  the  five 
years  that  Gerald  continued  in  Ireland,  travelling  from  district 
to  district,  and  ever  varying  his  disguise,  he  was  constantly 
accompanied  by  his  faithful  guardian  and  preceptor.  At  length, 
in  March,  1540,  the  young  Gerald,  with  Leverous  and  two 
others,  escaped  into  France,  landing  at  St.  Malo,  where  they 
were  hospitably  received  by  the  Governor,  Monsieur  de 
Chateaubriand  (ancestor,  no  doubt,  of  the  distinguished  writer 
of  that  name,  and  who  was  himself  born  at  St.  Malo).  The 
following  is  the  account  given  by  Allen  Governors,  the  Captain 
of  the  vessel :-— "  That  he,  being  with  his  shipe  on  marchandyse 


BISHOPS  OF  KILDAKE.  25 

in  Yrlande,  ner  unto  thos  partes  wher  great  Adonels  abyding  is, 
ther   came  unto  him  the   sayde  Adonel  with  certeyne  other 
religiouse  parsons  or  men  of  the  churche,  the  which  entreatyd 
with  him  to  bring  over  the  sayde  FytzGarethe;  the  which  thing 
was  agreyd  and  an  act  passyd  between  them  sygnyd  by  a  notary. 
In  the  which  acte  he  was  bownde  to  render  him  saffe  aland  at 
St.  Malo,  and  the  other  that  shuld  pase  lykewyse  with  him,  and 
a  certain  nomber  of  silver  vessell  also.     The  sayd  FytzGarethe 
was  convayde  aborde  the  ship  in  the  nyght  in  a  small  cocke, 
havying  on  but  a  saffronyd  shurtt  and  bareheaddyd,  lyke  one  of 
the  wylde  Yreshe,  and  with  him  3  persons.     The  one  was  a  prest, 
his  name  they  know  not,  but  they  say  he  is  his  schole  master, 
and  hath  governyd  him  ever  sins  the  deathe  of  his  father,  the 
which  they  say  also  kepythe  him  so  under  that,  and  yff  he  rebuke 
him  never  so  little,  he  treamblythe  for  fear."    (State  Papers, 
Vol.  III.  p.  211.)     The   intrigues  of  the   English  King   soon 
obliged  the  young  Geraldine   to  fly    from  France  and  subse 
quently   also  from  Flanders.     He  then  took  refuge  in  Rome 
"  where  he  was  treated  with  the  greatest  affection."  (Earls  of 
Kildare.)     In  Rome  he  was  liberally  provided  for  by  Cardinal 
Pole,  and  pursued  his  studies  there,  from  1543  to  1548,  when  he 
returned  to  Ireland,  still  accompanied,  as  in  all  the  vicissitudes 
of  his  fortunes,  by  Dr.  Leverous.  (Dr.  Moraris  Archbishops  of 
Dublin;  De  Eosarios  Hist,  of  Geraldines,  translated  by  Eev. 
C.  P.  Meehan.) 

Dr.  Leverous  was  mainly  instrumental  in  organizing  that 
confederacy  of  the  Irish  chieftains,  Desmond,  O'Brien,  O'Donnell 
and  O'Neill,  which,  in  1537  and  1540,  well-nigh  overthrew  the 
English  power  in  Ireland.  The  despatches  of  the  time  declare 
that  "never  was  such  a  combination  seen  in  Ireland,"  and, 
whilst  the  English  Commanders  portray  their  own  alarms,  and 
their  treacherous  designs,  they  also  record  the  interesting  ^fact 
that  the  Irish  confederates  had  appealed  to  arms  to  defend  "  the 
supremacy  of  the  Pope  and  the  Geraldines."  (State  Papers,  Hi. 
145:  Dr.  Moran's  Archbps.  Dub.  p.  57.) 

In  Shirley's  Original  Letters,  p.  61,  a  curious  letter  appears 
from  the  Lord  Deputy,  Sir  James  Crofts,  to  the  English  Court, 
proposing  Dr.  Leverous  for  either  of  the  vacant  Sees  of  Cashel 
or  Ossory.  This  high  Protestant  official  states,  regarding  Dr. 
Leverous,  that  "  for  learning,  discretion,  and  ^in  outward 
appearance)  for  good  life,  he  is  the  meetest  man  in  the  realm, 
and  best  able  to  preach  in  the  English  and  Irish  tongue.  For  *s 
much  (he  adds)  as  he  was  thought  an  offender  for  conveying  the 
lord  Garret  out  of  the  realm,  and  notwithstanding,  since  had  his 


26 


BISHOPS   OF  KILDAKE. 


pardon,  I  dare  not  become  a  suitor  for  him,  although,  as  I  have 
said,  I  know  no  man  so  meet.  I  heard  him  preach  such  a  sermon 
as,  in  my  simple  opinion,  I  did  not  hear  in  many  years."  Dr. 
Leverous,  however,  was  not  the  flexible  character  required  by 
the  ^English  courtiers,  ready  to  subordinate  his  religious 
opinions  to  prospects  of  worldly  advancement.  It  was  not  until 
the  year  1555,  on  the  deprivation  of  Thomas  Lancaster,  the 
Protestant  Bishop,  that  Dr.  Leverous  was  advanced  to  the  See 
of  Kildare,  his  native  diocese.  Though  his  nomination  received 
the  sanction  of  the  Holy  See  in  August,  yet  the  Bull  of  his 
appointment  did  not  reach  Ireland  till  the  19th  of  December, 
owing  to  the  illness  of  the  messenger  to  whom  it  was  entrusted. 
In  the  Auditor  General's  Office  there  is  a  petition  of  Dr. 
Leverous,  praying  to  be  allowed  the  main  dues  of  the  See  from 
the  date  of  the  Pope's  Bull,  which  profits  are  stated  to  be  forty- 
four  pounds  per  annum.  His  petition  was  granted,  as  appears 
by  the  Order,  which  is  dated  the  15th  of  February.  (Masons 
History  of  St.  Patrick's  Cathedral,  p.  162.) 

When,  on  the  accession  of  Elizabeth,  Dr.  Leverous  was 
summoned  to  take  the  oath  of  supremacy,  he  decisively  refused. 
A  fiat  of  Elizabeth,  dated  4th  February  ii  Elizab.  at  10a.m., 
preserved  in  the  Public  Record  Office,  Dublin,  199  (6274) 
certifies  that  the  oath  of  supremacy  was  refused  by  William 
Walsh,  Bishop  of  Meath,  and  Thomas,  Bishop  of  Kildare,  they 
"affirming  their  conscience  to  be  their  let."  The  interview  of 
Dr.  Leverous  with  the  Deputy  is  thus  described  in  Mason's 
Hist,  of  St.  Patrick's,  "  The  Lord  Deputy  asked  him  why  he 
refused  to  take  an  oath  which  had  been  already  taken  by  so  many 
illustrious  men.  TheBishop  made  answer,  that  all  ecclesiastical 
jurisdiction  was  derived  from  Christ,  and  since  the  Divine 
Jj  ounder  of  the  Church  did  not  deem  it  fit  to  confer  ecclesiastical 
authority  even  on  the  most  privileged  of  women,  his  own  blessed 
Mother,  how  could  it  be  believed  that  supremacy,  and  the 
primacy  of  ecclesiastical  authority  should,  in  future  ages,  be 
delegated  to  any  one  of  that  sex.  He  added,  that  according  to 
the  command  of  the  Apostle,  no  woman  should  presume  to  speak 
authoritatively  in  the  Church,  much  less  should  she  preside  and 
rule  there  ;  and,  to  confirm  this  opinion,  he  adduced  authorities 
Irom  bt.  Chrysostom  and  Tertullian  and  other  writers.  The 
Deputy,  abandoning  this  line  of  argument,  then  represented  to 
him  that  if  he  refused  to  comply,  he  must  be  deprived  of  all  his 
revenues ;  to  which  the  worthy  Bishop  replied  in  the  words  of 
the  bacred  Text :  "  What  shall  it  profit  a  man  to  gain  the  whole 
world,  if  he  lose  his  own  soul  ?"  The  threat  was  soon  put  in 


BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE.  27 

execution.     Dr.  Leverous  was  deprived  of  all  the  temporalities 
of  his  See,  and  compelled  to  fly  to  concealment.     He  abode  for 
some  time  at  Adare,  where  he  supported  himself  by  teaching 
school,   and  where  he  had,  as  an  assistant,  Richard   Creagh, 
afterwards  Archbishop  of  Armagh.     He  subsequently  returned 
to  his  Diocese,  where  he  continued  to  exercise  the  duties  of  his 
sacred  office,  constantly  exposed  to  the  extreme  penalties  which 
detection  would  have  brought  on  him.     At  length,  broken  down 
in  health  by  unceasing  labours  and  privation,  he  breathed  his 
last  in  a  poor  hut  at  Naas,  at  the  age  of  80,  about  the  year  1577, 
and  was  buried  at  the  parish  church  of  St.  David.     Father  John 
Holing,  S.J.,  in  an  interesting  document  on  the  "  Irish  Martyrs 
during  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,"  preserved  in  the  Irish  College  of 
Salamanca,  pronounces  a  high  eulogium  on  Dr.  Leverous,  and 
states  on  the  authority  of  trustworthy  persons,  that  the  holy 
Bishop's  grave  was  glorified  by  many  miracles.     Sad  to  relate, 
the  hallowed  spot  where  this  saintly  Prelate's  relics  are  laid  ^is 
unmarked  and  even  unknown  !     The  following  is  the  passage  in 
Father  Holing  above  referred  to ;  it  is  taken  from  "  Perbreve 
Compendium,  in  quo  continentur  nonnulli  eorum  qui^  in 
Hibernia,  regnante  impia  Eegina  Elizabeth,  vincula,  exilium 
et    martyrium   perpessi  sunt;    compositum  a  P.    Joanne 
Hollingo,  Hiberno}   Societatis  Jesu.     "  Thomas   Louros,  Kil- 
darensis  Epus.,  vir  pietate  et  doctrina  praeditus,  sub  Edwardi 
Sexti  "Regis  imperio,  omnibus,  non  solum  dignitatibus,  verum  et 
bonis  (quod  Eegem  Ecclesiae  caput  esse  negaverit)  spoliatus  fuit. 
Mortuo  Edwardo,  regnavit  Maria  Regina  christianissima,  a  .qua 
praedictus    Episcopus   in   pristinam    dignitatem   magno    curn 
honore   et  populi  consolatione,  restitutus   est.      At,   post    sex 
annos,  succedente  impia  Elizabetha,  et  inhumaniter  in  Catholicos 
saeviente,  in  priorem  incidit  calamitatem  adeo  ut  rebus  omnibus 
amissis,  modo  hie  modo  alibi,  cum  magno  vitae  discrimine,  vitam 
degere  coactus  fuit,  saepeque  ad  vitam  tuendam  pueros  et  rudes 
gramaticam,  tanquam  pauper  pedogogus,  docere.     Sacramenta 
praeterea,  et  alia  ut  Epum.  decet,  magno  cum  zelo  et  fervore 
quasi  per   totum   regnum   rninistrabat.      Yitia  et   publice  et 
privatim  reprehendebat,  monita  salutis,  consilia  omnibus  dabat. 
Hisce  tandem,  et  smilibus  laboribus  per  multos  annos  fortis  hie 
Jesu  Christi  miles,  in  orthodoxa  fide  constantissime  perseverans, 
senio,  infirmitateque  (nam  octogenarius  erat)  confectus,  in  oppido 
quod  Naze  in  Lagenia  Provincia  dicitur,  e  vita  discessit  circa 
annum  1577,   cujus   corpus    in    dicto   oppido   sepultum  jacet, 
multaque  (ut  fide  digni  testantur)  edidit  miracula,"-— Spic.  Ossor. 
Vol.  I,  p.  82. 


28  BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE. 

Father  Holing  is  himself  enumerated  by  Tanner  amongst  the 
heroic  confessors  of  the  Society  of  Jesus ;  he  died  a  victim  of 
charity  whilst  attending  those  stricken  with  the  plague,  at 
Lisbon,  in  January  1599.  (Dr  Moran.) 

In  the  JRenehan  MSS.  is  a  paper  entitled  Episcopi  Hiberniae 
Marytres,  in  which  the  following  reference  to  Dr.  Leverous 
occurs  :  "  Thomas  Leurus  Kildariensis  Episcopus  post  egregiarn 
navatam  sarmentis  hseresios  amputandis  operam,  quam,  licet 
interim  haeretici  supplicia  multa  et  ipsum  de  more  Phalaridis 
taurum  intentassent,  nunquam  quoad  potuit  intermisit,  Qua 
ratione  suam  decurtavit  vitam :  satellitibus  quaque  cursitantibus 
et  subsessiones  in  quibuscunque  divorgiis  struentibus  ut  mortem 
accelerarent  quam  tandem  adeptus  est,  1577." 

In  such  high  esteem  did  the  Apostolic  Commissary,  Father 
David  Wolfe,  S.J.,  hold  Dr.  Leverous  that  we  find  him,  in  1563, 
nominating  the  Bishop  of  Kildare,  first,  on  the  list  of  those 
names  presented  to  the  Cardinal  Protector  of  Ireland  as  worthy 
of  being  advanced  to  the  vacant  Primatial  See  of  Armagh. 
"  Illme.  Revme.  Dfle.  Hos  invenimus  esse  idoneos  qui  nunquam 
ab  unitate  Sanctae  Matris  Ecclse.  deviaverunt.  1°.  Thomam 
Leverum,  Epum.  Kyldaren.  qui,  tempore  Henrici  8vi  ,  Edwardi 
ejus  filii,  et  etiam  hoc  ipso  tempore  expulsus  fuit  suo  Episcopatu 
eo  quod  noluerit  obtemperare  in  parliamenta  haereticis."  The 
others  named  were  Dr.  Walsh,  Bishop  of  Meath,  and  Hugh, 
Bishop  of  Limerick. 

From  the  death  of  Dr.  Leverous,  in  1577,  to  the  year  1629, 
the  See  of  Kildare  was  administered  by  Vicars  Apostolic.  Even 
in  the  life-time  of  Dr.  Leverous,  namely,  on  the  10th  of  April, 
1575,  Dr.  Richard  Creagh,  Archbishop  of  Armagh,  received 
faculties  for  the  entire  Province  of  Dublin.  (Brief  noted  in  Dr. 
Moran's  Archbps.  Dub.  p.  83.) 

The  Rev.  Robert  Lalor  was  Vicar-General  of  the  Dioceses  of 
Dublin,  Kildare  and  Ferns,  from  1594  to  1606.  He  was  ordained 
m  1576,  by  Dr.  Richard  Brady,  then  Bishop  of  Ardagh.  From 
the  report  of  Fr.  Lawlor's  trial  it  would  appear  that  Dr.  Brady, 
after  his  translation  to  Kilmore,  in  1580,  was  appointed  Delegate 
Apostolic,  by  the  Holy  See,  and  that,  in  the  exercise  of  that 
authority,  he  appointed  Robert  Lalor  Vicar-General  of  Dublin, 
Kildare  and  Ferns.  (Appendix  to  State  of  Ireland,  Anno  1598). 
In  1606  Fr.  Lalor  was  arrested,  being  accused  of  exercising 
foreign  jurisdiction,  and  styling  himself  Vicar-General  of  these 
dioceses.  On  the  22nd  of  December,  a  form  of  retractation  was 
proposed  to  him  in  which  King  James  was  declared  to  be  "  law 
ful  chief  and  supreme  governor  in  all  causes  as  well  ecclesiastical 


BISHOPS   OF  KILDARE.  29 

as  civil ;"  the  bishops  "  ordained  and  made  by  the  King's 
authority"  were  acknowledged  to  be  "  lawful  bishops,"  and,  in 
fine,  a  promise  was  exacted  that  he  would  be  "  willing  and  ready 
to  obey  the  King,  as  a  good  and  obedient  subject  ought  to  do, 
in  all  lawful  commandments."  To  this  latter  promise  Lalor 
readily  assented  ;  and,  interpreting  the  preceding  declarations  as 
merely  regarding  the  legal  ordinances  of  the  realm,  he  sub 
scribed  to  them  also.  He  was  still,  however,  kept  in  custody. 
His  friends,  learning  that  he  had  acknowledged  the  King's 
supremacy,  were  indignant,  but  they  were  appeased  when  he  pro 
tested  "  that  his  acknowledgment  of  the  King's  authority  did  not 
extend  to  spiritual,  but  was  confined  to  temporal  causes  only." 
This  declaration  of  his  soon  reached  the  ears  of  the  Lord  Deputy, 
and,  in  consequence,  he  was  at  once  indicted  under  the  statute 
of  praemunire,  tried,  and  found  guilty.  The  judge  reproached 
him  with  having  denied  what  he  had  previously,  by  his  signature, 
acknowledged  to  be  true.  Lalor  declared  that  there  was  no  con 
tradiction  between  the  document  which  he  had  signed  and  his 
declaration  to  his  friends  ;  he  had  admitted  the  King's  authority 
in  the  question  of  social  order,  but  "  he  had  told  his  friends  that 
he  had  not  acknowledged  the  King's  supremacy  in  the  spiritual 
order,  and  this  he  still  affirmed  to  be  true."  This  declaration 
was  pronounced,  by  the  Government  officials,  to  be  "  knavery 
and  silliness,"  sentence  of  death  was  pronounced  upon  the 
prisoner,  and  was  carried  into  effect  a  few  days  later.  (Dr. 
Moraris  Archbps.  Dub.  p.  219.) 

Dr.  James  Talbot  is  the  next  we  find  recorded  as  having  admini 
stration  of  the  Diocese  of  Kildare.  In  the  Regal  Visitation  of 
1615,  the  Commissioners  reported  his,  amongst  the  "  names  of 
such  Jesuits  and  other  eminent  priests  as  are  appointed  by  the 
Pope,  and  do  exercise  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction ; — Talbot,  brother 
to  William  Talbot,  is  lately  preferred  to  be  Vicar-General  of  the 
Dioceses  of  Dublin  and  Kildare,  for  his  brother's  constancy  in 
England."  (Ware's  Annals.)  A  Provincial  Synod  was  held  at 
Kilkenny,  on  the  22nd  of  June,  1614  ;  though  the  names  of  those 
who  represented  the  suffragan  Sees,  then  all  vacant,  are  not 
mentioned,  there  is  reason  for  concluding  that  Dr.  Talbot  re 
presented  the  Diocese  of  Kildare  on  that  occasion.  He  appears 
as  Vicar-General  of  Kildare,  in  1615,  in  the  Wadding  MBS.,  and 
he  received  his  appointment  as  Vicar- Apostolic  of  this  Diocese, 
in  1617.  (Idem.) 

Donatus  Dowling  was  appointed  Vicar-Apostolic  Diocesis 
Dariocellensis, — which  both  Drs.  Moran  and  Brady  conclude  to 
mean  Kildare, — on  the  llth  of  March,  1621. 


30  BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE. 

The  name  of  Dr.  Talbot  again  appears  as  Vicar-Apostolic  of 
Kildare,  affixed  to  a  Document  of  the  Irish  Prelates,  dated  5th 
of  June,  1623,  appointing  "  Joannes  Roche,  S.T.D.,  Canonicus 
Sti-  Petri  Duacensis,  et  Prot.  Apostolicus,"  as  their  representative 
on  the  occasion  of  the  marriage  of  Prince  Charles  with  the 
Infanta,  and  their  agent  for  general  causes  (Wadding  MSS.)', 
and,  again,  to  a  Commendatory  Letter  in  favour  of  the 
Capuchin  Order,  dated  the  4th  of  September,  1624.  (Spic.  Ossor. 
Vol.  ~L,p.  136.)  Both  Dr.  Matthews,  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  and 
his  successor  Dr.  Fleming,  made  application  to  the  Hoty  See  to 
have  Dr.  Talbot  appointed  Bishop  of  Kildare,  but  that  appoint 
ment  did  not  take  place.  On  the  17th  of  November,  1629,  J. 
A.  Cardinalis  StL  Onofrio  wrote  to  inform  Dr.  Talbot  that  his 
office  as  Vicar- Apostolic  of  Kildare  had  been  terminated  by  the 
appointment  of  Rocco  della  Croce  to  that  See.  (  Wadding  MSS.) 

Roccus  DE  CRUCE,  alias  ROCHE  MAC  GEOGHEGAN,  a 
Dominican  friar,  was  preconized  in  Consistory  of  January  the 
8th,  1629,  and  appointed  Bishop  of  Kildare,  on  the  12th  of 
February  following,  with  a  dispensation  for  two  years  to  enable 
him  to  accept  the  office  of  Vicar-General  elsewhere,  so  that  it 
might  not  be  said  that  he  held  a  plurality  of  cures.  "  Card. 

Barbarinus  praeconium  etiam  fecit  ecclesiae  Kildarien 

multis  ab  hinc  annis  vacanti  per  obitum  ultimi  ejusdem  Episcopi, 
pro  R.  P.  frat.  Rocco  de  Cruce  ad  earn  promovendo,  jussu  Smi  et 
electo  in  Congregatione  S.  Officii,  4,  Januarii,  1629."  (Barberini 
Archives.)  "  Die  12°  Feb.,  1629,  Barberinus  proposuit  Kildarien. 
pro  persona  nominata,  cum  dispensatione  ad  duos  annos,  ut  possit 
fungi  officio  cujusdam  Vicariatus  Generalis,ne  possit  dici  eumdem 
habere  diversas  animarum  curas,  quod  Smus  dixit  tolerari  in 
Germania  adhoc  ut  Episcopi  magis  strenue  possint  contra 
hereticos  se  habere  et  resistere."  (Barb.  Archives.) 

In  the  Paper  drawn  up  for  the  Congregation  of  Propaganda 
in  which  Dr.  MacGeoghegan  was  appointed  to  the  See  of 
Kildare,  he  is  described  as  Provincial  of  the  Dominican  Order, 
distinguished  by  birth  and  learning,  of  irreproachable  life,  fifty 
years  of  age,  a  native  of  the  Diocese  of  Meath,  and  as  having 
worthily  discharged  the  duties  of  the  Irish  Provincialate  for 
twelve  years,  to  the  great  edification  of  the  clergy  and  laity,  and 
the  brethren  of  the  Order.  "  Fr.  Roccus  de  Cruce,  O.S.D. 
Proyincialis,  vir,  sanguine,  vitae  integritate,  et  doctrina 
nobilissimus,  quinquagenarius,  Midensis  dioecesis,  qui  officium 
Provincialatus  in  Hibernia  per  duodecim  annos  continues, 
maxima  cum  sedificatione  cleri,  Populi,  et  fratrum  sui  Ordinis 


BISHOPS   OF  KILDARE.  31 

laudabiliter  exercuit."  (Archiv.  Barb.-  Dr.   Moran's  Archbvs 
Dub.  p.  344.) 

On  the  death  of  Peter  Lombard,  Archbishop  of  Armagh 
towards  the  close  of  the  year  1625,  the  Pope,  Urban  VIIL,  was 
urged  to  appoint  Father  MacGeoghegan  to  the  Primacy,  but  the 
appointment  did  not  take  place  in  consequence  of  the  remon 
strance  of  the  Earls  of  Tyrone  and  Tryconnell,  who  represented 
to  the  Pontiff  the  unsuitableness  of  any  Palesman,  no  matter 
how  great  his  merits,  for  the  Metropolitan  See  of  Ulster.  (Irish 
Hierarchy  in  17th  Cent,  5th  Edn.p.  169.) 

Dr.  MacGeoghegan,  who  was  connected  by  blood  with  some 
of  the  first  families  in  Ireland,  was  born  in  the  year  1580.  He 
was  an  alumnus  of  the  Dominican  Convent  at  Mullingar  ;  when 
thirteen  years  of  age,  he  was  sent  to  the  Irish  College  of  Lisbon, 
where  he  took  the  habit  of  St.  Dominic.  From  Lisbon  he  went 
to  Salamanca,  where  he  spent  eight  years.  He  was  then  sent, 
by  the  General  Chapter  of  Madrid,  to  revive  his  Order  in  Ire 
land,  where  it  had,  well-nigh,  died  out.  We  learn  from  De 
Burgo  (Hib.  Dom.  p.  610),  that  at  the  death  of  Elizabeth  there 
were  only  four  members  of  the  Dominican  Order  in  Ireland.  In 
1618,  they  were  again  a  numerous  body,  full  of  energy  and  zeal, 
under  the  guidance  of  Father  Roche  MacGeoghegan.  (Archbps. 
Dub.  p.  284.)  He  was  present  at  the  General  Chapter  of  the 
Dominicans,  at  Milan,  in  1622,  and  was  there  appointed 
Provincial  for  Ireland.  Returning  home,  he  established  a 
novitiate  in  the  Convent  of  Orlare,  Co.  Mayo,  and  laboured  hard 
for  the  restoration  of  his  Order.  He  was  very  strict  in  self- 
discipline,  and  was  much  given  to  fasting  and  contemplation, 
being  accustomed  to  spend  four  hours  daily  in  solitary  meditation! 
He  almost  renewed  the  Convents  in  Dublin,  Mullingar  and  Athy. 
Even  when  a  Bishop,  he  retained  the  rigour  of  his  monastic  rule. 
It  is  asserted  that  he  converted  Sir  Arthur  Blundel,  Vice- 
Treasurer,  in  1625,  and  also  one  O'Doyne  of  Trinity  College, 
Dublin.  He  subsequently  resigned  the  Provincialate  and  pro 
ceeded  to  Louvain,  where  he  assisted  in  founding  a  Convent  of 
Irish  Dominicans.  He  was  consecrated  at  Brussels,  by  the 
Archbishop  of  Mechlin,  soon  after  the  date  of  his  appointment  to 
Kildare.  He  appears  not  to  have  taken  possession  of  his  See  for 
a  considerable  time  after  ;  in  the  Wadding  MSS.  Vol.  2,  No.  93, 
a  letter  written  by  Dr.  MacGeoghegan  appears,  recommending 
Fr.  John  De  Burgo,  D.D.,  priest  of  the  Diocese  of  Clonfert,  to  be 
appointed  Bishop  of  that  See;  it  is  dated  from  the  College  of  St. 
John  the  Baptist,  Louvain,  10th  October,  1629.  His  subsequent 
career  in  Ireland  was  distinguished  by  zeal  and  laborious  exertion 


32  BISHOPS  OF   KILDARE. 

for  the  preservation  of  the  faith.  He  was  much  persecuted  by 
the  heretics,  being  personally  denounced,  and  those  who  should 
succour  or  shelter  him  threatened  with  severe  penalties.  He 
was  forced  to  fly  from  place  to  place,  concealing  himself  from  his 
pursuers.  Like  St.  Paul,  this  Prelate  had  also  to  endure  perse 
cution  from  false  brethren.  The  author  of  the  Aphorismical 
Discovery,  Pt.  l^p-  276,  thus  apostrophizes  Father  Peter  Walsh, 
O.S.F.,  the  notorious  author  of  the  Remonstrance,  and  an 
unworthy  child  of  the  Diocese  of  Kildare.  "  Your  persecuting 
brave  Prelates  is  innate  in  you,  as  from  your  cradle,  when  but  a 
slip  of  a  friar,  you  informed  the  Protestant  State  of  Dublin,  in  a 
time  of  persecution,  against  an  apostolic  Prelate,  a  true  child  of 
Dominic's  Order,  Roche  MacGeoghegan,  Bishop  of  Kildare, 
saying  that  he  was  not  Kildare's  but  Tyrone's  Bishop,  to 
exasperate  the  State  against  the  holy  Prelate,  which  cost  him 
many  a  night's  wail."  He  had  collected  a  fine  library,  but  w?s 
obliged  by  the  distress  then  prevalent,  to  pledge  a  great  portion 
of  it  to  relieve  his  flock.  In  the  Irish  Hierarchy  in  the  VJth 
Century  it  is  stated  that  Dr.  MacGeoghegan  was  seized  with 
paralysis  while  preaching  the  panegyric  of  St.  Francis  in  the 
Church  of  Multifernan.  In  this  helpless  state  he  was  carried 
to  Kilbeggan  in  order  to  obtain  the  services  of  Owen  O'Sheil,  a 
celebrated  physician,  styled  the  Eagle  of  Irish  Doctors,  but  he 
died  before  the  latter  had  time  to  see  him.  This  account  of  the 
circumstances  of  the  Prelate's  death  is  scarcely  consistent  with 
the  statements  of  other  authorities,  by  whom  he  is  represented 
as  paralysed  and  helpless  from  other  infirmities  for  a  considerable 
time  before  his  death.  De  Burgo  fixes  the  date  of  his  death  at 
1641,  but  "Wadding,  correctly,  states  that  it  took  place  in  1644. 
"Boccus  MacGeoghegan,  moritur  anno  1644,  ante  mensem 
Junium,"  (fol.  243.)  In  a  list  of  the  Irish  Bishops,  presented  to 
the  S.  Congregation  in  1643,  Dr.  MacGeoghegan  is  described  as 
"  still  living  but  helpless  from  paralysis  and  other  infirmities." 
II  vescovo  Kildariense  e  fra  Rocco  Geoghegan,  Dominicano, 
paralitico  ed  impotente.  Invernizi,  who  was  companion  to  the 
Nuncio  Rinuccini,  in  a  Relatio  of  the  Irish  Sees,  sent  to  Pope 
Innocent,  in  1645,  describes  the  See  of  Kildare  as  vacant  by  the 
recent  death  of  the  Bishop ;  "  Ecclesia  Kildariensis  nuper 
antistite  orbata."  He  bequeathed  his  vestments  and  books  to 
the  Diocese  of  Kildare,  and  was  buried  in  the  tomb  of  his 
ancestors  in  the  Church  of  the  Franciscans  at  Multifernan. 
(Franciscan  Monasteries.) 

During  the  Episcopate  of  Dr.  MacGeoghegan  a  Provincial 
Synod  was  held,  on  the  29th  of  July,  1640,  at  Tyrchogir,  near 


BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE.  33 

the  present  town  of  Portarlington.  Dr.  Moran  thinks  that  this 
place  was  chosen  to  suit  the  convenience  of  the  Bishop  of 
Kildare,  who  was  in  failing  health,  and  that  he  probably  resided 
in  the  locality  ;  a  short  distance  from  Tyrcogir  there  is  a  place 
called  Bishops  Wood\  this  adds  to  the  probability  of  the  con 
jecture.  The  Acts  of  this  Synod  are  here  inserted,  extracted 
from  a  collection  of  the  "Constitutiones  Provinciales  et  Synodales 
Ecclesiae  Metropolitanae  et  Primatialis  Dublinensis,"  printed  in 
1770,  without  the  name  of  the  Editor  or  place  of  publication. 

Acta,  Conventa  et  Ordinata,  in  Concilia  Provinciali,  habito 
in  Parochia  de  Tyrchogir,  in  Dioscesi  Kildariensi,  sub 
Illustrissimo  Domino  Fratre  Thoma,  Archiepiscopo  Dublini- 
ense  ejusque  Suffraganiis,  quorum  nomina  subscribuntur. 

Die  29  Julii,  Anno  Domini  1640. 

Quandoquidem  ea  pastoralis  nostri  muneris  Ratio  sit,  ut 
Gregem  Dei,  nostrae  Curae  Commissum,  ea  Mente,  Zelo,  ac 
puritate  pascamus,  sicuti  pasci  jubet  pastorum  Princeps  :  Pascite, 
qui  in  Vobis  est,  Gregem  Lei;  providentes  non  coacte,  sed 
spontanee,  secundum  Deum ;  neque  turpis  Lucri  Gratia,  sed 
voluntarie ;  neque  ut  Dominantes  in  Cleris,  sed  forma  faeti 
Gregis  ex  animo,  etc.  Nostrum  esse  censuimus,  secundum 
Deum  et  hoc  non  Dominantes  in  Clero,  sed  summo,  paternoque 
affectu  (quantum  in  nostra  potestate  est)  Canones,  Ecclesiaeque 
Sanctiones  sequendo,  pro  Temporis,  Locique  conditione,  Con 
stitutiones  et  Acta  sequentia  ordinare,  quibus  subditi 
solicitudini  nostri  Pastores  directi,  Disciplinae  ac  Morum 
Rationem  nobis  reddere  queant ;  Nos  autem  de  pastorali  nostro 
Munere  justos  calculos  Deo  ponere  valeamus. 

1°  Servetur  Uniformitas  a  Pastoribus  Provinciae  in  Sacra- 
mentorum  Administratione,  et  Disciplina  Ecclesiastica ;  et  pro 
Matrimoniis  circumspectius  contrahendis,  volumus,  et  ordinamus, 
ut  fiant  tres  Denunciationes  tribus  festivis  diebus,  juxta 
Concilium  Tridentinum;  et  si  requiri  debeat  Dispensatio  in 
Bannis  cum  Incolis  diversarum  Dioecesium,  requiri  debet  ab 
Ordinariis  utriusque  Dioecesis.  Parochos,  vero,  omittens  Bannas, 
seu  earum  aliquam,  puniatur,  prima  vice,  Mulcta  10  Solidorum, 
Secunda  vice,  Mulcta  20  Solidorum,  Tertiavice  suspendatur. 

2°  Nullus  Ordinarius  dispenset  in  Matrimonii  Impedimentfs 
cum  Subditis  alterius  Ordinarii,  sine  Approbatione  et  postulatione 
proprii  Ordinarii. 

3°  Nullus  Ordinarius  Communicet  Facilitates  alterius 
Dioecesis  Sacerdotibus,  nisi  cum  consensu  Ordinarii  Dioecesis  in 
qua  habitat  petens  Facultates. 


34  BISHOPS   OF  KILDARE. 

4°  Volumus,  et  ordinamus,  ut  nullus  Sacerdos  conjungat 
Matrimonio  eos  qui  sunt  alterius  Parochiae,  absque  Consensu 
proprii  Pastoris  aut  Ordinarii,  idque  sub  poena  Suspensions 
ipso  facto  incurrendae.  .  . 

5°  Volumus,  et  ordinamus,  ut  quicunque  Catholicus  percipiens 
Decimas,  aut  quoscunque  Redditus  Ecclesiasticos,  %  pendat 
Ordinario,  de  perceptis,  partem  vigesimam ;  de  percipiendis, 
partem  decimam.  Contrarium  vero  facientes,  puniantur  ex 
arbitrio  Ordinarii.  Insuper,  volumus,  ut  omnes  provinciae 
nostrae  Confessarii,  hoc  notificent  suis  poenitentibus. 

6°  Volumus,  et  ordinamus,  ut  Monasteria  desolata  subjaceant 
Visitationi  et  omnimodae  Correction!  Ordinarii,  et  ut  Dispensatio 
in  Eedditibus  dictomm  Monasteriomm  pertineat  ad  propnum 
Ordinarium* 

7°  Declaramus,  quod,  nee  Jure,  nee  Privilegio,  nee  Con- 
suetudine,  Kegularibus  administrare  liceat  Viaticum,  Extremam 
Unctionem,  aut  Baptismi  Sacramentum,  vel  Matrimonium 
solemnizare,  absque  Consensu  Parochi  a,ut  Ordinarii. 

8°  Volumus,  et  ordinamus,  up  Capellani  Nobilium  non 
administrent  Viaticum,  Extremam  Unctionem,  Baptismi 
Sacramentum,neque  Matrimonium  solemnizent,  absque  consensu 
Parochi ;  et,  contrarium  faciens,  reddet  Parocho  totum  lucrum 
inde  perceptum,  et,  insuper,  puniatur  ad  arbitrium  Ordinarii. 

9°  Declaramus,  quod  Venerabilis  D.  Gulielmus  Devereux,  ab 
Illustrissimo  Domino  Dubliniensi,  Vicarius  Ecdesiae  Fernensis 
constitutus,  sit  vere'  Ordinarius  intentus,  et  intellectus,^  in 
Facilitate  administrandi  omnia  Sacramenta  (exceptis  Con- 
firmatione  et  Sacris  Ordinibus)  Missionariis  Hiberniae  concessa, 
prout  dicta  facultas  intellecta  est,  et  moderata  a  sacra  Congrega- 
tione  Cardinalium,  annis  abhinc  circiter  18. 

11°  Cum  id,  vel  imprimis,  Episcopis  et  Ordinariis  incumbat, 
ut  Parochiis  de  Pastoribus  litteratis  provisum  sit ;  hinc,  pars  non 
exigua  est  nostrae  Curae,  ut  ad  Seminariorum  nostrae  Grentis 
Kegimen,  Disciplinam,  et  praeservationem  attendamus ;  utque  in 
eis  servetur  aequalitas  in  Scholaribus  admittendis  et  educendis. 
Cum  enim  dicta  Seminaria,  seu  Collegia,  erecta^  fuerint  in 
commune  bonum  Ecclesiae  ac  Nationis  Hiberniae,  et  pro 
continuanda  litteratorum  Pastorum  successione,  Fas  est  ut 
(Nobis  id  serio  meditantibus),  justitia  fiat  omnibus  Provinces,  in 
Operariis  pro  Vinea  Domini  educendis.  Cum  igitur  Nobis  non 
obscure  constet,  dictam  aequalitatem  in  Scholaribus  admittendis 
non  esse  in  quibusdam  nostrae  Gentis  Seminariis  servatam  ; 
Visum  est  rationi,  nostrique  Curae  consentaneum,  quam  primum 
Litteras  ad  eos  destinare  qui  hujusmodi  in  Seminariis  Deordi- 
nationi  et  Inaequalitati  Remedium  possunt  adhibere. 


BISHOPS  OF   KILDARE.  35 

12°  Nontantum  haec  Statutaet  Constitutioneshujus  nostrae 
Concilii  Provincialis,  sed,  insuper,  omnia  Acta,  Conventa  et 
Declarata  Concilii  Provincialis  Kilkeniae,  habiti  die  22°  Junii, 
1614,  sub  Illustrissimo  Domino  Fratre  Eugenio  Mathaeo,  piae 
Memoriae,  Archiepiscopo  Dubliniensi,  quae  postea  confirmata 
sunt  in  Concilio  Provincial!,  habito  Dublinii  sub  praesenti 
Metropolitan,  hoc  etiam  Concilio  confirmamus,  stabilimus  et 
innovamus — 

F.  Thomas,  Archiepiscopus  Dubliniensis. 

David,  Ossoriensis. 

Rochus,  Kildariensis. 

Gulielmus  Devreux,  Vicarius  Fernensis. 

A  Summary  of  the  Synodical  Decrees  of  the  Province  of  Dublin, 
during  the  17th  Century,  is  given  in  the  Appendix  ;  also,  a 
List  of  the  Churches  and  Chapels  of  the  Diocese  of  Kildare, 
drawn  up  by  Dr.  MacGeoghegan  at  the  instance  of  Father 
Colgan,  the  Author  of  the  Acta  Sanctorum  Hiberniae,  etc. 
Prefixed  to  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  is  an  Approbatio 
of  this  Prelate,  dated  "  e  loco  mansionis  nostrae,  die  8a  Januarii 
1637." 

In  March,  1642,  Archdeacon  Golborne  and  Mr.  Lightborne 
deposed,  that  in  the  rebellion  of  1641,  "  the  ornaments  of  the 
Cathedral  of  Kildare  and  the  books  belonging  to  the  same,  value 
ten  pounds,  also  the  Chapter  Chest,  containing  all  the  evidences 
and  rescripts  of  the  Chapter,  were,  in  December,  1 641,  taken 
away  by  Rosse  McGeoghegan,  titular  Bishop  of  Kildare,  Dempsy 
his  Vicar-General,  William  Borey,  priest,  and  the  friars  of  the 
Gray  Abbey  there,  etc.,  and  the  Church  and  tithes  and  rents 
belonging  to  the  said  Chapter  were  seized  by  the  said  Bishop, 
friars  and  priest,  to  the  yearly  loss  of  the  said  Dean  and  Chapter 
of  more  than  £130  per  annum."  (MS.  T.C.D.,  F.  2.6.) 

From  the  death  of  Dr.  MacGeoghegan,  in  1644,  to  the  appoint 
ment  of  Dr.  Forstall,  in  1676,  the  Diocese  of  Kildare  was 
administered  by  Vicars.  James  Dempsy,  already  mentioned  as 
having  been  Vicar-General  to  Dr.  MacGeoghegan,  got  charge  of 
the  Diocese  immediately  after  that  Bishop's  death.  Rinuccini, 
writing  to  Cardinal  Panfilio,  from  Kilkenny  under  date  7th  of 
March,  1646,  states :  "  For  the  See  of  Kildare,  besides  the  person 
recommended  by  the  Council,  the  people  and  many  Bishops  of 
Leinster  commend  and  greatly  desire  James  Dempsy,  Vicar- 
General  of  that  Diocese  for  some  years,  whom  they  prefer  to  Fr. 
Everard,  of  whom  an  account  was  written  before."  This  account 
is  contained  in  another  letter  from  Rinuccini  to  Panfilio,  dated 


3(>  BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE. 

31st  December,  1645.  "  Fr.  Joseph  Everard  is  here  at  Kilkenny, 
and  lives  with  much  edification-  His  father  suffered  gloriously 
for  the  faith  in  the  past  persecutions,  and  I  have  already  written 
separately  to  your  Eminence  a  recommendation  of  him  at  the 
request  of  those  who  carried  it."  (Episc.  Succession,  Vol.  2,  pp. 

345-9  ) 

The  name  of  "James  Dempsy,  Vicar-General  of  Kildare,"  is 
affixed  to  the  Resolutions  of  a  National  Synod  held  at  Waterford 
on  the  12th  of  August,  1646.  In  a  Congregation  of  Propaganda, 
held  on  the  15th  of  Jane,  1655,  it  was  proposed  to  make  James 
Dempsy  Vicar-Apostolic  of  Kildare  Diocese.  (Brady's  Episc. 
Succn.)  In  1661,  the  Abbe  Geraldine  was  appointed  by  the 
Primate  to  superintend  the  diocese,  there  being  then  no  Vicar- 
General.  (Idem.)  A  National  Conference  of  the  Bishops  and 
other  clergy,  to  the  number  of  53,  assembled  in  Dublin  in  June, 
1666.  The  Duke  of  Ormond  connived  at  this  meeting,  and  one 
of  his  chief  motives  for  so  doing,  as  he  has  himself  placed  on 
record,  was  "  to  sow  divisions  amongst  the  clergy."  ^  The_  prin 
cipal  object  of  the  meeting  was  to  consider  the  desirability  or 
otherwise  of  signing  the  Remonstrance,  or  profession  of  loyalty, 
proposed  by  Father  Peter  Walsh,  O.S.F.,  the  creature  of  Ormond. 
The  six  Gallican  Propositions  of  1663  were  brought  under 
discussion,  and  every  effort  was  used  by  Ormond  and  Walsh  to 
induce  the  fathers  to  sign  them.  A  certain  number  gave  a 
reluctant  assent  to  the  first  three  Propositions,  but  to  the  three 
latter,  which  assailed  the  supreme  Spiritual  Authority  and  the 
Infallibility  of  the  Sovereign  Pontiff,  as  also  to  the  Remon 
strance  in  its  proposed  form,  they  unanimously  refused  to  attach 
their  signatures.  Amongst  those  assembled  on  this  occasion  was 
James  Dempsy,  Vicar- Apostolic  of  Dublin,  who  was  also  Vicar- 
Capitular  of  Kildare.  (See  Art.  I.  E.  Record  for  June,  1870.) 

At  a  National  Synod  held  in  Dublin,— a  note  of  Propaganda 
describes  it  as  held  "  in  Bridge  street,  in  the  house  of  Mr. 
Reynolds,  at  the  foot  of  the  Bridge,"— in  June  1670,  under  the 
presidency  of  Primate  Oliver  Plunkett,  a  Petition  to  the  Holy 
See  was  adopted,  soliciting  the  appointment  of  Bishops  to  some 
of  the  vacant  Sees,  and  proposing  the  names  of  those  whom  they 
deemed  most  worthy  of  the  Episcopal  dignity.  Father  Nicholas 
Netterville,  S.  J.,  styled  by  the  Fathers  as  "  distinguished  for  his 
learning  and  eloquence  in  preaching  the  Word  of  God," — vir 
doctrina  et  verbi  Dei  predicatione  Celebris, — was  proposed  for 
the  See  of  Kildare.  Dr.  Talbot,  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  thus 
writes  of  him  : — "  Haec  vero  viri  censura  tan  to  apud  me  ponderis 
est,  ut  una  sit  ad  instar  omnium.  Fuit  enim  is  vir  ob  ingenii 
insigne  acumen  ac  doctrinam,  qua  in  Gallic  Collegiis  to  to  regno 


BISHOPS  OF   KILDARE.  37 

celeberrimis  per  annos  plurimos  lectorem  egit,  gentis  suae  ingens 
decus.  Dublini  eo  in  honore  est  ob  conciones  ad  populum  et  in 
controversiis  enodandis  perspicaciam  perspicuitatemque  pari 
modestia  conjunctam" — and  the  Archbishop  sums  up  by  saying 
of  him  that  he  was  "Omni  invidia  major,  nullo  non  gradu 
dignitatis  dignus,  minimo  contentus." 

On  the  12th  of  May,  1671,  Propaganda  selected  Patrick 
Dempsy  to  be  Vicar- Apostolic  of  Kildare,  and  the  Pope  ratified 
this  appointment  on  the  26th  of  the  same  month.  He  was 
highly  recommended  by  the  Bishop  of  Ferns,  as  prudent,  of 
blameless  life  and  sound  judgment,  of  an  illustrious  family  (that 
of  Clanrnaleire),  and  a  Doctor  in  Moral  Theology  and  Laws.  Dr. 
Dempsy  had  been  for  seven  years  Rector  of  the  Irish  College  at 
Lille.  In  1668,  it  had  been  proposed  to  make  him  Bishop  of 
Kildare,  his  native  Diocese ;  he  was  on  that  occasion  described 
as  held  in  much  esteem  by  the  Catholics  of  Kildare,  and  as 
exemplary  and  prudent.  (Propaganda  Papers,  apud  Brady.) 
He  appears  to  have  administered  the  Diocese  until  the  appoint 
ment  of  Dr.  Forstall  to  the  See,  in  1676. 

Dr.  MARK  FORSTALL  was  elected  Bishop  of  Kildare  by  Propa 
ganda  on  the  8th  of  October,  1676,  having  been  previously  recom 
mended  by  the  Emperor,  according  to  letters  read  in  Congrega 
tion  of  Propaganda,  held  on  the  8th  of  May  in  the  same  year. 
He  was  an  Irishman  and  a  member  of  the  Order  of  Eremites  of 
St.  Augustine.  He  studied  in  the  College  of  St.  Gabriel  at 
Valladolid ;  having  finished  his  Theological  studies  in  1648,  he 
joined  the  Austrian  Province  of  the  Augustinians,  and  subse 
quently  became  regent  of  studies  at  Gratz,  in  1653.  He  took 
the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Theology  in  the  University  of  Vienna  in 
1655,  and  then  went  as  Professor  of  Theology  to  a  Convent  of 
the  Praemonstrants  at  Zabrdovich  in  Moravia.  He  was  elected 
Provincial  of  the  Order  in  Austria  in  1659,  in  which  office  he 
won  for  himself  the  esteem  and  favour  of  the  Imperial  Court. 
(Spic.  Ossor.)  He  entered  on  the  Irish  Mission  in  1672  (Annal. 
Ord.  S.  Aug.),  and,  as  already  stated,  was  chosen  Bishop  of 
Kildare  in  1676.  As  this  Diocese  afforded,  at  the  period  referred 
to,  but  slight  means  of  subsistence,  Dr.  Forstall  was  obliged  to 
have  recourse  to  Rome,  the  common  mother  of  all,  soliciting  aid 
in  his  distress.  The  Primate,  Dr.  Plunkett,  who  held  him  in 
the  highest  esteem,  was  mainly  instrumental  in  procuring  for 
him  the  administration  of  Leighlin.  The  following  letter  from 
Dr.  Plunkett  to  his  Eminence  Cardinal  Colonna,  relates  to  this 
subject.  It  is  dated  the  20th  of  August,  1677,  and  runs  thus : — 
"  The  great  affection  which  your  Eminence  has  ever  displayed 
for  me  and  for  this  nation  is  the  cause  of  my  so  often  incon- 


38  BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE. 

veniencing  you  for  myself  and  for  my  friends,  amongst  whom  is 
Dr.  Forstall,  a  grave  and  learned  Prelate  and  here  esteemed  by 
all.  He  is  Bishop  of  Kildare,  which  Diocese  is  amongst  the 
poorest  of  this  Kingdom,  having  only  fifteen  priests,  and  yielding 
no  more  than  £15,  that  is,  about  56  scudi  of  Roman  money.  It 
is  certain  that  many  of  the  Chaplains  of  the  Madonna  dei  Monti" 
(the  Parochial  Church  of  the  Irish  College  at  Rome)  "  receive  a 
great  deal  more,  and  this  poverty  of  the  Bishops  renders  them 
the  servants  of  the  laity  and  makes  them  ridiculous  and  con 
temptible.  The  manner  of  succouring  this  worthy  Prelate  is, 
either  to  destine  an  annual  sum  for  him  from  the  Sacred  Con 
gregation  such  as  is  granted  to  the  Bishops  of  the  East,  or,  if  not, 
to  grant  to  him  the  administration  of  the  Diocese  of  Leighlin 
adjoining  that  of  Kildare,  which,  although  it  has  no  more  than 
fifteen  or  sixteen  priests,  and  gives  a  revenue  of  only  fifty  or  sixty 
scudi,  neverthless  will  be  a  great  relief  to  Dr.  Forstall.  This 
measure  would  be  a  great  spiritual  advantage  to  the  Leighlin 
Diocese  since  the  said  Prelate  could  administer  there  the 
Sacraments  of  Confirmation  and  Orders,  and  consecrate  chalices, 
altars,  etc.,  and  it  is  certain  that  it  would  be  a  source  of  greater 
profit  and  spiritual  consolation  to  this  Diocese  to  be  administered 
by  a  Bishop  (since  it  cannot  support  a  Bishop  for  itself)  than  by 
a  Vicar-General  who,  ut  plurimum,  is  not  a  person  of  such 
learning  and  does  not  enjoy  so  great  authority.  I  pray  therefore 
your  Eminence  to  propose  to  his  Holiness  and  to  the  Sacred 
Congregation,  either  to  assign  an  annual  sum  to  Dr.  Forstall, 
or,  otherwise,  to  grant  him  the  administration  of  Leighlin 
Diocese  which  is  contiguous  to  and  adjoining  the  Diocese  of 
Kildare.  This  is  a  matter  worthy  of  your  charity  and  great  zeal. 
— OLIVER  or  ARMAGH."  (Dr.  Moraris  Life  of  0.  Plunkett.) 

The  great  esteem  in  which  Dr.  Forstall  was  held  by  the 
Primate  appears  in  many  other  passages  of  his  correspondence 
with  the  Internunzio.  "  It  is  certain,"  he  writes  again,  in  the 
same  month,  "  that  Dr.  Forstall,  of  Kildare,  whose  little  Diocese 
is  only  five  or  six  miles  from  Dublin,  and  having  only  fifteen 
priests,  yields  him  no  more  than  £15  per  annum,  has  not 
sufficient  revenue  to  maintain  a  servant,  even  of  a  low  grade.  I 
don't  know  how  poor  religious  subsist  when  they  are  appointed 
Bishops,  for  such  revenue  cannot  suffice  to  support  a  Bishop's 
servant ;  and  this  extreme  poverty  renders  their  dignity  despic 
able  with  Catholics  as  well  as  Protestants  ....  I  must  say  that 
at  the  present  day  it  does  not  suit  the  episcopal  dignity  to  be 
held  by  mendicants ;  and  the  poverty  of  the  Bishops  prevents 
their  conversing  with  the  Protestants,  from  which  great  good 
might  be  derived.  Now  few  of  the  Bishops  have  a  better 


BISHOPS  OF   KIDARE.  39 

opportunity  of  communicating  with  the  Protestants  than  the 
Bishop  of  Kildare,  who  is  a  learned,  prudent,  and  grave  prelate, 
and  esteemed  by  all  who  know  him.  As  his  Church  does  not 
yield  him  more  than  £15  per  annum,  he  might  receive  the 
administration  of  the  adjoining  Diocese  of  Leighlin,  which  has 
likewise  about  fifteen  or  sixteen  priests,  and  thus  he  might  be 
able  to  live  juxta  miserias  patriae,"  etc.  And,  writing  in  June, 
1680,  after  stating  reasons  against  the  appointment  of  new 
Bishops  at  that  time,  Dr.  Plunket  says :  "  Seek  for  further 
information  on  this  subject  from  the  Archbishop  of  Cashel  and 
Dr.  Forstall  of  Kildare,  who  are  prelates  remarkable  for  their 
learning,  prudence,  gravity,  and  sanctity  of  life,  and  who  would 
be  not  only  fit,  but  would  even  deserve  to  be  appointed  to  the 
Sees  of  Toledo  and  Paris,  and  you  will  surely  find  that  they  share 
in  my  sentiments."  (Life,  p.  155.)  In  September,  1677,  a  joint 
Petition  in  behalf  of  Dr.  *  Forstall,  was  forwarded  from  the 
Primate  and  the  Bishops  of  Meath  and  Clogher,  of  which  the 
following  is  the  text : — 

"  Nos  infrascripti,  habentes  optimam  notitiam  et  informa- 
tionem  status  Dioecesios  Kildarensis,  attestamur  ejus  districtum 
esse  unum  ex  pauperioribus  totius  Hiberniae,  in  ea  Epum.  non 
habere  domum,  hortum,  agrum  aut  paramenta  ulla  ecclesiastica, 
nee  moris  esse  ut  laici  aut  soeculares  Catholici  viritim  con- 
tributionem  ullum  aut  subsidium  pendant  Episcopo  et,  quod 
caput  est,  fidem  facimus  in  ea  non  esse  nisi  15  Pastores  aut 
curatos  quorum  singuli  singulas  libras  aeris  Anglican! 
annuatim  Episcopo  solvunt,  et  consequenter  proventus  et 
emolumenta  annua  Episcopi  se  tantum  extendere  ad  15  libras 
Anglicanas  seu  ad  quinquaginta  sex  circiter  scutata  monetae 
Romanae ;  ac  proinde  affirmamus  impossibile  prorsus  esse  ut 
Epus.,  spectatis  emolumentis  e  Dioecesi  provenientibus  nisi  ei 
succurratur,  posset  residere,  se  sustentare  aut  eas  functiones  et 
fructus  facere  qui  residentiam  requirant.  Datum  in  diversis 
respective  refugii  nostri  locis,  mense  Septembris,  1677. 

Oliverus  Armachanus,  T.H.P. 
Patricius  Midiae  Epus. 
Patricius  Epus.  Clogheren." 

On  the  5th  of  September,  1678,  Dr.  Forstall  had  a  Brief  for 
Kildare  with  Leighlin  in  commendam.  Before  the  close  of  the 
year  that  followed  he  was  cast  into  prison,  and,  even  after  his 
liberation,  the  fury  of  persecution  compelled  him  to  fly  for  safety 
to  the  woods  and  mountains.  In  a  letter  addressed  to  Fr. 


40  BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE. 

Forstall,  O.S.F.,  preserved  in  the  Archives  of  Propaganda,  the 
Bishop  of  Kildare  gives  a  sadly  interesting  account  of  his  own 
sufferings  and  of  some  of  the  other  Irish  Prelates.  It  is  dated 
the  5th  of  June  1680.  "We  are  here,"  he  writes,  "in  a  worse 
plight  than  we  have  been  hitherto,  there  is  scarcely  anywhere  in 
which  we  can  abide,  even  amongst  friends  who  are  terrified  by 
our  presence  more  than  they  need  be.  In  consequence  of  this  I 
built  myself  a  hovel  or  thatched  hut  rudely  constructed,  in  a 
marshy  wood,  to  which  I  betook  myself,  but  I  was  there  attacked 
by  agonizing  pains  so  as  to  be  brought  almost  to  the  point  of 
death.*  I  have  therefore  left  the  place,  sick  though  I  was,  for  I 
could  no  longer  endure  my  sufferings  there.  If  Master  Pruisson 
assent  to  it  I  would  go  to  you  until  the  storm  of  persecution 
shall  have  somewhat  spent  itself.  I  think  it  can  hardly  tend  to 
the  interests  of  religion  to  remain  any  longer  here  ;  by  remaining 
we  only  provoke  the  greater  hostility,  and  it  will  prove  detri 
mental  to  the  Church  if  we  be  arrested,  for  in  that  case  we  would 
not  be  allowed  to  leave  the  country  without  having  given 
substantial  bail  that  we  would  not  again  return.  This  considera 
tion  surely  out-weighs  all  those  that  would  be  in  favour  of  our 
remaining.  However,  the  will  of  God  and  of  our  Superiors  be 
done,  it  is  not  for  me  to  decide  the  question  of  leaving  or  remain 
ing.  The  Bishop  of  Corkf  has  been  captured,  the  Bishop  of 
Killaloej  is  hotly  pursued ;  his  Lordship  of  Clogher§  sought 
concealment  under  the  ragged  covering  of  an  old  dying 
mendicant,  but  was  discovered  and  recognised  ;  his  captor, 
however,  took  pity  on  him  and  let  him  go.  The  Archbishop  of 
Dublin  ||  is  so  very  ill  that  he  seemed  on  last  Friday  to  be  drawing 
nigh  to  his  end ;  the  Primate,  breaking  from  his  keepers, 
succeeded  in  gaining  access  to  the  dying  Prelate,  to  give  him 
consolation  and  a  last  absolution.  The  Primate  himself  IT  lies  in 
the  same  prison  (Dublin  Castle),  uncertain  as  to  his  fate.  He  is 
now  kept  in  stricter  durance  on  account  of  the  wretched 
scoundrels  and  (Oh,  shame  !)  clerical  informers**  who  to  gratify 
their  thirst  for  revenge,  falsely  charge  him  with  crimes.  Those 
not  yet  captured  appear  to  be  in  a  worse  state  from  fear,  '  nam 
pejor  est  bello  timor  ipse  belli.'  Whilst  writing  this  a  messenger 
has  come,  sent  by  Lady  Clancarty,  the  most  Catholic  sister  of 
the  Duke,  she  no  doabt  having  previously  broached  the  subject 


#  Sed  ibidem  vexatus  acutissimis  doloribw  nephriticis  vel  certe  colitis  vix  non  cfflavi 
animam. 

t  Dr.  Peter  Creagh.  J  Dr.  John  CfMolony.  \  Dr.  Patrick  Tyrrell.  ||  Dr.  Peter 
Talbot.  1T  Dr.  Oliver  Plunkett. 

**  MacMoyer  and  Duffy,  two  friars,  whom  Dr.  Plunkett  had  corrected,  bore 
false  witness  against  him. 


BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE.  41 

to  her  brother,  urging  me  to  leave  the  country  for  a  time,  and 
offering,  if  I  consent,  to  procure  me  letters  of  safe  conduct  and 
travelling  charges.  The  last  edict  gives  no  time  within  which  we 
might  leave  the  Kingdom.  I  replied  that  I  am  not  free  to  choose 
for  myself  and  wished  to  refer  the  matter  to  those  to  whom  it 
belongs  to  decide.  It  will  therefore  be  doing  me  a  favour  if  you 
report  the  matter  to  Master  Pruisson  and  write  to  me  at  once  the 
result.  If  he  consent,  I  shall  see  you  soon.  Meantime,  '  Deus 
sit  nobis  propitius  et  custos,  et  vos  valete  genialiter.' "  (Original 
in  Spic.  Ossor.  Vol.  2,  p.  256.) 

On  the  16th  of  July,  1680,  the  request  of  the  Bishop  of  Kildare 
for  liberty  to  leave  Ireland  was  considered ;  if  the  permission  was 
granted  it  was  not  acted  upon.  A  letter  of  the  Internunzio 
addressed  to  Cardinal  Cybo,  Prefect  of  the  S.  Congregation  de 
Propaganda  Fide,  dated  Brussels,  the  19th  of  April,  1681, 
announces  the  arrest  of  Dr.  Forstall :  "  I  enclose  to  your  Eminence 
a  letter  lately  received  from  the  Bishop  of  Kildare,  in  which  he 
informs  me  of  his  having  been  arrested  on  the  25th  of  February, 
without,  however,  any  accusation  being  as  yet  brought  against 
him  save  his  having  exercised  Papal  jurisdiction  in  the  Kingdom. 
He  therefore  expects,  that  after  a  prolonged  imprisonment,  he  will 
be  conducted  to  one  of  the  ports  and  transported  hither  after  the 
confiscation  of  all  his  goods.  He  therefore  prays  that  on  his 
arrival  in  Flanders  some  succour  or  place  of  refuge  may  be 
provided  for  him  ;  he  also  hopes  to  be  recommended  to  the 
clemency  of  the  Emperor  at  whose  solicitation  in  Home  he  was 
promoted  to  the  Episcopacy ;  and  he  appears  also  to  be  desirous 
to  remain  in  the  Irish  College  of  Antwerp,  where,  without  doubt, 
he  will  be  received  if  some  slight  assistance  be  provided  for  him. 
I  have  deemed  it  my  duty  to  notify  so  much  to  your  Eminence, 
that  you  may  be  good  enough,  should  you  think  fit,  to  lay  the 
matter  before  the  Sacred  Congregation."  (Life  of  0.  Plunket, 
p.  281.)  By  a  letter  submitted  to  the  S.  Congregation  on  the 
16th  of  March,  1682,  we  find  the  Bishop  still  a  prisoner  in 
Ireland,  unable  to  pay  his  debts,  over  a  thousand  scudi,  contracted 
during  his  incarceration.  (Dr  Brady.)  Even  after  his  liberation 
the  violence  of  persecution  compelled  Dr.  Forstall  to  seek  for 
safety  in  the  woods  and  mountains,  till,  on  the  7th  of  February, 
1683,  he  closed  his  earthly  career,  an  exile,  in  the  Diocese  of 
Cashel.  (Life  of  0.  Plunkett,  p.  170.)  Of  the  Parish  Priests 
registered  in  1704,  we  find  thirteen  stated  to  have  been  ordained 
by  Dr.  Forstall,  two  at  Dublin,  in  1677,  and  three  others  at  the 
same  place  in  1681 ;  four  at  Ballyna,  viz. : — one  in  1678,  one  in 
1679,  and  two  in  1680  ;  these  ordinations,  no  doubt,  took  place  at 
the  residence  of  the  O'More  of  the  day  ;  and  three  at  Dunadeaj 


42  BISHOPS   OF  KILDARE. 

in  1680,  one  on  the  3rd  of  November,  another  in  November ; 
these  most  probably  took  place  at  the  residence  of  the 
Aylmers  of  Dunadea,  who  were  then  and  until  recently  members 
of  the  Catholic  Church.  The  place  is  not  named  in  the  Record 
of  another  ordination  by  Dr.  Forstall,  in  1680. 

The  Irish  Prelates  when  corresponding  with  Rome  in  tim.es  of 
persecution,  as  a  matter  of  prudence,  assumed  fictitious  names ; 
Dr.  Forstall  adopted  the  German  title  M.  F.  Von  Creslaw. 


{From  the  time  of  Dr.  Forstall  the  two  Dioceses  of  Kildare  and 
Leighlin  have  been  under  the  rule  of  one  Prelate;  it  will  be  proper 
to  insert  here  the  succession  of  Bishops  of  Leighlin  until  that  See 
became  united  to  the  See  of  Kildare.~\ 


BISHOPS    OF    LEIGHLIK 


ST.  LASEKIAN,  sometimes  called  Molaisus  or  Molaisre, — a  name 
derived  from  mo,  a  frequent  Irish  prefix  signifying  rmy)  a  term  of 
endearment,  and  Laisre  or  Laserian, — was  the  founder  of  the 
See  of  Leighlin  and  its  first  Bishop.  According  to  his  Life, 
published  by  the  Bollandists,*  at  the  18th  of  April,  he  was  born 
about  the  year  566.  He  was  the  son  of  Cairel  de  Blitha,  of  a 
noble  family  in  Ulidia,  and  Gemma,  the  daughter  of  Aiden,  King 
of  the  British  Scots.  Ware  informs  us  that  Laserian,  in  his 
youth,  had  for  his  instructor  the  Abbot  Murin.  This  probably 
was  Murin  or  Murganius,  Abbot  of  Glean-Ussean,  now  Killeshin, 
in  the  parish  of  that  name,  near  Carlow.  When  St.  Laserian  was 
twelve  or  fourteen  years  of  age,  his  mother  brought  him  to 
Albyn,  where  his  maternal  grandfather  dwelt.  Here  he  remained 
for  four,  or,  according  to  some  accounts,  seven  years.  Our  Saint 
had  an  uncle,  a  holy  Bishop  named  Blann,  who  is  commemorated 
in  the  Irish  Martvrologies  on  the  10th  of  August,  and  from  whom 
the  city  of  Dunblane  in  said  to  derive  its  name.  On  the  return 
of  Laserian  to  Ireland  he  was  placed  under  the  care  of  an  abbot 
named  Munnu,  supposed  by  Papebroke  to  have  been  St.  Fintan 
Munnu.  When  he  had  attained  to  man's  estate,  his  clan  wished 
to  elect  him  their  chief,  but  he  declined  the  dignity  and  retired 
to  an  island  lying  between  Albania  and  Britain.  After  passing 
some  time  in  this  place,  being  desirous  of  perfecting  himself  in 
sacred  learning,  he  proceeded  to  Rome.  He  remained  in  Rome 
fourteen  years  where  he  received  instruction  from  the  Great  St. 
Gregory,  who  ordained  him  priest  and  sent  him  to  preach  the 
Word  of  God  in  Ireland. 

In  fulfilment  of  this  mission,  Laserian  visited  many  parts  of 
Ireland  and,  amongst  them,  the  place  where  the  city  of  Leighlin 
was  afterwards  to  stand.  Here  a  monastery  had  been  already 
established  and  was  governed  by  the  holy  abbot  St.  Gobban.  Of 
this  latter  it  is  related  that,  on  a  certain  occasion,  he  saw  in  a 
vision  a  crowd  of  angels  hovering  over  Leighlin,  and  announced 

*  The  Acta  S.  Zaseriani,  in  the  Bollandist  Lives  of  the  Saints,  were  taken,  as 

the  I  editor,  Papebroke,  states,  from  a  MS.  which  at  one  time  belonged  to  Father 

H.  FitzSimon,   S.J.    Judging  from  internal  evidence,  it  is  conjectured  that  this 

Life   was  written  by   an    Englishman,    and   about  the    llth    century.      The 

Bollandists  had  access  also  to  an  imperfect  Salamancan  MS.  Life  of  the  Saint.  For 

many  of   the  facts  here   set  forth,  see  Life  of  /St.  Laserian,  in  Carlow  College 

Magazine.', 


44  BISHOPS   OF  LEIGHLIN. 

to  his  followers  that,  one  day,  a  saintly  stranger  would  gather 
together  in  that  place  as  many  servants  of  God  as  there  were 
angels  in  that  heavenly  host.  (Dr  Moran's  Essays  on  early  Irish 
Church;  I.  E.  R.  Vol.  2,  p.  544.)  Shortly  after  this,  St.  Gobban 
resigned  his  monastery  to  Laserian  and  retired  to  the  West  oj 
Ossory,  where  he  governed  a  Church  at  Kill-Lamreaighea,  now 
Killamery.  He  survived  St.  Laserian  one  year,  and,  at  his  death 
was  interred  at  Clonenagh.  (A A.  SS.  p.  53  ;  Ussher,  etc)  In  the 
Life  of  St.  Laserian  it  is  stated  that  he  had  in  his  monastery  o: 
Leighlin  as  many  as  fifteen  hundred  monks  under  his  charge. 

Subsequent  to  the  year  630,  and  during  the  continuance  of  the 
Paschal  controversy,  Laserian  made  a  second  visit  to  Rome,  mos1 
probably  as  the  head  of  a  deputation  sent  by  the  southern  clergy 
after  the  Synod  of  Leighlin.  On  the  occasion  of  this  visit  he 
was  consecrated  Bishop,  by  Pope  Honorius  I.  (Ussher,  p.  938) 
who  also  at  the  same  time  constituted  him  Papal  Legate.  On 
his  return,  he  established  the  See  of  Leighlin  and  contributed 
largely  to  the  settlement  of  the  Paschal  computation,  in  the 
South  of  Ireland.  (Cummeanus,  Ep.  to  Segienus,  abbot  of  lona 
in  Ussher' s  Sylloge.  n.  XI.)  St.  Laserian  died  on  the  18th  o 
April,  in  the  year  639,  according  to  the  most  probable  opinion, 
and  was  interred  in  his  own  Church.  His  Acts  state  that  he  diec 
on  the  14th  of  the  Kalends  of  May,  without  naming  the  year. 
The  Four  Masters  thus  record  his  demise  : — "  A.D.  638,  Dalaise 
the  son  of  the  grandson  of  Imdae,  abbot  of  Leighlin  (died),"  on 
which,  Dr.  O'Donovan  remarks,  "St.  Dalaise  of  Leighlin  was 
otherwise  called  Molaise  and  Laisren.  His  festival  was  celebrated 
on  the  18th  of  April,  according  to  theFeilire  of  Aenguis,  and  the 
Irish  Calendar  of  O'Clery."  In  the  former  he  is  referred  to  as 

"  Laisrinn  of  burning  virtues, 
Abbot  of  bright-shining  Leithglinn." 

In  a  Synod  held  under  Alexander  Bicknor,  Archbishop  oi 
Dublin,  in  1348,  the  festival  of  St.  Laserian  was  directed  to  be 
observed  as  a  double,  in  the  province  of  Dublin. 

In  a  Supplement  of  the  Irish  Breviary  published  at  Paris,  in 
1769,  the  following  Hymn  for  the  Feast  of  St.  Laserian  is 
given : — 

IN   FESTO   S.   LASRIANI. 

"  Christe,  pastorum  caput  atque  princeps, 
Praesulis  festam  venerata  lucem, 
Debitis  supplex  tua  templa  votis 

Turba  frequentat. 


BISHOPS   OF  LEIGHLIN.  45 

Lazarus  vano  non  tenet  tremendam 
Spiritu  sedem,  proprio  nee  ausu  : 
Sed  sacrum  jussus  Domino  vocante, 

Sumpsit  honorem. 

Strenuum  bello  pugilem  superni 
Chrismatis  pleno  tuus  unxit  intus 
Spiritus  cornu,  posuitque  sanctam 

Pascere  Gentem. 

Fit  gregis  pastor,  Pater  atque  forma  : 
Laetus  impendit  sua,  seque  servus 
Omnium,  curis  gravis,  omnibus  que 

Omnia  factus. 

Pascha  quo  die  debet  celebrari, 
Dicit  Legatus,  dirimitque  rixas  ; 
Schisma  quos  omnes  lucerat  fideles 
Reddit  ovili. 

Pro  reis  orat,  refecit  gementes, 
Erigit  lapses,  tenebrasque  pellit ; 
Fit  potens  verbo,  docet  alta  pravum 

Conterit  hostem. 

Fac  ut  illius  precibus  juvemur, 
Christe;  fac  Patrem,  pariterque  tecum 
Spiritum  jugi  celebremus  hymno 

Omne  per  aevum.    Amen." 

From  the  death  of  St.  Laserian  to  the  year  863,  there  is  no 
express  mention  made  of  a  Bishop  of  Leighlin  by  our  Annalists  • 
but  that  they  treated  the  title  of  Abbot  of  Leighlin  as 
synonymous  with  that  of  Bishop,  may  be  justly  inferred  from 
the  very  wording  of  these  early  Annals ;  thus,  we  find  the  death 
of  St.  Laserian  recorded  as  that  of  the  Abbot  of  Leighlin,  without 
any  reference  to  him  as  Bishop  (vide  supra);  Manchine,  who  died 
in  863,  is  set  down  as  Bishop  by  the  Four  Masters,  whilst  in 
the  A  A.  SS.  (Index),  he  is  referred  to  only  as  abbot;  and 
Connla,  who  died  in  940,  is  styled  Bishop  and  Abbot  The 
following  were  therefore  most  probably  the  successors  of  St. 
Laserian  in  the  Episcopal  office: — 

["  A.D.  725,  died,  St.  Manchen  of  Leighlin.  (Four  Masters ; 
A  A.  SS.  p.  332.) 

"  A.D.  737.  Feardachrich,  Abbot  of  Imleagh  and  Leighlin, 
died."  (Four  Masters.) 

"A.D.  767.  Died,  the  Abbot  Ernagh  MacEhyn.  (Mac- 
Geoghegan.) 

"A.D.  800  (recte  805,  0' Donovan),  Muireadach,  son  of 
Aimhirgin,  Abbot  of  Leighlin,  died."  (Four  Masters.) 


46  BISHOPS   OF  LEIGHLIN. 

"A.D.  849.  Uarghus,  Abbot  of  Leighlin,  died"  (Four  M asters); 
and  under  the  same  date,  we  find  another  entry,  of  the  death  of 
Maeltuile  of  Leighlin,  on  the  6th  of  December.] 

"A.D.  863.  MAINCHEINE,  Bishop  of  Leighlin,  died."  (Four 
Masters.)  In  the  A  A.  SS.  this  Maincheine  is  called  merely 
Abbot  of  Leighlin. 

["A.D  876.  Died,  Dungall,  Abbot  of  Leighlin."  (AA.  SS. 
p.  275.)] 

"  A.D.  940.  CONNLA,  son  of  Dunacan,  Bishop  and  Abbot  of 
Leighlin,  died."  (Four  Masters.) 

"  A.D.  965.  DANIEL,  Bishop  of  Leighlin,  died."  (FourM asters.) 

["  A.D.  1004.  Fogartach,  Abbot  of  Leighlin  and  Saighir,  died," 
(Four  Masters.)] 

"A.D.  1050.  CLEIRCHEN  O'MuiNEO,  noble  Bishop  of  Leighlin 
and  head  of  the  piety  of  Ossory,  died."  (Four  Masters.) 

"A.D.  1113.  CONNLA  O'FLOINN,  Comharb  of  Molaise,  (i.e. 
Successor  of  St.  Laserian  in  the  See  of  Leighlin),  died."  (Four 
Masters.) 

"A.D.  1145.  SLUAIGHEDACH  O'CATHAIN,  Bishop  and  virgin  of 
the  people  of  Leighlin,  died."  (Four  Masters.) 

"AD.  1152.  DUNGAL  O'KEELY,  Bishop  of  Leighlin,  died." 
(Four  Masters).  This  Prelate  assisted  at  the  Synod  of  Kells, 
as  appears  by  the  (lost)  Annals  of  Clonenagh,  quoted  by  Keating. 
(Lanigan,  Vol.  4,  p.  140.) 

"A.D.  1152.  In  this  year  DONATUS  succeeded  to  the  See  of 
Leighlin.  The  Cathedral  having  been  destroyed  by  fire,  this 
Bishop  rebuilt  it.  His  name  appears  as  a  subscribing  witness 
to  the  foundation  Charter  of  the  Monastery  of  Ferns,  in  1166, 
(Monasticon  Hib.),  and  also  to  that  of  the  Abbey  of  Duiske, 
about  the  same  date.  He  died  at  Leighlin,  in  the  year  1185, 
and  was  buried  in  his  Cathedral.  ( Ware.) 

A  period  of  twelve  years  intervenes  between  the  death  of 
Bishop  Donat  and  the  next  recorded  Bishop  of  Leighlin. 

"A.D.  1197.  JOHN,  Abbot  of  the  Cistercian  Abbey  of  St. 
Mary  of  Rosglas  (now  Monasterevan),  was  elected  by  the 
Chapter,  Bishop  of  Leighlin,  and  his  election  was  confirmed  by 
Matthew  O'Heney,  Archbishop  of  Cashel,  Apostolic  Delegate,  in 
the  absence  of  the  Metropolitan  John  Cumin,  who  had  gone  to 
make  complaint  to  the  King  of  the  sacrilegious  rapacity  of  the 
English  Deputy  Hano  de  Valoniis.  This  Hano  opposed  the 
appointment  of  Abbot  John,  and  made  of  this  an  excuse  for 
taking  forcible  possession  of  the  temporalities  of  the  See  anc 


BISHOPS   OF   LEIGHLIN.  47 

even  of  the  private  property  of  the  Canons.  By  advice  of  the 
Legate,  the  Bishop  elect  of  Leighlin  proceeded  to  Rome  to  lay 
before  the  sovereign  Pontiff  an  account  of  these  violent  proceed 
ings.  The  Pope,  Innocent  III.,  himself,  consecrated  John, 
Bishop,  and  furnished  him  with  letters  addressed  to  the  Chapter, 
clergy  and  laity  of  Leighlin,  notifying  his  appointment  and 
charging  them  to  be  obedient  to  him  as  such.  The  Pope,  on 
the  same  occasion,  also  wrote  in  terms  of  stern  rebuke,  to  prince 
John,  warning  him  against  impeding  the  Bishop  of  Leighlin  in 
the  administration  of  his  Diocese,  and  requiring  him  to  compel 
Hano  to  restore  the  temporalities  of  the  Church  and  Chapter, 
threatening  certain  grave  consequences  in  case  of  non-compliance. 
(Ware;  Lanigan,  Vol.  4  p.  331.)  The  Monast.  Hib.  shows  this 
Bishop  to  have  been  witness  to  certain  grants  in  Fotharta 
O'Nolan  to  St.  Thomas's  Abbey,  Dublin,  made  about  the  year 
1200,  by  Basilia,  daughter  of  Earl  Gilbert.  This  Basilia  was 
married,  first  to  Raymond  le  Gros,  in  1175,  and  afterwards  to 
Geoffrey  FitzRobert.  Bishop  John  died  in  1201. 

A.D.  1201.  HARLEWIN  succeeded.  He,  also,  was  a  Cistercian 
monk,  and,  from  his  name,  we  may  suppose  him  to  have  been  a 
Norman.  He  bestowed  Burgages,  or  dwelling-houses,  on  the 
Burgesses  of  Leighlin  accompanied  by  a  grant  of  the  franchises 
of  Bristol,  on  the  rules  of  which  Corporation  many  in  Ireland 
were  modelled,  reserving  to  his  See  a  yearly  grant  of  twelve 
pence  out  of  each  Burgage.  This  was  the  first  Charter  of 
Leighlin.  The  Liberties  extended  about  a  mile  and  a  half 
round  the  town,  and  were  defined  by  large  stones  inscribed  : — 
Terminus  Burgens.  Leighlinen.  hie  lapis  est.  (Ledwich.) 
Bishop  Harlewin  died  in  1216  or,  according  to  some,  in  1217,* 
and  was  interred  in  the  Conventual  Church  of  Dunbrody,  county 
of  Wexford,  a  great  portion  of  which  he  had  caused  to  be  erected. 
(Ware.) 

A.D.  1217.  RICHARD  FLEMING,  by  some  called  Robert,  was 
consecrated  to  this  See.  He  had  a  prolonged  dispute  with  the 
Prior  of  Conall,  County  of  Kildare,  about  some  lands  and  tithes 
belonging  to  his  Bishopric,  in  Leix.  The  suit  terminated  in  a 
compromise  by  which  the  Bishop  resigned  the  lands  and  tithes 
to  the  Prior,  receiving  instead,  an  annual  pension  of  twelve  marks, 


*  April  16th,  1217,  Grant  to  Henry,  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  of  Custody  of  See 

of  Leighlin Pat.  I.  Hen.  III.  m.  18.     Mandate  to  the  Justiciary  that  he  cause 

William  Cambiator,  Clerk  to  the  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  to  have  the  custody  of 
See  of  Leighlin  until  the  Archbishop  come  to  those  parts.  The  King  has  com 
mitted  the  custody  of  the  See  of  Leighlin  to  the  latter  until  ordination  made. 
—  Close,  I.  Hen.  III.  m.  18,  Sweetman. 


48  BISHOPS  OF  LEIGHLIN. 

payable  to  him  and  his  successors  at  Leighlin.  This  Bishop  died 
in  1226.  (Harris's  Ware.) 

A.D.  1226.  WILLIAM,  Archdeacon  of  Leighlin,  was  elected 
Bishop,  by  the  Chapter,  but  the  Royal  assent  was  withheld  in 
consequence  of  the  election  having  taken  place  without  the 
King's  licence.  "  Nov.  14th,  1228,  the  King  to  the  Chapter  of 
Leighlin  and  clergy  of  that  Diocese.  The  election  which  they 
had  proceeded  to  make  after  the  death  of  Richard,  late  Bishop 
of  Leighlin,  is  null  as  regards  the  King,  his  licence  not  having 
been  previously  obtained.  Nevertheless,  the  King,  of  his  grace, 
in  regard  to  the  probity  of  William,  Archdeacon  of  Leighlin, 
their  elect,  gives  the  Royal  assent  to  the  election,  provided,  still, 
that  they  cause  letters  patent  to  be  made  and  handed  to  the 
Justiciary,  to  the  effect  that  the  King's  licence  had  been  asked." 
(Pat.  13,  Hen.  III.  m.  12,  Sweetman.)  On  the  21st  of  May, 
1219,  in  consequence  of  the  poverty  of  the  clergy,  the  King 
granted,  during  pleasure,  that  the  Justiciary  might  give  power 
to  the  proper  parties  to  elect  to  all  vacant  Sees,  with  certain 
exceptions;  amongst  these  exceptions,  both  Kildare  and  Leighlin 
were  included. 

Ware  mentions  that  this  Prelate  granted  an  indulgence  of  30 
days  to  those  who  should  contribute  to  the  building  of  St.  Paul's, 
London.  He  died  in  1251,  and  was  buried  in  his  Church. 
(Harris's  Ware.)  This  Bishop  was  appointed  a  member  of  the 
Privy  Council,  April  24th,  1235.  "The  King,  having  special 
confidence  in  the  prudence  and  discretion  of  William,  Bishop  of 
Leighlin,  commands  the  Justiciary  to  admit  him  to  the  King's 
Councils."  (Close,  19,  Hen.  III.) 

A.D.  1252.  THOMAS  was  chosen  by  the  Chapter  on  the  22nd 
of  April,  and  consecrated  Bishop  of  Leighlin,  the  same  year. 
From  the  terms  of  the  Royal  assent,  which  was  granted  the  4th 
of  September,  1252,  it  appears  that  this  Prelate  was  an 
Augustinian,  and  had  been  Prior  of  Conall.  He  was  the  first 
who  conferred  Prebends  on  his  Canons.  He  died  on  the  25th  of 
April,  1275.  (Ware.) 

A.D.  1275.  NICHOLAS  CHEEVERS  succeeded.  He  was  a 
Franciscan  friar,  and,  previous  to  his  consecration,  had  been 
Archdeacon  of  Leighlin.  He  was  not  restored  to  the  temporalities 
of  his  See  until  1277.  The  cause  of  this  would  seem  to  have 
been  that  the  See  of  Dublin  was  then  vacant  and  continued  so 
for  several  years;  so  that  the  Bishop  elect  could  not  obtain 
confirmation  from  his  Metropolitan.  This  is  stated  impliedlv 
in  a  Bull  of  John  XXII.,  dated  the  28th  October,  1276,  and 
directed  to  John,  Bishop  of  Clonfert,  the  Pope's  Nuncio,  and 


BISHOPS  OF  LEIGHLIN.  49 

others,  in  which,  having  noticed  the  election  of  the  Bishop  of 
Leighlin,  the  vacancy  in  the  See  of  Dublin,  and  the  application 
of  Dr.  Cheevers  to  the  Court  of  Rome,  for  confirmation,  the 
Pope  authorizes  his  Commissioners  to  make  inquiry  into  the 
said  election  and  the  merits  of  the  person  elected,  and  to  confirm 
it  if  no  objection  existed.  Dr.  Cheevers  was  accordinglv  con 
firmed  in  the  See.*  (Harris's  Ware.)  This  Prelate  died,  very 
old,  on  the  20th  of  July,  1309,  having  ruled  the  Diocese  32  years. 
After  his  death,  John  Cheevers,  Dean,  and  Ralph  de  Brunj 
Chancellor  of  Leighlin,  forged  certain  charters,  to  which  they 
affixed  the  Bishop's  seal.  The  fraud  was  discovered  and  they 
were  deservedly  punished.  (Ware.) 

A.D.  1309.  MAURICE  DE  BLANKVILL  or  BLANCHFIELD,  Canon 
of  Leighlin  and  Treasurer  of  Ossory,  having  been  lawfully 
elected,  was  confirmed  as  Bishop  on  the  13th  of  November  He 
died  in  1320.  (Ware.) 

A.D.  1320.  MILER  LE  POER,  Chanter  of  Leighlin,  was  chosen 
Bishop  by  the  Dean  and  Chapter,  on  the  5th  of  November,  and 
his  election  was  confirmed  by  Alexander  Bicknor,  Archbishop  of 
Dublin,  on  the  29th  of  January  following.  He  was  consecrated 
at  Waterford  on  Palm  Sunday,  1321,  as  friar  Clyn  states,  and 
ruled  the  Diocese  for  upwards  of  twenty  years.  (Harris's 
Ware.) 

A.D.  1341.  WILLIAM  ST.  LEGER  was  chosen  Bishop  in  this 
year.  He  died  at  Avignon  about  the  beginning  of  May,  1348. 
(Harris's  Ware) 

A.D.  1349.  THOMAS  DE  BRACKENBERG  became  Bishop  of 
Leighlin.  He  was  a  Franciscan  friar,  and  had  been  Suffragan 
to  the  Bishop  of  Ely.  (  Walcott)  His  appointment  was  made°by 
Pope  Clement  VI.,  by  Brief  dated  the  18th  of  March,  in  the 
seventh  year  of  his  Pontificate.  He  was  restored  to  the  tempo 
ralities  on  the  5th  of  August,  1349.  He  died  in  July,  1360, 
after  which  it  is  supposed  that  the  See  remained  vacant  three 
years.  (Ware) 

A.D.  1363.  JOHN  YOUNG,  treasurer  of  Leighlin,  was  appointed 
the  next  Bishop  by  the  same  Pope ;  he  was  restored  to  the 
temporalities  on  the  21st  of  September,  1363.  He,  at  no  small 
cost,  repaired  the  Bishop's  houses  in  his  manors.  In  1376,  he 
was  deprived  of  all  his  goods  by  the  rebels.  In  1379  Alexander 
Balscott,  Bishop  of  Meath  and  Treasurer  of  Ireland,  appointed 

*  In  Roll  of  Payments,  Michaelmas  term,  1278,  the  following  appears  •  «  A 

1 


50  BISHOPS  OF  LEIGHLIN. 

him  Deputy  Treasurer,  an  office  which  he  had  previously  held 
under  John  de  Troy,  the  former  Treasurer,  in  1366.  This 
Prelate  died  towards  the  end  of  the  year  1384.  (Ware.) 

A.D.  1385.  JOHN  GRIFFIN  was  advanced  from  the  Chancellor 
ship  of  Limerick  to  the  See  of  Leighlin,  which  he  directed  for 
thirteen  years,  and  was  then,  by  the  Pope,  translated  to  the 
Bishopric  of  Ossory,  his  Brief  from  which  is  dated  "  6to  Nonas 
Julii,  1399."  He  had  been,  in  1394,  made  Chancellor  of  the 
Exchequer  by  the  King.  He  died  soon  after  his  appointment 
to  Ossory.  Whilst  Bishop  of  Leighlin,  King  Richard  II. 
issued  a  writ  in  his  favour,  dated  the  25th  of  August,  1389,  to 
the  effect  "  that  the  Diocese  of  Leighlin  being  so  much  devastated 
by  the  Irish  enemies  so  as  to  render  it  impossible  for  the  Bishop 
to  reside  within  it,  he  therefore  granted  him  the  village  of 
Galroestown,  in  the  county  of  Dublin,  near  the  Marches  of 
O'Toole,  an  Irish  enemy,  with  all  its  appurtenances,  (being  then 
part  of  the  temporalities  of  the  See  of  Killaloe,  and  then  in  the 
King's  hands  during  the  vacancy  by  the  death  of  the  late  Bishop, 
predecessor  to  the  present,  who  is  a  mere  Irishman  abiding 
amongst  the  Irish  enemies  and  not  amenable  to  law  or  govern 
ment)  ;  to  hold  by  the  said  Bishop  of  Leighlin  as  long  as,  from 
that  cause,  the  said  village  should  continue  in  the  King's  hands." 
Under  this  custodiam  Dr.  Griffin  held  Galroestown  until  Septem 
ber,  1391,  when  Matthew  McCragh  was  restored  to  the 
temporalities  of  Killaloe,  having  been  deprived  of  them  upwards 
of  two  years  from  the  time  of  his  advancement. 

A.D.  1398.  THOMAS  PEVERELL  or  PIEREVILL,  so  called  from 
the  place  of  his  birth,  in  Suffolk,  a  Carmelite,  was  translated 
from  the  See  of  Ossory  to  that  of  Leighlin  on  the  23rd  of 
January,  1399,  whence  on  the  2nd  of  July  following,  he  was 
again  translated  to  Llandaff,  in  Wales.  (Biblioth.  Carmelit.) 

A.D.  1399.  RICHARD  ROCOMB,  or,  as  some  style  him,  BOKUM, 
a  Dominican  friar,  was  appointed  Bishop  of  Leighlin,  by  Pope 
Boniface  IX.  Bernard  Joughe  sets  down  his  advancement  as  not 
taking  place  till  1400 ;  and  the  Hibernia  Dominicana  states  that 
his  appointment  was  made  on  the  1st  of  December,  1400. 
During  his  administration  the  town  of  Old  Leighlin  was 
inhabited  by  86  Burgesses.  A  Bishop  of  Leighlin,  named  Richard 
resigned  his  See  in  1420 ;  that  this  was  Richard  Rocomb  there 
can  hardly  be  a  doubt. 

A.D.  1420.  JOHN  MULGAN,  rector  of  the  Church  of  Lin,  in  the 
Diocese  of  Meath,  succeeded,  in  pursuance  of  a  Brief  of  Pope 
Martin  V.,  directed  to  King  Henry  V.  An  entry  in  the  Registers 
of  Obligazione,  dated  Florence,  25th  of  January,  1420,  shows 


BISHOPS   OF  LEIGHLIK  51 

John,  Bishop  of  Leighlin,  paid  two  golden  florins  *«  pro  Integra 
solutione  unins  minuti  servitii."* 

This  Prelate  instituted  four  petty  Canons  in  his  Church.  He 
died  in  1431,  and  was  buried  in  his  own  Church,  near  the  tomb 
of  Gurmund  the  Dane.  (Harris's  Ware.) 

A.D.  1421.  THOMAS  FLEMING,  Bachelor  in  Divinity  and  a 
Minorite,  was  advanced  to  the  See  of  Leighlin  by  a  Brief  of  the 
Pope,  dated  the  28th  of  April.  "Quarto  Kal.  Maii,  1432, 
referente  Card,  de  Comite,  prov.  est  eccl.  Leighlinen.  provinciae 
Dublinen.  vac.  per  mortem  S.P.  ultimi  Episcopi,  de  persona 
Fratris  Thomae,  Ord.  Frat.  Minorum,  Baccalaurei  in  Theologia." 
(Vatican  Archives,  apud  Brady.)  Thady  Dowling,  the 
Protestant  Chancellor  of  Leighlin,  states  in  his  Annals  that  this 
Prelate,  whom  he  erroneously  supposes  to  have  been  an 
Augustinian  Canon,  died  at  Leighlin,  and  that  his  body,  as  he 
had  ordered  by  his  will,  was  conveyed  to  Kilkenny  to  be  interred 
in  a  Monastery  of  his  Order.  During  his  Episcopate  the  ancient 
Monastery  of  St.  Stephen,  at  Old  Leighlin,  was  dissolved,  by 
authority  of  Pope  Eugenius  IV.,  at  the  desire  of  Nicholas  Cloal, 
Dean  of  Leighlin,  and  the  lands  of  it  annexed  to  the  Deanery! 
This  Bishop  was  fined  for  non-attendance  at  a  Parliament  held 
in  Dublin,  in  1450,  by  Richard,  Duke  of  York,  who  had  been 
appointed  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland  the  preceding  year. 
"  He  sate,"  says  Ware,  "  till  the  year  1458,  but  how  long  after  I 
know  not. 

DERMITIUS  or  DEEMOD,  was  the  next  Bishop,  of  whom  nothing 
more  appears  to  be  known,  nor  even  this,  but  for  his  name 
occurring  in  the  provision  of  his  successor. 

A.D.^1464.  MILO  ROCHE,  a  native  of  Munster  ("Momoniae 
natus,"  Dowling),  and  descended,  according  to  Ware,  from  a 
noble  family,  was  provided  to  this  See  by  Pope  Pius  II.,  on  the 
3rd  of  February.  His  Bulls  are  dated,  "  Rome,  the  3rd  of  the 
Nones  of  February,  in  the  6th  year  of  the  Pope's  Pontificate." 
The  See  is  therein  stated  to  have  been  vacant  by  the  death  of 
Dermod,  the  previous  Bishop.  "  Vacanti  per  obitum  Dermisii, 
olim  ejusdem  Episcopi,  extra  Romanam  Curiam  defuncti."  Dr. 

*  Amongst  the  several  sorts  of  taxes  paid  by  the  clergy  to  the  Papal  Court  was 

one  specified  under  the  name  of  Comune  servizio  (Commune  servitium),  consisting 

rathe  payment  of  the  fruits  of  the  first  year,  or  of  a  certain  sum  of  money  fixed 

by  the  Apostolic  Chamber,  and  which  was  to  be  paid  by  those  Prelates,  who,  by 

le  suffrages  of  the  Cardinals,  obtained  Bishoprics  or  Abbeys.     The  Minuti  servizii 

asted  of  five  smaller  payments  made  by  Bishops  and  Abbots  on  their  election 

or  appointment,  as  remuneration  for  certain  minor  services  rendered  them  by  the 

interior  officials  of    the   Papal  Court.     (Introductions    to    Brady's    "Episcopal 


52 


BISHOPS  OF  LEIGHLIN. 


nrp  received  also,  on  the  same  occasion,  the  Monastery  of 
AftotractuTe  Tracton,  in  the  county  of  Cork,_in  commendam  : 
"Die  2?"  Junii  1464,  Joannes  de  Tornabonis,  Proctor,  etc 
nornine  Miltis  Comm^ndatariiMon.  de  Albotractu,  Cist.  Ord. 
Corcagen.  Dicec.  obtulit  eidem  camerae,  pro  commum  servitio 
dicti  Monasterii,  ratione  Commendae  ejusdem  factae  eidem 
Domino  Electo,  cum  vacaret  per  promotionem  ipsms  electi, 
qui  ei  ante  ipsius  promotionem  pneerat  in  Abbatem  (per 
Bullas  Dni.  Pii  Papae  II,  sub  dat.  Romae  apud  S.  Petmm, 
tertio  Nonas  Februarii,  Pontificatus  ejusdem  anno  sexto),  florenos 
aiiri  de  camera  60."  (Dr.  Brady.)  . 

Ware  steTes  of  this  Prelate  that  he  was  given  to  Music  and 
Poetry  more  than  was  fit;  and  Dowling  records  that  "Inter 


facturn  inhibuit  Episcopo  Leighlen.,  ne  quod  attemptaret  m 
taeiudidum  Decani  et  Capituli  appellantmm  circa  suas 
distributiones  quotidianas  ;  per  sententiae  instrumentum  apparet 
Epi  copum  comparuisse  vigore  inhibitioms  et  atationu,  emanatae 
inconsistorio  lenerali  crastino  Sti.  Patricn,  m  canceUo  Dm 
T  al,rpntii  mesente  etc  ...  et  precoms,  Nicolai,  prebendaru, 
LaUmKrnomi  syndinque.e?  prolocutoris  Capituli  atque 
procuratoris  contra  eundum  episcopum.  Dr.  Koche  d«  in 
1489  and  was  buried  in  his  own  Cathedral,  before  the  image  of 

^irWadS^ecords  the  appointment  of  Calcerand  de 
Andres,  a  Minorite,  to  the  See  of  Leighlm,  m  the  17th  Kal. 
Novr.,  1*48;  in  this,  however,  he  must  be  mistaken,  as  Dr. 
Roche  was  then  living.  (Harris's  Ware.) 

AD  1490.  NICHOLAS  MAGUIKE  was  appointed  ^  Bishop 
Leighlin,  on  the  21stof  April.  "  Die  21  °  Aprihs,  1490,  referente 
Card  Andegaven,,  S.D.N.  providit  de  persona  Dm  Nicholax, 
Ecclesiae  iLlin^,  in  provincia  Dublinen,  m  Hiberma,  per 
obrtum  Dni.  Milonis,  illius  ultimi  Episcopi,  extra  Eomanam 
Curiam  defuncti,  vacanti."  (Vatican  Archives.)  Dr.  Maguire 
w™a  native  of  Tullamaguina  in  Idrone,  (Down's  Annals) 
H?received  his  education  at  Oxford,  and,  returning  home,  was 
made  Prebendary  of  TJllard,  in  the  Diocese  of  Leighlm.  He  was 
Sghty  esteemedyfor  his  learning  and  diligence  in  preaching 
When  appointed  Bishop  he  had  not  quite  reached  the  age  of  31 
years.  Ware  remarks  that  he  began  many  works,  but  death 


BISHOPS  OF  LEIGHLIN.  53 

prevented  his  finishing  any  except  his  Chronicle.  Bowling 
acknowledges  the  large  amount  of  information  he  received  from 
that  work  when  compiling  his  Annals.  Unfortunately  it  no 
longer  exists.  This  Prelate  also  wrote  the  Life  of  his  Predecessor 
Milo  Roche.  His  own  Biography  was  written  by  Thomas 
Brown,  his  Chaplain.  The  following  quaint  reference  to  this 
Bishop  is  found  in  Bowling's  Annals : — Nicholaus  Magwyr 
episcopus  Leighlen,  vulgariter  numcupatur  McSyr  Moris,  in 
Odrona  Lageniae  in  Hibernia  natus  apud  Tulmaguinam. 
Thadeus  Dowlinge  comendes  him  for  hospitalitie  and  the 
number  of  cowes  that  he  grazed  without  losse  (so  well  was  he 
beloved)  upon  the  woodes  and  mountaines  of  Knockbrannan 
(Brandon  Hill),  Cumnabally,  Aghcarew,  Ballycarew,  and  Moil- 
glass,  but  Thomas  Brown,  his  Chaplen,  who  also  wrote  his  life, 
reporteth  that  he  studied  in  Oxford,  although  it  was  but  ii  yeres 
and  3  months,  yet  he  profitted  so  much  in  logik,  philosophic,  the 
seven  liberall  sciences,  and  divinitie,  that  in  his  latter  days  he 
seemed  to  excell ;  he  was  made  prebendarie  of  Hillard,  where  he 
preached  and  delivered  great  learninge  with  no  less  reverence, 
being  in  favour  with  the  King  and  nobilities  of  Leinster,  who, 
together  with  the  Deane  and  Chapter,  elected  him  b(ishop) 
of  Leighlin  to  succeed  Milo  the  lately  deceased.  This  Nicholas 
had  obtained  of  the  bishop  of  Rome  litres  of  provision,  and 
was  consecrated  b(ishop),  being  but  30  years  of  a^e ; 
to  the  great  losse  of  his  Church  he  died,  anno  1512,  having 
begoune  many  learned  workes,  and  death  preventing  his 
purpose,  he  could  not  finish  any  savinge  one  Cronicle 
sumariely  by  him  collected,  and  is  found  in  the  handes 
of  many  in  written  hand  laten,  and  so  farre  Dowlinge  and  Brown." 
"  Nicholaus  episcopus  in  libro  flavo  Leighlen  Annotationes  fecit 
(Id.)  Unfortunately  this  Yellow  Book  of  Leighlin,  containing 
Dr.  Maguire's  notes,  is  not  now  known  to  exist.  He  died  in  1512. 

In  Harris's  Ware  there  is  an  engraving  of  the  Seal  of  this 
Prelate.  It  is  divided  into  three  compartments ;  in  the  upper 
most  is  represented  the  Elevation  of  the  Host ;  in  the  second, 
the  Salutation  of  the  B.  Virgin ;  and  in  the  lowest  appears  a 
Bishop  in  the  attitude  of  prayer.  The  Seal  is  inscribed :  SiGlL. 
NICHI.  DEI.  GRA.  EPI.  LEGHLINENSIS.  1495.  (Cotton's  Fasti.) 

THOMAS  HALSEY  succeeded.  The  precise  date  of  his  appoint 
ment  is  not  known.*  He  was  amongst  the  Prelates  who  attended 

*  In  a  List  of  "  Peregrin!  qui  venerunt  in  forma  nobilium,"  to  the  English 
Hospital  in  Rome,  the  name  of  "Thomas  Halsey  studens  Bononiae,  dioce. 
Lincoln,"  occurs  under  date  of  Deer.  10th  1510,  and  again  at  April  1st,  1511. 
In  a  Deed  dated  May  23rd,  1510,  he  is  mentioned  as  Camerarius  of  the  Hospital, 
and  as  Gustos,  in  one  of  Nov.  20th,  1513.  In  another  document  dated  February 
14th,  1514,  he  appears  as  Thomas  Alsay,  Penitentiarius  et  Camerarius.  (Brady's 
Ep.  Sue.  Vol.  2.,  p.  257.) 


54  BISHOPS  OF  LEIGHLIN. 

the  Vatican  Council  in  the  years  1515-16.  He  was  an  English 
man  and  had  obtained  the  Degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws  at  Oxford. 
He  succeeded  by  provision  of  Pope  Julius  II.,  at  the  instance  of 
Christopher  Bambrige,  Cardinal  Archbishop  of  York  and  Am 
bassador  at  Home  for  King  Henry  VIII.  This  Prelate  is 
mentioned  in  a  letter  in  the  Kawlinson  MSS.,  in  the  Bodleian 
Library,  dated  17th  January,  1518,  and  written  from  Rome  by 
the  Bishop  of  Worcester.  "  Here  is  the  Bishop  of  Leighlin,  als. 
named  Bishop  Tho.,  and  by  his  bishopric  in  Ireland  hath  nothing. 
The  Cardinal  of  York,  that  was,  with  his  fair  promises  caused 
him  to  take  the  habit  of  a  bishop,  saying  that  he  would  have 
provided  for  him  of  benefices,  albeit  he  never  had  nothing  for 
him ;  and  likewise  the  Cardinal  Adrian  took  him  in  his  service, 
and  also  with  fair  promises  deceived  him,  for  that  the  poor  bishop 
hath  nothing  save  the  penitentiaryship,  of  the  which  he  may  not 
live  as  a  servant."  (Rawlinson  MSS.  p.  848,  quoted  by  Dr. 
Brady) 

Dr.  Halsey  appears  never  to  have  seen  his  Diocese  which,  in 
his  absence,  was  governed  by  his  Vicar-General,  Charles 
Kavanagh,  Abbot  of  Duisk.  He  returned  to  England  and  died 
at  Westminster,  about  the  year  1519,  according  to  Ware,  or  1521, 
according  to  Dr.  Brady.  He  was  buried  in  the  Church  of  the 
Hospital  of  the  Savoy  where  he  has  the  following  inscription  : — 
Hie  jacet  Thomas  Halsay,  Lechlinensis  Episcopus,  in  Basilica 
S.  Petri  nationis  Anglicanae  Pcenitentiarius ;  Summae 
probitatis  vir,  qui  hoc  solum  post  se  reliquit: —  Vixit,  dum  vixit, 
bene.  "  Here  lieth  Thomas  Halsay,  Bishop  of  Leighlin,  poeni- 
tentiary  to  the  English  nation  at  St.  Peter's,  Rome  :  a  man  of 
great  probity,  who  left  only  this  (character)  behind  him: — He 
lived,  whilst  he  lived,  well."  In  the  same  tomb  with  Dr.  Halsay 
lies  the  body  of  Gavin  Douglas,  Bishop  of  Dunkeld,  in  Scotland, 
who  died  of  the  plague  in  1521. 

Dr.  Halsay,  when  studying  at  Oxford,  became  acquainted 
with  Erasmus,  who  addressed  an  Epistle  to  him  from  London,  in 
Feb.,  1510.  (Epist  109.)  Writing  to  Archbishop  Warham  of 
Canterbury,  in  1521,  Erasmus  speaks  of  Halsay  as  having  been 
always  his  warm  friend.  By  mistake  either  of  the  writer  or 
transcriber,  he  is  called  Episcopus  Mphinensis  (Epist.  590.) 
On  the  death  of  John  FitzEdmund,  Bishop  of  Cork  and  Cloyne, 
in  1520,  Dr.  Halsay  was  proposed  for  the  vacant  See,  by  the 
Earl  of  Surrey,  then  Lord  Deputy.  The  following  was  his  letter, 
addressed  to  Cardinal  Wolsey,  then  in  the  zenith  of  his  power 
with  the  King : — "  Pleaseth  it  your  Grace  to  understand  that  the 
Bishop  of  Cork  is  dead ;  and  great  suit  is  made  to  me  to  write 
for  men  of  this  country.  Some  say  it  is  worth  200  marks  per 


BISHOPS  OF  LEIGHLIN.  55 

annum,  some  say  more.  My  poor  advice  would  be  that  it  should 
be  bestowed  on  some  Englishman.  The  Bishop  of  Leighlin, 
your  servant,  having  both,  methinks  he  might  do  good  service 
here.  I  beseech  your  Grace,  let  none  of  this  country  have  it,  nor 
none  other  but  such  as  will  dwell  thereon,  and  such  as  are  able 
and  willing  to  speak  and  ruffle  when  need  shall  be."  (State  Papers, 
ii.}  p.  43.)  This  letter  is  dated  Dublin,  27th  August,  1520. 
From  whatever  cause,  another  recommendation  was  transmitted 
in  the  following  month,  by  the  Lord  Deputy,  in  favour  of  Walter 
Wellesley,  Prior  of  Conall  and  afterwards  Bishop  of  Kildare,  but 
both  recommendations  proved  unsuccessful. 

After  the  death  of  Dr.  Halsey,  the  See  of  Leighlin  appears  to 
have  remained  vacant  for  nearly  three  years. 

A.D.  1524.  MAURICE  DORAN.  or  O'DEORAN,  was  appointed 
Bishop  of  Leighlin,  on  the  28th  of  January.  "28°  Januarii, 
1524,  Card.  Campegio  referente,  providit  ecclesiae  Leghlinen. 
in  Anglia,  (sic)  vacanti  per  obitum  Thomae,  episcopi,  extra 
Romanam  Curiam  defuncti,  de  persona  Mauritii  Durand  (sic) 
Ordinis  fratrum  praedicatorum  professoris,  ad  supplicationem 
Regis,  et  ipsi  Mauritio,  ob  tenuitatem  ecclesiae,  facta  est  gratia 
de  annata."  (Barberini  Archives  apud  Brady)  This  Prelate  was 
a  native  of  Leix,  and,  as  we  learn  from  the  above  and  also  from 
Thady  Dowling,  was  a  distinguished  member  of  the  Dominican 
Order,  a  Professor  in  Theology,  a  most  erudite  controversialist 
and  eloquent  preacher,  and  of  unsullied  life.  He  governed  the 
See  but  one  year  and  eight  months,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he 
was  barbarously  murdered  by  Maurice  Kavanagh,  his  Arch 
deacon,  and  others  on  the  high  high-road,  between  Killenane 
and  Cloaghruish,  near  Glenreynold,  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Leighlin,  because,  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty  as  Bishop,  he  had 
reproved  Kavanagh  for  misconduct,  and  had  threatened  him 
with  further  correction  should  it  prove  necessary.  In  the  Annals 
of  the  Four  Masters  this  bloody  and  sacrilegious  deed  is  thus 
referred  to : — "  A.D.  1525.  A  foul  and  abominable  deed  was 
committed  in  this  year,  namely,  the  Bishop  of  Leighlin  was 
treacherously  murdered  by  Mac-an-Abbaidh  Mac  Murrough 
(aided  by  others)  who  was  in  his  (the  Bishop's)  company  with  the 
(appearance  of)  love  and  charity.  As  many  of  the  perpetrators 
of  this  crime  as  were  apprehended  by  the  Earl  of  Kildare  were, 
by  his  orders,  brought  to  the  spot  where  they  had  murdered  the 
Bishop,  and  condemned  to  be  first  flayed  alive,  and  then  to  have 
their  bowels  and  entrails  taken  out  and  burned  before  them/' 
Dowling,  in  his  Annals,  gives  the  following  account  of  this  crime 
and  its  punishment : — "  Maurtius,  Episcopus  Leighlen.,  cog- 
nominatus  Deoran,  in  Lexia  jam  vocata  Queen's  County,  in 


56  BISHOPS   OF  LEIGHLIN. 

Leinster,  frater  minorum,  Professor  in  Theologia,  contro- 
versia  et  conversatione  eloquentissimus  praedicator,  castus  a 
nativitate,  Episcopatum  regebat  annum  cum  dimidio  et  duobus 
mensibus ;  interfectus  fuit  per  Maurum  Cavenagh,  archidiaconum 
diocesios,  inter  Kilneyn  et  Cloaghruish,  eo  quod  dicti  archidia- 
coni  et  aliorum  redarguit  perversitatem,  et  corrigere  proposuit. 
Iste  Episcopus  in  jocundo  ejus  adventu,  quibusdam  persu- 
adentibus  duplicari  subsidium  cleri,  respondit: — Melius  radere 
oves  quam  destruere.  Geraldus  comes  Kildariae  juratus 
Deputatus,  qui  Maurum  Gner,  id  est,  sharp,  interfectorem 
Episcopi  Deoram  predict!,  cmci  affigere  curavit  at  the  head  of 
Glan  Reynold,  by  Leighlin,  et  ibidem  intralia  ejus  fuit 
comburi,  anno  1525." 

A.D.  1527.  MATTHEW  SANDERS,  was  the  next  Bishop  of 
Leighlin ;  his  appointment  is  dated  the  10th  of  April.  "  Die 
10°  Aprilis,  1527,  referente,  etc.,  Campegio,  providit  ecclesiae 
Leglinen.,  in  Hibernia,  sub  dominio  Regis  Augliae,  vacanti  per 
obitum  Thomae  (sic)  olim  Episcopi  Leglinem.,  extra  Romanam 
Curiam  defuncti,  de  persona  D.  Matthei  Sander,  cum  retentione 
beneficiorum  suorum,  et  cum  dispensatione  quod  possit  retinere 
unum  beneficium  curatum,  et  quandocunque  transferatur  ad 
aliam  ecclesiam  possit  retinere  dictum  beneficium  dummodo 
expediat  literas  retentionis."  (Barberini  Archives  apud  Brady.) 
Dr.  Sanders  is  here  set  down  as  the  immediate  successor  of  Dr. 
Thomas  Halsay;  from  this  wording  Dr.  Moran  is  inclined  to 
infer  that  Dr.  Doran  had  not  been  consecrated,  at  the  time  of  his 
death.  Ware  states  that  Dr.  Sanders  was  a  native  of  Tredagh, 
i.e.  Drogheda,  that  he  built  the  Choir  of  the  Cathedral  of  St. 
Laserian,  and  also  made  and  glazed  the  south  window  of  same. 
Some  have  regarded  this  Bishop  as  favouring  Henry  VIIL,  in 
his  revolt  against  the  Holy  See,  but  there  does  not  appear  to  be 
any  proof  that  such  was  the  case, — and,  that  his  orthodoxy  was 
unimpeached  at  Rome,  is  established  by  the  wording  of  the 
Official  Act  appointing  his  successor  "  to  the  See  of  Leighlin 
rendered  vacant  by  the  death  of  Thomas  of  happy  memory." 
(Barberini  Archives)  His  death  took  place  on  the  24th  of 
December,  1549.  (  Ware.) 

In  1541,  it  was  reported  at  Rome  that  Dr.  Sanders  was  dead, 
whereupon,  Thomas  Leverous  was  appointed  to  fill  the  supposed 
vacancy.  "Die  Lunae,  14°  Novembris,  1541,  referente  Rmo. 
Cardinal!  Gambara,  sua  Sanctitas  providit  Ecclesiae  Leghlinensi 
in  Hibernia,  vacanti  per  obitum  Matthei  olim  Episcopi  Leglinen. 
extra  Romanam  Curiam  defuncti,  de  persona  Thomae  Leuros 
(Leverous)  presbyteri  Midensis,  cum  retentione  Parochialis  de 
Conalis,  Ordinis  S.  Augustini  Darensis  Dioeceseos,  et  aliorum 


BISHOPS  OF  LEIGHLIN.  57 

obtentorum."  It  would  appear  that  he  was  even  consecrated  for 
this  See,  from  his  being  styled  "  heretofore  Bishop  of  Leighlin;" 
olim  Episcopus  Leghlinensis,  in  the  official  record  of  his  appoint 
ment  to  Kildare  in  1555.  An  account  of  the  Life  and  Sufferings 
of  this  distinguished  Prelate  will  be  found  in  its  proper  place 
in  the  Bishops  of  Kildare. 

On  the  death  of  Dr.  Sanders,  in  1549,  Robert  Travers  was 
intruded  into  the  See  of  Leighlin  by  Edward  VI.  Dowling,  the 
Protestant  Chancellor  of  Leighlin,  and  his  contemporary, 
describes  him  as  "  cruel,  covetous,  vexatious  towards  the  clergy," 
etc.  On  the  accession  of  Queen  Mary,  five  years  later,  sentence 
of  deposition  was  pronounced  against  Travers  "for  violating 
the  Canons,  civil  and  ecclesiastical,  forbidding  the  marriage  of 
the  clergy,"  and  the  See  was  provided  by  the  appointment  of  Dr. 
O'Fihely. 

A.T).  1555.  THOMAS  O'FIHELY  or  FIELD,  Bishop  of  Achonry, 
and  a  professed  member  of  the  Order  of  St.  Augustine,  was 
translated  to  the  See  of  Leighlin.  He  was  a  native  of  Cork, 
( Ware),  was  Abbot  of  the  Monastery  of  Mageo,  and  was  also 
Rector  of  Delgany,  in  the  Diocese  of  Dublin,  as  appears  from  the 
Official  Act  of  Appointment  to  the  Bishopric  of  Leighlin.  His 
nomination  to  Achonry  took  place  on  the  15th  of  January,  1547  : 
"  Die  15  Januarii,  1547,  providit  Ecclesiae  Achadensi  in  Hibernia, 
vacanti  per  obitum  Eugenii,  de  persona  P.  Thomae,  Abbatis 
Monasterii  S.  Augustini  Maggeonen.  cum  retentione  monasterii;" 
(Consist.  Record)  and  his  translation  to  Leighlin  is  dated  the 
30th  of  August,  1555.  "Die  30°  Augusti,  1555,  referente,  etc., 
.  .  Cum  R.  P.  D.  Thomas  Offiley,  Episcopus  nuper  Accaden., 
regimini  et  administration!  ecclesiae  Accaden.,  cui  tune  praeerat, 
in  manibus  Sanctitatis  Suae  sponte  et  libere  cessisset,  et  S.  Sua 
cessionem  hujusmodi  duxisset  admittendum,  ecclesiae  Leghlinen., 
tune  per  obitum  bo  :  mem :  Mathei,  olim  Episcopi  Leghlinen., 
extra  Romanam  Curiam  defuncti,  vacanti,  de  persona  dicti 
Thomae,  ordinis  fratrum  Heremitarum  Sti.  Augustini  professoris, 
quern  prasfati  Rex  et  Regina  (Phil,  et  Maria)  eadem  Sanctitati 
Suae  commendaverunt.  .  .  .  Cum  retentione  ecclesiae  parochialis 
Rectoriae  nuncupatae  de  Deign y,  Dublinen.  Dioc.,  et  cum 
clausulis,"  etc.  (Barberini  Archives  apud  Brady)  This  transla 
tion  of  Dr.  O'Fihely  to  Leighlin  is  also  commemorated  by 
Herrera,  in  his  Alphabetum  Augustinianum,  p.  450.  Thady 
Dowling,  in  his  Annals,  under  date,  1554,  has  the  following: — 
"Thomas  Filey,  alias  Fighill,  Minorum  frater,  auctoritate 
Apostolica,  Episcopus  Leighlinensis."  This  statement  of  Dowling, 
that  O'Fihely  was  a  Franciscan,  is  probably  an  inaccuracy  ;  but 
it  may  have  been  the  case  that  the  Bishop  exchanged  the 


53  BISHOPS  OF  LEIGHLIN. 

Augustinian  Order  for  that  of  St.  Francis, — similar  changes  from 
one  Religious  Order  to  another  being  not  unfrequent  in  the 
sixteenth  century.  (Dr.  Moran.)  It  is  noteworthy,  as  Dr.  Brady 
remarks,  that  in  the  above  Consistorial  Act,  not  only  was  Robert 
Travers,  ignored,  but  also  Dr.  Leverous  was  passed  over,  and  the 
succession  traced  to  Matthew  Sanders.  From  this  it  may  fairly 
be  inferred  that  Dr.  Leverous  was  never  in  full  possession  of  the 
See,  although  styled  Bishop  of  Leighiin  in  the  Brief  of  his 
appointment  to  Kildare. 

In  1556,  Dr.  Fihely  was  selected,  together  with  Dr.  Leverous, 
then  Bishop  of  Kildare,  to  enquire  "  concerning  the  chalices, 
crosses,  ornaments,  bells,  and  other  property,  belonging  to  the 
parochial  churches  and  various  religious  Institutions,  which  have 
been  confiscated  and  destroyed  during  the  preceding  period  of 
schism."  This,  together  with  the  fact  that,  in  the  Annals  of  his 
Order,  he  is  mentioned  as  devoted  to  the  Orthodox  Faith  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death,  in  1566,  sufficiently  disprove  the  statement 
of  some  to  the  contrary.  The  chief  grounds  on  which  his 
Orthodoxy  has  been  impugned  are :  1°  an  Item  amongst  the 
"  Memoranda  for  private  notes,"  in  Sherley's  Original  Letters, 
dated  the  16th  of  July,  1559,  to  the  following  effect :— "  When 
Dr.  Thorn.  Flyllye,  Bishopp  of  Laughlin  hath  been  contented  to 
acknowledge,  both  by  othe  and  writing  under  his  hand,  his 
allegeance  to  her  highness  as  to  his  souvreigne  lady,"  with  a 
renunciation  of  all  foreign  authorities  and  jurisdiction,  etc.,  her 
majesty  has  been  pleased  to  grant  him  certain  gifts  "  for  further 
gratefieng  of  the  said  bisshopp  towards  his  better  sustentac  and 
living."  2°  Dr.  Fihely  was  appointed  as  one  of  the  Royal  Com 
missioners,  in  1564,  "to  reform  all  such  persons  as  should 
obstinately  absent  themselves  from  Church  and  divine  service  as 
by  law  established/'  (Morrin.  Cal  Vol,  1,  p.  489.)  These, 
however,  are  far  from  sufficient  grounds  to  justify  the  grave 
charge  of  apostacy  which  has  been  advanced  against  this  Prelate. 
They  prove,  indeed,  that  he  recognized  the  authority  of  Elizabeth 
as  his  Sovereign  lady,  but  they  are  silent  as  to  his  having 
admitted  her  Spiritual  Supremacy.  They  also  prove  that  a 
Commission  was  addressed  to  him  inconsistent  with  Catholic 
Doctrine,  but  they  are  silent  as  to  his  having  acted  on  such 
commission ;  and,  that  he  did  not  act  upon  this  commission  is 
proved,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  by  the  omission  of  his  name  from  the 
list  of  the  acting  Commissioners  whom  the  Protestant  Bishop  of 
Kildare  names,  in  his  letter  to  Cecil,  dated  the  2nd  of  July, 
1565.  (State  Papers.)  Moreover,  as  a  similar  Commission  was, 
at  the  same  time,  addressed  to  others  who  were  undoubtedly 
devoted  to  the  Catholic  cause,  we  may  fairly  conclude  that  such 


BISHOPS   OF  LEIGHLIN.  59 

a  fact  does  not  warrant  the  conclusion  that  this  Bishop  abandoned 
the  Catholic  faith.  (Dr.  Moran,  See  of  Leighlin  in  IQth  Cent.) 
Dr.  O'Fihely  continued  in  undisturbed  possession  of  his  See 
until  his  death,  which  took  place  on  the  Friday  before  Palm- 
Sunday,  1566.  (Letter  of  Sidney,  apud  Shirley,  247.) 

In  the  Vatican  Archives  is  preserved  a  letter  from  the  heroic 
Bishop  of  Meath,  Dr.  Walsh,  then  a  prisoner  for  the  faith  in 
Dublin  Castle,  recommending,  on  his  own  part  and  that  of  the 
Bishop  of  Kildare,  Dr.  Leverous,  the  appointment  of  a  certain 
Daniel  or  Donald  O'Ferrall,  to  the  vacant  See  of  Leighlin.  The 
text  of  this  interesting  letter  may  be  seen  in  the  Irish 
Ecclesiastical  Record,  Yol.  2,  p.  549.  It  does  not  appear  that  this 
recommendation  was  acted  upon. 

A  Bishop  of  Leighlin  named  WILLIAM  OPHILY  came  between 
Dr.  Thomas  O'Fihely  and  Dr.  Ribera.  That  he  was  the 
immediate  predecessor  of  Ribera  appears  from  the  Brief,  appoint 
ing  the  latter,  in  1587.  The  Episcopate  of  this  Bishop  could  have 
been  but  of  short  duration  as  the  Vatican  List  of  the  Irish 
Clergy  in  1580  states  of  the  See  of  Leighlin  that  it  had  been 
"  in  possession  of  the  heretics  for  many  years  past,  its  true 
Bishop  being  long  since  dead."  Leighlinensis  a  plurimis  annis  ab 
haereticis  occupatur  defuncto  jampridem  vero  Episcopo.  (Dr. 
Moran.) 

A.D.  1587.  FRANCIS  DE  RIBERA,  a  Spanish  Franciscan,  was 
nominated  to  the  See  of  Leighlin  on  the  llth  of  September. 
His  Brief  is  still  preserved  and  bears  date  the  14th  September, 
1587.  It  is  addressed :  "  To  our  beloved  son,  Francis  Ribera, 
Bishop  elect  of  Leighlin."  After  referring  to  the  vacancy  in  the 
See  being  occasioned  by  the  death  of  William,  of  happy 
memory,  the  preceding  Bishop,  the  Document  goes  on  to  describe 
Dr.  Ribera  as  a  priest  of  Toledo,  a  professed  member  of  the 
Order  of  Friars  Minims  de  observantly  a  Doctor  in  Theology, 
distinguished  as  a  preacher  and  also  for  his  zeal  for  religion,  purity 
of  life  and  great  virtue.  The  Holy  Father  then  exhorts  his 
venerable  brother,  the  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  to  whom  he  has 
addressed  letters  of  a  similar  import,  to  favour  and  protect  his 
suffragan,  the  newly  appointed  Bishop.  The  Brief  concludes 
with  a  clause  prohibiting  the  Bishop  elect  from  exercising 
Episcopal  functions  outside  the  Kingdom  of  Ireland.  The 
original  entry  of  the  appointment  of  this  Prelate  runs  thus : — 
"Die  11°  Septembris,  1587,  Cardinalis  Senon.  ecclesiam 
Leglinensem  in  Hib.  jamdudum  per  obitum  R.  D.  Gulielmi 
Ophily,  ultimi  ejus  Episcopi  Catholici  vacantam,  et  providendum 
de  persona  R.  P.  fris.  Francisci  de  Ribera,  Hyspani,  Ordinis  S. 


60  BISHOPS   OF  LEIGHLIN. 

Francisci  de  Observantia,  ex  primariis  civitatis  Toletanae, 
Theologiae  Doctore,  publico  concionatore,  et  in  curia  praesente 
et  denique  digno  cui  hujusmodi  ecclesiae  praeficiatur,  ut  paret 
in  processo  formato  et  subscripto,  emisit  etiam  fidei  professionem. 
Retulit  deinde  R.  Proponens,  prefatam  ecclesiam  sitam  in 
Provincia  Dublinen.,  prope  civitatem  Leglinae,  sub  inyocatione 
S.  Malachy  (sic)  Episcopi,  instnictam  requisitus  pro  divino  cultu, 
diocesim  illam  extendi  ad  30  miliaria,  omnesque  fere  indigenas 
Catholicos,  et,  licet  sit  ibi  Pseudo  Episcopus  auctoritate  pretensae 
Reginae  Angliae,  celebrari  tamen  in  majori  parte  diocesis  divina 
officia  ritu  Catholico,  fructusque  taxari  in  libris  Camarae  ad  flor. 
800."  (Brady's  Episc.  Succn.)  In  a  MS.  History  of  the 
Franciscan  Order  in  Ireland,  written  in  1618,  it  is  stated,  of  the 
Diocese  of  Leghlin,  that  "its  latest  Bishop  was  Francis  Ribera  of 
the  Order  of  St.  Francis  ;"  and,  in  a  List  of  Franciscan  Bishops, 
given  in  the  same  work,  it  is  added  that  Dr.  Ribera  survived 
Elizabeth,  and  died  in  1604.  There  is  no  evidence  to  show  that 
this  Prelate  ever  came  to  Ireland.  In  the  MS.  History  referred 
to,  it  is  stated  that  "he  erected,at  his  own  expense,  an  Infirmary 
for  the  Franciscan  Convent  at  Antwerp,  and  resided  in  the  same 
Convent  for  a  Jong  time,  being  unable  to  reside  in  Ireland."  He 
died  at  Antwerp  on  the  10th  of  September,  1604.  (Fr.Meehan's 
Irish  Hierarchy  in  17th  Cent) 

During  the  period  of  37  years  that  intervened  between  the 
death  of  Dr.  Ribera  and  the  appointment  of  Dr.  O'Dempsy,  the 
See  of  Leighlin  was  governed  by  Vicars  or  Administrators,  the 
first  of  whom  would  appear  to  have  been  Luke  Archer.  Hartry, 
in  an  unpublished  MS.  entitled  Triumphalia  Stae  Crucis,  states 
that  Luke  Archer  was  appointed  Custos  or  Guardian  to  the  See 
of  Leighlin  by  Dr.  (Dermod)  Creagh,  Bishop  of  Cork  and  Cloyne, 
by  virtue  of  powers  entrusted  to  him  by  the  Holy  See  ;  and, 
soon  after,  Vicar- Apostolic  of  Leighlin.  (Dr.  Kelly's  Dissertation 
on  Irish  Church  History,  p.  424,  note.) 

Dr.  Ram,  Protestant  Bishop  of  Leighlin  and  Ferns,  in  an 
Official  Report,  dated  the  1st  of  September,  1612,*  refers  to 
"  Luke  Archer,  Vicar-General  for  the  Diocese  of  Leighlin, 
keeping  for  the  most  part  in  Kilkenny;  at  his  coming  into  the 
County  of  Carlow  resorting  unto  the  house  of  Edmond  Mac- 
Tirialogh  of  Ravilly."  (Liber  Regalis  Visitationis.)  The  Brief, 
appointing  Luke  Archer  Vicar-Apostolic  of  Leighlin,  is  dated 
the  7th  of  March,  1614."t  (Wadding  MSS.) 

*  The  portion  of  this  curious  and  interesting  Report  which  refers  to  the  Diocese 
of  Leighlin  is  given  in  the  Appendix. 

f  Dr.  Luke  Archer  was  a  native  of  Kilkenny  and  a  memher  of  the  ancient  a: 
respectable  family  of  the  Archers  of  that  city.     He  was  educated  at  Lisbon,  frc 


BISHOPS  OF  LEIGHLIN.  61 

The  Rev.  Matthew  Roche  appears  to  have  been  the  next 
Vicar- Apostolic  of  Leighlin.  His  signature,  as  such,  is  attached 
to  a  Document,  already  referred  to,  in  the  Wadding  MSS.,  dated 
the  5th  of  June,  1623;  and  again,  to  a  Commendatory  letter  in 
favour  of  the  Capuchin  Order,  dated  the  4th  of  September,  1624. 
(Spic.  Ossor.  Vol.  I,  p.  135.)  In  a  Relatio  de  querelis,  etc.,  dated 
the  30th  of  August,  1630,  preserved  in  the  Irish  College  at 
Rome,  complaint  is  made  by  the  Religious  that  some  of  the 
Ordinaries,  and  especially  Dr.  Matthew  Roche  of  Leighlin,  had 

whence,  after  receiving  Holy  Orders,  he  returned  to  his  native  city  in  1594,  and, 
immediately  after,  was  appointed  Archdeacon  of  Ossory  and,  a  few  years  sub 
sequently,  Parish  Priest  of  St.  Patrick's,  by  Dr.  Thomas  Strange,  Bishop  of  that 
See.  After  ministering  for  sixteen  years  as  a  secular  priest  in  the  city  of  Kilkenny, 
he  resolved  to  retire  from  the  world  and  pass  the  remaining  years  of  his  life  in 
the  seclusion  of  the  cloister.  Accordingly,  in  the  year  1610,  he  embraced  the 
Cistercian  Institute,  and,  on  taking  the  habit  of  that  Order  on  the  7th  of  October 
of  the  following  year,  was  created  Abbot  of  Holy  Cross.  On  his  elevation  to  that 
dignity  he  resigned  all  his  preferments  in  the  Church,  but  finding  that  the  time 
had  not  yet  arrived  when  he  could,  with  safety,  take  possession  of  his  Abbey,  he 
prudently  determined  to  remain  at  Kilkenny  till  a  more  favourable  opportunity 
presented  itself.  It  was  about  this  time  that  he  was  appointed  Gustos  of  the 
Diocese  of  Leighlin,  and,  subsequently,  in  March  1614,  Vicar- Apostolic  of  that 
See.  On  the  18th  of  September,  1618,  he  was  elected  Provincial  and  Vicar- 
General  of  his  Order.  He  at  once  commenced  the  Visitation  of  his  Province,  and 
exerted  all  his  energies  to  re-establish  the  houses  of  his  Order  in  Ireland.  In 
furtherance  of  this  object,  he  made  long  and  painful  journeys  through  the  country 
visiting  the  ruins,  and  appointing  ad  interim  Superiors  to  them  till  the  arrival  of 
a  more  tolerant  period  should  admit  of  their  restoration.  During  this  Visitation 
he  had  to  encounter  much  opposition  from  the  Commendatory  Abbots  and  such 
other  secular  priests  as  aspired  to  that  distinction  or  had  been  appointed  by  their 
Ordinaries  to  the  cure  of  souls  in  parishes  attached  to  the  suppressed  Abbeys. 
Amongst  others,  the  Rev.  David  Henesy,  who  had  been  appointed  to  the  Parish  of 
Holy  Cross,  refused  to  receive  jurisdiction  from  him,  maintaining  that  he  needed 
no  other  title  than  that  derived  from  his  Ordinary,  the  Archbishop  of  Cashel. 
The  Abbot  insisted  on  the  original  and  inherent  right  of  the  Abbot  of  Holy  Cross 
to  appoint  to  the  parish  and  dependencies  of  the  Abbey.  As  a  last  resource  he 
had  recourse  to  excommunication,  and  delegated  the  Rev.  Matthew  Roche,  after 
wards  Vicar- Apostolic  of  Leighlin,  to  pronounce  the  sentence,  which  he  did 
amidst  the  ruins  of  the  Monastery.  After  some  further  resistance  Fr.  Henesy 
submitted,  and  signed  a  formal  Deed  to  that  effect,  dated  the  1st  of  June,  1621. 
At  this  period,  the  Diocese  of  Ossory  was  reduced  to  a  deplorable  state  of  religious 
destitution, — its  Bishop  in  exile, — its  Vicar- General  dead, — and  there  was  no 
priest  in  any  of  the  rural  parishes  within  20  miles  of  the  city.  Dr.  Richard 
FitzGerald,  who  then  administered  the  Diocese,  in  quality  of  Vicar- Apostolic, 
induced  Dr.  Archer  to  accept  the  vacant  office  of  Vicar-General.  To  secure  a 
supply  of  priests  for  the  Diocese,  and  of  Religious  for  the  different  houses  of  the 
Province,  he  established  at  Kilkenny  a  noviciate  of  the  Order,  to  which  was 
attached  a  seminary  for  the  education  of  secular  priests.  These  institutions 
prospered ;  and  he  had  the  happiness,  during  an  administration  of  eleven  years, 
to  appoint  a  pastor  to  every  vacant  Church  and  to  see  religion  flourish  in  every 
parish  of  that  Diocese.  On  the  appointment  of  Dr.  Rothe  to  the  See  of  Ossory  in 
1637,  Dr.  Archer  removed  the  novitiate  to  Holy  Cross,  where  he  resided  up  to  the 
period  of  his  death,  which  took  place  on  the  19th  of  December,  1644.  He  was 
interred  in  the  Abbey.  {See  "History  of  Holy  Cross  Abbey"  by  Rev.  Thos 
Carroll,  P.  P.,  Clonoulty,  Cashel,  in  /.  E.  R.for  1873.) 


62  BISHOPS  OF  LEIGHLIN. 

interdicted  their  collecting  the  alms  of  the  faithful.  (Dr. 
Morans  Ar chips.  Dub.  p.  371.)  At  the  Provincial  Synod  held 
at  Tyrcogir,  on  July  29th  1640,  the  Diocese  of  Leighlin,  alone, 
was  unrepresented.  In  a  curious  work  entitled  "  Anatomicum 
examen  Eucldridii  apologetici,"  by  Cornelius  O'Mollony,  published 
at  Prague  in  1671,  it  is  asserted  as  a  well-known  fact, that  Matthew 
Roche  had  fallen  under  the  censures  of  the  church,  and  that 
in  consequence  of  his  persistence  in  the  courses  for  which  he  was 
censured,  he  was  arrested  in  1644,  tried  at  Waterford,  condemned 
and  degraded,  and  then  handed  over  to  the  secular  authority,  by 
whom  he  was  executed.  There  would  appear  to  have  existed  a 
long-standing  and  bitter  feud  between  Koche  and  some  of  the 
Religious  Orders,  especially  the  Franciscans.  The  writer  of  the 
Anatomicum  Examen  was  evidently  a  violent  partisan,  whose 
statements,  therefore,  should  be  received  with  very  great  caution ; 
still,  writing  as  he  did  only  27  years  subsequent  to  the  stated 
execution  of  Roche,  it  is  hard  to  think  that,  if  untrue,  it  would 
have  been  let  pass  unchallenged.  The  following  passages 
relating  to  Matthew  Roche  are  found  in  the  work  referred  to  : — 
"  Mattheus  Roch,  rebellis  Lechlinensis  Vicarius  Apostolicus, 
vir  sceleratus  et  excommunicatus,  qui  per  35  annos,  assistentia 
haeretici  saecularis  brachii,  illusit  Sedis  Apostolicae  mandata  et 
sui  Dublinensis  Archiepiscopi  jussa,  et  censuras  in  ilium  toties 
fulminatas  sprevit."  (p.  223.)  And  again: — "Matthaei  Rochi 
(vulgo  Roche)  scelera  ita  publice  nota  sunt,  ut  non  credam  ullum 
fuisse  a  40  annis  in  toto  Hibae.  Regno  virum  literatum  qui  de 
illius  facinoribus  non  audiverit;  ob  quae,  anno  1644,  praeval- 
entibus  in  Hibernia  Catholicis,  authoritate  Illustrissimi  Dni. 
Thomae  Flemingi,  nati  Baronis  de  Slana,  Dublinensis  Archi 
episcopi,  captus  fuit,  et  Waterfordiam  vi  ductus ;  ut  in  praesentia 
18  Archi-Episcoporum  et  Episcoporum ;  tot  Procerum  ac 
Praelatorum  Regni  accusatus,  juridice  convictus,  ac  tandem 
Canonico  ritu  degradatus,  et  ad  condignas  patibuli  paenas 
tollerandas,  saecularis  judicis  brachio  traditus  erat."  (Id.  p.  224.) 
A.D.  1642.  EDMUND  DEMPSY  was  appointed  Bishop  of  Leighlin 
on  the  10th  of  March.  On  the  14th  of  May,  1641,  a  private 
Congregation  was  held  in  the  palace  of  Cardinal  Spada,  composed 
of  his  Eminence  and  the  Cardinals  Pamphili  and  Barberini, 
together  with  the  Secretaries  of  the  Dataria  and  Propaganda  ;  at 
which  the  names  of  five  Bishops  were  approved  of  to  be  presented 
to  the  Holy  Father  for  the  then  vacant  Sees  of  Ireland,  one  of 
which  was  that  of  Leighlin.  The  Cardinal  Protector  having 
presented  the  attestation  of  the  Nuncio  at  Paris,  and  of  Falconieri, 
whilst  Nuncio  in  Belgium,  as  also  of  the  Archbishop  of  Dublin 
and  the  Bishops  of  Raphoe  and  Kildare,  as  to  the  noble  extraction, 


BISHOPS   OF  LEIGHLIN.  63 

holy  life,  and  zealous  labours,  during  many  years,  with  abundant 
spiritual  fruit,  of  Father  Edmund  Dempsy,  Provincial  of  the 
Dominican  Order  in  Ireland;  and  also,  the  donation  of  1,800 
ducats,  yielding  an  annual  sum  of  100  ducats,  made  by  Terence 
Dempsy,  baron,  and  Viscount  Clanmalyre  in  favour  of  his  son,  the 
said  Edmund,  on  his  nomination  to  the  Episcopal  dignity;' the 
Congregation  deemed  it  expedient,  should  it  seem  fit  to  the  Holy 
Father,  that  the  said  Edmund  Dempsy  should  be  advanced  to  the 
See  of  Leighlin,  which  is  suffragan  to  the  Metropolitical  See  of 
Dublin,  and  has  been  vacant  for  many  years.  (Dr.  Moran's 
ArcJibps.  Dublin,  p.  349.)  Accordingly,  on  the  10th  of  March, 
1642,  the  appointment  was  made:— "Die  10°  Martii,  1642' 
referente  Antonio  Barberino,  fuit  pro  visa  Ecclesia  Leighlinensis  " 
(Barberini  Archives.)  In  the  Processus,  Dr.  Dempsy  is  described 
as  the  son  of  noble  and  Catholic  parents  in  the  County  of 
Kildare,  aged  about  40,  in  priest's  Orders,  a  Master  in  S.  Theology, 
and  a  distinguished  preacher.  It  states,  moreover,  that  he  had 
discharged  the  duties  of  the  office  of  Provincial  of  his  Order  for 
many  years,  with  credit,  and  that  he  was  distinguished  for  up 
rightness  of  life,  orthodoxy,  and  unsullied  morals  fit  was  deemed 
therefore,  highly  desirable  that  his  appointment  should  take 
place. 

As  early  as  the  year  1637,  the  clergy  of  the  Diocese  of 
Leighlin  had  petitioned  the  Holy  See  to  have  Dr.  Dempsy  ap 
pointed  as  their  Bishop,  and  there  is  extant  a  letter  from  Dr. 
MacGeoghegan,  Bishop  of  Kildare,  recommending  the  prayer  of 
this  Petition.  (Spic.  Ossor.  Vol.  I,  p.  218.)  The  Clergy  of  Ferns 
also,  on  the  death  of  Dr.  John  Roche,  in  1636,  had  presented  a 
similar  petition  that  he  might  be  selected  to  be  their  Bishop. 

Dr  Dempsy,  or  O'Dempsy,  made  his  early  studies  at  Douay 
and  Louvam.  He  read  his  Theological  course,  with  great 
distinction  at  Alcalk  and,  in  1624,  entered  on  the  Irish  Mission, 
where  he  laboured  incessantly  with  great  success  in  promoting 
the  salvation  of  souls.  In  1635,  he  was  unanimously  chosen 
rovmcial  of  the  Dominican  Order  in  Ireland,  and,  in  that  office, 
gave  frequent  proofs  of  consummate  prudence,  as  well  as  of  zeal 
tor  the  glory  of  God.  Dr.  Dempsy  was  one  of  the  most  active 
^relates  amongst  the  Confederate  Catholics.  His  name  appears 
amongst  those  attached  to  the  Decree  of  the  Synod,  held  at 
Waterford,  August  the  12th,  1646,  under  the  Presidency  of  the 
Nuncio.  This  Decree  condemned  in  the  strongest  terms,  the 
treaty  of  peace,  which  had  been  signed,  a  short  time  before,  by 
the  Marquis  of  Ormond,  on  the  part  of  the  King,  and  by  Lord 
Muskerry,  Sir  Robert  Talbot  and  others,  in  the  name  of  the 
-xmiederate  Catholics.  Referring  to  the  protracted  debate  on  the 


64  BISHOPS    OF   LEIGHLIN. 

question  of  this  Peace,  Beltings,  a  contemporary  and  a  member 
of  the  Confederation,  relates,  that  "  the  Bishop  of  Leighlin,  who 
always  sat  upon  an  eminent  bench  at  the  upper  end  of  the  house, 
could,  with  waving  his  hat,  raise  such  a  storm  from  the  middle 
seats  and  towards  the  door,  that  nothing  could  be  heard  for  a  long 
time  but  the  repeated  thunder  of  I  (aye)  or  No,  or  that  name 
which  he  first  dictated  to  them."  (Desiderata  Curiosa  Hiberniae. 
Dublin,  1772.)  The  same  adverse  writer  noticing  an  address 
made  by  the  Bishop  of  Leighlin,  says  that  "citing  the  text  of 
Scripture  where  Christ  raised  Lazarus  from  the  dead,  Removete 
lapidem,  wished  them  to  observe  that,  when  our  Saviour  came  to 
perform  that  stupendous  work,  he  gave  his  Disciples  no  other 
share  in  it  than  that  of  removing  the  stone  ;  so,  said  he,  perform 
you  that  which  is  within  your  power,  remove  the  stone,  reject  the 
Peace,  proceed  on  vigorously,  and  God  will  do  the  rest."  (Idem.) 
Dr.  Dempsy  is  found  taking  a  most  active  part  in  the  ecclesi 
astical  and  national  affairs  of  the  country  up  to  the  time  when  he 
was  driven  into  exile.  He  was  amongst  the  Prelates  assembled 
at  Clonmacnoise,  in  1649,  being  present  in  the  double  capacity 
of  Bishop  of  Leighlin  and  Procurator  of  Waterford.  (Spic.  Ossor. 
1,  p.  327.)  From  Clonmacnoise  we  find  Dr.  Dempsy  writing,  on 
the  12th  of  December,  1649,  renewing  a  previous  recommendation 
to  have  his  kinsman,  James  Dempsy,  Vicar- Apostolic  of  Kildare, 
appointed  Bishop  of  that  See.  (Id.  1,  p.  328.)  A  Commission 
from  the  Catholic  Prelates,  dated  Cavan,  2nd  of  May,  1650,  was 
addressed  to  Feagh  O'Toole,  Colonel  of  the  Confederate  Catholics, 
authorizing  him  to  levy  and  take  the  command  of  a  regiment  of 
foot  and  a  troop  of  horse,  for  the  service  of  the  country.  This 
document  bears  the  signatures  of  the  Bishop  of  Leighlin  and  of 
the  Vicar- Apostolic  of  Kildare,  and  is  as  follows : — 

"  To  Col.  Luke,  alias  Pheagh  O'Tuhille,  greeting,  in  our  Lord  God 

everlasting. 

SIK,— The  pressing  calamatie  of  this  Kingdom,  wherewith  the  Holy 
Catholique,  Apostolic  and  Roman  religion,  his  sacred  Majesties  right,  and 
the  just  liberties  of  us  his  loyall  subjects,  are  like  to  be  trode  under  foote 
by  a  company  of  prophane  and  mechanical  Rebel]  s  (made  instruments  of 
God's  wrath  to  punish  our  sinnes),  together  with  the  confidence  we  have 
in  your  zeal,  worth  and  wisdom  to  redeem  those  soe  deare  pleadges, 
invites  us  to  call  to  your  assistance,  Giving  you  hereby  full  power  and 
authoritie  to  levie,  leade  and  command  a  Regiment  of  foot,  and  a  troupe 
of  horse,  praying  you  to  containe  the  said  Regiment  and  Troupe  as  much 
as  may  be,  from  incurring  God's  just  anger,  especially  from  oppressing  the 
poore,  swering,  and  stealing ;  Giving  you  to  understand  we  are  hereunto 
authorized  by  his  Excellency  the  Lord  Lieutenant,  Marquess  of  Ormond, 
as  appeareth  from  his  letter,  dated  at  Loughriagh,  the  first  of  last  April. 
Wee  also  pray  you,  with  the  consent  of  the  gentry  there,  to  choose  among 
yourselves  in  those  partes,  a  commander  in  cheef  e,  and  that  each  Colonel 


BISHOPS   OF  LEIGHLIN.  65 

may  choose  his  own  officers.  We  will  not  cease  to  pray  his  Divine 
Majestic  to  encouradg  you  to  fight  in  his  quarrell,  and  bless  your  designs. 
Given  at  Cavan,  the  2nd  of  May,  1650.  H.  Armach.,  Eug.  Kilmoren,,  Fr 
Thomas,  Dublin.,  Fr.  Edmundus,  Laghlinensis,Fr.  Antonius  Clunmacn., 
Walter  B.  Clonfert.,  Jas.  Dempsie  Vic.  Apost.  Kildare."  (From  MS. 
Deposition  Lib.  T.C.D.,  3555  Wkklowjol  2, 14,  quoted  by  Fr.  Hogan,  S.J., 
in  notes  to  "  Description  of  Ireland,  Anno  1598." 

The  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  Dr.  Fleming,  at  the  instance  of 
Lord  Clanricarde,  the  then  Viceroy,  took  an  active  part  in  pro 
moting  the  proposed  Protectorate  of  the  Duke  of  Lorrain,  in  1651f 
and  wrote  to  Dr.  Dempsy,  then  the  only  Bishop  in  the  Province, 
urging  him  to  exert  himself  to  the  utmost  in  the  cause. 
(Median's  Irish  Hier.  VI ill  Cent.  c.  4  ) 

Being  remarkable  for  his  devotion  to  the  Holy  See,  as  well  as 
for  his  meekness  and  clemency,  Dr.  Dempsy  was  delegated  to 
absolve  from  the  censures  of  the  Nuncio.  (Note  of  S.  Congreg.  in 
1655  in  Dr.  Morarfs  Archbps.  Dub.  p.  352.) 

Dr.  Dempsy  retired  into  exile  in  or  before  the  year  1653.  In 
an  original  letter,  written  from  Portivieda,  on  the  12th  of 
November,  1656,  and  preserved  amongst  the  Hinuccini  MSS., 
the  exiled  Prelate  gives  a  saddening  picture  of  the  savage 
persecution  to  which  the  Irish  Church  was  subjected  immediately 
after  the  departure  of  the  Nuncio,  who  set  sail  from  Galway  Bay 
on  the  23rd  of  February,  1649.  Dr.  Dempsy  continued  in  the 
country  for  three  years  after,  ever  hoping  for  the  day  of  deliver 
ance,  and  labouring  unceasingly  for  the  welfare  of  the  flock 
committed  to  his  pastoral  care.  He  shared  to  the  full  in  the 
persecutions,  sufferings  and  privations  of  his  Catholic  fellow- 
countrymen.  The  words  of  the  Apostle,  describing  the  persecu 
tions  of  the  early  Christians,  are  fully  applicable  to  the  condition 
of  the  Irish  Catholics  at  the  period  referred  to : — "  They  had 
trials  of  mockeries  and  stripes,  also  of  bonds  and  prisons,  they 
were  cut  asunder  .  .  .  they  were  put  to  death  by  the  sword,  being 
in  want,  distressed,  afflicted  .  .  .  wandering  in  deserts,  in 
mountains  and  in  dens  and  in  caves  of  the  earth."  At  length, 
despairing  of  any  improvement  in  the  times,  and  destitute  of  all 
human  aid,  Dr.  Dempsy  left  the  country  and  retired  into  Spain. 
Having  remained  some  months  at  Madrid,  he  finally  settled  in 
Gallicia  where  he  had  already  been  two  years  and  a  half  at  the 
date  of  his  letter.  The  King  of  Spain  had  assigned  him  a 
pension  of  60  ducats  a  month,  but  of  this  he  had  received  no  more 
than  300  ducats  in  all,  and,  were  it  not  for  the  munificence  of 
Don  Vincent  Gonzaga,  Viceroy  of  Gallicia,  he  and  the  two  com 
panions  of  his  exile,  Fathers  Dominic  O'Ferrall  and  Raymond 
O'Heslenan,  would  have  been  reduced  to  the  direst  straits.  The 
object  he  had  in  writing  this  letter  was  to  procure  from  the  Holy 

E 


(3(5  BISHOPS  OF   LEIGHLIN. 

Father  or  from  one  of  the  Cardinals,  a  communication  to  their 
benefactor,  the  Viceroy,  thanking  him  for  his  great  charity  towards 
them. 

The  following  is  the  text  of  this  letter  : — 

"Post  111.    D.    Nuncii    discessum   ex    regno,    flamma,    fame,    ferro 
devastata    fuit    tota    Hibernia,    et  fructus  violationis    censurarum    et, 
maledictionis  aeternae  totum  sibi  subjecit  insulam,  et  qui  jam  ante  erant 
de  nostra  confoederatione,  jam  turn  uniti  haereticis  irruuut  in  suos  cum 
tanta  ferocitate  spoliantes  aedes,  agros  vastantes,  pecudes   in  praedam 
ducentes    etiam   pupillorum  et  viduarum,    et    meis    minime  parcentes 
Quibus  non   obstantibus    et    durantibus    incommodis  post    discessum 
dicti  111.  D.  Nuncii  expectans  auxilium  aut  e  coelo  aut  solo,  quo  deficiente, 
non  alia  ex  causa  quam  multitudine  peccatorum  nostrorum  praepedito, 
procuravi    omnibus  viribus   remedium  aliquod   antedictis    incommodis 
applicare,  non  parcens  labori  ant  vigilantiae  per  triennium  circa  curam 
gre°is  mihi  indignissimo  pastori  commissi,   et  quanta  in  hoc  trienmo 
pencula  incommoda,  inediam  et  miserias,  in  sylvis,  montibus,  desertis,  et 
fatebris,  Dei  et  Ecclesiae  causa  toleravi  nescio,  Deus  scit ;  tandem  yidi 
Hiberni'am  meam,  Sanctorum  quondam  insulam,  pene  omnem  Catholicae 
Religionis  exercitio  et  libertate  destitutam,  prophanata  templa,   diruta 
coenobia  eversa  altaria,  sacras  Cruces,  Deiparae  Yirginis  Sanctorumque 
omnium  Imagines,  ornamenta,  vasa,  sacros  codices,   comminui    violari 
sacrilegisque  focis  absumi.     Ethaec  videre,  quanta  animi  amaritudo  quae 
ipsa  morte  mihi  acerbior  fuit.     Quis  talia  fando  temperet  a  lachrymis  ? 
Quern  ad  luctum  et  dolorem  non  moveret  vel  ipsa  tantorum  malorum 
cogitatio1?  his  non  obstantibus,   steti,  restiti    constans   in   mea  prima 
resolutione,  pro   Deo  et  Ecclesia  quamdiu  licuit^:  sed  morte  marteque 
simul  imminentibus,post  proditoriam,  quam  audistis,  submissionem,  cujus 
in  Momonia  primus  author  fuit  Edmundus  Duir,  colonellus,  et  Edmundus 
Fenel  colonellus,  postea  ab  haereticis  juxta  Dei  compensatione  suspensus, 
et  in  Lagenia  D.  Joannes  Fitz-Patricius,  juvenis  insanae  libertatis,  nunc 
residens  in  curia  Matritensi.  plus  ibi  habitus  quam  qui  pro  Deo  exilmm 
usque  firmiter  steterunt,  uti  D.  Richardus  Ferrall  et  D.  Hugo  O  JSeill : 
post,  inquam,  proditoriam  hanc   submissionem    omni    humano  auxilio 
destitutus,  exilio  et  summis  oceani  incommodis  me  commisi,  a  quibus 
divina  Providentia  ereptus  (ut  brevitatis  causa  alias  omittam  circum- 
stantias)  Matritum  veni,  ubi  per  aliquot  menses  moram  feci,  sed  insolitqs 
loci  illius  aestus  ferre  non  valens,  Galeciam  de  licentia  Serenissimi  Kegis 
Catholici  petii ;  ubi  propter  aeris  temperiem  et  loci  amcenitatem  (gratias 
Deo   Uni  et  Trino,)   integra  fruor  valetudine  his  duobus    annis  cum 
dimidio,  quo  durante  tempore,  ex  sexaginta  ducatis  quas  invictus  et  idem 
serenissimus  Rex  Catholicus,  quern  Deus  incolumem  conservet,  in  me 
conferri  per  mensem  pro  mea  sustentatione  imperayit,  nonnisi  qumque 
mensium   portionem  accepi  toto  tempore  quo  Matriti  mansi  et  resideo 
Pontivediae.     Quapropter  ego  cum  sociis,  nempe  Rev.  P.  fr.  Dommico 
O'Ferrall  et  Rev.  P.  fr.  Raymundo  O'Heslenano  (alias  de  S.  Michaele)non 
parva  laboramus  inedia,  et  majorilaboraremus  nisi  propter  magnificentiam 
Excell.  D.D.  Vincentii  Gonzagae,  Itali,  hujusprovinciaeGaleciaeproregis, 
cujus  sumptibus  pascimur  et  nutrimur.      Vir  enim  est  noster  Prorex 
nobillissimus,  egregie    doctus,  satis  pius  et  nescio    cui    non  charitate 
praeferendus.    Utinam  procurares  si  non    Sanctissimi    Patris,    saltern 
alicujus  Eminentissimi  Cardinalis,  litteras  ad  ipsum  pro  gratiarum  actione. 
propter  ejus  in  nos  eximiam  charitatem."  (Spifr  Ossor.,  Vol.  //•,  p>  156), 


BISHOPS   OF  LEIGHLIN.  67 

Dr.  Dempsy  remained  in  Gallicia  until  his  death,  which  took 
at  St.  Mary's,  Finisterre,  in  or  before  the  year  1661.  (Dr.  Brady.) 
Some  kind  friend  composed  the  following  Epitaph  for  his 
tomb : — 

"  EDMUNDUS  MUNDUM  TEMPSIT,  CHRISTUMQUE   SECUTUS, 
DOMINICUS  TERRIS  ALTER   ET   ILLE   FUIT." 

Dr.  Dempsy  was  the  author  of  a  work  entitled  t(  Feed  your 
Sheep"  which,  however,  was  not  printed,  the  MS.  having  been 
lost  on  its  way  to  Louvain,  whither  it  was  sent  for  publication. 

From  the  death  of  Dr.  Dempsy  to  the  year  1678,  when  the 
Bishop  of  Kildare  received  its  Administration,  the  Diocese  of 
Leighlin  was  under  the  care  of  Vicars.  In  a  Propaganda  Congre 
gation,  held  on  the  12th  of  July,  1661,  a  letter  was  read  from  the 
Archbishop  of  Armagh,  stating  that  he  had  placed  the  Diocese  of 
Leighlin  under  the  Vicar-General  of  the  deceased  Bishop.  (Brady.) 
From  a  Report  of  the  State  of  Ireland,  presented  in  Rome  in 
March,  1662,  we  find  that  the  Vicar-General  referred  to,  was 
Charles  Nolan.  The  following  is  the  passage  of  this  interesting 
document  which  relates  to  this  Diocese: — "In  the  Diocese  of 
Leighlin  I  was  acquainted  with  Dr.  Charles  Nolan,  the  Vicar- 
General,  a  most  learned  and  holy  man,  who  has  undergone  much 
suffering  and  exposed  himself  to  many  dangers  on  account  of  his 
flock, remaining  constantly  amongst  them,  surrounded  by  enemies 
and  in  circumstances  of  the  utmost  danger.  He  used  to  conceal 
himself  in  the  woods  and  in  mountain  caves  by  day,  and  to 
nourish  the  faithful  with  the  Sacraments  of  Holy  Church  under 
cover  of  the  night.  I  received  a  day's  hospitality  from  this 
venerable  ecclesiastic  when,  to  my  great  edification  we  conferred 
together  on  matters  of  conscience ;  but  thrice,  in  the  course  of 
that  day,  was  it  necessary  to  withdraw  from  his  house  into  the 
woods,  in  consequence  of  soldiery  passing  the  way.  In  a  certain 
town  in  that  district  I  have  administered  the  Sacraments  to  one 
hundred  persons  who,  for  three  years  previously,  had  not  received 
the  Sacraments  of  Penance  and  the  Blessed  Eucharist ;  many  of 
them  even  stated  that  they  had  hardly  ever  had  an  opportunity  of 
assisting  at  Mass,  in  consequence  of  the  native  priests  being 
known  to  the  heretics  who  resided  in  the  town.  I  passed  myself 
off  amongst  these,  by  day,  as  a  soldier  and  one  of  themselves,  and 
at  night  I  heard  confessions  and,  in  due  time,  administered  Holy 
Communion.  There  are  in  that  district  two  other  priests,  one  of 
them  a  Franciscan,  and  the  other  an  Abbot  of  the  Order  of  St. 
Bernard."  (See  Original,  in  Spic.  Ossor.  Vol.  2,  p.  209.) 

John  Deoran  was  Vicar-General  of  Leighlin  in    1666.     He 


68  BISHOPS  OF  LEIGHLIN. 

appears  as  such  in  the  list  of  Bishops  and  other  Dignitaries  who 
assembled  in  Dublin  on  the  llth  of  June  in  that  year.  (See 
Irish  Eccl.  Record  for  June,  1870,  p.  509.) 

In  1670,  a  National  Synod  was  held  in  Dublin.  All  the  Irish 
Prelates,  who  then  numbered  only  six,  were  present,  and  also  the 
Vicars-General  of  the  other  Sees.  One  of  the  acts  of  the 
assembled  Prelates  was  to  petition  the  Holy  Father  to  appoint 
Bishops  to  some  of  the  vacant  Sees,  and  they,  at  the  same  time, 
presented  the  names  of  those  ecclesiastics  whom  they  accounted 
most  worthy  of  being  advanced  to  the  Episcopal  dignity.  For 
the  Bishopric  of  Leighlin  Dr.  William  Phelan,  Chancellor  of 
Ossory  and  Prothonotary  Apostolic,  was  proposed.  (Life  of  0. 
Plunkett,  p.  123.) 

Dr.  Mark  Forstall  was  appointed  Bishop  of  Kildare  on  the 
8th  October,  1676.  The  Primate,  Oliver  Plunkett,  who  held  Dr. 
Forstall  in  the  highest  esteem,  more  than  once  recommended  to 
the  Holy  See  that  he  should  receive  also  the  administration  of 
the  Diocese  of  Leighlin.  (See  Letters  to  the  Internunzio,  dated 
the  mhand  20th  of  August,  1677,  quoted  at  gp:'.87-88.)  In 
compliance  with  this  recommendation  and  a  Petition  to  the 
same  effect  signed  by  Dr.  Plunkett  and  the  Bishops  of  Meath  and 
Clogher,  Dr.  Forstall  received,  on  the  5th  of  September,  1678, 
a  Brief  for  Kildarewith  Leighlin  in  commendam.  Dr.  Plunkett, 
writing  on  the  SOth  of  November,  1679,  observes:  "To 
Monsignor  Forstall  the  favour  was  granted  of  the  administration 
of  Leighlin ;  and  the  clergy  did  not  say  one  word  in  opposition, 
though  they  only  received  authentic  copies  of  the  Brief  precisely 
as  tho'se  of  Dr.  Tyrrell  of  Kilmore,"  where  the  clergy  were  by  no 
means  as  acquiescent.  (Life,  p.  161.) 

On  the  death  of  Dr.  Forstall,  in  1683,  the  clergy  of  Leighlin,  to 
the  number  of  twelve,  petitioned  the  Holy  See  that  the  Diocese 
might  be  given  in  administration  to  Dr.  James  Phelan,  Bishop 
of  Ossory.  The  following  is  the  text  of  this  Document  taken 
from  a  copy  in  the  possession  of  the  present  Bishop  of 
Ossory :  — 

"Dime.  D°e-  Cum  Diocesis  nra  Laghlinen.  nnperrime  pr.  mortem 
RDD.  Marci  Forstall,  b.  m.  E?1-  Kildarien.  et  Admin^-  Laglilinensis 
viduata  sit  pastore  ;  nos  infrascripti  Dioecesis  Laghlmensis  Sacerdotes  et 
Pastores  ad  S.  Sanctitatis  pedum  oscula  hu™.  prostrati,  summopere 
r0aamus  qtentls-  RD.  Jacobus  Foelaims  Ep™»  Ossonen.,  cujus  dicecesis 
tota  nr*'  ab  una  parte  contimia  est,  constituatur  Epus.  administrator 
prefatae  Laghlinen.  Dioecesis.  Quod  nr°-  omniumque  Dioecesanor-  tarn 
cleric°r-  qm-  Laicor-  solatio  et  auxilio,  necnon  ad  majorem  ammarum 
sahitem,  Deiq.  gloriam  (si  fiat)  fore,  non  dubitamus.  Quodq.  ab  I*  Dne- 
Vra-'  S  St!-  et  S-  Cardinalmm  congne  nominibus  nris  intimandum  emxe 


BISHOPS  OF   LEIGHLIN.  69 

obsecramus,  et  in  proemissor.  testimonium  presentem  nra*n.  supplicationem 
•et  postulationem  syngraphis  nris-  affirmamus,  die  26  Mar.  R.  Dni  1683. 

Malachias  m  ,Evoy. 

Jacobus  Dwyer,  etc. 

David  Byrne. 

Malachias  Meagher,  Theologus, 

Henricus  Comerford,  S.  Theol.  Doctor. 

Gullielmus  Duigan,  S.  Theol.  Doc.  et  Vic-Gen. 

Ferdinandus  Gormagane,  Theologus. 

Connellus  Aloowe,  Theologus. 

Quintilianus  Moore,  Sacerdos. 

Johannes  Nowlane,  Theologus. 

Edvardus  Kavanagh. 

Joannes  Glison. 

IU  no:  J)no. 

Janario." 

The  Holy  See  thought  fit  to  make  another  arrangement,  by 
appointing  Dr.  Edward  Wesley,  Bishop  of  Kildare,  the  Admini 
strator  also  of  Leighlin,  the  same  year. 


BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 


A.D.  1683.  EDWARD  WESLEY  was  appointed  by  Propa 
ganda,  Bishop  of  Kildare,  with  Leighlin  in  Administration,  in 
succession  to  Dr.  Forstall,  on  the  13th  of  July,  1683. 
"  Provideatur  ecclesia  Childariensis  de  persona  Edvardi  Wensly 
(sic)  cum  administratione  etiam  ecelesiae  Laglinensis  expedi 
tion  e  ut  ad  proximum,"  i.e.  per  Breve.  (Casanatensian  MSS. 
apud.  Brady.)  His  Brief  was  dated  August  2nd,  1683.  The 
Rev.  Charles  Dempsey,  Superior  of  the  Irish  College  at  Lisle,* 
was  the  bearer  of  the  Bulls  for  Dr.  Wesley  and  also  for  Dr. 
Russell,  the  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  as  we  learn  from  a  letter 
written  by  Father  Dempsey,  preserved  in  the  Archives  _  of 
Propaganda.  (Spic.  Ossor.  2,  p.  274.)  It  appears  that  complaint 
had  been  made  at  Rome  of  these  Prelates ;  of  the  former,  that  he 
was  disposed  to  quarrel  with  his  clergy ;  and  of  the  latter,  that 
he  was  but  little  versed  in  Theology,  and  consequently  unfit  for 
the  office  of  Bishop.  Fr.  C.  Dempsey  undertakes  to  refute  these 
charges  and,  in  doing  so,  gives  some  important  details  regarding 
the  Bishop  of  Kildare.  He  states  that  Dr.  Wesley  was  an 
alumnus  of  the  College  of  Louvain  and  took  there  the  degree  of 
Licentiate  in  Theology,  that,  previous  to  his  advancement  to  the 
Episcopate,  he  had  resided  for  many  years  in  the  city  of  Dublin, 
and  was  a  member  of  the  Chapter  of  that  Diocese ;  that  he  had 
been  in  much  request  as  an  enlightened  spiritual  guide  and  con 
fessor,  especially  by  the  nobility  and  members  of  the  legal 
profession.  Father  Dempsey,  in  conclusion,  relates  that  he  had 
very  many  times  visited  Dr.  Wesley,  and  states  that  he  had 
invariably  found  him  occupied,  either  in  study,  or  prayer,  or  in 
hearing  confessions.  The  following  is  the  passage  from  the  letter 
referred  to  ;  it  is  addressed  to  the  Internuncio  atBrussels,  and  was 
written  in  1685  :— "Illme-  et  Revme/-  Dne-  Nuper  a  quodam  Pastore 
Dubliniensi,  viro  probro  ac  docto,  necnon  mihi  optime  noto, 

*To  a  Protestation  against  Jansenism,  signed  by  Irish  priests  then  residing  at 
Paris,  on  the  26th  of  August,  1676,  the  names  of  three  priests  of  the  Diocese  of 
Kildare,  and  one  of  the  Diocese  of  Leighlin  are  affixed,  the  Kildare  priests  were 
"  Carolus  Dempsy,  presbyter  Theologus,"  (most  probably  the  person  referred  to 
above),  "Jo.  Dermot,  Do.;  et  Quintilianus  Dunne,  Do."  The  priest  of  the 
Diocese  of  Leighlin  was  "  Edvardus  Kavanagh,  Presbyter  Theologus."  (Spic. 
Ossor.  2.,  p.  219.) 


BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE  AND   LEIGHLIN.  71 

intellexi  Romae  renunciatum  esse  maxim  as  inter  Illum'  Dublin- 
iensem  Russell  et  suum  clerum  turbas  esse  excitatas,  nee  ipsos 
oranino  esse  reconciliandos :  et  Illum<  Kildariensem  Wesley 
hominem  esse  ad  omnia  ineptam  sua  utpote  statione  indignum 
et  incapacem,  nee  a  limine  quidem  Theologiam  salutasse.  Quae 
mendacia,  bone  Deus!  Quantae  calumniae!  quae  horrendae 

detractiones Quod  vero  spectat  ad  111.  Dnum-  Wesley, 

miror  profecto  detractorum  et  calumniatorum  audaciam.  In 
umbilico  enim  urbis  Dubliniensis  a  multis  aunis  tenet  domicilium. 
Vix  ullus  in  Hibernia  nobilis  cui  non  sit  notus,  quod  quater  per 
annum  eo  ad  comitia  veniant  et  ad  ipsum  imprimis  confluant, 
suam  aperturi  conscientiam.  Novit  Illma*  Yra;  Dominatio,  novit 
Romana  Curia,  novit  Xtianus.  orbis,  quam  egregia  semper  in  fide 
constantiae  argumenta  edidere  Hiberni  adeo  ut  bonorum  et 
vitae  quam  fidei  jacturam  facere  mallent  :  nee  asserere  vereor 
nullos  esse  qui  majori  odio  malos  Ecclesiasticos  prosequantur  et 
praecipue  nobiles,  qui  et  ipsi  plerumque  non  ignari,  ab  inscitia 
Sacerdotum  tanquam  a  peste  abhorrent ;  quod  non  nesciant 
ignorantiarn  esse  omnis  mali  causam  et  fomitem,  et  idiotas  in 
urbibus  populo  praeesse  nequaquam  sinant.  Si  talis  esset 
Illmus-  Dnus- Wesley  qualis  Romae  depingitur,  jamdudum  ex  illo 
loco  vel  invitus  deturbaretur.  Ad  ipsum  frequentissimo  accedant 
perspicaces  Jusisconsulti,  quorum  ibi  magnacopia,  nee  minor 
divitum  et  mercatorum  turba  et  quorum  nonnulli  Philosophiae 
et  Theologiae  in  transrnarinis  partibus  operam  dederunt,  soliciti 
tamen  de  animi  sui  sordibus  eluendis,  ei  tanti  ponderis  negotium, 
utpote  salutem  aeternam,  non  crederent  nisi  pro  certo  constaret 
hominem  esse  capacissimum.  Quid  ad  haec  Detractores  ?  nee 
Theologiam  quidem  delibasse  afnrmabunt?  Suum  tamen 
alumnum  et  Licentiati  gradu  decoratum  agnoscit  et  laetatur 
celeberrima  Lovaniensis  Academia,  tarn  insigni  ornamento 
gaudet  Capitulum  Dubliniense  et  in  rebus  Theologicis  et  in. 
utroque  jure  apprime  versatum  fatebitur.  Sentiet,  favente  Deo, 
Kildaria  et  Laughliniaipsiusdoctrinae  claritatem:  novit  denique, 
quod  caput  est,  novit  tota  Lagenia  virum  esse  vita  et  moribus 
landatissimum.  In  conversatione  illo  modestiorem  vidi  neminem: 
ab  illius  saepenumero  cubiculum  accedens,  semper  ilium  vel 
studentem,  vel  orantem,  vel  confessiones  andientem,  reperi.  A 
tot  quibus  ibi  commoratur  annis,  se  nunquam  nisi  semel,  licet 
non  raro  invitatus,  prandium  aut  coenam  surnpturum,  taberuam 
intrasse  asserentem  audivi,  rarum  sobrietatis  exemplum." 

On  the  24th  of  June,  1685,  a  Provincial  Synod  assembled  at 
Dublin,  over  which  the  Archbishop,  Patrick  Russell,  presided, 
and  at  which  the  four  suffragan  Bishops  assisted.  Dr.  Wesley's 
name  is  subscribed  to  the  Acts  of  this  Synod,  as  Bishop  of 


72  BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

Kildare  and  Administrator  of  Leighlin.  Theologians  also 
attended,  deputed  by  each  of  the  five  Diocesan  Chapters.  Dr. 
James  Russell,  Dean  of  Dublin,  and  Prothonotary  Apostolic,  re 
presented  the  Chapter  of  Kildare,  and  the  Chapter  of  Leighlin 
sent  as  its  delegate,  Dr.  Morgan  Kavanagh.*  The  second 
Decree  passed  at  this  Synod  is  deserving  of  especial  notice 
as  indicating  the  fixed  belief  at  the  time  of,  at  least,  the  faithful 
of  the  Province  of  Dublin,  in  the  doctrine  of  the  Immaculate 
Conception  of  the  Blessed  Virgin.  "Regarding  the  Blessed 
Virgin  Mary,"  it  says,  "who  is  looked  upon  as  the  general 
Patroness  of  the  entire  Kingdom,  we  decree,  and  moreover, 
command,  that  the  Feast  of  her  Immaculate  Conception  be  kept 
as  of  precept,  throughout  the  Province;  and,  therefore,  that  ^  all 
abstain  from  servile  work  on  that  day."— De  B.  Maria  Virgine, 
quae  totius  Regni  censetur  Patrona  generalis,  Statuimus  et 
ordinamus  similiter,  ut  Festum  Immaculatae  ejus  Oonceptionis 
servetur  ex  praecepto  in  toto  hac  Provincia ;  ac  proinde,  ut 
omnes  ab  operibus  servilibus  eo  die  abstineant.  (Constitutiones 
Provinciates,  etc.  pubd.  in  1770.) 

Another  Synod  of  the  Province  of  Dublin  was  held  on  the  1st 
of  August,  1*688,  at  which,  also,  Archbishop  Russell  presided  ; 
the  only  suffragan  Bishop  present  was  Dr.  James  Phelan  of 
Ossory,  but  Procurators  from  the  five  Diocesan  Chapters  attended. 
The  representative  for  the  Chapter  of  Kildare  was  Bernard 
Molloy,  Vicar-General ;  and,  for  the  Chapter  of  Leighlin,  Conal 
Moore,  Vicar-General. f  A  resume  of  the  Decrees  passed  at 
these  Synods  will  be  found  with  others  in  Appendix.  Dr. 
Wesley  died  probably  towards  the  close  of  the  year  1693. 

A.D.  1694  JOHN  DEMPSY  was  proposed  as  Bishop  of  Kildare,  in 
Consistory  held  in  January,  1694,  on  the  recommendation  of  the 
King  of  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland.  "  Die  25°  Januarii,  etc. 
In  proximo  consistorio  ego,  Palutius,  Card,  de  Alteriis, 
Praeconium  faciam  ecclesiae  Kildarien.,  vac.  per  obitum 
'  cognominati  Wesly,  ultimi  illius  Episcopi,  extra  Rom.  curiam 
defuncti,  et  in  sequente  referam  illius  statum,  et  qualitates 
yeniis  viri  J0aimis  Dempsy,  presbyteri,  ad  illam  a  Rege  Anglic 

*The  name  of  "Morgan  Kavanagh,  Parish  Priest  of  Leighlin,  ordained  in 
1681,"  appears  amongst  the  Priests  registered  in  1704  ;  no  doubt  this  is  the  same 
person,  and  it  appears  equally  clear  that  he  was  a  member  of  the  Borris  family. 

t  We  find  Conal  More  registered,  in  1704,  as  Parish  Priest,  then  and  for  28 
years  previously,  of  Tulore,  Disert-Galen  and  Clonkeen  (i.e.  the  present  parishes 
of  Abbeyleix  and  Ballinakill,)in  Queen's  County.  The  local  tradition  states  that 
he  was  of  the  family  of  the  O'Mores  of  Leix,  and  that  he  was,  moreover,  a  near 
relative  of  Sarsfield'Earl  of  Lucan.  Anna,  daughter  of  the  famous  Rory  O'More, 
was  mother  of  Patk.  Sarsfield,  but  the  precise  degree  of  relationship  between  her 
and  Fr.  Conal  More,  has  not  been  ascertained. 


BISHOPS   OF  KILDAEE  AND   LEIGHLIN.  73 

Scotiae  et  Hiberniae  nominati."  ( Vallicellian  MSS.t  apud 
Brady.)  Dr.  Dempsy  is  described  as  the  son  of  noble  and 
Catholic  parents,  about  50  years  of  age,  a  priest  for  very  many 
years;  it  is  further  stated  that  he  had  made  his  Theological 
studies  in  the  University  of  Paris,  and  that  he  was  a  man  of 
prudence  and  of  dignified  demeanour,  and  was,  in  consequence  of 
these  qualifications,  judged  worthy  of  being  promoted  to  the 
Government  of  the  said  Church.  The  state  of  the  Diocese  is 
also  set  forth  in  this  document ;  the  Cathedral  town  of  Kildare 
is  described  as  of  small  dimensions,  containing  about  400 
inhabitants.  The  Cathedral  exists,  but  is  held  by  the  heretics, 
who  are  also  in  possession  of  the  Baptismal  font.  There  are  no 
Catholic  dignitaries  or  Canons.  The  Sacraments  are  administered 
in  private  houses  by  missionary  priests  and  Pastors  appointed  by 
the  Bishop.  There  is  no  Episcopal  residence,  nor  are  there  any 
revenues,  those  belonging  to  the  See  being  in  the  hands  of  the 
heretics  ;  thus,  the  Bishop  has  no  means  of  support  except  such  as 
are  provided  by  charitable  contributions.  Formerly  there  were, 
atKildare,  monasteries  both  for  men  and  women,  but  these  also 
had  been  seized  upon  by  the  heretics.  (Barberini  Archives,  apud 
Brady). 

On  the  29th  of  November,  1694,  it  was  resolved  by  Propaganda 
that  Dr.  Dempsy  should  have  Leighlin,  also,  in  Administration. 
(Brady.)  The  date  of  this  Bishop's  death  has  not  been 
ascertained,  beyond  the  fact  that  he  is  stated  to  have  been  dead 
several  years  prior  to  1713.  In  a  Propaganda  Congregation, 
held  on  the  4th  of  September,  1713,  it  was  stated  that  the  Arch 
bishop  of  Dublin  had  written  to  recommend  Edward  Murphy, 
Vicar-General  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin,  for  the  Bishopric  of  that 
See,  vacant  for  many  years.  (Brady) 

A.D.  1715.  EDWARD  MURPHY,  Vicar-General  of  Kildare  and 
Leighlin,  was,  on  the  recommendation  of  "  King  James,"  ap 
pointed  to  Kildare,  by  Propaganda,  on  the  llth  of  September, 
1715,  and  had  a  fresh  recommendation  to  Kildare  and  Leighlin 
on  the  18th  of  October  in  the  same  year.  He  was  consecrated 
Bishop  of  Kildare,  on  the  18th  of  December,  1715,  by  Archbishop 
Edmund  Byrne  of  Dublin,  assisted  by  Patrick  Goulding,  Arch 
deacon  of  St.  Patrick's,  and  Simon  Murphy,  Treasurer  of  St. 
Patrick's.  His  Brief  for  Kildare  and  Leighlin  was  dated  the  20th 
of  March,  1716.  (Dr.  Brady.)  Dr.  Brady  is  mistaken  when  he 
states  that  Dr.  Murphy  died  in  1724.  He  ceased  to  be  Bishop 
of  Kildare  and  Leighlin  in  that  year,  but  it  was  in  consequence 
of  his  translation  to  the  Archiepiscopal  See  of  Dublin  in  Septem 
ber,  1724,  over  which  See  he  presided  for  the  succeeding  five 
years.  (Brenan's  Eccl.  Hist.  Vol.  2.,  333  ;  D 'Alton's  Archbps. 


74  BISHOPS  OF   KILDARE  AND   LEIGHLIN. 

Dub.  465.)  Dr.  Murphy  acted  as  Secretary  to  two  Provincial 
Synods  held  at  Dublin  in  July,  1685  and  August,  1688.  (See 
Decreta,  pubd.  1770.)  His  name  does  not  appear  amongst  the 
Priests  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin  registered  in  1704 ;  he  most 
probably  was  the  "Edward  Murphy,  residing  in  Cook-street, 
Dublin,  aged  53,  P.P.  of  St.  Audeon's,  ordained  in  1677,  at 
Escurial  in  Spain,  by  James,  Archbishop  of  Tuam."*  (See 
Registry,  of  1704.) 

A.D.  1724.  BERNARD  DUNNE  was  appointed  Bishop  of  Kildare 
and  Leighlin  on  the  translation  of  Dr.  Murphy  to  Dublin.  His 
Brief  is  dated  the  16th  of  December.  He  died  in  1733.  By  a 
letter  dated  the  4th  of  September,  1733,  the  tidings  of  the  recent 
death  of  the  Bishop  of  Kildare  were  confirmed.  The  Nuncio  of 
Belgium,  when  communicating  this  intelligence  to  Propaganda 
recommended  Dr.  Cornelius  Nary,f  native  of  the  Diocese  of 
Kildare,  as  his  successor.  (Brady.) 

A.D.  1733.  STEPHEN  DOWDALL  succeeded.  His  Brief  is  dated 
the  22nd  of  December.  It  would  appear  that  Dr.  Dowdall 
resigned  the  government  of  the  Diocese  before  his  death.  There 
is  evidence  of  his  being  still  living  on  the  19th  of  July,  1737, 
whereas,  the  Brief  appointing  his  successor,  is  dated  two  months 
previous.  (Dr.  Brady.") 

*  James  Lynch,  Archbishop  of  Tuam,  was  arrested  in  1674,  and  compelled  to 
go  into  exile.  In  1675  and  1676,  he  was  in  Madrid,  in  great  poverty  and 
applied  to  Propaganda  for  permission  to  exercise  episcopal  functions  in  Spain.  In 
1710,  he  was  in  France  and  was  stated  to  be  about  ninety  years  old.  (Brady's 
Episc.  Succn.) 

f  Cornelius  Nary  was  born  in  the  County  of  Kildare  in  the  year  1660,  and 
educated  in  school  learning  in  the  town  of  Naas.  He  received  Priest's  Orders  in 
the  City  of  Kilkenny  in  the  24th  year  of  his  age,  and,  the  year  following,  went 
to  Paris  and  studied  in  the  Irish  College  there,  of  which  he  was  afterwards 
Provisor  for  about  seven  years.  He  took  the  Degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws  in  1694, 
in  the  College  of  Cambray,  in  the  University  of  Paris,  and  about  two  years  after, 
upon  his  going  to  London,  was  appointed  Governor  to  the  Earl  of  Antrim,  a  R. 
Catholic  nobleman  of  Ireland,  lieturning  into  his  own  country,  he  was  made 
Parish  Priest  of  St.  Michan's  in  Dublin,  in  which  station  he  continued  to  his 
death,  which  happened  on  the  3rd  of  March,  1738.  He  was  a  man  of  learning 
and  an  author  of  considerable  note.  Harris's  Ware,  (Writers,  Book  I,  p.  299,) 
who  gives  a  long  list  of  his  works,  amongst  which  is  mentioned  "  The  New 
Testament,  translated  into  English  from  the  Latin,  with  marginal  notes,"  London, 
1705,  1718,  8vo.  On  the  suppression  of  the  Nunneries  in  Galway  in  1712,  Dr. 
John  Burke,  Provincial  of  the  Franciscans,  obtained  the  consent  of  Dr.  Edmund 
Byrne,  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  for  some  of  the  Sisters  of  that  Order  to  settle  in 
Dublin.  The  Lords  Justices  received  information  of  their  arrival  and  had  several 
of  them  arrested.  A  Proclamation  then  issued,  dated  20th  Septr.,  1712,  to  appre 
hend  the  said  John  Burke,  Dr.  Byrne  (the  Archbishop),  and  Dr.  Nary,  as  Popish 
Priests  attempting  to  exercise  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction,  contrary  to  the  laws  of 
this  Kingdom,  and  it  was  ordered  that  all  the  laws  in  force  against  the  Papists, 
should  be  strictly  carried  out  (Hardiman'' s  Hist,  of  Galway,  p.  275).  Dr.  Nary 
died  P.P.  of  St.  Michan's,  in  1738. 


BISHOPS  OF   KILDARE   AND   LEIGHLIN.  75 

A.D.  1737.  DR.  JAMES  GALLAGHER,  Bishop  of  Raphoe,  was 
translated  to  Kildare  by  Brief  dated  May  the  18th.  By  letter 
of  the  Secretary  of  State,  dated  July  17th,  the  same  year, 
Monsignor  Gallagher,  Bishop  of  Kildare,  is  declared  Admini 
strator  also  of  Leighlin.  (Brady)  But  little  is  known  of  this 
Prelate  either  prior  or  subsequent  to  his  appointment  to  Kildare 
and  Leighlin.  Even  the  place  of  his  birth  has  not  been 
ascertained,  but  it  is  conjectured  to  have  been  in  the  neighbour 
hood  of  Lake  Erne,  and  to  have  taken  place  not  later  than  the 
year  1680.*  He  made  his  studies,  first  at  the  Irish  College, 
Paris,  and  subsequently  at  the  College  of  Propaganda,  Rome. 
From  the  fact  that  his  name  is  not  included  in  the  list  of  Priests 
registered  in  1704,  it  is  concluded  that  his  return  to  Ireland  did 
not  take  place  till  after  that  date.  He  was  appointed  Bishop  of 
Raphoe  in  1725,  and  was  consecrated  to  that  See,  at  Drogheda, 
on  the  14th  of  November  in  that  year,  by  the  Archbishop  of 
Armagh,  assisted  by  the  Venerable  Bernard  MacMahon,  Dean 
and  Vicar-Apostolic  of  Clogher,  and  the  Venerable  William 
Reilly,  Archdeacon  of  Armagh.  (Episc.  Succn.)  The  Diocese 
of  Raphoe,  like  many  of  the  other  Irish  Sees  at  that  time, 
afforded  but  slight  means  of  support  to  its  Bishop.  The  income 
in  1671,  was  stated  to  be  only  £15,  and  it  is  not  likely  that  it 
had  much  improved  at  the  time  of  Dr.  Gallagher's  appointment. 
That  his  life  was  one  of  constant  privation  as  well  as  of  toilsome 
duty,  may  be  readily  inferred  from  the  circumstances  of  the  time 
in  which  his  lot  was  cast.  The  following  narrative  of  an  event 
in  the  life  of  this  Prelate  will  show  the  persecuting  spirit  of  the 
period  and  the  risk  at  which  missionary  duties  were  discharged  : — 
In  1734,  Dr.  Gallagher,  then  Bishop  of  Raphoe,  had  occasion  to 
visit  officially  the  parish  of  Ballygarvan,  of  which  a  Father 
O'Hegarty  was  Parish  Priest,  at  whose  house  he  purposed 
passing  the  night.  In  the  course  of  the  evening  the  Bishop 
received  a  note  from  an  extensive  landed  proprietor  in  the 
neighbourhood  named  Potter,  offering  him  hospitality.  The 
bearer  of  the  message  was  a  Catholic,  to  whom  the  Bishop 
mentioned  the  purport  of  the  note,  asking  if  he  would  be  safe  in 
accepting  the  offer.  The  man  told  him,  as  he  valued  his  life,  not 
to  go,  and  accordingly  the  invitation  was  declined.  When  bed- 


#  The  ancient  Irish  sept  of  O'Gallagher  possessed  a  territory  in  the  baronies  of 
Raphoe  and  Tir-Hugh,  Co.  Donegal,  and  held  the  castles  of  Lifford  and  Bally- 
shannon  ;  they  derived  their  surname  from  Gallchobhair,  a  warrior  of  the  sept, 
who  lived  A.D.  950.  They  bore  for  arms  Argent  a  lion  rampant  sable  treading 
on  a  serpent  in  less  proper,  between  eight  trefoils  Yert ;  and  for  crest,  A  crescent 
gules,  issuant  out  of  the  horns  a  serpent  erect  proper,  (information  kindly  supplied 
by  Sir  Bernard  Burke,  Bart.,  Ulster  King-of-Arms.) 


76  BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE  AND   LEIGHLIN. 

time  came,  the  Bishop  retired  to  rest,  but  could  not  sleep. 
Wearied  with  lying  awake,  he  arose  at  midnight  and  intimated 
to  his  host  that  he  would  set  out  for  the  scene  of  the  next  day's 
labours ;  but  at  the  urgent  solicitation  of  the  priest,  he  returned 
to  bed.  Still,  sleep  would  not  come,  and  still,  the  thought  was 
strong  upon  him  to  depart.  Finally,he  made  up  his  mind  to  leave ; 
arising,  he  quietly  left  the  house  without  informing  his  host,  and 
having,  himself,  saddled  his  horse,  he  set  out,  long  before  day,  for 
Rathmullen.  The  Bishop  was  but  a  short  time  gone  when,  from 
an  opposite  direction,  a  troop  of  soldiers  rushed  down  the  hill  and 
quickly  surrounded  the  house  of  the  priest.  A  magistrate  from 
Millford  named  Buchanan  was  in  command  of  the  soldiery ;  he 
had  received  information  that  the  Bishop  was  in  the  house  and 
had  come  to  seize  him.  Father  O'Hagerty,  aroused  by  their 
clamorous  summons  to  have  the  Bishop  delivered  up  to  them, 
appeared  and,  having  visited  the  apartment  lately  occupied  by 
the  Bishop,  informed  them  that  he  was  not  in  the  house.  After 
a  search  which  showed  them  that  their  intended  prey  had  really 
escaped,  and,  enraged  at  their  failure,  they  determined  that  they 
would  not  go  without  a  prisoner ;  they  accordingly  seized  the 
priest,  and  having  tied  his  hands  behind  his  back,  led  him  forward 
towards  Millford  gaol.  The  intelligence  having  meantime  spread 
abroad  amongst  his  people  that  their  Pastor  was  in  the  hands  of 
his  enemies,  they  quickly  assembled  in  large  numbers,  intent  on 
rescuing  him.  They  pursued  the  soldiers,  harassing  them  with 
stones,  their  only  weapons,  and  with  which  the  women  kept  them 
supplied.*  Buchanan,  fearing  that  his  prisoner  would  escape, 
levelled  his  horse-pistol  at  the  priest's  head  and  shot  him  dead. 
The  people  horrified,  gathered  around  the  shattered  remains  of 
their  Pastor  with  loud  outcries  of  grief,  and  under  cover  of  this 
diversion,  Buchanan  and  his  myrmidons  made  good  their  escape.f 
Dr.  Gallagher,  thus  providentially  saved,  found  a  safe  retreat 
in  one  of  the  islands  of  Loch  Erne,  where  he  remained  concealed 
for  a  year.  Here  it  was  that  he  composed  the  Volume  of 
Sermons  written  in  Irish,  of  which  many  editions  have  appeared. 
In  the  Preface  to  the  original  edition,  his  Lordship  explains  his 
object  in  publishing  these  Sermons: — "I  have  composed  the 
following  discourses  for  the  sake  of  my  fellow-labourers  princi 
pally  ;  and  in  the  second  place  for  such  as  please  to  make  use  of 


*  One  of  those  who  took  part  in  this  work  was  then  a  mere  girl,  afterwards 
related  the  circumstances  to  Dr.  McG-ettigan,  Bishop  of  Kaphoe,  who  in  turn 
related  them  to  the  present  Primate. 

fit  has  heen  stated  that  the  ill-fated  young  man,  Buchanan,  who  met  so 
untimely  an  end  on  the  occasion  of  the  assassination  of  the  late  Lord  Leitrim, 
was  the  last  surviving  descendant  of  the  person  above  referred  to. 


BISHOPS   OF   KILDAKE  AND   LEIGHLIN.  77 

them, — that  they  may  preach  them  to  their  flocks,  since  my  re 
peated  troubles  debar  me  of  the  comfort  of  delivering  them  in 
person/'  These  Sermons  were  first  published  at  Dublin,  1736  ; 
a  second  edition  appeared  in  1740 ;  they  subsequently  went 
through  numerous  editions,  the  18th  having  been  brought  out  in 
1820,  edited  by  Edmund  O'Reilly,  author  of  the  Irish  and 
English  Dictionary.  Another  edition  has  recently  appeared  (M. 
H.  Gill  <Ss  Son,  Dublin,}  edited  by  Canon  Burke  of  Tuam,  who 
has  enhanced  the  work  by  adding  on  opposite  pages  an  idiomatic 
English  translation.  Several  of  the  foregoing  facts  have  been 
taken  from  the  Memoir  of  Dr.  Gallagher,  prefixed  to  this  edition. 

Dr.  Gallagher  was  translated  to  the  See  of  Kildare  and 
Leighlin  in  May,  1737.  The  great  Prelate  of  these  Dioceses,  Dr. 
Doyle,  in  a  "  DIOCESAN  BOOK,  arranged  for  the  use  of  the 
Bishops  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin,"  preserved  in  MS.  at  the 
Episcopal  residence,  Braganza,  Carlow, — and  from  which  extracts 
now  for  the  first  time  appear, — thus  refers  to  Dr.  Gallagher  : — 
"  This  Bishop  was  eminent,  in  the  most  perilous  times,  for  his 
learning,  piety  and  zeal.  He  was  not  a  native  of  this  Diocese  or 
Province.  He  seldom  had  a  residence,  but  went  about,  like  his 
Divine  Master,  doing  good,  preaching  the  Gospel,  encouraging  the 
faithful,  and  consoling  his  afflicted  people.  For  some  }Tears  previous 
to  his  death,  he  resided,  for  part  of  each  year,  in  a  small  hut,  of 
mud  walls,  thatched  with  straw  or  rushes,  near  the  bog  of  Allen, 
to  which  he  might  fly  when  sought  after  by  the  myrmidons  of 
the  ruling  faction.  The  remains  of  his  cabin  still  exist,  on  the 
road  from  Allen  to  Robertstown  ;  they  form  a  sort  of  ill-shapen 
mound  or  mounds,  on  the  right  hand  as  you  proceed,  and  are 
separated  by  a  ditch  from  the  highway  as  it  passes  over  a  small 
eminence  which  looks  down  upon  the  vast  moor  or  bog,  expanded 
just  below."* 

In  a  letter  written  by  Dr.  Doyle,  dated  from  Allen,  6th  of 
May,  1823, — which  Dr.  Fitzpatrick  has  given  in  his  exhaustive 
Memoir  of  the  great  Prelate  (Vol.  1,  p.  239,  New  Edn.),  the 
following  passage  occurs  : — "  I  am  here  placed  in  the  centre  of 
an  immense  bog,  which  takes  its  name  from  a  small  hill  under 
whose  declivity  the  chapel  and  house  are  built  where  I  now  write. 
What  perhaps  interests  me  most  in  the  wide  and  vast  expanse 
of  the  Bog  of  Allen  is,  that  it  afforded,  for  nearly  two  centuries, 

*  The  remains  of  the  cabin  in  which  Dr.  Gallagher  resided  at  Allen  are  no 
longer  in  existence,  and  the  tradition,  even,  as  to  its  site  has  well-nigh  died  out. 
Local  inquiries,  aided  by  the  description  of  it  in  the  above  passage,  have  led  to 
the  conclusion,  which  appears  to  be  well-founded,  that  this  humble  Episcopal 
residence  stood  immediately  inside  the  entrance  gate  to  the  present  parochial 
house,  on  the  left-hand  side. 


78  BISHOPS    OF   KILDARE  AND   LEIGHLIN. 

a  place  of  refuge  to  the  apostolic  men  who  have  gone  before  me 
in  preaching  the  faith  and  administering  the  Sacraments  to  a 
people  in  every  respect  worthy  of  such  pastors.  The  haunts  and 
retreats  frequented  by  the  Bishops  of  Kildare  in  the  times  of 
persecution  are  still  pointed  out  by  the  aged  inhabitants  of  these 
marshes  with  a  sort  of  pride  mingled  with  piety  ;  and  they  say — 
'  There  he  administered  Confirmation  ;  here  he  held  an  assembly 
of  the  Clergy  ;  on  that  hill  he  ordained  some  young  priests,  whom 
he  sent  to  France,  to  Spain,  or  to  Italy ;  and  we  remember,  or 
we  heard,  how  he  lived  in  yonder  old  walls  in  common  with  the 
young  priests  whom  he  prepared  for  the  mission.  He  sometimes 
left  us  with  a  staff  in  his  hand  and,  being  absent  months,  we 
feared  he  would  never  return  ;  but  he  always  came  back,  until 
he  closed  his  days  amongst  us.  Oh !  if  you  saw  him ;  he  was 
like  St.  Patrick  himself!'  What  think  you,  my  dear  friend, 
must  be  my  reflections  at  hearing  of  the  danger,  and  labours,  and 
virtues  of  these  good  men,  and  what  a  reproach  to  my  own  sloth 
and  sensuality  and  pride?  They  of  whom  the  world  was  not 
worthy,  and  who  went  about  in  fens  and  morasses,  in  nakedness, 
and  thirst,  and  hunger,  and  watching,  and  terror,  will  be 
witnesses  against  me  for  not  using  to  the  best  advantage  the 
blessing  which  their  merits  have  obtained  from  God  for  their 
children.  Their  spirit  indeed  seems  to  dwell  here,  and  in  these 
remote  and  uncultivated  districts  there  are  found  a  purity  and 
simplicity  of  morals  truly  surprising.  From  five  to  six  o'clock 
this  morning,  the  roads  and  fields  were  crowded  with  poor  people, 
young  and  old,  healthy  and  infirm,  hurrying  to  see  the  Bishop 
and  assist  at  his  Mass,  and  hear  his  instructions.  They  thought 
he  should  be  like  those  Saints  whom  they  had  seen  or  heard  of 
to  have  gone  before  him."  Dr.  Gallagher  died  in  May,  1751 ; 
the  place  of  his  interment  is  not  known,  but  it  appears  most 
likely  to  have  been  at  Cross-Patrick,  an  ancient  burial-place  in 
the  immediate  vicinity. 


[The  Meeting  of  the  Bishop  and  Clergy  of  the  Diocese  of 
Leighlin,  at  ivhich  the  following  "Laws  and  Constitutions'  were 
adopted,  is  represented  to  have  taken  place  in  the  year  1748, 
consequently  during  the  Episcopate  of  Dr.  Gallagher.  A  priest 
of  the  Diocese  noiv  dead,  found  this  Document  amongst  the 
papers  of  Bishop  Keeffe  and  had  a  copy  made,  from  which  it  is 


now  reproduced.  The  day  and  month  of  the  assembly  are 
omitted  in  copy.  The  papers  of  Dr.  Keeffe  cannot  now  be  found, 
which  is  all  the  more  to  be  regretted  as  they  are  supposed  to  have 


BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE   AND   LEIGHLIN.  79 

"In  the  name  of  God.  Amen. 

"  Whereas  several  destructive  practices,  by  the  malice  of  Satan, 
have  gradually  crept  into  the  Diocese  of  Leighlin,  particularly 
clandestine  marriages,  which  are  generally  contracted  without 
consent  of  parents  or  licence  of  the  respective  Parish  Priests,  and 
that  through  the  wanton  passion  of  men  and  women  to  couple 
together  without  the  due  dispositions  for  that  most  holy  insti 
tution  of  Matrimony,  which  St.  Paul  in  his  Ep.  to  the  Ephes.,  calls 
a  great  Sacrament  in  Christ  and  in  His  Church,  and  through  the 
sordid  itch  of  gain  in  some  mercenary  and  profligate  clergymen 
who,  to  the  great  scandal  of  the  faithful  and  ruin  of  families, 
scruple  not,  for  a  piece  of  money,  to  sell  their  own  and  the  con 
tracting  parties'  souls  to  the  author  of  such  pernicious  abuses, 
the  devil,  by  profaning  matrimony,  a  Sacrament  of  the  living, 
and  administering  it  to  such  as  are  dead  to  Christ  by  sin  of  lust 
and   disobedience  to  parents  and  pastors,  besides  other  crimes 
they  be  then  guilty  of.     Nay,  what  is  more  abominable  and  un 
pardonable,  some,  in  open  contempt  of  God's  laws  and  those  of 
our  holy  Mother  the    Church,  attempt  to  marry  in  prohibited 
degrees  of  consanguinity  and  affinity  without  being  dispensed 
with,  in  order  thereby  more  readily  to  obtain  a  dispensation. — 
To  prevent  so  great  an  evil  and  other  abuses  hereafter  to  be 
mentioned,  which  cannot  fail  of  provoking  the  Almighty's  wrath, 
We,  the  Bishop  and  Clergy  of  the  Diocese  of  Leighlin,  assembled 
at  Leighlin  Bridge  on  the  of  1748,  have  unani 

mously  made  and  (published)  the  following  laws  and  constitu 
tions  : — 

"  1°.  We  suspend  and  declare  suspended  for  6  months,  and  half 
the  emoluments  of  his  Parish  shall  be  given  to  such  clergyman  as 
shall  serve  (in  his  stead) — any  beneficed  clergyman  who 
knowingly  marries  any  couple  that  are  not  his  parishioners,  unless 
he  is  licensed  thereto  by  their  respective  Parish  Priest  or  Priests  ; 
and  in  case  such  delinquent  Priest  should  oblige  the  contracting 
couple  to  any  oath  or  promise  of  concealing  his  name  from  such 
as  have  power  to  enquire  into  his  behaviour,  we  further  declare 
such  oath  or  promise  to  be  not  only  sinful  in  itself  but  also  void 
and  no  way  binding,  and  that  as  many  as  obstinately  refuse  to 
break  such  iniquitous  oaths  or  promises  are  guilty  of  mortal  sin. 
We  likewise  decree  and  declare  such  delinquent  Priest  to  be 
suspended  by  the  fact  for  6  months,  and  half  the  emoluments  of 
his  Parish  to  be  given  to  such  Priest  as  will  serve  in  his  place  for 
the  said  term. 

"  2°.  If  any  beneficed  Priest  is  a  second  time  convicted  of  the 
like  clandestine  marriage,  we  decree  and  declare  him  suspended 
by  the  fact,  and  deprived  of  all  the  emoluments  of  his  Parish  for 


80  BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

0  months ;  but  if  a  third  time  convicted  of  the  like  crime,  we 
decree  and  declare  him  excommunicated  by  the  fact,  and  deprived 
of  all  ecclesiastical  benefices  he  is  possessed  of  in  this  Diocese. 

"  3°.  If  any  non-beneficed  Priest,  before  he  studies  abroad,  shall 
attempt  to  marry  any  couple  clandestinely,  we  declare  him 
suspended  by  the  fact  during  his  stay  in  this  Kingdom,  and 
incapable  of  obtaining  in  this  Diocese  any  Parish  or  ecclesiastical 
benefice  for  seven  years  after  his  return  from  his  studies. 

"  4°.  If  any  non-beneficed  Priest,  after  his  return  from  his 
studies,  is  convicted  of  clandestine  marriage,  we  declare  him 
suspended  during  the  Ordinary's  pleasure  and  incapable  of  any 
benefice  for  seven  years ;  but  if  a  third  time  convicted  of  the 
like  fact,  we  declare  him  incapable  of  serving  in  the  Diocese.^ 

"  5°.  If  any  Friar,  of  what  Order  soever,  or  any  extern  Priest, 
marry  clandestinely  any  couple  in  this  Diocese,  we  do  hereby 
declare  him  excommunicated  by  the  fact  and  to  be  denounced  as 
such  over  the  Diocese. 

"  6°.  If  any  contracting  couple  are  from  different  parishes,  we 
declare  and  decree  the  assisting  Priest  suspended  during  the 
Ordinary's  pleasure  and  to  forfeit  the  marriage  fees  to  the  poor 
of  his  parish,  unless  he  gets  beforehand  a  certificate  in  writing 
from  the  Parish  Priest  of  the  extern  person ;  and  also  if  any 
Priest  marry  a  woman  who  is  not  his  parishioner  without  the 
consent  or  certificate  of  her  own  Parish  Priest,  we  declare  such 
delinquent  Priest  suspended  by  the  fact  during  the  Ordinary's 
pleasure  and  shall  forfeit  double  the  marriage  fee  to  the  Parish 
Priest  of  the  woman. 

"  7°.  If  any  couple  of  this  Diocese  shall  marry  clandestinely,  we 
decree  and  declare  them  excluded  from  Mass  and  the  Sacraments 
until  they  prove  their  marriage  by  proper  witnesses  and  by 
telling  the  clergyman's  name  who  married  them,  notwithstanding 
any  oath  or  promise  to  the  contrary,  and  until  they  make  public 
satisfaction  for  the  scandal  they  have  given. 

"8°.  If  any  couple,  without  a  proper  dispensation,  attempt  to 
marry  in  the  prohibited  degrees  of  consanguinity^  or  affinity,  we 
do  hereby  declare  such  marriages  incestuous  in  themselves, 
invalid,  and  in  no  way  binding.  We  also  decree  and  declare  the 
assisting  Priest,  if  conscious  of  the  impediment,  excommunicated 
by  the  fact.  If  the  delinquent  couple  shall  immediately  quit 
one  another,  they  shall  make  public  satisfaction  for  their  crime. 
In  case  they  should  again  attempt  to  come  together,  they  are  to 
be  excluded  from  Mass  and  the  Sacraments,  and,  lastly,  they  are 
to  be  cut  off  like  rotten  members  from  the  communion  of  the 
faithful  if,  unhappily,  they  should  prove  incorrigible.* 

*  The  practice  of  clandestine  marriages  was  now  (1750)  prevalent  to  the  highest 


BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN.  81 

"  Whereas  also  young  men  and  women  under  colour  of  piety 
towards  the  dead,  flock  in  crowds  to  wakes  and  watches  of  the 
dead,  who,  instead  of  being  moved  by  the  face  of  death  painted 
so  vividly  before  them  on  the  dead  corpse,  or  reflecting  that  the 
same  night  might  be  the  last  period  of  their  unhappy  lives,  do 
abandon  themselves  to  unchristian  diversions  of  lewd  songs,  of 
brutal  tricks  called  fronsy  fronsy  or  some  other  unlawful  act  of 
the  same  die  and  tendency.  In  order  therefore  to  abolish  such 
heathenish  practices  for  the  future,  we  decree  and  ordain — 

"  1°.  That  none  shall  be  admitted  to  the  wake  of  any  deceased 
person  but  the  family  of  the  house  wherein  he  is  waked,  or  the 
relatives  of  the  defunct  or,  at  most,  other  grave  and  discreet 
persons. 

"  2°.  We  order  that  no  clergyman  whatsoever  shall  say  Mass 
over  the  corpse  of  any  defunct  at  whose  wake  such  immodest 
songs,  profane  tricks  or  immoderate  crowds  are  permitted. 

"  Whereas  likewise  the  heathenish  customs  of  loud  cries  and 
howlings  at  wakes  and  burials  are  practised  amongst  us,  contrary 
to  the  express  commandment  of  St.  Paul  in  his  Epist.  to  the 
Thess.  forbidding  such  cries  and  immoderate  grief  for  the  dead, 
as  if  they  were  not  to  rise  again,  and  to  the  great  shame  of  our 
nation,  since  no  such  practice  is  found  in  any  other  Christian 
country  ;  and  Whereas  in  some  parts  of  this  Diocese  some  have 
the  deplorable  vanity  in  the  very  time  of  their  humiliation  and 
that  God  had  visited  them  with  the  loss  of  a  friend,  not  only  to 
glory  in  the  number  of  cries,  but  in  order  the  more  to  feed  their 
vanity  and  add  fuel  to  their  pride,  do  even  send  far  and  near  to 
hire  men  and  women  to  cry  and  compose  vain  fulsome  rhymes  in 
praise  of  their  deceased  friends.  It  is  therefore  (ordained)  and 
all  Parish  Priests  and  religious  laymen  of  this  Diocese  are  hereby 
strictly  charged  and  commanded,  in  virtue  of  holy  obedience,  to 
use  all  possible  means  to  banish  from  Christian  burials  such  anti- 
christian  practices,  by  imposing  arbitrary  punishment  of  prayers, 
fasting,  alms  and  such  like  wholesome  injunctions  on  as  many 

degree.  The  sons  and  daughters  of  respectable  families,  before  they  had  attained 
the  years  of  discretion,  were  seduced  in  their  affections  and  decoyed  into  con 
nexions  replete  with  infamy  and  ruin  ;  and  these  were  very  much  facilitated  by 
the  opportunities  that  occurred  of  being  instantaneously  united  by  the  ceremony 
of  marriage  in  the  first  transport  of  passion  before  the  devoted  victim  had  time  to 
cool  or  deliberate  on  the  subject.  For  this  purpose  there  was  a  band  of  profligate 
miscreants,  the  refuse  of  the  clergy,  dead  to  every  sentiment  of  virtue,  abandoned 
to  all  sense  of  decency  and  decorum,  who  plied  like  porters  for  employment  and 
performed  the  ceremony  of  marriage  without  either  licence  or  question,  in  cellars, 
garrets  and  alehouses,  to  the  scandal  of  religion  and  the  disgrace  of  that  venerable 
function  which  they  profaned,  &c. — MULLALA'S  View  of  Irish  A/airs  from  1688  to 

F 


82  BISHOPS  OF  KILDAEE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

men  and  women  as  will  loudly  cry  or  howl  at  burials.  But  as  to 
such  men  and  women  as  will  or  do  make  it  their  trade  to  cry  or 
rhyme  at  burials,  we  decree  and  declare  that  for  the  first  crime 
of  this  kind  they  shall  not  be  absolved  by  any  bat  by  the 
Ordinary  or  his  representatives,  and  in  case  of  a  ralapse,  the 
aforesaid  criers  or  rhymers  are  to  be  excluded  from  Mass  and 
the  Sacraments,  and  in  case  of  preseverance  in  this  detestable 
practice,  they  are  to  be  excommunicated  and  denounced.* 

"Lastly,  Whereas,  a  great  many  are  so  careless  of  their 
salvation  as  not  only  to  neglect  approaching  the  Holy  Sacraments 
of  Confession  and  Communion  often  in  the  year,  but,  contrary  to 
the  express  command  of  the  General  Council  of  Lateran,  even 
omit  that  duty  at  Easter,  nay,  what  is  more  deplorable,  they 
pass  several  years  without  cleansing  their  consciences  in  the 
laver  of  penance  or  feeding  their  souls  with  the  flesh  of  the 
Immaculate  Lamb.  To  remedy  therefore  so  great  an  evil,  we 
do  hereby  constitute  and  decree  that  as  many  as  will  not  from 
the  beginning  of  Lent  to  Trinity  Sunday  confess  and  receive 
from  the  hands  of  their  respective  Parish  Priest  or  some  other  of 
their  or  the  Ordinary's  appointment,  shall  not  be  absolved  by  any 
but  by  the  said  Ordinary  or  such  as  he  deputes  for  that  purpose, 
they  shall  also  be  excluded  from  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  and 
if  they  chance  to  die  in  that  state,  we  declare  them  deprived  of 
the  prayers  of  the  faithful  and  of  Christian  burial." 

AD.  1752.  JAMES  KEEFFE  succeeded.  He  was  Parish  Priest 
of  Tullow,  in  the  County  of  Carlow,  and  was  Vicar- Capitular  of 
the  Diocese  of  Leighlin.  He  was  elected  to  this  See  by  Propa 
ganda,  on  the  7th  of  November,  1751  ;  his  Brief  is  dated 
January  19th,  1752.  (Brady.)  The  following  biographical  notice  of 
this  Prelate  is  from  the  pen  of  his  distinguished  successor,  J.K.L. 
It  is  extracted  from  the  "  Diocesan  Book"  which  has  been  already 
referred  to  : — "  James  O'Keeffe,  appointed  to  the  government  of 
these  Dioceses  on  the  10th  of  April,  I752,f  was  a  native  of  these 
Dioceses  and  descended  of  one  of  the  most  ancient  and  respect 
able  families  whose  branches  extended  through  the  County  of 
Carlow  and  the  Queen's  County.  I  have  not  been  able  to 
.  ascertain  the  place  of  his  birth,  but  I  am  inclined  to  think  his 
parents,  when  he  was  born,  resided  not  far  from  Dunleckney,  in 
the  direction  of  Borris,to  the  left  hand  of  the  present  public  way. 
He  went,  at  an  early  age,  to  Paris,  and  was  greatly  distinguished 

*  For  account  of  the  Caoinan  or  ancient  Irish  Lamentations,  and  music  of  same 
see  paper  by  Win.  Beauf ord,  A.M.,  in  Transactions  of  Royal  Irish  Academy, 

t  The  Brief,  as  already  stated,  is  dated,  January  19th ;  the  date  here  given  was 
probably  that  of  Dr.  Keeffe's  Consecration. 


BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN.  83 

during  the  course  of  his  studies.     He  took  the  Degree  of  Doctor 
in  Divinity  at  the  Sorbonne  at  a  time  when  that  body  shone  with 
the  brightest  splendour.     His    stature  was  not  large,  but  his 
constitution  was  strong,  and,  until  his  sight  failed  him, — for,  like 
another  Tobias,  he  was  led  for  the  latter  years  of  his  life, — his 
labours  were  uninterrupted.     At  the  time  when  he  was  called  to 
the  care  of  these  Dioceses,  the  persecution  raged  violently,  yet  his 
courage   and  his   zeal   sustained   him.     A  heavenly   prudence 
seemed  to  direct  all  his  words  and  actions.     He  visited  every 
part  of  his  extensive  Dioceses,  frequently  sojourning  for  a  time 
at   Kilclare,  again    at  Tullow,  often   at  Dunleckney,  and,  still 
oftener,  at  the  houses  of  friends,  for  he  had  scarcely  any  income; 
and  when  money  was  given  to  him  he  only  retained  it  until  he 
was  met  by  some  victim  of  distress.     From  his  letters,  which  I 
have  perused,  it  may  be  collected  that  he  was  often  in  want  of 
the  most  common  necessaries,  yet  he  never  complained.    Finding 
that  his  clergy  were  few,  and  almost  without  fixed  abodes  or 
regular  organization,  he  laboured  to  educate  youths  of  piety  and 
talents,   that   the  number    of  his    fellow-labourers    might    be 
augmented;  he  established  Conferences  of  the  Clergy,  and  seldom 
failed,  at  whatever  personal  inconvenience,  to  attend  them.     He 
prescribed  rules  and  regulations  according  to  which  the  Clergy 
were,  when  it  was  possible  for  them,  to  discharge  their  duties. 
He  preached  the  Word  of  God  incessantly,  often  in  glens  and 
bogs,  for  chapels    in  his  time   were  few   and   wretched.     The 
gravity  of  his  deportment,  the  piety  which  animated  all   his 
words  and  actions,  were  such  that  no  person  approached  to  see 
and  hear  him  who  did  not  depart  a  better  man.     In  all  things 
he  bore  the  appearance  of  a  "  Man  of  God,"  and  so  gained  upon 
the  minds  and  hearts  of  those  with  whom  he  conversed,  whether 
they  were  of  his  own  fold  or  of  the  strayed  sheep,  that  his  virtue 
stemmed,  as  it  were,  the  torrent  of  persecution,  and  gave  peace  to 
his  people  in  his  days.     Religion  seemed  to  arise  at  his  call  from 
the  grave  in  which  she  was  buried,  and  the  vineyard  assigned  to 
him  changed  from  a  state  of  desolation  to  comparative  fruitful- 
ness.     God  blessed  his  word  and  works,  in  both  of  which  he  was 
powerful.     During   his  Episcopacy  it    was    that    the    French 
Be  volution  commenced,  and  that  the  Irish  Catholics  first  con 
ceived  hopes  of  delivery.     United  by  the  strictest  ties  of  holy ' 
friendship  with  the  Archbishop  of  Cashel,  Doctor  James  Butler, 
he  laboured  with   him  to  unite  the  Catholics,  to  appease  the 
inveterate  wrath  of  the  Government,  and  to  obtain  that  the 
Catholics  would  be  permitted  to  take  an  oath  of  allegiance  to  the 
King.     He  was  the  soul  and  the  guide  of  the  Irish  Prelacy  and 
laity,  and  drew  up  the  ever-memorable  declaration  of  loyalty 


84  BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE  AND   LEIGHLIN. 

signed  by  them  at  Lord  Trimbleston's  which  prepared  the^yay 
for  their  Emancipation.*  It  is  presumed,  from  the  ability, 
talents,  learning  and  prudence  of  this  great  Prelate,  as  well  as 
from  that  humility  which  governed  him,  that  he  was  the  Author, 
though  unknown,  of  many  valuable  documents  emanating  at 
that  period  from  the  Catholic  body,  some  of  which  were  published 
under  the  names  of  other  persons  with  whom  he  co-operated. 

As  Bishop  O'Keeffe  advanced  to  the  close  of  life,  the  French 
Revolution  became  matured  and,  by  that  consummate  knowledge 
of  the  workings  of  the  human  mind  which  he  possessed,  he  was 
enabled  to  foresee  those  awful  results  which  were  produced  by 
that  revolution.     He  foresaw  that  the  Church  of  France,  and, 
with  it,  the  Irish  College  in  that  country,  would  share  in  the 
impending  general  ruin  of  established  institutions  ;  hence  he 
thouo-ht   of  providing  at  home    means  whereby  his   Churches 
would  be  supplied,  independently  of  the  French  Colleges,  with 
ministers,  and  his  flock  with  Pastors.     He  thought  of  erecting  in 
Ireland  a  College   for  the  training  and   educating  a  domestic 
Priesthood.     To  effect  this  object  he  was  possessed  of  no  means ; 
he  had  no  money,  no  friends  able  to  assist  him,  no  protection  from 
the  law,  no  favour  or  support  from  the  wise  or  wealthy.     He  had 
only  to  cast  his  heart  with  its  concern  on  the  Lord,  and  to  gather 
from  an  impoverished  Clergy  and  People  a  portion  of  the  means 
two  small  for  their  subsistence.     But  his  faith  was  animated, 
his   confidence   in  a   protecting    Providence    unbounded.     He 
believed  that  his  design  was  agreeable  to  God,  and  under  His 
favour  he  feared  not  to  carry  it  into  effect.     His  strength  had 
now  decayed,  his  age  advanced,  his  frame  feeble  from  disease,  his 
course  was  nearly  run,  and  his  sight,  even,  had  almost  failed  him. 
The  world  was  receding  from  him  and  he  departing  from  the 
world  ;  yet  this  venerable  Bishop,  whose  name  should  be  written 
on  our  hearts,  proceeded,  even  against  the  opinions  of  those  to 
whose  counsel  he  often  had  recourse,  to  command  the  building  of 
a  College  at  Carlow  (having  failed  to  obtain  a  convenient  site  for 
it  at  Tullow),  and,  having  formed  and  put  into  operation  a  plan 
for  collecting  weekly  contributions  to  defray  the  expenses  to  be 
incurred,  he  laid  the  foundation  of  our  Diocesan  College,  and 
thus  prepared  for  his  own  Diocese,  nay,  for  the  Irish  Church, 
one  of  the  most  valuable  establishments  of  which  any  country 

*For  text  of  this  Document  see  Sir  H.  ParnelPs  History  of  the  Penal  Laws,  p. 
50  Dr  Keeffe  also  drafted  an  Address  of  loyalty,  which  was  presented  to  the 
Duke  of  Bedford,  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  "from  the  Eoman  Catholic 
gentlemen,  merchants  and  citizens  of  Dublin,"  in  1759,  when  a  French  force 
under  Conflans  threatened  to  invade  Ireland.  (Id.  p.  53.) 


BISHOPS  OF  KILDAEE  AND  LEIGHLIN.  85 

can  boast.  He  was  continued  in  life  until  the  work  was  nearly 
completed,  and,  when  he  reposed  on  his  naked  couch  in  a  mean 
apartment  in  this  town  to  regulate  the  account  of  his  long 
administration  which  he  was  about  to  render  to  the  Great 
Bishop  of  our  souls,  he  had  the  consolation  of  remembering, 
among  the  redeeming  works  of  his  chequered  life,  the  erection  of 
a  house  of  prayer,  a  house  of  learning,  a  house  wherein  would  be 
educated  the  successors  of  himself  and  his  fellow-labourers  in  the 
service  of  his  God.  His  eyes  were  dim,  and  his  spirit  looked  into 
the  world  of  times  to  come  from  the  prison  of  the  body  which 
detained  it,  and  saw  the  advantages  ensured  to  Religion  by  this 
heroic  enterprise,  now  almost  completed. 

"  Some  years  before,  this  model  of  Bishops  had  thought  of 
providing  a  successor  after  his  own  heart  to  govern  the  Churches 
which  he  had  so  much  loved.  He  recommended  for  this  purpose 
the  Revd.  Doctor  O'Reilly,  then  of  Kilcock,  but  he  had  scarcely 
been  appointed  as  his  Coadjutor  when  he  was  translated  to  the 
Primacy  of  all  Ireland,  leaving  the  Venerable  Bishop  O'Keeffe  to 
provide  a  successor  to  him.  His  choice  next  fell  on  the  Right 
Rev.  Doctor  Delany,  then  curate  in  the  parish  of  Tullow,  who 
was  appointed  his  Coadjutor  on  the  17th  of  February,  1783.* 
Thus  consoled  and  assisted,  our  Venerable  Prelate  enjoyed  some 
repose.  He  devoted  himself  entirely  to  the  exercises  of  piety, 
and,  thinking  with  the  great  St.  Augustine  that  no  person, 
however  blameless,  should  quit  this  life  without  doing  penance, 
he  exercised  that  salutary  virtue  even  beyond  his  strength.  I 
cannot  find  that  he  made  any  Will,  unless  to  desire  that  his 
remains  should  be  interred  in  "  The  Graves"  a  piece  of  ground 
adjoining  the  town  which,  in  the  time  of  persecution,  had  been 
granted  to  the  Catholics  for  the  burial  of  their  dead,  their  Parish 
Church  and  its  Cemetery  having  been  appropriated  to  the  use  of 
the  despoilers  of  the  country.  Here  he  desired  that  his  remains 
should  be  laid  amidst  the  poor  for  whom  he  had  lived  and  with 
whom,  after  death,  he  desired  to  be  associated." 

"  A  faithful  servant  who  had  long  attended  him,  attached  to 
him  more  by  love  than  by  rewards  or  gain,  had  secreted  from  his 


*  This  may  have  been  the  date  of  his  Postulation  ;  his  appointment  by 
Propaganda  did  not  take  place  till  the  7th  of  April  following-.  Dr.  Delany  was 
consecrated  at  Tullow  on  Sunday,  the  31st  of  August,  1783.  The  following  is  an 
extract  from  an  invitation  to  be  present  at  the  ceremony  addressed  by  Dr.  Delany 
to  the  Eev.  Thady  Duane,  P.P.  of  MountmeUick,  dated  Tullow,  17th  August, 
1783:—"  Permit  me  to  acquaint  you  that  the  Bulls  have  arrived,  and  that  Sunday, 
the  31st_inst.  is  appointed  for  the  performance  of  a  ceremony  at  which  you  are 
warmly  invited  to  assist.  Be  assured,  your  presence  on  the  occasion  could  not 
fail  to  give  me  the  most  unfeigned  pleasure." 


86  BISHOPS   OF   KILDAKE  AND   LEIGHLIN. 

master  for  some  time,  five  pounds —he  had  rescued  it  from  the 
hands  of  the  poor  for  whom  it  was  destined,  and  reserved  it  to 
purchase  a  coffin  and  shroud  for  their  Father  when  he  should  be 
laid  in  the  tomb.  These  five  pounds  defrayed  the  funeral 
expenses  of  Bishop  O'Keeffe,  one  of  those  great  and  good  men 
who  do  honour  to  nations,  who  deliver  peoples  from  bondage, 
who  shed  lustre  on  the  highest  station,  who  exemplify  the 
divinity  of  true  Religion,  who  inscribe  their  own  names  in  the 
Catalogue  of  the  Just.  O'Keeffe  died,  but  his  memory  still 
lives.  I  have  often  visited  his  naked  grave  and  heaved  a  sigh 
to  heaven  over  so  much  worth.  I  have  enclosed  with  a  railing 
the  sod  which  covered  him,  and  raised  a  stone  and  inscribed  his 
name  on  it  over  the  spot  where  he  lies  entombed.  I  desire  that 
my  remains  be  gathered  to  his,  in  the  hope  of  accompanying 
him  at  the  general  resurrection  to  the  presence  of  our  Lord.  _ 

Dr.  Keeffe  died  on  Tuesday  the  18th  of  September,  1787  ;  in 
the  Diocesan  Visitation  Journal  of  Dr.  Patrick  Joseph  Plunkett, 
Bishop  of  Meath,  the  following  entry  appears  :— "  19th  of  Septr., 
1787,  I  set  out  from  Kilkenny  to  Carlow,  where,  on  the  20th,  m 
company  with  Dr.  Troy,  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  Dr.  Butler, 
Archbishop  of  Cashel,  Dr.  Egan,  Bishop  of  Waterford,  Dr. 
Moylan,  Bishop  of  Cork,  Dr.  Caulfield,  Bishop  of  Ferns,  Dr. 
Delany,  Bishop  of  Kildare,  Dr.  Teahan,  Bishop  of  Kerry,  and 
Dr.  Dunne,  Bishop  of  Ossory—  consecrated  the  previous 
Thursday,— I  assisted  at  the  funeral  office  and  interment  of  Dr. 
Keeffe  of  Kildare,  who  died  on  Tuesday,  the  18th,  at  the  age  of 
85,  a  model  of  disinterestedness  and  piety."  (Cogan's  MEATH, 
Vol.  2.,  p.  200.) 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  inscription  on  the  tomb  placed 
by  Dr.  Doyle  over  the  grave  of  Dr.  Keeffe  : — 

"  H  .  S  .  E  .  JACOBVS  .  LVCAE  .  F  .  O'KEEFFE  .  QVI .  PONTIFICAT  .  DARIENS. 

ET  .  LEGLIENS  .  SAN CTISSIME  .  GESSIT  .  ANN  .  XXXVI . 

ET .  PRAETER  .  ALIA  .  MVLTA  .  IN  .  RELIGIONEM  .  MERITA  .  SCHOLAS  . 

CARLO VIENSES  .  INVENTVTI .  AD  .  SACERDOTIVM  .  EDVCANDAE  .  VNA  . 

D  .  O  .  M  .  OPE  .  FRETVS  .  CONSTITVIT  .  DECESSIT  .  IN  .  PACE  .  A  .  D  .  VI  .  KAL  . 

SEXTIL  .  A .  MDCCLXXXVII .  V  .  A  .  PLVS  .  MINVS  .  XC  . 

TITVLVM  .  DIV  .  PRAETERMISSVM.  NE .  TANTI  .  SVI .  ANTECESS  . 
MEMORIA  .  INTERCIDERIT  .  JACOBVS  .  F  .  DOYLE  .  PONT  .  DARIENS  . 
ET  .  LEGLIN  .  ADIECIT  .  A  .  MDCCCXXI ." 

There  is  extant  a  MS.  copy  of  some  twenty  short  sermons 
written  by  Dr.  Keeffe;  they  treat  chiefly  of  the  Sacraments  and 
some  special  Feasts,  and  are  exceedingly  simple,  practical  and 
instructive.  He  also  wrote  a  Catechism  for  the  use  of  his 
Diocese,  but  did  not  publish  it  for  reasons  given  in  the  following 


£M{^^ 

~^ 


THE  RIGHT  REV.  DANIEL  DELANY.  D.D. 

BISHOP  OF  KILDAREAND  LEIGH  LIN. 


BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE  AND   LEIGHLIN.  87 

extract  of  a  letter  from  him  to  his  intimate  friend  Dr.  Butler, 
Archbishop  of  Cashel,  dated  Tullow,  Octr.  7th,  1777: — "I  can't 
here  forbear  paying  you  my  sincerest  compliments  for  the  most 
excellent  Catechism  you  publish'd  for  your  Diocess.  I  had, 
almost  finish'd  one  for  my  own  and  intended  publishing  it  in  a 
very  few  days.  But  upon  seeing  a  copy  of  yours,  just  from  the 
Press,  with  Mr.  Field  to  be  corrected,  I  grew  ashamed  of  my  own 
Performance  and  accordingly  dropt  it.  I  believe  the  like  has 
happen'd  Dr.  Carpenter.  For  he  also  was  about  publishing  a 
Catechism  for  his  own  Diocess,  when  I  was  last  in  Dublin ;  and 
here  I  must  tell  you  of  a  droll  adventure  which  happen'd  on  the 
occasion.  I  was  present  when  an  Augustinian  Friar  came  to 
request  his  approbation  of  a  Catechism  he  had  made.  The  Dr. 
told  him  he  had  made  one  for  his  own  Diocess  and  wou'd  allow 
of  no  other.  The  Friar  then  urged  that  he  look  at  his  Catechism, 
ready  ^  printed ;  he  open'd  it  and  found  on  the  Title  Page : 
Permissu  Superiorum ;  he  asked  who  these  Superiors  were, 
'Our  own  Regular  Superiors/  quoth  the  Friar.  '  Go  then/  said 
the  Dr.,  "  teach  it  to  your  own  Regulars,  and  let  me  hear  no 
more  about  it.'  ....  But  the  last  time  I  saw  the  Dr.  he  told 
me  he  read  your  Catechism,  liked  it  mightily,  adopted  it  for  his 
own  Diocess,  and  recommended  to  me  to  do  the  same,  w<&  he 
needed  it  not.  I  expect  it  will  become  the  standing  Catechism 
of  the  whole  Kingdom.  That  you  may  long  live  to  be  its  chief 
ornament,  shall  be  the  constant  Prayer  of,  my  dear  Lord,  your 
ever  faithfull  and  most  obedt.  hble.  servt.,  JAMES  KEEFFE." 

The  REV.  RICHARD  O'REILLY  was  appointed  by  Propaganda, 
Bishop  of  Orope,  in  partibus,  and  Coadjutor  Bishop  of  Kildare 
and  Leighlin,  on  the  23rd  of  April,  1781,  and  his  Brief  was 
dated  June  20th,  following.  He  had  made  his  studies  in  Rome 
at  the  College  of  the  Propaganda,  on  his  return  from  which  he 
devoted  himself  with  zeal  to  the  laborious  duties  of  a  missionary 
priest  in  his  native  Diocese.  He  was  Parish  Priest  of  Kilcock 
and  Vicar-General  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin.  His  Consecration 
took  place  in  his  own  parish  Chapel  of  Kilcock,  the  consecrating 
Prelate  being  the  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  Doctor  Carpenter, 
assisted  by  Doctors  Troy  of  Ossory  and  Plunkett  of  Meath. 
(Brenan's  Ecd.  Hist.  2,  331.)  Two  years  afterwards  Dr.  O'Reilly 
was  made  Coadjutor  and  Administrator  of  Armagh  cum  jure 
successions,  being  then  but  37  years  of  age.  He  died,  Nov. 
llth,  1817,  according  to  the  Propaganda  Archives,  or,  according 
to  Stuart's  Armagh,  on  the  31st  January,  1818,  and  was  interred 
at  Drogheda.  (Brady.) 

DR.  DANIEL  DELANY  was  appointed  Coadjutor  to  Dr.  Keeffe 


88  BISHOPS  OF   KILDAEE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

by  Propaganda,  on  April  7th,  1783,  and  the  appointment  was 
approved  by  the  Pope  on  the  13th  of  the  same  month.  ^His 
Brief  for  the  Coadjutorship  and  the  See  ofDansara,  in  partibus, 
was  dated  May  13th,  1783.  (Brady's  Ep.  Succn.)  He  received 
faculties  as  Bishop  of  Kildare,  in  audience  of  February  17th, 
1788.  (Brady.)  'Dr.  Doyle,  in  the  MS.  work  already  referred  to, 
says  of  Dr.  Delany: — "He  was  a  native  of  the  Queen's  County, 
passed  through  his  studies  with  great  distinction,  in  the  College 
called  '  Of  the  Community,'  in  Paris,  and  was  endeared  to  his 
Bishop"  by  the  most  fervent  piety  as  well  as  zeal  which  dis 
tinguished  him  from  the  period  of  his  arrival  in  Ireland.  Dr. 
Delany  was  a  person  gifted  with  rare  endowments.  His  person 
was  dignified  and  engaging,  his  talents  brilliant,  his  compositions 
in  verse  and  prose  spirited,  and  abounding  in  the  most  luxuriant 
but  chaste  imagery.  His  powers  of  conversation  were  unrivalled; 
wit,  satire,  elegance  of  diction,  and  illustrations  of  the  most 
varied  kind,  flowed  from  his  lips ;  he  was  the  delight  of  all  who 
approached  him,  the  kindness  and  tenderness  of  his  heart  caused 
him  often  to  be  too  indulgent  to  others,  he  imposed  restraints 
only  on  himself.  He  was  most  happy  at  all  times  in^  evolving 
the  most  solid  religious  reflections  with  gaiety  and  vivacity  of 
thought  and  language,  and  was  one  of  the  few  men  who  never 
failed  to  employ  such  talents  and  dispositions  as  he  possessed  to 
render  virtue  attractive  and  vice  abhorred." 

"  During  his  administration,  the  circumstances  of  the  Catholics 
improved  through  the  relaxation  of  the  Penal  Laws,  and  with 
unwearied  zeal  this  Bishop,  aided  by  them,  laboured  success 
fully  to  rebuild  chapels,  to  increase  the  number  of  the  clergy, 
and  to  promote  religious  instruction,  by  means  of  schools, 
confraternities,  and  the  circulation  of  useful  books.  He  held  in 
his  hand,  as  it  were,  the  hearts  of  his  flock,  and  moulded  them 
as  he  pleased,  or,  rather,  as  God  required  of  him  to  do.  He 
built  and  endowed  two  Convents  of  women,  one  at  Tullow, 
another  at  Mountrath  ;  he  also  laid  the  foundation  of  the  two 
Monasteries  of  men  in  the  same  towns,  which  he  partially 
endowed.  He  prescribed  Rules  for  both  Congregations,  he 
founded  two  Chaplaincies  attached  to  the  Convents  just 
mentioned,  with  several  other  religious  works  or  Institutions. 
His  labours  were  unceasing,  and  an  ardent  love  of  God,  with  a 
tenderness  and  compassion  for  sinners,  seemed  to  be  the 
characteristic  virtues  of  his  life.  St.  Francis  de  Sales  was  the 
great  model  of  his  private  and  Episcopal  labours,  and,  like  him, 
he  became  the  instrument  whereby  the  Almighty  wrought 
numerous  conversions,  as  well  from  heresy  as  from  vice.  His 
habits  were  frugal,  his  demeanour  condescending ;  humbly  he 


BISHOPS   OF  KILDARE  AND   LEIGHLIN.  89 

made  himself  all  to  all  that  he  might  gain  all  to  Christ.  He 
died  at  Tullow,  after  enduring  a  long  and  painful  illness,  and  is 
interred  in  the  Chapel  of  that  town  which  he  himself  had  raised 
from  the  foundation/' 

From  a  short  biographical  sketch  preserved  at  the  Monastery 
of  Tullow  and  also  from  the  Annals  of  the  Sisters  of  St.  B  rigid, 
we  learn  some  further  particulars  regarding  this  Prelate.  He  is 
stated  to  have  been  born  in  1747  at  Paddock,  near  Mountrath. 
His  parents,  who  were  of  the  wealthy  farming  class,  had  two  sons, 
Daniel  and  John.  Whilst  they  were  yet  young,  their  father 
died,  leaving  his  children  in  charge  of  their  mother  and  their 
maternal  aunts,  Mrs.  Corcoran  and  Miss  Fitzpatrick.  John  died 
young,  after  which  all  their  love  and  care  were  given  to  the 
young  Daniel,  who  was  a  boy  of  uncommon  quickness  and  cheer 
fulness.  He  was  very  fair  and  handsome,  with  a  most  amiable 
disposition,  and  a  great  love  for  God  and  his  neighbour. 

When  he  had  attained  to  the  age  of  sixteen  he  was  sent  to  St. 
Omers,  where  he  grew  in  grace  and  learning.  From  thence  he 
must  have  proceeded  to  Paris  for  the  completion  of  his  studies, 
where,  it  appears,  he  remained,  probably  attached  to  the  staff  of 
some  of  the  ecclesiastical  educational  establishments  of  that  city, 
until  he  was  thirty  years  of  age.  He  returned  to  Ireland  in  1777, 
when  he  went  as  curate  to  the  Right  Kev.  Dr.  Keeffe,  who 
resided  in  Tullow.  In  April,  1783,  on  the  translation  of  Dr. 
O'Reilly,  Coadjutor  Bishop,  to  the  Primatial  See  of  Armagh,  Dr. 
Delany  was  appointed  his  successor. 

Dr.  Delany's  ardent  devotion  towards  the  Real  Presence  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  the  Holy  Eucharist  prompted  him  to  avail 
himself  of  every  means  and  to  use  every  opportunity  to  draw  all 
hearts  to  adore  and  pay  loving  homage  to  that  consoling  and  life- 
giving  Mystery.  When  Coadjutor  to  Dr.  Keeffe  he  commenced  the 
Procession  and  the  Adoration  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament  during  the 
Octave  of  Corpus  Christi.  These  devotions  were  continued  until 
they  were  interrupted  by  the  insurrection  of  1798.  On  the  com 
pletion  of  the  new  church  in  1805  these  devotions  were  resumed. 
In  laying  out  the  walks  in  the  Convent  grounds  Dr.  Delany  had 
specially  in  view  to  accommodate  these  Processions.  The  Temple, 
still  standing  within  the  Convent  enclosure,  was  erected  in  1809 
in  honour  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  really  present  in  the  Holy 
Eucharist,  and  was  intended  to  serve  as  a  Station  for  Benediction 
at  the  Procession  of  the  Most  Holy  Sacrament.  Early  in  the  year 
1812,  the  health  of  the  Bishop,  which  had  been  for  some  time 
previously  in  a  failing  state,  showed  symptoms  of  an  alarming 
nature.  Hitherto  some  hopes  were  entertained  that  his  disease 
would,  in  time,  yield  to  the  remedies  prescribed,  but  it  now 


90  BISHOPS   OF   KILDAEE   AND   LEIGHLIN. 

baffled  the  skill  of  the  physicians.  Symptoms  of  apoplexy 
appeared,  and  he  had  also  much  to  suffer  from  acute  pains, 
particularly  in  his  neck,  which  was  bent  from  excessive  and  con 
tinual  pain,  so  that,  like  St.  Alphonso  Liguori,  his  venerable 
head  nearly  rested  on  his  chest-  The  Feast  of  Corpus 
Christi  drawing  near  when, — besides  the  Adoration  of  the 
Most  Holy  Sacrament,  which  was  kept  up  day  and  night 
during  the  entire  Octave, — he  was  accustomed  to  have 
three  Processions,  one  on  the  Feast,  another  on  the  Sunday 
within  the  Octave,  and  a  third  on  the  Octave  day;  fearing 
that  he  would  not  be  able  himself  to  carry  the  Blessed 
Sacrament  in  these  Processions,  he  thought  of  inviting  one  of  the 
neighbouring  Prelates  to  attend  in  his  stead.  When,  however, 
the  time  arrived,  such  was  the  ardour  of  his  devotion  that  he 
could  not  bring  himself  to  resign  to  another  that  holy  office  in 
which  his  very  soul  took  delight.  Consequently,  notwithstanding 
his  sufferings  and  weakly  state,  he  proceeded  as  usual  with  the 
ceremonies.  It  was  an  edifying,  yet  an  afflicting  sight  to  behold 
him  struggling  between  pain  and  debility ;  after  each  Procession 
he  was  much  exhausted,  but  also  exceedingly  gratified  at  having 
been  able  to  go  through  the  duties  of  the  day.  From  this  time 
he  was  daily  losing  ground,  and,  on  the  2nd  of  July,  his 
sufferings  were  increased  by  an  alarming  attack  of  apoplexy. 
His  state  became,  every  day,  more  alarming ;  he  was  almost 
insensible  except  for  short  intervals.  A  few  days  previous  he  had 
sent  for  the  Superior  of  Mountrath  Convent ;  she  on  her  knees 
begged  his  last  blessing  and  asked  for  some  message  of  consola 
tion  that  she  might  bring  to  her  Community.  "  Tell  them,"  he 
said,  "  to  love  God,  and  live  in  peace  and  charity."  On  the  8th, 
he  was  visited  by  Archbishop  Troy  with  whom  he  was  able  to 
hold  a  short  conversation.  Shortly  after,  he  fell  into  his  agony, 
which  continued  till  2  o'clock  on  Monday  the  9th,  when  he 
calmly  departed  this  life  whilst  Mass  was  being  said  in  his 
room  and  his  bed  surrounded  by  many  of  the  clergy  and  all  the 
Eeligious,  both  of  the  Convent  and  Monastery.  On  the  third 
day  after  his  death  his  Obsequies  were  performed  in  the 
Parochial  Church,  four  Bishops  and  a  great  number  of  priests 
being  present.  His  remains  were  then  laid  in  a  vault  on  the 
Gospel  side  of  the  High  Altar,  over  which  a  monument  was 
afterwards  erected  bearing  the  following  Epitaph,  composed  by 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Prendergast,  P.P.  of  Bagenalstown  : — 


REVEREKDISSIMUS . 

DANIEL  .  DELANY . 

EPISC  .  KILDARIENSIS  .  ET  .  LEIGH  . 

PEXESUL  • 


BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE  AND   LEIGHLIN.  91 


PIETATE  .  FIDEI .  ZELO  .  AC  .  RELIGIONIS  .  AMORE  . 

PRAECLARUS  . 

SPECIE  .  ANGELUS  .  ANIMO  .  PONTIFEX  .  VITA  .  SACERDOS  . 
HUMILITATE  .  MORUM  .  SUAVITATE .  AC  .  SERMONIS  .  LEPORE  . 

OMNIUM  .  CORDA .  CONCILIA VIT  . 
MAJORI  .  DEI .  GLORIAE  .  PROMOVENDAE  .  JUGITER  .  INTENTUS  . 

TEMPLUM  .  HOC  .  A  .  FUND  A  MENTIS  .  EREXIT  . 
C(ENOBIUM  .  MONIALIUM  .  CONTIGUUM  .  EXTRUXIT  .  AC  .  DOTAVIT  . 

IN  .  OPPIDO  .  MOUNTRATH  .  SUO  .  NATALI .  SOLO  . 
AEDEM  .  QUOQUE  .  MAGNIFICAM  .  DEO  .  SACRAM  .  CONDIDIT  . 
SODALITATES  .  AD  .  ERUDIENDOS  .  PAUPERES  .  PUEROS  .  AC  .  PUELLAS  . 

INSTITUIT  .  AC  .  REDDITIBUS  .  AUXIT  . 
PLURA  .  ALIA  .  RELIQUIT  .  PIETATIS  .  MONUMENTA  . 

PERTRANSIENS  .  BENEFACIENDO  . 
CLERO  .  ET  .  POPULO  .  IN  .  VITA  .  CARISSIMUS  . 
ALTIS  .  UTRIUSQUE  .  SUSPIRIIS  .  AC  .  INFANDO  .  DOLORE  . 
IN  .  MORTE  .  FLEBILIS  .  NUNQUAM  .  SATIS  .  PRO  .  MERITIS  .  DEFLENDUS  . 

OBIIT . 

EXPECTANS  .  CARNIS  .  RESURRECTIONEM  . 

ANNO  .  MTATIS  .  67  .  EPISCOPATUS  .  31  .  INCARNATIONIS  .  1814  . 
MENSE  .  JULII .  DIE  .  9  . 
R.I. P." 

The  Clergy  of  the  Diocese  unanimously  recommended  the 
Rev.  Arthur  Murphy,  Parish  Priest  of  Kilcock,  and  Vicar- 
Capitular,  for  the  vacant  See.  His  appointment  as  Bishop  was 
made  by  Propaganda  on  September  the  19th,  1814,  and.  was 
approved  by  the  Pope  on  the  29th  of  the  same  month,  but  Father 
Murphy  declined  the  proposed  dignity. 

THE  REVEREND  MICHAEL  CORCORAN,  P.P.  of  Kildare,  was 
elected  Bishop  by  Propaganda,  on  March  6th,  1815,  and  approved 
by  the  Pope,  March  12th,  in  the  same  year.  Dr.  Doyle  thus 
writes  of  this  Prelate :  "  Michael  Corcoran,  born  in  the  Queen's 
County,  succeeded  to  the  Sees  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin  on  the 
12th  of  March,  1815.  This  Prelate  had  been  for  several  years 
Rector  successively  of  the  Parishes  of  Ballina  and  Kildare.  When 
appointed,  his  health  was  infirm,  and  his  years  far  advanced. 
He  was  educated  at  Paris,  and  possessed  a  mind  strong  and 
discriminating,  and  a  heart  filled  with  benevolence.  He  was 
exceedingly  charitable  and  humane,  his  manners,  at  once 
dignified  and  conciliating,  ever  inspired  those  who  approached 
him  with  love  and  respect.  I  was  honoured  with  his  friendship, 
and,  notwithstanding  the  disparity  of  our  age  and  station,  I  know 
not  whether  veneration  for  his  virtues  or  personal  attachment 
towards  him  prevailed  more  in  my  mind.  His  health  declined 
from  the  period  of  his  appointment  ;  so  that  he  was  unable  to 
realize  those  wise  views  for  the  improvement  of  Ecclesiastical 
discipline,  the  education  of  youth,  and  the  more  regular  fulfil 
ment  of  every  duty  by  the  clergy  and  laity,  which  he  had  formed. 


92  BISHOPS   OF  KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

He  departed  this  life  at  Tallow  in  1819."  In  a  letter  addressed 
to  his  brother,  Mr.  E.  Corcoran  of  Raheenduff,  Queen's  County, 
dated  Tullow,  5th  of  February,  1819,  Dr.  Corcoran  says  :  "  I  wish 
you  would  come  here  for  a  few  days  to  pay  me  your  last  visit.  I 
feel  myself  growing  weaker  every  day,  and  am  endeavouring  to 
prepare  myself  to  quit  this  world  without  regret.  A  few  days 
retirement  from  your  daily  cares  may  be  of  use  to  you  who  cannot 
now  expect  to  remain  in  this  deceitful  world  long  after  me."  Dr. 
Corcoran  died  on  the  22nd  of  February,  ]  819,  and  was  interred 
in  the  Parish  Church  of  Tullow  on  the  Epistle  side  of  the  High 
Altar. 

The  following  is  the  inscription  on  his  tomb  : — 

"H.S.E. 

MICHAEL  .  GULIELMI .  F  .  CORCORAN  . 
DOMO  .  MABJOPOLI  .  IN  .  AGRO  .  REGINAE  . 

INGENUA  .  STIRPE  .  ORTUS  . 
DIVINIS  .  LITTERIS  .  LTJTET  .  PARISIORUM  . 

EGREGIE.  INSTITUTUS. 

SACERDOTIO .  PLURES  .  ANNOS  .  FIDELITER  .  TUM  . 

DUBLINI  .  TUM  .  AGRO  .  DARIENSI  .  GESTO  . 

PRAEFECTUS  .  BALLINAICAE  .  PARAECIAE  . 

DIFFICILIMO  .  R  .  P  .  TEMPORE  . 

SEDANDIS  .  CIVIUM.  MOTIBUS  . 

OPERAM  .  NAVAVIT  . 
IMPIGRAM  .  SALUTAREM  . 

QUI  . 

OB  .  ASSIDUA  .  IN  .  ANTIQUAM  .  CHRISTI  . 

RELIGIONEM  .  MERITA  .  PIO  .  VII .  PONT  .  MAX  . 

IN  .  PONTIFIC  .  DARIENS  .  ET  .  LEIGHLINIENSEM  . 

COOPTATUS. 

AUGUSTOQUE  .  MUNEP.E  . 
DIGNE  .  SAPIENTER  .  PIE  . 

FUNCTUS . 
DISCESSIT.  IN.  PACE.  ANN.  M.D.CCCXIX. 

VIXIT  .  A.  LXI  .  M  .  XI  .  D  .  XI  . 
IN  .  PONTIF  .  A  .  IIEU  .  PAUCOS  .  Ill  .  M  .  VI  . 
VENERANDO  .  ANTISTITE  .  PATRUO  .  AMANTISSIMO  . 
MICHAEL  .  EDMUNDI  .  F.  CORCORAN  . 
CUM  .  LACR.P." 

REV.  JAMES  DOYLE.  On  the  23rd  of  March,  1819,  the  Clergy 
of  the  Diocese  assembled  for  the  purpose  of  nominating  a 
successor;  the  Rev.  James  Doyle,  an  Augustinian,  and  Professor 
of  Theology  in  Carlo w  College,  was  recommended  as  dignissimus. 
Dr.  Doyle  was  elected  by  Propaganda,  and  was  approved  by  the 
Pope  on  the  8th  of  August,  in  the  same  year. 

[The  following  brief  Memoir  of  the  Right  Rev.  Doctor  Doyle 
is  compiled  in  great  measure  from  the  Life  of  that  Prelate,  by 
W.  J.  Fitzpatrick,  Esq.,LL.D.,Neiv  Edn.,  1880;  and  also  from 
a  Short  Life,  excellent  in  its  ivay,  by  the  Author  of  "  The  Priest 
hood  Vindicated."^ 


THE   RIGHT  REV  JAMES  DOYLE. D.D. 

BISHOP  OF  KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 


BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE   AND   LEIGHLIN.  93 

JAMES  WARREN  DOYLE  was  born  at  Donard,  otherwise  called 
Ballinvegga,*  within  six  miles  of  New  Ross,  where  his  parents 
resided,  in  the  Autumn  of  1786.  James  Doyle,  his  father,  was 
already  six  weeks  dead  when  the  future  Bishop  was  born.  He 
received  his  first  instruction  from  his  mother,  Anne  Warren,  who 
is  represented  as  having  been  gifted  with  good  natural  abilities 
and  more  than  ordinary  attainments.  At  twelve  years  old  he 
was  sent  to  a  school  kept  by  a  Mr.  Grace  from  which,  after  two 
years,  he  passed  to  a  school  lately  opened  at  New  Ross  by 
Father  Crane,  O.S.A.  Indications  were  already  observable  of  his 
leanings  to  the  ecclesiastical  state  which,  no  doubt,  were  fostered 
by  his  teacher  and  ever-devoted  friend.  In  a  letter  to  Dr. 
Gibbons,  dated  17th  October,  1823,  Dr.  Doyle  expresses  the  high 
esteem  and  affectionate  reverence  in  which  he  held  Father 
Crane :  "  There  is  no  person  now  living,"  he  writes,  "  with  the 
.  exception  of  my  brother,  to  whom  I  have  been  so  long  allied  by 
affection  and  friendship,  or  to  whom  I  am  under  more  weighty 
obligations."  (Life,  Vol.  I,  p.  11.) 

Having  made  choice  of  the  ecclesiastical  state,  James  Doyle  in 
1805,  entered  the  Novitiate  of  the  Augustinians,  at  Grantstown, 
a  place  on  the  Wexford  coast,  in  the  direction  of  Carnsore  Point. 
Here  he  made  his  profession,  in  January,  1806,  and,  some  months 
later,  he  set  out  for  Coimbra,  where  he  took  up  his  residence  at 
the  Augustinian  College  de  Graga,  which  was  annexed  to  the 
great  Portuguese  University. 

The  invasion  of  the  Peninsula  by  Napoleon  in  November, 
1807,  disturbed  the  course  of  the  young  Augustinian's  studies ; 
in  the  year  following  he  took  an  active  part  with  the  natives  and 
their  English  allies  in  ridding  the  country  of  the  invader. 

James  Doyle  returned  to  Ireland  in  December,  1808,  and 
shortly  afterwards  proceeded  to  the  Convent  of  the  Order  at 
New  Ross.  His  ordination  as  priest  took  place  at  Enniscorthy 
on  Rosary  Sunday,  October  1st,  1809,  Dr.  Ryan,  Coadjutor  to 
the  Bishop  of  Ferns,  being  the  officiating  Prelate.  After  his 
ordination  he  continued  attached  to  the  Community  at  Ross, 
engaged  in  the  study  of  Theology,  whilst,  at  the  same  time,  he 
acted  as  Professor  of  Logic,  and  also  took  his  part  in  the  clerical 
duties  attaching  to  his  position. 

In  July  1813,  Dr.  Doyle  first  became  connected  with  his 
future  Diocese,  by  his  appointment  to  a  Professorship  in  Carlow 
College.  His  first  chair  was  that  of  Rhetoric  ;  on  the  death  of 


*  Ballinvegga  was  the  scene  of  an  engagement  in  1642,  between  General  Preston 
and  Ormond,  in  which  the  former  was  defeated. 


94  BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

Dean  Staunton  in  the  following  year,  Dr.  FitzGerald  was 
appointed  to  the  Presidency  of  the  College,  and  Dr.  Doyle  suc 
ceeded  him  as  Professor  of  Theology. 

Dr.  Corcoran,  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin,  died  on  the  22nd 
of  February,  1819  ;  on  the  23rd  of  March  following,  the  clergy  of 
the  Diocese  met  for  the  purpose  of  nominating  a  successor,  when 
Dr.  Doyle  was  chosen  dignissimus,  with  the  hearty  concurrence 
of  the  Bishops  of  the  Province.  On  the  8th  of  August  the  Holy 
Father  confirmed  his  election  by  Propaganda  Fide,  and  on  the 
14th  of  November,  the  Feast  of  the  Patronage  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  Dr.  Doyle  received  Episcopal  Consecration  in  theParish 
Church  of  Carlow,  the  officiating  Bishops  being  the  Metropolitan, 
the  Most  Rev.  Dr.  Troy,  his  Grace's  Coadjutor,  the  Most  Rev. 
Dr.  Murray,  and  the  Bishop  of  Ossory,  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Marum, 
the  Archbishop  of  Cashel,  Most  Rev.  Dr.  Everard,  and  the  Bishop 
of  Ferns,  Dr.  Keating,  were  also  present. 

"  Ardent  piety,  splendid  talents  and  superior  judgment,  were 
soon  manifested  by  Dr.  Doyle  in  the  government  of  his  Diocese. 
To  reform  abuses,  advance  piety,  dispel  ignorance,  destroy  vice, 
secure  confidence,  forward  education,  promote  a  love  of  learning 
among  his  clergy,  and  to  improve  in  every  way  the  spiritual  and 
temporal  condition  of  his  people,  were  his  unceasing  objects. 
The  strict  duties  which  he  imposed  upon  his  clergy,  and  the 
severity  with  which  he  visited  any  who,  unmindful  of  the  sanctity 
of  their  office,  mixed  themselves  too  much  in  secular  affairs,  soon 
procured  for  him  the  character  of  a  disciplinarian.  His  ministry, 
however,  was  not  a  ministry  of  words.  He  well  studied  and 
practised  the  admonition  of  St.  Paul  to  Timothy:  'Let  no  man 
despise  thy  youth,  but  be  thou  an  example  in  word,  in  conver 
sation,  in  charity,  in  faith,  in  chastity ;  attend  unto  reading,  to 
exhortations,  to  doctrine.  Neglect  not  the  grace  that  is  in  thee, 
which  was  given  thee  by  prophecy  with,  imposition  of  hands  of 
the  priesthood.  Meditate  upon  these  things,  be  wholly  in  these 
things,  that  thy  profiting  may  be  manifest  to  all.'  "— 1  Tim.  iv. 
12  et  seq.  (Short  Life,  Chap.  3.) 

Immediately  after  his  consecration,  Dr.  Doyle  set  himself  to 
reform  certain  abuses  that  had  crept  into  the  Diocese,  chiefly 
occasioned  by,  and  arising  out  of  the  state  of  serfdom  in  which 
the  Catholics  had  been  kept  by  the  iniquitous  penal  laws,  almost 
up  to  the  period  when  he  entered  upon  its  government.  He 
issued  Instructions  to  the  clergy  in  which  rules  were  laid  down 
for  their  guidance  in  the  discharge  of  their  various  duties,  and 
some  objectionable  customs  were  reformed.  As  was  to  be 
expected,  these  changes  were  viewed  with  apprehension  and 
disfavour  by  some  of  the  clergy.  The  Yery  Rev.  John  Dunne 


BISHOPS   OF  KILDAKE  AND  LEIGHLIN.  95 

P.P.  of  Kilcock,  and  Vicar-Forane,  placed  before  the  Bishop  the 
thoughts  of  some  of  the  Clergy  respecting  these  changes ; 
replying  to  which  Dr.  Doyle  thus  writes,  under  date  Christmas 
Day,  1819  : — "When  I  published  these  regulations  I  anticipated 
that  their  observance  would  be  attended  with  some  inconvenience 
to  a  few,  for  there  is  no  change  which  does  not  produce  incon 
venience,  nay  I  expected  more, — that  a  few  would  feel  discon 
tented,  and  whisper  their  discontent  to  others ;  but  knowing 
the  zeal  and  piety  of  the  great  body  of  the  clergy,  I  hoped  (and 
indeed  my  hopes  have  not  been  disappointed)  that  they  would 
carefully  conform  to  the  regulations  which  are  only  transcripts 
of  the  Gospel  or  of  the  laws  of  the  Church.  I  studiously 
avoided  every  innovation,  and  omitted  things  which  1  wished  to 
insert,  lest  our  circumstances  were  not  fitted  for  what  otherwise 

would  be  desirable Nothing  is  prohibited  but  what 

is  bad  or  which  at  least  has  a  tendency  to  evil ;  nothing  enjoined 
but  the  laws  of  God  and  the  Church.  .  .  .  What  man  with 
an  ecclesiastical  spirit  will  think  it  a  grievance  to  instruct  in  the 
plain  and  simple  manner  prescribed, — to  observe  decency  in 
offering  the  Holy  Sacrifice, — to  administer  the  Sacraments  as 
the  Church  has  ordained, — to  avoid  simony,  as  it  is  declared  by 
the  organ  of  the  Holy  Ghost, — to  preserve  the  decency  and 
decorum  of  a  gentleman  and  a  priest,  by  abstaining  from  an 
excess  of  social  freedom  on  the  days  when  he  is  employed  in 
bringing  sinners  to  repentance?  Or  will  a  priest  suffer  by 
avoiding  those  occasions,  those  occupations,  which  the  Church, 
ten  thousand  times,  has  declared  to  be  incompatible  with  our 
profession  ?  .  .  .  .  Let  us  have  but  one  spirit,  as  we  have 
but  one  end; — soothe  the  discontented,  reprove  the  disaffected, 
preach  to  the  young  and  to  the  old  obedience  to  the  constituted 
authority,  and  in  a  little  time  these  things  which  now  excite 
your  apprehension  will  have  disappeared."  (Life,  Vol.  l.,p.  111.) 
On  the  approach  of  Lent,  1820,  Dr.  Doyle  issued  a  Pastoral  to 
the  faithful  of  the  Diocese,  setting  before  them  the  merit  and 
necessity  of  practising  works  of  mortification.  Appended  to  this 
document  were  the  "Begulations  to  be  observed  during  the 
present  Lent,  and  hereafter,  if  no  different  regulations  should  be 
made,"  from  which  the  following  are  culled  : — "  All  the  faithful 
(except  those  hereafter  mentioned),  are  to  fast  on  one  meal  and 
a  collation,  and  to  abstain  from  flesh-meat,  during  the  entire 
Lent.  The  use  of  eggs  is  permitted  to  all,  except  on  Fridays, 
on  the  three  days  following  Ash-Wednesday,  and  on  the  last 
week  of  Lent;  on  Sundays  they  may  be  taken  more  than  once. 
Milk-meats  are  prohibited  on  Ash-Wednesday,  and  on  Wednes 
day  and  Friday  in  Holy  Week. 


96  BISHOPS   OF  KILDAEE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

"  All  persons,  whether  tradesmen  or  others  employed  at  hard 
labour, — the  poor,  whose  ordinary  diet  is  not  good, — persons 
feeble  through  old  age,  or  otherwise  infirm,  or  who  have  not 
arrived  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years, — women  who  are  bearing 
children,  or  nursing  them  at  the  breast ;  all  those,  though 
obliged  to  abstain,  are  exempted  from  the  obligation  of  fasting, 
but  should  occasionally  retrench  a  portion  of  their  meals  when 
they  can  do  so  without  prejudice  to  their  health. 

"  Persons  who  are  sick  or  convalescent,  those  who  live  chiefly 
by  alms,  servants  who  cannot  conveniently  get  fasting  fare,  are 
permitted  to  eat  flesh-meat  as  at  other  times  of  the  year. 

"And  as  the  chief  Pastors  of  the  Church,  or  those  commissioned 
by  them,  are  alone  entitled  to  interpret  or  dispense  in  her  laws, 
all  persons  who  may  be  in  doubt  as  to  whether  they  are  included 
in  the  above  exemptions,  or  otherwise  entitled  to  an  exemption 
from  the  laws  of  fast  or  abstinence,  shall  apply  for  such  exemp 
tion  to  Us.  or  to  their  respective  Parish  Priests,  who  will  not 
refuse  the  indulgence  sought  for  if  there  be  sufficient  reason  for 
granting  it ;  taking  care,  at  the  same  time,  to  enjoin  some  pious, 
charitable,  or  penitential  work,  suited  to  the  circumstances  of 
the  person  applying  to  him.  Note. — No  person  can  be  per 
mitted  to  eat  flesh-meat  more  than  once  a  day,  or  to  use  it  on 
the  same  day  with  eggs  or  fish,  not  even  Sunday  excepted." 

Early  in  the  year  1820,  Dr.  Doyle  proceeded  to  make  the 
Visitation  of  his  extensive  Diocese.  This  duty, — at  all  times 
one  of  a  very  laborious  nature, — was  rendered  especially  so  in 
this  instance,  as,  owing  to  the  advanced  age  and  infirmity  of  his 
predecessor,  and  other  causes,  a  large  amount  of  deferred  duty 
had  to  be  gone  through.  A  synopsis  of  the  state  of  the  Diocese, 
drawn  up  from  the  Returns  obtained  by  Dr.  Doyle  on  the 
occasion  of  this  Visitation,  still  exists  in  the  Bishop's  own  hand 
writing. 

The  practice,  now  so  universally  observed,  of  having  annual 
Spiritual  Retreats  for  the  Clergy  in  each  Diocese,  was  but  little 
attended  to  previous  to  the  time  of  Dr.  Doyle.  One  of  his  first 
cares  was  to  establish  this  salutary  usage  ;  accordingly,  we  find 
him  arranging  for  the  holding  of  two  Retreats  in  July  1820,  both 
of  which  he  conducted  in  person.  Writing  on  the  15th  of  July, 
Dr. Doyle  remarks: — "I  am  going  to  prepare  for  our  two  Retreats; 
the  first  begins  on  Monday.  Drs.  Troy,  Hamill,  Blake,  all  the 
most  respectable  clergy  of  Dublin,  some  from  Meath,  and  all  our 
own  priests  attend  this  week.  I  am  left  alone  to  instruct,  but 
trust  in  God  who  is  the  strength  of  the  weak.  When  those  are 
ended  I  must  go  to  each  of  our  five  Conferences,  and  give 
Confirmation  in  a  few  parishes."  (Life,  1,  p.  131.) 


BISHOPS   OF   KILDAKE   AND  LEIGHLIN.  97 

If  there  was  one  thing  more  dear  than  another  to  Dr.  Doyle's 
heart,  it  was  the  proper  religious  education  of  youth.  He 
regarded  the  ignorance  of  the  people  as  the  source  of  most  of 
their  crimes,  and  considered  early  culture  as  the  best  means  of 
destroying  vice  and  wretchedness  in  the  bud.  Hence,  from  the 
commencement  of  his  Episcopate,  he  made  it  imperative  on  his 
Clergy  to  establish  schools  in  every  parish  and  district  where 
they  had  not  been  previously  in  existence. 

Towards   the   end  of  1819,  Cardinal    Fontana,    Prefect    of 
Propaganda,  published  a  letter  condemning  the  Bible  Societies, 
which  he  addressed  to  the  Bishops  of  Ireland.     Some  Catholics, 
particularly  Lord  Fingal  and  O'Connell,  had  been  induced  to 
become  members  of  the  Kildare  Place  Society  at  its  foundation 
on  the  faith  of  distinct  promises  made  that,  whilst  it  instructed 
the  poor  on  the  best  elementary  principles,  it  would  not  interfere 
with  the  religious  principles  of  the  children.     It  was  soon  dis 
covered  that  these  promises  were  not  observed,  and  that  the 
Society  had  combined  with  the    Hibernian  Bible  Society  to 
produce  proselytes.     When  O'Connell,   at   one   of   the   public 
meetings,   attempted  to    recall   the  original  intention   of    the 
Society,  he  was  hissed,  after  which,  in  a  letter  to  the  Catholic 
Prelates,  he  denounced  the  body  as  one  that  had  broken  its 
pledge,  and  with  which  the  Catholic  body  should  have  no  con 
nexion.     From  that  moment,   such  schools    as   had    been    in 
connexion,  in  which  Catholic  children  were  taught,  commenced 
separating  from  the  Kildare  Place  Society ;  and   the  Bishops, 
amongst  whom  Dr.  Doyle  was  prominent,  denounced  it  as  un 
worthy   of  Catholic   sanction   or    Government    support.     The 
•Catholic  Prelates,  clergy,  and  laity,  met  in  Dublin,  in  1821,  and 
formed  a  Society  for  the  education  of  the  people.     Dr.  Doyle, 
individually,    and   in    conjunction   with    the    other    Prelates, 
petitioned  unceasingly  for  aid,  but  years  rolled  on  before  aid 
would  be  allowed.     The  Kildare  Place  Society  having  reported 
that  several  of  the  Schools  in  Dr.  Doyle's  Diocese  were  then  in 
connexion  with  the   Society,  he  caused  official  and  authentic 
Returns  to  be  made  by  his  Clergy,  and  by  this  means  proved  the 
falsehood   of  this  charge   (Short  Life,  c.  3.)     These  Returns, 
forming  a  great  pile  of  MSS.,  are  still  in  existence. 

It  was  in  the  year  1821  that  Dr.  Doyle  may  be  said  to  have 
commenced  his  public  career.  The  Irish  Catholics  were,  at  that 
period,  subject  to  many  great  and  galling  disabilities.  They  had 
to  struggle,  not  merely  for  political  liberty  but  for  the  common 
rights  of  conscience.  Under  these  circumstances,  with  an  inborn 
love  of  truth  and  justice  and  an  earnest  desire  for  the  freedom 
and  happiness  of  his  country,  Dr.  Doyle  felt  himself  called  upon 

G 


98  BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE  AND   LEIGHLIN. 

to  join  in  exposing  and  refuting  the  calumnies  heaped  upon  his 
co-religionists,  and  to  labour  for  their  liberation  from  the  civil 
and  religious  disabilities  from  which  they  suffered.     In  March, 
1821,  Mr.,  afterwards  Lord,  Plunkett  having  introduced  a  bill 
into  Parliament  purporting  to  be  for  the  removal  of  Catholic 
disabilities,  it  was  soon  found  that  its  appendages  of  boards,  veto, 
and  influence  to  the  Crown,  would  not  only  be  injurious  to 
religion    but    incompatible    with    political    liberty.       Whilst 
O'Connell  denounced  it  as  a  "bill  of  pains  and  penalties,"  and 
the  Rev.  Richard  Hayes  boldly  condemned  it  as  a  libel  on  the 
religion  and  people  of  Ireland,  the  Bishops,  clergy  and  laity  in 
each  Diocese  and  district  petitioned  and  protested  against  it. 
The  Clergy  of  the  Archdiocese  of  Dublin  held  a  meeting  at  the 
Presbytery,  Lower  Exchange-street,  on  the  21st  of  March,  1821, 
the  Archbishop,  Dr.  Troy,  in  the  chair,  and  condemned  the  bill 
"  as   one  that  would   press  upon  their   Order,  and   upon  the 
essential  exercise  of  the  Eoman  Catholic  ministry  with  great, 
unnecessary  and  injurious  severity."     Dr.  Doyle  attended  this 
meeting,  and,  on  the  6th  of  April,  he  presided  at  a  meeting  of 
the  clergy  of  the  Diocese  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin,  held  in  the 
Chapel  of   Carlo w    College,    when  the  Resolutions   passed   at 
Dublin  were  reiterated  against  the  bill  and  against  vesting  in 
the  Crown  a  negative  in  the  appointment  of  the  Irish  Catholic 
Bishops.    There  was  not  a  Diocese,  and  indeed  scarcely  a  parish 
in  Ireland,  which  did  not  join  in  reprobating  the  contemplated 
veto,  boards  and  pensions,  and  to  this  unanimous  feeling  may  be 
attributed,  in  a  great  degree,  the  defeat  of  this  project  so  fraught 
with  danger  to  the  religion  of  Ireland.  (Short  Life,  c.  4.) 

Dr.  Doyle  resided  at  Carlow  from  the  time  of  his  consecration 
until  June,  1822,  when  he  removed  to  Old  Derrig.  Writing  to 
a  friend  on  May  25th,  he  says :— "  I  am  leaving  Carlow,  having 
taken  a  house  and  13  acres  of  land,  a  mile  and  a  half  distant 
from  it,  in  the  beautiful  country  that  lies  beyond  the  river. 
This  house,  avenue  and  garden  are  fine,  and  will  enable  me  to 
indulge  that  love  of  solitude  which  has  grown  with  me  from  my 
youth."  (Life,  1,  p.  198.) 

On  Thursday,  the  24th  of  October,  1822,  Dr.  Magee,  the 
Protestant  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  delivered  a  primary  Yisitatiori 
Charge  in  St.  Patrick's  Cathedral,  Dublin,  in  which,  at  great 
length  and  with  great  elaborateness,  he  assailed  the  teachings  of 
the  Catholic  Church.  Four  days  later,  a  spirited  reply  appeared, 
which  attracted  general  attention  ;  it  was  from  the  pen  of  Dr. 
Doyle,  but  was  signed  only  with  the  initials  J.  K.  L.,  then  used 
for  the  first  time.  In  December,  the  Charge  was  issued  in  an 
authorized  shape,  with  copious  notes.  A  rejoinder  from  J.  K.  L. 


BISHOPS   OF   KILDAEE   AND   LEIGHLIN.  99 

immediately  followed.  To  discuss  the  merits  of  these  or  the 
other  writings  of  Dr.  Doyle  would  be  outside  our  present  purpose 
which  is  to  touch  in  briefest  form  on  the  chief  features  of  his 
distinguished  career. 

The  next  work  of  general  interest  from  the  pen  of  Dr.  Doyle 
was  his  "  Vindication  of  the  Religious  and  Civil  Principles  of  the 
Irish  Catholics,  in  a  letter  addressed  to  his  Excellency  the 
Marquis  of  Wellesley,  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland."  This  work 
contained  the  author's  first  noted  protest  against  the  iniquitous 
tithe  system.  It  rapidly  passed  through  three  editions. 

Early  m  1824,  Dr.  Doyle  published  his  "Defence  of  the 
Vindication/'  etc.,  in  which  he  replied  to  the  attacks  of  various 
antagonists,  and  refuted  their  objections. 

On  the  22nd  of  June,  1823,  Dr.  Doyle  addressed  a  Pastoral  to 
the  faithful  of  his  Diocese  regarding  a  miraculous  cure  wrought, 
twelve  days  before,  through  the  intercession  of  the  Rev.  Prince 
Alexander  Hohenloe,  Dean  of  Bamberg.    "We  announce  to  you, 
dearest  brethren,  with  great  joy,"  the  Bishop  writes,  "  a  splendid 
miracle  which  the  Almighty  God  has  wrought  even  in  our  own 
days,  and  at  the  present  time,  and  in  the  midst  of  ourselves. 
We  announce  it  to  you  with  a  heart  filled  with  gratitude  to 
heaven,   that  you  may  unite   with  us  in  thanksgiving  to  the 
Father  of  mercies,  and  God  of  all  consolation,  who  consoles  us 
in  every  tribulation,'  and  who  has  even  consoled  us  by  restoring 
miraculously  Miss  Maria  Lalor  to  the  perfect  use  of  speech,  of 
which,  for  six   years   and  five  months,  she  had  been   totally 
deprived !     Our  gracious  God  '  who  causeth  death  and  giveth 
life,  who  leadeth  to  hell  and  bringeth  back  therefrom,'  has  been 
graciously  pleased  to  have  regard  to  the  prayers  and  the  faith  of 
his  servants,  and  looking  to  the  sacrifice  of  our  altars,  and  to  the 
merits  of  the  Blood  which  speaketh  from  them,  better  than  the 
blood  of  Abel,  to  loose  by  His  own  presence  and  His  own  power, 
a  tongue  whose  functions  had  been  so  long  suspended.     But  we 
hasten,  dearly  beloved,  to  impart  to  you,  as  it  is  the  duty  and 
privilege  of  our   office  to  do  (Trid.  Sess.  25,   Decret.  2.),  the 
particulars  of  this  prodigious  cure."    (The  particulars  of  this 
miraculous  cure  are  given  in  Life,  Vol.  1,  p.  245,  et  seq.)* 

*  Archbishop  Murray,  on  the  1st  of  August  following,  authenticated  a  like 
miraculous  cure  in  favour  of  Mrs.  Stuart  of  Ranelagh  Convent.  These  and  the 
many  other  miracles  which  it  pleased  Providence  to  perform  during  the  preceding 
our  years  through  the  instrumentality  of  Prince  Hohenloe,  and  usuaUy  through 
the  tremendous  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  caused  a  great  and  widespread  sensation  at 
the  time.  The  following  is  a  copy  of  a  letter  from  Daniel  O'Gonnell  to  Dr. 
Doyle,  seeking  his  lordship's  mediation  in  behalf  of  an  invalid  therein  referred 

"  Limerick,  1st  August,  1823. 
"  My  Lord, — 

"  I  beg  your  kind  attention  to  a  circumstance  which  may,  in  the  hand  of 
God,  be  of  use  to  his  Church  in  Ireland. 


100  BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

Durino-  the  year  1824,  Dr.  Doyle  published  letters  on  many 
subjects  of  public  interest,  Early  in  1825,  at  the  request  of  a 
friend  in  England,  he  wrote  his  twelve  "  Letters  on  the  State  of 
Ireland,"  which  appeared  under  the  now  famous  initials  J.K.L. 
These  letters  extended  over  400  pp.  8vo,  and  dealt  with  nearly 
all  the  religious  and  political  questions  that  then  agitated 
public  mind. 

'   In  March,  1825,  the  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighlm    was 
summoned,  with  some   of  the  other   Irish    Prelates,   to    give 
evidence  before  the  Lords  and  Commons,  in  Committee  on  the 
State  of  Ireland.     The  evidence  of  Dr.  Doyle  had  a  powerful 
effect  in  disabusing  the  English  mind  of  preconceived  erroneous 
opinions  and  deep-rooted  prejudices  about  the   Catholic  religion 
and  the  condition  of  the  Irish  people.     The  tone  and  manner  in 
which   it  was  delivered    excited   astonishment.     With  a  selt- 
possession,    dignity  of  character,  and   clearness   of   judgment, 
rarely  evinced,  Dr.  Doyle  added  such  a  love  of  truth  and,  withal, 
such    a  respect  for  the  judgment  of  others,  that  he  made  an 
impression  on  the  minds  of  even  the  highest  intolerants  which 
all  their  bigotry  was  not  proof  against.  (Short  Life,  c.  14.)     On 
his  return  to  Ireland,  in  May  1825,  meetings  were  held  in  various 
places  to  congratulate  him  on  the  support  he  had  given  to  the 
cause  of  religion  and  liberty.      The  Clergy  of  his   own  Diocese 
assembled  and  presented  him  with  the  following  address  :— 

"There  is  in  this  town  a  Miss  M F ,  a  near  relation  of  the  late 

and  present  Earl  of  C.  (We  suppress  the  full  names.)  She  is  a  Catholic  a 
convert  I  believe,— and  is  a  lady  of  rare  and  most  exemplary  piety.  She  has 
resisted  many  temptations  and  some  minor  persecutions  to  desert  the  ancient 
faith.'  Her  Protestant  relations  are  of  two  classes— the  one  liberal,  and  so 
inclined  to  Catholicity  as  to  be  won  over  by  any  striking  event,— that  is,  as  far  as 
human  means  could  assist  their  conversion.  The  other  class  of  relations  are  very 
inimical  to  the  Catholic  faith,  and  have  shown,— as  I  am  informed,— much 
animosity  to  this  lady  for  her  fidelity  and  zeal  in  the  cause  of  truth. 

"This  lady  has  been  afflicted,  for  some  time,  with  a  cancerous  tumor,  and  has 
been  pronounced,  by  her  physicians,  incurable. 

"  Her  spiritual  director,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Coll,— a  man  of  the  most  exemplary  piety 
and  of  apostolic  zeal,  accompanied  with  that  simplicty  which  belongs  to  a  heart 
full  of  divine  love,— has  made  me  promise  to  write  to  your  Lordship  on  this 
subject,  principally  to  put  him  in  the  way  of  having  a  discreet  and  proper 
application  made  to  Prince  Hohenloe  for  his  intercession  on  her  behalf. 

"Should  it  please  God  to  restore  this  lady  through  the  intercession  of  that  holy 
Clergyman  and  by  the  efficacy  of  the  pure  Sacrifice,  it  would,  probably,  be  a 
mercy  to  many  and  many  who  are  now  in  error.  It  is  not  for  such  as  me  to 
estimate  the  divine  bounty,  but  as  far  as  human  reason  can  see  darkly  into  the 
ways  of  Providence,  it  would  appear  that  this  is  an  occasion  m  which  much 
edification  and  consolation  may  be  given  to  Catholics,  and  an  evidence  afforded 
to  Protestants  which  it  would  be  difficult  to  resist.  .... 
I  have  the  honour  to  be,  my  Lord, 

Your  Lordship's  most  respectful  humble  Servant, 

T»ATkTf» 


O'CONNELL.' 


BISHOPS   OF  KILDAEE   AND   LEIGHLIN.  101 

"  To  the  Right  Rev.  James  Doyle,  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin. 

"i3^Y-LT0vD'~It  is  nowmore  than  six  years  since  the  Clergy  of  Kildare 
and  Leighlm  gave  the  strongest  proof  of  their  admiration  of  your  talents 
and  their  reverence  for  your  many  virtues,  by  selecting  you  as  their 
Bishop,  and  since  that  time,  the  intercourse  which  they  had  with  your 
lordship  has  powerfully  contributed  to  increase  their  respect  and  to 
strengthen  their  attachment.  The  unwearied  zeal  which  you  have 
exhibited  in  the  work  of  the  ministry— the  powerful  talent  and  extensive 
learning  which  have  distinguished  you  as  a  preacher  and  writer,  and  the 
aP0.stolic  disinterestedness  and  contempt  for  the  things  of  this  world, 
which  have  uniformly  marked  your  conduct,  have  all  combined  to  render 
your  character  beloved  and  revered  by  all  who  know  you,  but  particularly 
by  the  clergy  and  people  of  these  dioceses.  The  perfect  spirit  of  a 
Christian  pastor,  which  has  caused  you  to  resign  everything  in  this  world, 
in  order  to  devote  your  whole  existence  to  the  glory  of  God  and  the 
service  of  religion  amongst  us,  has  long  since  filled  the  hearts  of  your 
clergy  with  sentiments  of  veneration  and  affection,  to  the  expression  of 
which  no  words  could  do  justice. 

"Fortunately  for  the  Church  of  Ireland,  your  Lordship  has  been  lately 
called  upon  to  answer  for  your  religion  and  your  country  before  the 
highest  tribunals  of  the  empire.  We  do  not  think  it  necessary  to  describe 
the  evidence  which  you  gave  and  the  light  which  you  diffused  on  that 
memorable  occasion,  because  the  whole  Kingdom  has  already  stamped 
it  with  the  seal  of  their  admiration  and  approval ;  but  we  do  think  that 
those  who  have  the  good  fortune  to  be  placed  under  your  Lordship's 
jurisdiction,  arid  who  have,  more  than  all  others,  reaped  the  fruit  of  your 
labours,  are  called  upon  to  give  some  permanent  mark  of  their  affectionate 
regard.  It  is,  my  Lord,  necessary  to  let  posterity  know  with  what 
feelings  you  were  regarded  by  those  whom  God  has  committed  to  vour 
charge. 

"A  meeting  of  your  Lordship's  parochial  clergy  was  held  on  this  day 
and  it  was  unanimously  resolved, '  That  anxious  to  signify  to  our  revered 
Prelate,  the  Eight  Rev.  Doctor  Doyle,  the  sincerity  of  our  attachment 
and  gratitnde,  we  do  forthwith  institute  a  subscription  in  order  to 
procure  for  him  such  a  residence  as  will  fix  the  attention  of  posterity  on 
the  period  and  on  the  Prelate/  The  numerous  disadvantages  of  your 
present  abode  would  at  all  events  have  rendered  some  change  necessary  • 
and  we  considered  that  the  most  proper  means  of  giving  expression  to 
our  feelings  would  be  by  procuring  a  residence  which,  while  it  is 
absolutely  necessary  for  your  Lordship,  will  be  hereafter  a  permanent 
advantage  to  the  diocese,  and  will  serve  to  remind  future  bishops  of  your 
eminent  virtues  and  of  our  grateful  affection.- 

"We  trust  our  Resolution  will  be  acceptable  to  your  Lordship,  and  that 
you  will  receive  it  as  a  testimony  of  our  profound  respect  and  unalterable 
attachment.  We  earnestly  pray  that  the  same  bountiful  Providence 
which  has  placed  you  over  us,  will  preserve  and  prolong  that  valuable 
me  which  is  so  necessary  for  the  improvement  and  happiness  of  your 
Lordship's  children  in  Christ. 

"  Signed  on  behalf  of  the  Meeting, 

"  MICHAEL  PRENDERGAST,  V.G.,  Chairman." 
REPLY. 

"VERY  REV.  AND  DEARLY-BELOVED  BRETHREN,— Your  presence  and 
your  address,  unexpected  at  the  close  of  our  religious  exercises,  have 


102  BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

greatly  affected  me.  You  have  brought  to  my  recollection  the  period 
when  your  partiality  contributed  to  impose  upon  me  a  burden  to  be 
dreaded,  as  the  Spirit  of  Truth  declares  in  the  S.  Council  of  Trent,  even 
by  an  Angel.  That  zeal  for  the  house  of  God,  that  eminent  piety  and 
disinterestedness  which  then  prompted  you  to  select  for  recommendation 
to  the  Holy  See,  the  person  whom  you  consider  most  worthy  to  pres 
in  these  ancient  and  venerable  churches,  caused  you  to  prefer  to  clergy 
men  distinguished  for  every  virtue,  a  stranger  who  had  been  but  a  tew 
years  resident  amongst  you,  and  whose  faults  and  infirmities,  on  account 
of  the  seclusion  in  which  he  had  lived,  were  hidden  from  you. 

"  Your  wishes,  beloved  brethren,  were  fulfilled,  and  I  submitted  to  a 
yoke,  which  if  I  rejected,  I  feared  might  oppose  the  will  ol  heaven,  in 
seeking  to  discharge  the  duties  imposed  on  me,  I  have  not,  through  the 
grace  of  God,  yielded  to  flesh  and  blood  ;  nor  have  I  made  my  We  more 
precious  than  my  soul,  provided  I  could  finish  my  course  and  the 
ministry  of  the  word,  which,  through  the  successor  of  Peter  I  have 
received  from  the  Lord  Jesus.  In  feeding  the  flock  of  Christ  confided  to 
me,  vour  faith,  your  patience,  your  labours,  your  example,  have  excited 
me  to  do  so,  not  by  constraint,  but  willingly-not  for  filthy  lucre  s  sake 
but  voluntarily— not  as  lording  it  over  God's  inheritance,  but  seeking, 
through  his  aid,  to  be  a  pattern  to  the  flock  from  my  heart. 

"  You  have  referred  to  a  late  occasion,  when  I  was  called  upon  to  give 
evidence,  a  portion  of  which  related  to  the  doctrines  and  discipline  ol  our 
church.  I  should  repute  myself  happy  if  I  were  made  the  occasion  ot 
refuting  some  portion  of  the  calumnies— any  part  of  the  foul  misrepre 
sentations  which,  commencing  in  crime,  supported  by  power,  upheld  by 
pride  by  self-interest,  and  a  wilful  opposition  to  the  known  truth,  have 
continued  for  three  centuries  to  keep  a  fine  people— a  great  nation, 
estranged  from  the  faith ;  and  our  church  and  our  country  obscured, 
persecuted,  divided  and  oppressed. 

"  The  intention  you  have  expressed,  Dear  and  Very  Rev.  Brethren,  of 
providing  a  suitable  residence  for  me  and  my  successors,  is  worthy  ol  you, 
and  of  these  dioceses  so  dear  to  my  heart.  Were  I  the  sole  object  of  the 
generous  offering  you  propose  to  make,  I  should  undoubtedly  decline 
accepting  of  it,  for  my  soul  abhors  gifts,  and  I  desire  not  to  have  here  a 
lasting  abode,  I  rather  look  in  hope  for  one  that  is  to  come  ;  but  1  shall 
view  with  pleasure  such  a  record  of  your  zeal  for  religion,  and  ol  your 
attachment  to  your  bishop,  that  the  world  may  know  that  we  are  His 
disciples  whose  last  and  best  commandment  was,  that  we  would  love  one 
another— that  we  would  be  one  in  mind  and  in  affection,  as  He  and  Mis 
Father  are  one  in  nature,  and  in  substance. 

"  You  desire  for  me,  beloved  Brethren,  length  of  days.  Length  ol 
days  is  not  computed  by  the  number  of  our  years  ;  we  may  in  a  short 
time  fill  up  many  of  them  by  holiness  of  life  ;  it  is  this  you  pray  for,  and 
in  vour  prayer  I  earnestly  concur  ;  but  whether  the  days  of  my  pilgrimage 
be  shortened  or  prolonged,  they  will,  through  the  grace  of  our  Redeemer, 
continue  to  be  devoted  to  the  advancement  of  God's  glory  of  the  interest 
of  religion,  and,  in  seeking  to  promote  your  spiritual  welfare  your 
honour  arid  your  peace,  as  well  as  the  happiness  and  welfare  ol  that 
numerous  people,  whom  the  Holy  Ghost  has  committed  to  our  common 
care. 

"  Very  Rev.  and  Rev.  Brethren,  accept  my  best  thanks,  and  believe  me 
your  ever  devoted  servant  in  Christ  Jesus, 

"JAMES  DOYLE." 


BISHOPS  OF   KILDARE  AND   LEIGHLIN.  103 

In  accordance  with  the  Resolution  above  referred  to, 
Braganza,— a  fine  mansion,  built  by  Sir  Dudley  Hill,  beautifully 
placed  on  the  bank  of  the  Barrow,  just  outside  the  town  of 
Carlow,— was  purchased  as  a  residence  for  Dr.  Doyle  and  his 
successors  in  the  See  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin. 

The  Cathedral,  Marlborough  Street,  Dublin,  was  consecrated 
on  the  Feast  of  St.  Laurence  O'Toole,  the  14th  of  November, 
1825  ;  Dr.  Doyle  preached  on  the  occasion.  His  sermon  has' 
fortunately,  been  preserved  in  MS.,  and  will  be  found  in  the 
Appendix  with  some  other  selections  from  Sermons  of  this 
Prelate.  The  present  revered  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighlio 
thus  describes  Dr.  Doyle  as  a  Preacher  :— "  His  eloquence  was 
of  the  most  nervous  character ;  it  is  impossible  to  convey  an 
adequate  notion  of  it.  To  comprehend  it  fully,  he  should  be 
seen  and  heard.  It  illustrated  whatever  it  touched, — it  set  truth 
in  a  bold  and  attractive  relief, — its  force  was  irresistible.  We 
love  to  dwell  upon  the  memory  of  our  departed  Prelate,  who 
'  shone  in  his  days  as  the  morning  star,'  and  '  honoured  the 
vesture  of  holiness '  in  which  he  was  robed."  (Life,  2,  472.)  Dr. 
Doyle's  services  were  eagerly  sought  on  occasions  when  the  cause 
of  charity  was  to  be  advocated  ;  and  the  promoters  of  those  good 
works  esteemed  themselves,  and  with  justice,  as  most  fortunate 
when  they  had  secured  him  as  the  Preacher.*  With  few 


*  Amongst  the  applicants  to  Dr.  Doyle  in  this  respect  we  find  O'Connell,  whose 
letter  will  be  read  with  interest : — 

"  Merrion  Square,  26th  January,  1823. 

"MY  LORD, 

"  I  cannot  refuse  the  President  and  members  of  one  of  the  very 
meritorious  Orphan  Charities  of  this  city  to  obtrude  a  request  upon  your 
Lordship.  The  Charity  I  allude  to  is  the  Summer  Hill  Female  Orphanage.  A 
few— indeed  very  few,  individuals  have,  by  personal  exertions,  sustained  this 
*  amiable  and  useful  Charity,' — for  many  years.  I  need  not  tell  you  that  amongst 
the  miseries  of  the  present  period,  one  of  the  bitterest,  to  some  minds,  is,  that  the 
very  sources  of  Charity  are  dried  up,  and  that  more  hands  which  won  Id  distribute 
cheerfully,  are  empty.  The  result  of  such  a  state  of  public  and  private  affairs 
does, — without  any  of  the  exaggeration  supposed  to  be  usual  on  such  occasions, — 
leave  this  charity  almost  entirely  dependent  on  the  produce  of  the  next  annual 
Sermon  which  is  fixed  for  Sunday  the  13th  of  April,  being  the  Sunday  after  Low 
Sunday, — I  fear  an  unpropitious  time  for  my  request,  to  which  I  now  return.  It 
is,  an  earnest  but  most  respectful  entreaty  that  you,  my  Lord,  would  be  pleased 
to  preach  that  Sermon,  unless  it  should  interfere  with  some  of  those  sacred  duties 
which  belong  to  your  venerable  office.  With  these  I  do  not,  and  I  would  not 
interfere.  But  if  with  perfect  safety  to  them,  your  Lordship  could  allow  us  to 
announce  your  name  as  the  Preacher,  you  would  not  only  do  an  essential  and 
vital  service  to  an  interesting  Charity,'  but — what  is  of  infinitely  less  value — 
leave  another  and  a  deep  impression  of  gratitude  on  the  mind  of  one  who  has  the 
honour  to  be,  with  sentiments  of  profound  respect  and  esteem,  my  Lord, 
"  Your  Lordship's  most  obedient,  faithful  and  devoted  Servant, 

"DANIEL  O'CONNBLL." 

"  To  the  Eight  Eev.  Dr.  Doyle,  &c.,  &c." 


104  BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

exceptioDS,  Dr.  Doyle  did  not  write  out  his  sermons.  Bishop 
Clancy,  his  contemporary  at  Carlow  College,  is  accurate  when 
he  states  of  him  that  "  he  seldom  or  never  composed  or  wrote  out 
his  Sermons,  but  generally  took  notes  of  the  leading  points,  their 
order  and  division,  and  thus  furnished,  he  was  able  at  the 
shortest  notice  to  preach  on  any  subject  of  doctrine,  morality, 
or  discipline."  (Life,  2.,  475.)  The  notes  of  sermons  above 
referred  to,  still  exist;  they  number  fully  150,  and  were  pre 
pared  evidently  with  very  great  care,  and  arranged  so  as  to  be 
readily  available  when  required. 

In  May,  1826,  Dr.  Doyle  addressed  two  letters  to  the  Editor 
of  the  Dublin  Evening  Post,  in  defence  of  the  doctrine  ^  of 
Transubstantiation.  They  arose  out  of  a  controversy  then  taking 
place  between  O'Connell  and  the  Eev.  Robert  Daly.  These 
letters  of  Dr.  Doyle  were  reprinted  in  the  following  year.  Oil 
the  4th  of  September,  18/26,  the  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin 
addressed  a  Pastoral  to  his  flock  on  the  subject  of  the  education 
of  the  poor.  In  this  letter  he  gave  a  graphic  sketch  of  the 
various  anti-Catholic  Societies  which  had,  for  the  preceding 
century,  disturbed  the  peace  of  Ireland.  In  the  same  year,  Dr. 
Doyle  published  his  famous  "  Essay  on  Catholic  Claims,"  in  the 
form  of  letters  addressed  to  the  Earl  of  Liverpool.  In  1827, 
several  public  letters  appeared  from  the  pen  of  this  Prelate, — 
one  on  Education,  addressed  to  O'Connell ;  a  letter  in  favour  of 
the  Catholic  Book  Society  ;  a  letter  on  the  subject  of  the  Second 
Reformation,  addressed  to  Lord  Farnham,  the  fanatical  supporter 
of  that  movement ;  and  a  reply  to  a  second  charge  by  Arch 
bishop  Magee.  In  1827,  Dr.  Doyle  revised  and  published  an 
English  translation  of  Dr.  Tuberville's  "Abridgment  of  the 
Christian  Doctrine ;"  this,  he  intended  to  serve  as  a  work  for  the 
more  advanced  instruction  of  those  who  had  mastered  the 
Catechism,  previously  published  by  him  and  which  has  since 
continued  to  be  the  text  book  for  the  Diocese. 

Dr.  Doyle  had  long  entertained  an  earnest  desire  to  replace 
the  old  parish  chapel  of  Carlow  by  an  edifice  worthy  to  serve  as 
a  Cathedral  for  the  Diocese.  At  length,  in  March,  1828,  he 
proceeded  to  carry  this  purpose  into  effect.  In  his  "  Diocesan 
Book,"  writing  under  date  the  14th  of  December,  1831,  he  gives 
the  following  particulars  regarding  the  building  of  the  Cathedral : 
"  The  Cathedral  Church  of  the  Assumption  of  the  Blessed  Virgin 
Mary  was  commenced  and  the  first  stone  of  the  building  laid  on 
the  18th  March,  1828.  At  the  commencement  our  means  were 
very  limited.  We  had  already  established  a  weekly  collection 
through  the  town,  and  had  purchased  several  hundred  cart-loads 
of  stone  which,  with  about  sixty  pounds  sterling  in  cash,  com- 


BISHOPS   OF  KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN.  105 

posed  our  entire  fund.  We  had  also  obtained  of  the  several 
Convents  or  Nunneries  in  the  Diocese  and  that  of  St.  Joseph  at 
Ranelagh,  that  they  would  assist  us  by  daily  prayer  to  be  offered 
by  these  several  Communities  to  God  in  honour  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin  that  she  might  protect  and  assist,  by  her  powerful 
intercession,  our  feeble  efforts  to  promote  the  honour  of  her  name 
and  the  glory  of  God.  "We  were  assisted  by  her  beyond  our 
hopes,  and  it  is  owing  to  her  intercession  that  the  good  work  has 
prospered  even  in  our  hands,  and  is  likely  to  be  completed 
beyond  all  the  expectations  we  had  formed. 

Our  first  efforts  were  greatly  delayed  and  embarrassed  by  the 
water  from  the  quarries  gushing  in  with  great  violence  upon  the 
newly  opened  foundations,  so  as  to  cause  us  to  deliberate  about 
relinquishing  the  attempt  already  made.  We  persevered, 
however,  and  succeeded  through  God's  assistance.  The  plan  of 
Mr.  Joseph  Lynch,  on  which  we  proceeded  for  the  first  year, 
appeared  to  us  too  contracted.  We  laid  it  aside,  and  obtained 
from  the  College  and  Convent  space  at  either  side  to  extend  the 
Transepts.  We  then  employed  Mr.  Thomas  A.  Cobden  as 
architect,  who,  since  then,' has  designed  and  directed  all  the 

works Our  funds  consisted  of  the  weekly  and 

annual  contributions  of  the  Parishioners  ;  of  donations  from 
persons  well  disposed  towards  us  ;  and  of  a  general  contribution 
by  the  people  of  the  two  Dioceses,  especially  by  those  of  the 
Diocese  of  Leighlin.  Be  it  remembered  that  we  have  also 
received, in  addition  to  many  contributions  of  from  ten  to  twenty 
pounds  each  from  several  members  of  the  same  family,  the  sum 
of  two  hundred  pounds  sterling  from  Mr.  Patrick  Maher  of 

Kikosh "*     The  new  Cathedral  was  completed  in  1833, 

nine  thousand  pounds  having  been  expended  on  its  erection, 
and  was  dedicated  to  the  service  of  God  on  the  1st  of  December, 
being  the  first  Sunday  of  Advent,  in  that  year.  Writing  to  a 
nun,  on  the  10th  December,  1833,  Dr.  Doyle  tells  her,  "  We  had 
a  Solemn  Mass  in  our  new  Church  on  the  first  Sunday  of  Advent, 
I  was  (thank  God)  enabled  to  assist  thereat  and  participated 
largely  in  the  satisfaction  felt  by  all  who  were  present.  After 
six  years  of  care  and  toil  we  saw  our  task  accomplished,  and  all 
our  anticipations  realized.  '  How  good,  0  Israel,  is  God  to  the 
upright  of  heart !'  I  wish  He  would  increase  our  faith  in  Him, 

*  A  contributor  writes  thus  to  Dr.  Doyle  : — "  Oct.  10th,  1829.     My  Lord, As 

God  gave  a  blessing  to  my  industry  and  left  it  in  my  power  to  do  some  matters 
in  charity,  inclosed  is  one  hundred  pounds  for  the  new  chapel  of  Carlow.  .  .  . 
I  would  rather  the  money  for  the  chapel,  should  not  be  mentioned  publicly — 
Your  Lordship's  obedient  servant, 


106  BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE   AND   LEIGHLIN. 

and  we  could  say  to  a  mountain,  'Rise  and  be  cast  into  the  sea.'  " 
(Life,  2.,  484) 

Letters  on  various  subjects  of  public  import  appeared  from 
Dr.  Doyle  in  the  years  1828-29.  On  the  19th  of  June,  1828,  he 
addressed  a  letter  to  the  Duke  of  Wellington  "  On  the  Catholic 
Claims" — which  contributed  in  no  small  degree  to  influence  his 
Grace  and  Sir  R.  Peel — both  previously  strenuous  opponents  of 
the  measure, — to  bring  forward  the  proposal  of  Catholic 
Emancipation.  The  result  of  the  Clare  election  proved  the 
turning-point  of  the  Catholic  question.  On  the  27th  of  June, 
1828,  Dr.  Doyle  wrote  thus  to  O'Connell:— "MY  DEAR  SIR  — 
It  is  when  difficulties  press  on  us  that  we  should  increase  our 
exertions,  and  exhibit  in  our  conduct  that  decision  which  is  the 
harbinger  of  success.  I  am  unable  and  unwilling  to  calculate 
the  consequences  which  must  result  from  your  contest  with  Mr. 
Vesey  FitzGerald,  but  I  am  satisfied  these  consequences  will  be 
useful,  as  they  must  be  important,  if  the  lovers  of  civil  and 
religious  liberty  in  Clare  do  their  duty  to  the  sacred  cause  to 
which  you  have  devoted  anew  your  time,  your  talents,  your 
fortune,  and  your  life. 

"  Farewell,  my  dear  friend  :  may  the  God  of  truth  and  justice 
protect  and  prosper  you."*  (Life,  2.,  75.) 

O'Connell's  exclamation  on  reading  this  letter  was,  "If  I  had 
spent  twenty-eight  centuries,  instead  of  twenty  eight  years,  in 
the  service  of  my  country,  the  sentiments  expressed  in  that 
letter  would  amply  repay  me."  (Life,  2,  76.) 

O'Connell  thus  writes  to  Dr.  Doyle,  on  the  4th  of  February, 
1829  :— 

"  We  are  ardently  desirous  of  Emancipation,  but  we  would  not  attain  it 
by  any  species  of  condition  which  could  in  any,  even  the  remotest  degree, 
infringe  on  the  discipline  of  the  Catholic  Church  in  Ireland,  or  upon  its 
independence  of  the  State  or  of  temporal  authority.  This  being  the 

*  The  following  from  Richard  Coyne,  dated  Dublin,  June  26th,  1828,  led  to 
the  writing  of  the  letter  given  above : — 

"  MY  LORD, — O'Connell  has  just  left  me,  to  whom  I  communicated  your 
Lordship's  views  and  sentiments  relative  to  the  expediency  of  his  standing  as  a 
candidate  for  Clare.  I  mentioned  to  him  that  your  Lordship  will  subscribe  £10 
towards  helping  to  defray  the  expenses.  £1,000  have  been  collected  this  fore 
noon  for  that  purpose.  Shiel,  Rev.  Mr.  Maguire,  and  Ronayne  leave  this  on 
to-morrow.  Counsellor  O'Connell  requested,  nay,  I  may  say.  supplicated  me  to 
write  and  send  my  young  man,  in  the  hope  that  your  Lordship  will  write  to  him 
by  the  bearer, — approving  and  encouraging  the  undertaking.  He  should  be  off 
in  the  morning,  but  awaits  your  Lordship's  letter  upon,  which  he  calculates  that 
it  will  procure  him  ultimate  success ;  the  great  object  is  its  publication. 
O'Connell  states  that,  if  he  is  returned,  all  Parliament  can  do  is  to  fine  him  £500 
for  not  taking  the  oath, — which  sum  he  is  ready  to  pay  himself — and  that  he  will 
still  retain  his  seat  in  the  House.  Dan  Flanagan  will  wait  all  night  if  necessary, 
to  afford  your  Lordship  time  to  write." 


BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE  AND   LEIGHLIN.  107 

determination  of  the  Catholic  Association,  I  venture  to  request  a  con 
tinuance  of  your  Lordship's  countenance  and  protection.  The  reports 
about  an  Emancipation  Bill  are  true.  I  believe  the  Clare  contest 
has  greatly  contributed  to  this  result.  If  so,  the  blessing  you  bestowed 
on  its  infancy  has  prospered.  If  I  get  into  the  House,  Catholic  Education 
will  have  an  unremitting  and  sincere  advocate.  I  refer  you  to  the 
Register  of  Saturday  for  my  law  argument: 

"  With  the  sincerest  and  most  affectionate  respect  and  veneration, 

"DANIEL  O'CONNELL." 

In  1831,  Dr.  Doyle  wrote  his  letter  to  Mr.  Spring  Rice,  on 
the  establishment  of  a  legal  provision  for  the  poor,  and  on  the 
nature  and  destination  of  church  property.  Whatever  may  be 
the  opinion  as  to  the  policy  of  Poor  Laws  for  Ireland,  it  is 
admitted  that  this  pamphlet  contains  a  most  powerful  defence 
of  the  rights  of  the  really  necessitous,  to  a  permanent  and  legal 
support.  In  the  following  year  Dr.  Doyle  wrote  a  "  Letter  in 
Reply  to  Mr.  Senior,  on  the  Poor  Laws ;"  correcting  mis- 
statements  made  by  that  gentleman  regarding  Dr.  Doyle's 
evidence  and  opinions.  (Short  Life,  c.  28.) 

"  On  one  subject  more/'  (says  Bishop  Kinsella),  "he  published 
his  opinions,  strongly  and  perseveringly ;  he  advocated  the 
claims  of  the  poor  to  a  permanent  support,  or  to  the  means  of 
obtaining  it;  and  can  it  be  said  that  such  a  subject  was 
unconnected  with  the  duties  of  his  office  ?  To  whom  are  the 
poor  to  look,  if  not  to  the  ministers  of  religion,  for  support  and 
protection  ?  Before  a  Bishop  receives  the  imposition  of  hands, 
he  solemnly  and  publicly  promises  to  be  a  protector  to  the 
widow  and  orphan, — a  guardian  to  the  poor  and  helpless.  What 
wonder,  then,  if  your  holy  Bishop,  who  knew  so  well  the  condition 
of  the  poor, — for  they  were  the  most  beloved  part  of  his  flock, — 
who  was  compelled  to  witness  every  day  such  a  mass  of  misery  ; 
who  saw  the  spirit  of  outrage  and  insubordination  to  which 
hopeless  want  and  bitter  suffering  were  driving  the  people ; 
what  wonder  if  he  boldly  and  powerfully  advocated  their  claims 
and  proved  to  demonstration,  that  every  motive  of  justice,  of 
interest  and  of  policy,  were  combined  in  requiring  some  legal 
provision  to  be  made  for  them  ?  But  he  ventured,  in  his  ardent 
zeal  for  the  impoverished  people  of  this  country,  to  go  one  step 
farther ;  and  this  it  was  that  brought  a  tempest  on  his  head. 
He  suggested  that  there  were  certain  public  funds,  a  part  of 
which  was  originally  destined  for  the  support  of  the  poor,  and  he 
claimed  for  the  poor  that  these  funds  should  be  appropriated  to 
their  original  object.  This  was  tbe  sin  that  self-interested 
persons  never  forgave  ;  it  was  by  touching  this  sore  point  that 
he  raised  up  a  host  of  enemies,  who  never  ceased  to  malign  his 
motives  and  to  misrepresent  his  actions." 


108  BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE  AND   LEIGHLIN. 

In  1831,  the  Diocesan  Statutes  were  published,  and  pro 
mulgated  in  each  of  the  Dioceses  of  the  Province  of  Dublin,  in 
the  fourth  week  of  July.  These  Statutes  were  drawn  up  by 
Dr.  Doyle,  with  the  exception  of  the  sixth  chapter,  which  was 
written  by  Dr.  Kinsella,  Bishop  of  Ossory. 

In  February,  1833,  Dr.  Doyle  was,  once  more,  summoned  to 
give  evidence  before  a  Parliamentary  Committee,  on  the  subject 
of  Tithes,  on  which  occasion  he  repeated  the  memorable 
declaration  which  he  had  previously  uttered  to  the  people  of 
Ireland : — "  May  their  hatred  of  Tithes  be  as  lasting  as  their 
love  of  justice." 

In  1833,  we  find  our  Prelate  editing,  with  an  Introduction,  a 
new  Edition  of  Alban  Butler's  Lives  of  the  Saints;  he  had 
previously  performed  a  similar  service  in  favour  of  a  re-issue  of 
"  Gahan's  Sermons." 

From  1831,  Dr.  Doyle's  health  had  gradually  declined,*  but, 
in  1833,  his  illness  developed  into  a  fatal  consumption.  Feeling 
that  his  end  was  fast  approaching,  he  made  application  to  Pope 
Gregory  XVI.  for  liberty  to  convene  his  clergy,  for  the  purpose 
of  naming  a  Coadjutor.  The  Pope  having,  in  April,  transmitted 
the  necessary  permission,  Dr.  Doyle  proceeded  to  act  upon  it, 
and  accordingly  addressed  the  following  letter  to  each  of  those 
entitled  to  take  part  in  the  nomination: — 

"  EEV.  SIR,— His  Holiness,  the  Pope,  by  virtue  of  a  rescript,  directed 
to  me,  bearing  date  the  9th  of  March  last  past,  having  graciously  per 
mitted  me  to  convene  a  meeting  of  the  parochial  clergy  of  these  dioceses, 
to  be  held  in  the  manner  and  form  prescribed  by  the  Decree  of  the 
Congregation  of  the  17th  October,  1829,  at  such  time  and  place  as  I  might 
appoint,  conformably  to  the  said  decree,  for  the  purpose  that  the  said 


presents 

apprise  you  of  the  above,  and  to  require  your  attendance  at  a  meeting  of 
the  aforesaid  clergy,  to  be  held  in  our  Cathedral  Church  in  Carlow,  for 
the  purpose  above-named,  at  the  hour  of  10  o'clock  in  the  forenoon,  on 
Monday,  the  21st  April,  instant. 
"Dated  at  Carlow,  the  3rd  day  of  April,  1834. 

"  &  JAMES  DOYLE." 


_  *  He  seems  to  have  had  an  early  apprehension  of  the  grave  nature  of  his 
disease.  Amongst  notes  made  by  him  in  the  inter-leaves  of  Ms  Latin  Ordos,  is 
one  dated  20th  December,  1831,  providing  for  the  expenses  of  his  funeral  and 
payment  of  some  debts.  The  jottings  referred  to,  contain  many  items  calculated 
to  interest  and  edify.  It  appears  to  have  been  the  Bishop's  custom  to  select,  or  have 
selected  for  him,  two  Patron  Saints  for  each  year.  These  he  noted  down  at  the 
commencement  of  his  Ordo,  with  a  Practice  in  which  he  was  to  aim  at  an  imitation 
of  their  characteristic  virtues.  Thus,  in  the  Ordo  for  1829,  we  find  his  Patron 
Saints  to  be  —  St.  John  Chrysostom  :  —  "Be  eloquent,"  he  adds,  "  in  the  praise 
of  God,  and  in  promoting  His  glory,  by  every  means  in  your  power,  particularly 
by  teaching  the  ignorant  the  way  to  heaven."  The  second  Patron  was  St. 
Charles  Borromeo,  and  the  Practice:  —  l(  Submit  to  external  humiliation  with 
patience  and  silence." 


BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN.  109 

On  the  day  named,  43  Parish  Priests  assembled;  Dr.  Doyle 
was  too  unwell  to  take  any  part  in  the  proceedings.  The  Arch 
bishop,  Dr.  Murray  accordingly  presided  at  his  request.  The 
Rev.  Edward  Nolan,  Professor  of  Theology,  Carlow  College-  the 
Very  Rev.  M.  Flanagan,  V.G.,  P.P.,  of  Ballina ;  and  the  Rev.  D. 
Lalor,  P.P.  of  Bagnalstown,  were  chosen  by  the  votes  of  the 
clergy,  and  their  names  forwarded  to  the  Holy  See. 

The  touching  and  edifying  details  of  the  last  illness  and  the 
holy  death  of  the  great  Prelate  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin  are 
related  by  Dr.  Fitzpatrick  in  the  last  chapter  of  his  Work. 
"  Never  in  my  life,"  says  Bishop  Kinsella,  "  was  I  so  edified  as 
by  the  death  of  that  Prelate.  The  firmness  of  his  faith,— the 
ardour  of  his  hope, — the  fire  of  his  charity, — gave  the  fullest 
manifestation  of  his  being  about  to  take  possession  of  a  better 
life.  Like  St.  Paul,  he  was  burning  with  anxiety  'to  be 
dissolved  and  be  with  Christ,'  but  he  was  contented  still  to  linger 
in  pain,  that  he  might  be  more  like  his  dying  Saviour.  He 
died,  and  he  went  to  receive  '  an  imperishable  crown '  from  the 
Master  whom  he  had  so  long  and  so  faithfully  served."  The 
present  revered  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin,  the  kinsman  of 
Dr.  Doyle,  stood  by  his  bedside  the  whole  of  his  last  night  in 
this  world.  To  the  last  his  mind  was  perfectly  clear  and 
collected.  Having  detailed  several  directions  which  he  wished 
to  have  carried  out,  he  gave  his  thoughts  entirely  up  to 
God,  and  made  use  of  many  ejaculatory  prayers.  "He 
made  his  Confession  to  Dr.  Nolan,"  continues  Dr.  Walshe, 
"and  received  the  Holy  Eucharist  and  the  Sacrament  of 
Extreme  Unction.  The  fervent  piety,  the  touching  sentiments 
of  lively  faith,  hope,  and  charity  with  which  the  dying  Prelate 
received  these  last  rites  can  never  be  forgotten  by  those  who 
witnessed  the  striking  and  edifying  spectacle.  May  my  last  end 
be  like  to  his  !"  (Life,  Vol.  4,  p.  506.)  Dr.  Doyle  expired  at  nine 
o'clock  on  the  morning  of  Sunday,  the  15th  of  June,  1834,  in  the 
forty-eighth  year  of  his  life  and  the  fifteenth  of  his  Episcopacy. 
On  Thursday,  the  19th,  the  solemn  Obsequies  took  place  in  his 
Cathedral  Church.  His  Grace,  the  Most  Rev.  Daniel  Murray, 
Archbishop  of  Dublin,  presided ;  there  were  also  present  the 
Most  Rev.  Michael  Slattery,  Archbishop  of  Cashel,  the  Right 
Rev.  John  Murphy,  Bishop  of  Cork,  the  Right  Rev.  D.  Keatinge, 
Bishop  of  Ferns,  and  the  Right  Rev.  William  Kinsella,  Bishop 
of  Ossory.  The  select  choir  was  composed  of  the  Rev. 
Messrs.  Dwyer,  Tierney,  Brennan,  Nolan,  Muldowny,  and 
Keating ;  the  Antiphonarians  were  the  Rev.  Dr.  Cahill  and  Rev. 
P^  Brennan,  P.P.  of  Kildare.  There  were  in  attendance  about 
150  priests  ;  and  the  number  of  the  laity  who  took  part  in  the 


110  BISHOPS  OF   KILDA11E  AND   LEIGHLIN. 

funeral  procession  was  estimated  at  20,000.  The  remains  of  Dr. 
Doyle  were  interred  in  the  Cathedral  in  front  of  the  High  Altar, 
a  black  marble  slab,  in  form  of  a  Cross,  has  been  placed  over 
them,  bearing  the  following  inscription  : — 

"  I.H.S.  Underneath  are  deposited,  in  the  Hope  of  a  Glorious 
Resurrection,  the  Mortal  Remains  of  the  Right  Revd.  James 
Doyle,  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin. 

"  He  was  Consecrated,  on  the  14th  of  Novr.,  1819,  and  Died  on 
the  15th  of  June,  1834,  in  the  48th  year  of  his  Age. 

"The  Powerful  Energies  of  his  Great  Mind  were  Unremittingly 
Exerted  for  the  Interests  of  Religion  and  his  Country  ;  but  the 
special  Objects  of  his  Public  labours  and  Pastoral  Solicitude 
were  the  Poor.  And  it  was  his  Dying  wish  that  they  should  be 
Reminded,  by  a  Simple  Inscription  on  his  Tomb,  to  pray  for  the 
Repose  of  his  Soul. 

"Eternal  rest  give  to  him,  O  Lord,  And  let  perpetual  light 
shine  unto  him." 

"  If  ever  mankind  had  just  reason  to  solemnize  and  com 
memorate  the  premature  death  of  an  individual,  distinguished 
above  all  others  for  sterling  patriotism,  unostentatious  charity, 
profound  ecclesiastical  and  political  learning,  originality  of 
conceptions  and  boldness  in  the  expression  of  them,  the  Irish 
Catholic  public  should  exhibit  every  symptom  of  exterior  sorrow 
and  interior  piety  which  their  religion  prescribes  and  which 
gratitude  demands  on  this  most  melancholy  occasion."  (Thus 
writes  one  who  knew  Dr.  Doyle  well.)  "  He  was  raised  up  by 
heaven,  in  critical  times,  for  extraordinary  circumstances ;  and 
whether  we  consider  his  character  in  an  ecclesiastical,  literary, 
or  political  view,  we  cannot  withhold  from  it  the  loftiest  tribute 
of  our  admiration.  He  was  literally  the  Bossuet  of  the  Irish 
Church  in  our  days, — the  successor  and  the  superior  of  Arthur 
O'Leary,  in  the  number  and  character  of  those  pointed,  timely, 
and  fearless  pamphlets  and  letters,  under  the  immortal  signature 
of  J.K.L.,  and  in  his  memorable  examination  before  the  Lords 
and  Commons,  on  Tithes,  Poor  Laws,  and  Emancipation. 
Whatever  progress  the  two  former  questions  have  made  amongst 
parliamentary  men,  or  in  the  public  mind,  must  be  attributed  to 
his  private  correspondence,  and  his  invaluable  publications. 
There  was  a  simplicity  and  strength  in  his  conversation  and 
compositions,  which  is  generally  the  mark  of  great  genius. 
From  1812,  when  he  commenced  his  career  as  a  Professor  of 
Divinity,  to  the  last  half-year  of  his  fatal  illness,  he  was  ever 
ready,  able,  and  willing  to  pour  the  majestic  torrent  of  his 
reasoning  and  sarcasm  against  the  enemies  of  his  creed  and  his 


BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE  AND  LE1GHLIN.  Ill 

beloved  country.  It  was  truly  and  aptly  said,  by  a  venerable 
ecclesiastical  friend  of  his,  that  the  most  expressive  epitaph 
which  could  be  inscribed  over  his  tomb,  would  be  :  '  J.K.L., 
whose  love  of  his  country  was  only  exceeded  by  his  love  of  God.' 
His  influence  as  a  writer  and  politician  of  the  19th  century, 
will  be  long  and  usefully  felt,  not  only  in  Great  Britain  and 
Ireland,  but  in  America,  and  on  the  Continent  of  Europe;  in 
fact,  in  every  part  of  the  habitable  globe,  where  a  love  of 
practical  and  rational  liberty  can  exercise  its  mighty  and  useful 
dominion  over  the  human  mind,  in  checking  the  inroads  of 
despotism,  or  extending  the  boundaries  of  social  freedom.  His 
history  is  a  glorious  and  fitting  theme  for  some  future  biographer; 
and  he  who  undertakes  to  write  it,  cannot  fail  in  seizing  upon 
every  point  of  his  character,  to  exhibit  to  future  ages  as  perfect 
a  combined  model  of  Christian  perfection  in  private,  and 
genuine  patriotism  in  his  public  career,  as  God,  in  his  love  to 
mankind,  ever  formed  for  the  imitation  and  admiration  of  the 
human  race."  (Short  Life,  c.  4.) 

On  the  17th  of  July,  1834,  the  Month's  Memory  Office  of 
the  deceased  Prelate  was  celebrated  in  the  Cathedral  of  Carlow, 
at  which  a  large  number  of  his  brother  Prelates  and  a  vast 
number  of  priests  assisted.  The  Eight  Rev.  W.  Kinsella,  Bishop 
of  Ossor}^  the  bosom  friend  of  J.K.L.,  delivered  a  magnificent 
Oration  on  the  occasion,  from  which  extracts  are  here  given. 

"His  first  public  writings"  (says  Bishop  Kinsella),  "  were  in 
defence  of  the  faith  which  he  professed.  The  church,  of  which 
he  was  an  ornament,  was  assailed  by  the  most  gross  and  un 
founded  calumnies, — he  wrote  to  undeceive  the  credulous — to 
silence  the  calumniator — to  clear  away  the  base  and  foul  charges 
brought  against  the  religion  he  professed. 

"But  there  was  a  temporal  object  in  the  view  of  those  who 
misrepresented  us, — they  were  anxious  to  deprive  us  of  our  fair 
share  of  constitutional  rights,  under  the  pretence  of  religion — 
they  represented  our  doctrine  and  practice  to  be  such  as  rendered 
us  unworthy  and  unfit  to  enjoy  the  full  benefits  of  civil  freedom, 
and  thus  were  we  suffering  persecution  for  our  religious  tenets. 
Was  it  so  unreasonable  in  an  eminent  Catholic  Prelate  to 
undeceive  those  who  had  the  power  to  exclude  us  or  to  admit 
us  within  the  pale  of  the  constitution  ?  He  laboured  to  do  so— 
he  flung  off,  with  bitter  scorn,  the  foul  calumnies  unjustly 
heaped  upon  us — his  language  in  doing  so  was  strong,  for  he  felt 
deeply  ;  but  those  who  criticise  such  language  would  do  well  to 
consider  how  hard  it  is  to  bear  unmerited  reproach,  particularly 
when  injury  is  added  to  insult. 

"  Dr.  Doyle  had  to  bear  the  shafts  of  calumny,  because  he  was 


112  BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE   AND  LEIGHLIN. 

too  sincere  and  too  firm.  Had  he  been  a  time-server,  he  would 
have  had  fewer  enemies — had  he  flattered  the  powerful,  he 
might  have  had  more  of  their  friendship — had  he  deserted  what 
was  just,  to  pursue  what  was  expedient,  he  would  have  had  less  to 
annoy  him — had  he  abandoned  principle,  he  might  have  enjoyed 
an  inglorious  peace.  But  he  acted  a  more  noble  part ;  with 
talents  that  few  could  equal — with  a  fortitude  that  none  could 
excel — with  a  degree  of  perseverance  that  a  just  cause  alone 
could  uphold — he  defended  the  doctrine  which  he  taught ;  he 
preserved  from  the  contagion  of  secular  intermeddling  the 
church  which  he  loved ;  he  was  to  his  last  moment  the 
undaunted  and  unflinching  advocate  of  the  poor  man's  right. 
He  has  left  for  our  imitation  a  glorious  illustration  of  a  noble 
maxim,  '  Be  just  and  fear  not.' 

"  Without  using  a  term  unworthy  a  scholar  or  a  Christian,  his 
phillipics  against  Dr.  Magee,  Lord  Farnham,  and  the  other 
enemies  of  his  religion  and  country  are,  perhaps,  the  most  severe 
that  were  ever  penned  by  man.  With  indomitable  energy  he 
assailed  the  citadels  of  bigotry,  and  unmasked  the  unholy 
hypocrites  who,  under  the  name  of  religion,  outraged  every 
principle  of  morality  and  honour.  With  a  mind  of  light  and  a 
pen  of  fire  he  exposed  the  sophistries  of  error  and  refuted  the 
calumnies  which  interested  bigots  cast  upon  his  divine  religion 
Never  the  aggressor, — when  truth  was  outraged  and  justice  was 
assailed,  he  came  forth  in  all  the  dignity  of  his  character,  with  a 
shield  of  faith  which  nothing  could  conquer,  with  a  strength  of 
language  which  no  fallacy  could  resist,  with  a  power  of  argument 
which  no  sophistry  could  answer,  and  with  evidence,  precedents 
and  facts  which  brought  conviction  to  every  mind.  With 
resources  unbounded  and  diversified — with  a  taste  elegant  and 
cultivated — with  a  judgment  solid,  acute,  and  penetrating — 
with  a  memory  clear  and  lasting,  he  combined  a  versatility  of 
genius,  and  originality  of  conception,  and  a  depth  of  thought 
rarely  equalled,  and  perhaps  never  excelled. 

"  The  extensive  and  powerful  intellect  which  he  possessed  has 
not  been  exceeded  by  any;  his  writings  have  made  it  known 
to  every  quarter  of  the  globe ;  his  sermons  proclaimed  it  to  all 
who  heard  them,  even  his  familiar  conversation  gave  ample  proof 
of  it.  But  we  must  keep  in  view  the  words  of  the  apostle :  '  Do 
not  err,  my  dearest  brethren.  Every  best  gift,  and  every  perfect 
gift,  is  from  above,  descending  from  the  Father  of  lights,  with 
whom  there  is  no  change,  nor  shadow  of  alteration/  (James  i.  17.) 
For  such  extraordinary  talents  no  praise  is  due  to  man — they  are 
not  a  matter  of  imitation  ;  for  few  indeed  possess  them — we  may 
admire  them,  but  the  glory  is  due  to  God  alone.  But  cultivation 


BISHOPS  OF   KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN.  113 

and  application  of  them  is  a  subject  of  praise  and  imitation.  To 
cultivate  them  carefully,  and  to  apply  them  to  their  proper 
object  was  the  study  of  your  bishop.  Early  devoted  to  the 
clerical  state,  he  sedulously  improved  his  natural  powers — he  did 
not  wrap  up  his  talents  in  a  napkin — he  applied  himself,  as  a 
duty,  closely  and  sedulously  to  acquire  knowledge.  What 

knowledge  ?     The  knowledge  of  his  profession,  and  that  alone 

no  idle,  though  curious  research ;  no  useless,  though  brilliant 
acquirements.  Some  there  are  who  do  not  cultivate  the  talent 
which  God  gives  them.  Others  may  improve  that  talent,  but 
employ  the  gifts  of  God  in  opposing  his  divine  will,  and  thus  by 
a  strange  perversion  employ  for  the  worst  purpose  what  was 
given  for  the  best.  I  know  well  what  were  the  studies  of  your 
holy  prelate;  it  was  not  the  idle  nor  the  curious  which  occupied 
his  mind ;  the  hours,  the  days,  and  months  he  spent  in  pursuit 
of  the  more  solid  acquirements.  He  kept  solely  in  view  the 
manner  of  promoting  the  glory  of  God,  and  laid  up  those 
treasures  of  knowledge  which  he  afterwards  employed  for  your 
sanctification.  He  has  left  you  a  useful  lesson,  to  have  the  glory 
and  honour  of  God  alone  in  view,  and  to  labour  solely  for  that 
object. 

"  While  thus  devoted  to  the  special  duties  of  his  state,  he 
never  forgot  that  he  was  by  profession  a  preacher  of  the  gospel; 
hence  his  abundant  charity  extended  itself  to  Carlow  and  its 
neighbourhood  ;  and  the  intervals  of  teaching  theology  in  the 
college  were  filled  up  by  the  preaching  of  the  word  of  God,  and 
by  the  administration  of  the  sacraments.  The  principal  object 
of  his  life  was  in  doing  good,  and  labouring  in  the  vineyard  ;  and 
whether  in  the  pulpit  or  elsewhere,  his  sole  and  only  object  was 
to  make  men  virtuous.  I  know  I  am  surrounded  by  hundreds 
who  knew  him  well,  and  who  are  well  acquainted  with  his  merits. 

"  Neither  does  any  one  take  this  honour  to  himself  unless  he 
be  called  by  God  as  Aaron  was,— and,  as  the  apostle  says,  even 
Christ  did  not  take  the  office  of  high  priest  until  called  by  his 
Father.  So  your  bishop  never  aspired  to  the  honour  he  attained. 
When  called  by  his  superiors  he  received  the  gift '  with  fear  and 
trembling,'  and  devoted  himself  to  that  object  for  which  he  was 
ordained.  You,  my  brethren,  knew  him  ;  but  there  are  strangers 
here  who  did  not.  His  first  act  was  to  disengage  himself  from 
all  sublunary  objects— he  recollected  that  the  Holy  Ghost,  when 
calling  Paul  and  Barnabas,  ordered  them  to  be  separated ;  and 
this  spirit  of  separation  from  worldly  affairs  Dr.  Doyle  possessed 
in  an  eminent  degree.  He  fulfilled  to  the  letter  the  words  of 
Christ,  wherein  he  says, '  Leave  father  and  mother,  brother  and 

H 


BISHOPS   OF  KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

sister,  to  follow  me.'     Also  '  no  one,  being  a  soldier  to  God, 
entangleth  himself  with  secular  business.' 

"He  held  but  little  communication  with  those  relatives 
whom  in  social  life  he  so  much  esteemed,  and  esteemed  because 
they  were  so  worthy  of  esteem — whom  he  loved  because  they 
were  worthy  of  his  affection.  Like  St.  Paul, '  he  knew  no  man 
according  to  the  flesh.' 

"  He  lived  for  his  flock  and  for  none  else.  For  fifteen  years 
he  filled  your  church  as  bishop — during  that  period  you  best 
knew  his  merits.  Since  the  creation  of  Adam  there  never  was 
a  man  more  disinterested — more  entirely  devoted  to  the  service 
of  his  people.  His  objects  were  only  to  glorify  God,  and  to 
labour  for  the  salvation  of  souls.— Some  there  were  who  repaid 
his  labours  with  ingratitude  ;  yet  he  forgave  them  and  smiled  at 
their  folly.  Yes,  after  fifteen  years  that  he  laboured,  he  might 
appeal  like  another  Samuel :  '  Judge  me  before  the  Lord,  have 
I  taken  any  man's  goods  V  You  yourselves  know  that,  like 
another  Paul,  he  could  say:  <I  sought  not  to  gain  any  thing  by 
you,  but  to  gain  your  souls  for  God ;' — witness  his  extensive 
charities — his  exertions  and  generosity  in  raising  this  noble 
edifice.  He  might  well  ask,  have  I  taken  any  man's  property  ? 
and  say  justly  that  he  had  laboured  without  seeking  any  worldly 
reward,  for  he  lived  and  died  poor ! 

"  The  spirit  of  zeal  and  labour  which  animated  his  bosom  is 
too  well  known  to  require  any  comment.  '  Feed  the  flock  of 
God  which  is  among  you,  taking  care  of  it  not  by  constraint,  but 
willingly  according  to  God;  not  for  filthy  lucre's  sake,  but 
voluntarily  ;  neither  as  lording  it  over  the  clergy,  but  being  made 
a  pattern  of  the  flock  from  the  heart.'  (1  Peter  v.)  Such  was  the 
maxim— such  the  fundamental  principle  upon  which  your  bishop 
acted.  While  I  had  the  happiness  to  live  as  a  priest  under  his 
jurisdiction  and  fostering  care  for  ten  years,  never  did  he  ask  a 
a  priest  to  discharge  a  duty  of  which  he  had  not  first  given  the 
example — never  did  he  impose  a  burthen  on  another  which  he 
had  not  borne  himself. 

"  You  know  as  well  as  I  do,  how  incessantly  he  laboured— 
continually  engaged  in  preaching,  in  visiting  his  diocese,  in 
hearing  confessions,  in  works  of  religion  and  mercy — he  seemed 
lost  to  all  earthly  objects.  Even  when  his  body  was  worn  out 
by  a  lingering  disease,  how  often  have  you  seen  him  in  the 
confessional  soothing  the  conscience  of  the  afflicted  sinner !  Well 
might  he  exclaim : '  I  will  seek  out  that  which  was  lost,  and  that 
which  was  driven  away  I  will  bring  back  again,  and  I  will  bind 
up  that  which  was  broken,  and  I  will  strengthen  that  which  was 
weak,  and  that  which  was  fat  and  strong  I  will  preserve,  and  I 


BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE   AND   LEIGHLIN".  115 

will  feed  them  in  judgment.'  (Ezek.  xxxiv.)  He  cared  not  for 
the  weakness  of  his  constitution — he  looked  only  to  the  salvation 
of  souls. 

"  Often  have  I  implored  of  him  to  spare  himself,  when  he 
would  answer — what  am  I  made  a  bishop  for  ?     Why  did  I  take 
the  office  if  not  to  lay  down  my  life  for  my  flock  1     Was  I  not 
sent  '  to  preach  to  the  poor,  to  seek  the  sheep  that  was  lost  ? 
Woe  is  unto  me  if  I  preach  not  the  gospel.'     Had  he  loved  him 
self  better,  and  you  less,  he  would  be  alive  to-day — but  no — his 
exertions  overpowered  him.     Though   expansive  his  mind,  he 
did    not    confine     himself    to    general    exertions   and  public 
instruction.     He  looked  around  him,  and  offered  consolation  to 
each  afflicted  individual ;  he  carefully  inquired  into  every  case 
of  sin  and  misery,  and  applied  the  proper  remedies.     He  was  a 
father  who  went  to  look  for  the  prodigal  child — a  shepherd  who 
sought  even  one  sheep.     He  strictly  adhered  to  the  words,  '  Be 
thou  vigilant,  labour  in  all  things,  do  the  work  of  an  evangelist 
— fulfil  thy  ministry.'     He  was  a  stern  and  upright  man — '  for 
there  are  many  disobedient  who  must  be  reproved.'     He  acted 
as  a  bishop  should  in  those  respects.     He  could  be  mild  and 
gentle  ;  indeed  it  was  his  natural  disposition — but  he  could  be 
the  opposite  when  his  duty  required  it.     He  was  required  by 
God  '  to  rebuke,  exhort,  and  reprove'  those  rebellious  children 
of  the  world  when  they  err.     But  if  his  zeal  compelled  him  to 
reprove  strongly,  his  charity  led  him  to  treat  with  kindness  the 
penitent,  and  always  the  poor.     It  was  against  the  powerful,  and 
not^  the  poor,  he   manifested  severity — the   humble  and  the 
penitent  were  always  his  friends  and  favourites — he  wished  only 
to  see  and  make  them  happy — it  was  the  haughty  he  wished  to 
humble.     There  are  many  points  on  which  I  might  speak,  but 
have  only  selected  these  as  an  illustration  of  his  morals  and 
worth.     I  might  well  say  with  St.  Paul :  '  He  has  fought  the  good 
fight — he  has  finished  his  course — he  has  kept  the  faith ;  for  the 
rest,  there  is  laid  up  for  him  a  crown  of  justice.'" 

The  Anniversary  Requiem  Office  for  the  repose  of  the  soul  of 
Dr.  Doyle  took  place  in  the  Cathedral,  Carlow,  in  July,  1835. 
On  the  invitation  of  the  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin,  the 
Right  Rev.  Edward  Nolan,  Monsignor  William  Meagher,  late 
P.P.  of  Rathmines,  preached  the  panegyric  of  the  deceased 
Prelate.  The  preacher,  himself,  gracefully  and  apologetically 
explains  why  he  had  consented  to  the  task : — "  One  only 
j  astification,"  he  says,  "  can  I  allege,  nor  would  I  ever  have  dared 
to  employ  my  poor  efforts  in  his  praise,  but  for  an  influence  too 
difficult  to  resist.  The  influence  of  ancient  and  cherished 
friendship, — which  rendered  it  a  duty  to  meet  the  wishes  of  him 


116  BISHOPS  OF   KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

whom  it  is  the  pride  of  my  heart,  as  I  know  it  is  the  interest  and 
the  happiness  of  thousands,  to  behold  seated  on  the  throne  last 
occupied  by  the  Bossuet  of  Ireland."  This  sermon  has  been 
preserved  in  MS.,  from  which,  extracts  are  here  inserted  ;  it  is 
well  deserving  of  preservation,  not  only  for  its  own  literary  merits, 
but  even  still  more,  because  it  is,  as  has  been  well  remarked, 
"  the  studied  expression  of  a  man  of  position,  addressing  an 
audience  fully  acquainted  with  the  subject,  and  expressing  the 
matured  opinion  of  the  time." 

Extracts  from  the  Sermon  of  Monsig,  Meagher  on  Dr.  Doyle. 

"If  the  display  of  eminent  mental  endowments,  exercised  upon  an 
ample  field  and  in  the  pursuit  of  difficult  and  momentous  objects  :  if 
learning,   eloquence,   activity,  success,    entitle    an     individual  to  the 
appellation  of  a  great  man,. it  is  not  difficult,  especially  at  periods  when 
the  human  mind  is  raised  to  unusual  energy,  to  discover  many  such. 
And,  if  eminent  moral  worth,  the  noble  qualities  of  a  heart  that  aims  at 
everything  useful  and  just,  and  recoils  from  all  that  disgraces  or  demeans; 
if  disinterested  generosity  and  warm  benevolence,  the  love  of  our  fellow- 
man,  the  love  of  God,  constitute  the  good  man,  in  spite  of  all  the  corrup 
tion  amidst  which  we  live,  religion  daily  presents  us  with  numbers  in 
whom  the  bright  requisites  combine.     But,  while  there  are  good  men 
beyond  counting,  and  great  men  not  a  few,  how  seldom  has  the  world 
been  blessed  with  that  approximation  to  the  perfect  man,  which  consists 
in  the  union  of  both ;   such  men   as  Providence,   when  it  wishes  to 
redintegrate  a  people,  raises  up  for  its  benign  designs,  and  between  the 
periods  of    whose   appearance  upon  earth  centuries  oftentimes  have 
intervened.     Happy  the  country  that  can  boast,  even  once  in  a  hundred 
years,  of  giving  birth  to  such  a  man,  and  happy,  beyond  the  usual  measure 
of  human  happiness,  the  persons  who  have  lived  in  his  day  !    Kejoice  ! 
my  brethren,  to  you  the  enviable  privilege  has  belonged.     In  your 
illustrious   Bishop  the  world  beheld  such  a  character.    The    loftiest 
powers  of  humanity  were  his,  and  by  him  successfully  exercised  to  pro 
mote  the  noblest  ends  for  which  talents  were  ever  bestowed.     God,  our 
neighbour,  and  ourselves,  these  three  words  comprise  everything.     To 
advance  the  glory  of  God— to  forward  the  welfare  of  our  fellow-man,— 
to  improve  and  sanctify  ourselves— is  the  end  of  our  existence.     He  who 
fulfils  the  commission  faithfully  is  a  just  man,  and  he  who  employs 
uncommon  powers  to  promote  these  objects  in  an  uncommon  degree,  is 
a  hero.     We  have  lived  in  extraordinary  times,  and  extraordinary  men 
have  claimed  our  attention,  but,  among  all  the  sons  of  fame,  how  few 
have  shone  like  James  Doyle !     How  few  have  thought,  and  spoken,  and 
acted  like  him  !     Well  for  the  world  if  there  be  even  a  few  !     The  wise, 
and  vigorous,  and  immaculate  patriot ; — the  zealous,  and  enlightened 
apostolic  Bishop  ;— the  humble,  and  mortified,  and  sanctified  Christian 
man  ;  these  were  his  claims  of  distinction  among  his  countrymen,  these 
his  titles  to  their  gratitude,  these  are  the  works  which  have  ennobled  him 
in  heaven  with  his  God !    He  was  a  patriot.    Next  to  his  God,  his  country 
was  the  idol  of  his  heart ;  next  to  their  salvation,  the  earthly  honour  and 
prosperity  of  her  sons  was  his  sleeping  and  waking  dream.    To  her  he 
dedicated  the  energies  of  his  mighty  intellect,  for  her  he  developed  the 
grandeur  and  beauty  and  truth  of  his  magnanimous  soul,  for  her  he 
deemed  no  sacrifice  too  great  which  honour  could  brook,  and  spared  no 


BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE    AND   LEIGHLIN.  117 

efforts  which  devotion  to  her  rights  and  hatred  ,of  the  injuries  she 
endured,  could  inspire  ;  he  sympathised  in  all  her  wrongs  till  every  pang 
she  suffered  became  personal  to  himself  and  stung  him  to  the  soul's  core! 
*  In  the  day  of  sorrow  he  met  her,  and  on  the  precipice  of  danger  he 
embraced  her,'  and  took  his  fearless  stand  by  her  side,  attracted,  by  his 
example,  accessions  of  irresistible  power  to  her  cause,  poured,  by  his 
inspiring  voice,  redoubled  vigour  into  her  defenders'  hearts,  nor  ceased 
to  aid  them  by  the  counsels  of  his  wisdom  till,  through  mazes  of 
difficulty  and  hazard,  she  was  conducted  to  security  and  fame  and  certain 
prospects  of  eventual  arid  lasting  repose.  It  has  been  said  that  Ireland 
has  not  supplied  materials  for  history.  It  is  false  !  The  transactions  in 
which  this  great  man  bore  so  distinguished  a  part  would  form  a  history  of 
which  any  country  on  earth  might  be  proud.  Our  latter  destinies  were 
mournful,  no  doubt,  but  that  only  evinces  the  fortitude  of  a  spirit  which 
no  ills  could  overwhelm,  nor  oppressions  demean,  nor  torture  subdue  to 
any  conqueror's  unjust  decree.  Many  a  hero  that  served  her  is  forgotten 
and  many  a  laurel  withered,  because  misfortune  robbed  her  of  hands 
that  could  bind  them  into  an  immortal  crown.  But  enough  remains  to, 
at  least,  establish  the  reputation  of  a  people,  the  last  remnant  of  an 
ancient  and  singular  race  whose  tribes  once  spread  themselves  over  half 
the  earth.  Yes,  Ireland  has  her  history  and  her  heroes,  and  among  the 
brightest  names  on  the  tablet  of  her  glory,  and  the  foremost  of  those  who 
guided  the  most  extraordinary  and  honourable  movement  that  ever  shed 
lustre  upon  her  history,  is  enrolled  the  name  of  your  immortal  Bishop. 
The  designs  of  Providence  were  matured  in  his  day,  and  the  hour  of  his 
country's  liberation  came,  and  it  came  with  a  tide  of  fortune  and  renown 
equal  to  the  length  of  her  unexampled  sufferings  and  matchless  fidelity. 
The  nation  rose  as  to  a  man,  and  in  the  face  of  insult  and  oppression 
vowed  itself  to  be  free,  but  vowed  to  achieve  its  victory  by  means  as 
singular  and  as  sure  as  they  were  unpractised  among  men  before  !  No 
brutal  struggle— no  lawless  violence — no  field  of  blood.  No,  the  men 
who  wiejded  their  country's  destinies  had  bosoms  as  chivalrous  and  arms 
as  strong  as  ever  struck  for  liberty,  and  they  saw  behind  them  throngs  as 
numerous  as  ever  battled  against  injustice  ;  but,  while  they  hated 
oppression,  they  loved  humanity,  and  adopted  the  blessed  principle  that 
freedom  itself  is  too  dearly  purchased  at  a  price  of  blood.  They  infused 
no  vulgar  terrors,  they  proclaimed  no  sanguinary  threat,  they  asked  no 
vengeance,  they  sought  no  ascendancy  over  their  fellow-citizens  ;  but 
they  maintained  the  public  tranquillity,  they  obeyed  the  law,  they  re 
spected  the  constituted  authorities,  they  reverenced  the  rights  of  every 
individual,  how  hostile  soever  or  violent  against  their  claims,  they 
husbanded  with  wisest  economy  the  scanty  rights  which  they  had  already 
wrung  from  their  oppressors,  and  called,  with  a  voice  like  inspiration, 
upon  earth  and  heaven  to  behold  and  redress  their  wrongs  !  It  was  a 
holy  cause,  and  pursued  by  holiest  means,  such  as  the  most  timid 
conscience  could  not  censure,  such  as  the  meekest  man  of  God  did  not 
fear  to  join.  While  yet  success  was  more  than  doubtful,  while  this 
combination  of  patriotism  and  wisdom  looked  formidable  enough  to 
infuse  awe  and  awaken  suspicion  and  threaten  perhaps  eventual  confusion 
an  accession  of  strength  arrived  of  overwhelming  importance,  and  from 
that  hour  no  man  doubted  of  the  result.  That  accession  came  from  your 
illustrious  Pastor !  Oh,  shall  Ireland  ever  forget  the  day  when  he  added 
his  honoured  name  to  the  list  of  her  patriots,  and  all  the  prelates  of  the 
land  and  all  the  ministers  of  the  Faith  followed  in  his  train  ?  At  once 
every  village  and  hamlet,  and  district,  found  in  its  Priest  a  leader,  active 


118  BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE   AND   LEIGHLIN. 

to  stimulate  and  cautious  to  restrain.  But,  above  all,  the  voice  was  heard 
of  the  venerable  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin  exhorting,  warning, 
guiding,  inspiring,  hurling  the  thunders  of  an  eloquence  almost  divine 
against  every  barbarous  tyranny  that  loaded  his  country  with  woe  : 
exposing  every  base  contrivance,  removing  every  honest  misconception, 
explaining  every  seeming  difficulty,  and  driving  from  the  field  of  reason 
every  foe  to  honour  and  justice  and  truth  !  Can  we  ever  forget  our  joy 
when  he  stood,  a  giant  of  intellect  and  eloquence,  before  the  councils  of 
the  nation,  and  spoke  for  his  country  and  his  faith,  undaunted  by  all  the 
nobles  of  the  land,  Loquebar  de  testimoniis  tuis  in  conspectu  regum  et  non 
confundebar  ?  Can  we  forget  how  every  opponent  of  that  country's  just 
demands  quailed  in  his  presence,  and  every  re  viler  of  that  hallowed  Faith 
shrunk  away  silenced  and  abashed]  Or,  how  honest  but  mistaken 
legislators  were  convinced  of  their  error  and  converted  by  his  testimony 
into  enthusiastic  and  permanent  friends  1  Where,  among  all  the  lands 
of  fame,  ever  occurred  events  so  astounding  as  followed  fast  upon  the 
delivery  of  that  magnificent  defence  of  conscience  and  country  _  thus 
maintained  by  your  illustrious  Prelate  and  his  venerable  companions  1 
The  joy  of  the  nation  was  unbounded,  for  it  saw  its  cause  triumphant, 
long  before  the  struggle  had  closed.  The  energies  of  the  people  were 
redoubled,  the  soul  of  the  nation  was  awoke,  her  noble  genius  was 
developed,  talents  of  the  highest  order  were  displayed  where  they  were 
never  suspected  to  exist,  the  public  vices  which  centuries  of  misrule  had 
fostered  were  purged  away,  dissension,  Ireland's  heaviest  curse,  was  for 
gotten,  the  liberal  and  high-minded  of  every  creed,  the  noble  and  virtuous 
of  every  rank  and  profession,  hurried  to  unite  themselves  with  the 
fortunes  of  their  country,  and  amid  the  tones  of  eloquence,  and  the 
hymns  of  praise,  and  the 'benedictions  of  Religion,  one  loud  and  fervid 
cry  for  justice  was  lifted  to  the  skies,  and  penetrated  to  the  remotest 
habitations  of  civilized  man  !  It  pervaded  every  corner  of  enlightened 
Europe,  it  crossed  the  Atlantic  wave,  it  was  echoed  back  by  emancipated 
millions  in  cheers  of  encouragement  and  blessings  of  applause  !  The 
eyes  of  the  civilized  world  were  turned  once  more  to  the  Sacred  Island  of 
the  West,  and  the  cause  of  Ireland  became  the  cause  of  men.  Gracious 
Lord,  in  whose  hands  are  the  destinies  of  men,  Thine  be  the  praise,  all 
the  honour  Thine  !  What  a  termination  didst  Thou  not  decree  this 
magnificent  array  !  Not  alone  opposition  became  powerless,  not  alone 
intolerance  was  struck  dumb,  not  alone,  the  ruling  powers  stood 
awe-struck  and  confused,  not  alone  they  who  had  registered  in  heaven 
vows  of  deathless  opposition  to  Thy  people's  claims  vanished  from  the 
earth,  not  alone  the  shackles  of  bondage  were  shattered  and  measures  of 
justice  dealt  out,  ample  and  complete,  but,  as  if  by  a  miracle  of  that 
Providence  which  laughs  at  all  human  calculations,  the  very  rulers  who 
had  spent  years  in  defeating  the  people's  rightful  hopes,  Thou  didst  take 
into  Thy  hands  and  bend  them  into  the  very  instruments  by  which  these 
hopes  at  length  were  accomplished  !  And  they  who  never  bent  to  mortal 
man  before,  the  conquerors  by  whom  regions  were  overthrown  and 
empires  dissolved,  and  the  foremost  man  of  all  the  world  bowed  before 
the  might  of  a  united  people,  united  for  justice,  for  freedom,  and  for  Thee  ! 
Oh,  illustrious  Prelate,  these  works  are  thine!  In  a  high  degree,  the 
fruits  of  thy  genius  and  toils  are  there  !  Per  quern  liberati  sumus,  by 
whomweare  free,  and  free  without  acrime  ;  by  whom  we  are  free,  and  free 
without  a  tear !  Let  other  nations  point  to  fields  of  carnage,  and  count 
their  heroes  of  blood.  Ours  is  the  purer  and  the  better  fame  ;  the 
exposure  of  falsehood,  the  detection  of  sophistry,  the  branding  of  corrup- 


BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE  AND   LEIGHLIN.  119 

tion,  the  calm  discomfiture  of  intolerance,  the  tranquil  victories  of 
justice  and  truth !  I  might  proceed,  my  Brethren,  still  further  to  detail 
the  works  by  which  this  great  and  good  man  has  advanced  the  interests 
and  fame  of  his  country.  I  might  recount  how,  after  having  contributed 
so  largely  to  set  her  free,  he  laboured  to  make  her  freedom  a  substantial 
and  not  an  empty  gain  ;  how  he  strove,  and  strove  successfully,  to  root 
out  the  cruel  abuses  which  ages  of  misfortune  had  sown  in  the  institutions 
of  the  land ;  the  efforts  he  made  to  better  the  condition  of  her  im 
poverished  inhabitants,  and  wrest  from  selfish  opulence  the  pittance  of 
the  poor ;  the  pains  he  took  to  extend  the  blessings  of  order  and  diffuse 
the  light  of  useful  information  among  the  people,  that,  having  won  the 
boon  of  freedom,  they  might  appreciate  its  value  and  improve  its 
advantages,  and  learn  to  shun  the  errors  that  could  expose  them  again  to 
its  loss. 

•*  *  *•  *  *•  #•  * 

"  After  having  intruded  on  your  patience  so  long,  my  Brethren,  I  am 
unwilling  to  detain  you  by  any  vindication  of  this  great  man  from  the 
foul  charges  which,  like  every  such  great  man,  he  was  doomed  to  endure. 
To  one  such  accusation,  only,  shall  I  allude.  He  was  reproached  with 
being  a  Politician.  A  Politician  1  Yes,  he  was  a  Politician  ;  one  of  those 
men  who  are  born  to  redeem  that  honourable  appellation  from  the 
infamy  which  injustice,  and  corruption,  and  knavery,  so  often  have  cast 
upon  it.  In  its  loftiest,  and  noblest,  and  most  philanthropic,  and  most 
useful  sense,  he  was  a  Politician.  A  man  who  takes  part  in  his  country's 
interests,  not  his  own  :  whose  views  are  directed  for  the  amelioration, 
moral  and  civil,  of  his  fellows,  and  not  for  the  exaltation  or  aggrandize 
ment  of  petty  self.  The  honest,  straight-forward,  single-minded,  single- 
hearted  politician  was  he !  What  sought  he  by  his  politics  but  the 
performance  of  a  duty,  and, — unless  the  approval  of  his  own  mind,  and 
the  love  of  his  country,  and  the  applause  of  every  good  man, — what  gained 
he  by  his  interference  in  public  life  but  slanders,  and  vituperation,  and 
obloquy  1  What  statesman  or  party  did  he  flatter  ]  What  favours  did 
he  ask]  What  pension  or  place  for  himself  or  others  did  he  obtain] 
None  !  But  the  counsels  of  his  mind  he  dealt  out  unceasingly,  and 
disinterestedly,  and  undauntedly,  for  his  country's  welfare  ;  told  princes 
their  faults  and  peasants  their  duty,  and  even  purest  patriots  warned  of 
what  he  deemed  their  mistakes.  But  his  soul  sickened  at  injustice,  it 
abhorred  oppression,  however  practised  and  wherever  met,  and,  on  the 
shores  of  a  distant  land,  to  roll  back  its  torrent  from  unoffending 
strangers,  in  the  generous  ardour  of  youth  and,  ere  yet,  he  had  wedded 
himself  inseparably  to  the  meekness  of  Religion,  he  laid  down,  for  a 
season,  the  cowl  and  took  up  the  sword.  He  returned  to  his  country, 
and  found  her  a  waste  of  ruin  and  a  wilderness  of  confusion ;  he  felt 
within  himself  the  powers  to  assist  her,  and  he  would  have  been  a  traitor 
to  Him  who  gifted  him  with  their  possession  had  he  failed  to  exert  them. 
'But  he  was  a  Bishop,  and  therefore  should  not  have  meddled  in  politics/ 
Nay,  but  this  was  the  very  reason  why  he  was  obliged,  imperatively 
obliged,  to  become  a  Politician.  It  was  not  his  country  alone,  that  lay 
prostrate,  but  he  saw  his  divine  Religion  bleeding  before  him.  And 
should  not  a  Bishop  battle  for  his  Faith  ]  Is  not  a  Bishop  the  guardian 
of  his  people's  morals  1  Did  he  not  see  these  morals  daily  crumbling 
away  under  the  pressure  of  a  grinding  and  a  barbarous  code  ]  Did  he 
not  find  his  countrymen  too  outrageously  trampled  on,  to  be  any  longer 
peaceable ;  and  too  enlightened,  any  longer  to  be  slaves  1  Should  he 
have  waited  until, — to  use  nervous  words, — he  saw  men  tearing  from  their 


120  BISHOPS   OF   KILDAEE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

bosoms  the  human  heart,  and  substituting  the  hearts  of  tigers  in  its 
stead, — till  afflicted  humanity,  maddened  by  its  sufferings,  should  rise  up 
and  wreak  upon  its  oppressors  a  wild  and  wicked  retribution,  and 
Religion,  and  virtue  and  country  all  expire  on  one  common  pile  ]  '  A 
Bishop  should  not  be  a  Politician.'  Ordinarily  speaking,  such  is  the  truth, 
nay,  it  is  only  in  extremities  that  he  should  be  forced  to  become  one ; 
and  no  mortal  man  felt  that  truth  more  cogently  than  he,  and  no  one 
more  grievously  lamented  the  lot  which  constrained  him  and  his  fellow- 
prelates  to  mingle  in  the  busy  din  of  political  strife,  or  more  joyously 
nailed  the  prospect  of  the  returning  tranquillity  which  would  liberate 
them  from  the  dire  necessity,  than  he  did.  A  Bishop,  rarely  indeed, 
should  be  a  politician,  'tis  true,  and  strange  would  it  be  if  such  truths 
were  known  to  his  revilers  and  yet  concealed  from  him.  He  was  a 
politician,  but  did  he  ever  forget  he  was  a  Bishop,  or  compromise  the 
dignity  of  his  exalted  rank,  by  word  or  act  ?  Did  he  ever,  through  all 
the  progress  of  the  eventful  struggle,  mingle  in  the  uproar  of  a  popular 
assembly,  one  single  moment  excepted,  when  he  deemed  it  imperative  to 
rectify  mistakes  in  which  the  honour  of  the  Episcopacy  and  the  priest 
hood  was  involved,  to  fling  from  his  sacred  order  the  vile  suspicion  of  a 
wish  to  have  their  hands  contaminated  by  a  bribe,  and  the  shackles  of 
their  country  transferred  upon  their  faith  1  Yes,  he  was  a  politician, 
and  we  love  him  the  more  for  that ;  and,  oh !  whenever  a  Christian  land 
shall  be  suffering  as  ours  has  suffered,  may  a  kind  Providence  never  refuse 
to  its  people's  prayers  such  a  Bishop,  and  such  a  politician,  to  achieve 
their  deliverance  by  such  means  as  were  used  by  him ! 

"  Fain,  my  Brethren,  would  I  go  on,  recording  how,  as  he  shone,  the 
glory  of  his  country  as  a  patriot,  and  the  light  of  the  priesthood  as  a 
Bishop,— he  displayed  in  all  the  tenor  of  his  private  life  the  humble  and 
mortified  and  sanctified  Christian  man.  Let  it  suffice  to  say  that,  great 
as  he  appeared  as  a  public  man,  to  those  who  knew  him  well,  his  domestic 
virtues  were  still  more  wonderful.  The  noble  simplicity  of  his  manners, 
the  bright  candour  of  all  his  thoughts,  the  goodness  of  his  warm  heart, 
the  charity  of  his  benevolent  soul,  the  tender  piety,  the  ardent  devotion, 
his  soaring  faith, — all  combined  to  exhibit  him  even  in  domestic  inter 
course  a  'model  to  the  flock.' 


"While  forced  by  the  circumstances  of  Religion  in  Ireland,  to  forego  the 
peaceful  retirement  and  observant  practices  of  the  Convent,  the  spirit  of 
his  Religious  engagements  never  forsook  him,  never  did  he  abandon  the 
recollection  of  his  early  vows  nor  the  fervour  of  his  first  devotion.  With 
pain  he  mingled  in  the  distraction  of  the  world.  Solitude  was  his 
delight  to  the  last,  and  prayer  filled  up  with  study  whatever  intervals  of 
leisure  he  enjoyed.  Every  day  he  read  the  Scriptures  on  his  knees,  and 
there,  and  at  the  foot  of  the  Crucifix,  he  imbibed  the  lofty  zeal  that 
animated  all  his  acts,  and  the  tender  unction  which  flows-  through  all  his 
immortal  writings.  His  ardent  and  unaffected  piety  accompanied  him 
everywhere.  His  devotion  to  the  holy  Mother  of  God  and  confidence  in 
her  power  were  unbounded ;  on  his  knees,  three  times  each  day,  he 
recited  Her  litany.  His  detachment  from  the  world  was  complete.  Not 
all  the  links  of  tenderest  affection  which  bound  him  to  the  members  of 
his  excellent  family  ever  led  him,  in  any  one  instance,  to  be  swayed  by 
considerations  of  flesh  and  blood.  Rank  had  no  charms  for  him,  and  that 
title,  with  which  the  affections  of  a  grateful  people  still  love  to  salute  the 
prelates  of  the  church,  he  utterly  disliked,  and  often  charged  his  friends 


THE   RIGHT  REV. EDWARD  NOLAN. D.D. 
•  BISHOP  OF  KILDARE  AND  LEIGHUN. 


BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE  AND   LEIGHLIN.  121 

to  abstain  from  its  use  towards  him  ;  to  be  called  Father  was  his  utmost 
ambition,  to  deserve  that  endearing  appellation,  his  unwearied  aim. 
Riches  he  held  in  utter  contempt,  unless  as  far  as  they  enabled  him  to 
minister  to  the  suffering  members  of  Christ.  But,  for  the  poor,  he  would 
have  coined  his  heart.  The  knowledge  of  their  miseries  filled  his  soul 
with  bitterness,  nor  is  it  possible  to  be  conversant  with  his  writings 
without  perceiving  a  fact,  of  which  all  who  enjoyed  his  acquaintance 
were  witnesses,  and  that  was,  that  the  sorrows  of  the  poor  often  caused 
him  as  much,  or  greater  pain  than  they  endured  themselves.  The  resig 
nation  which  he  made  in  his  youth,  of  all  right  and  title  to  all  earthly 
possessions,  he  observed  through  life  most  rigorously,  and  respected  it  to 
the  last.  When  about  to  leave  us,  he  wrote,  for  form  sake,  a  Will  of  two 
lines,  and  the  directions  which  he  gave  for  the  disposition  of  his  property 
were  worthy  of  his  great  zeal : — '  All  things,  that  I  possess/  he  said, 
*  come  to  me  from  the  Church,  and  to  the  Church  and  to  the  poor  let 
them  all  return.' 

"  When  the  last  sad  scene  arrived,  how  were  you  not  edified, — how  were 
we  not  edified  throughout  all  the  churches, — at  the  accounts  we  daily 
received  of  the  fortitude,  the  resignation,  the  holy  joy,  with  which  he 
submitted  to  the  stroke  of  God !  How  well,  like  the  Great  Apostle  of 
nations,  whose  character  he  so  much  resembled,  and  from  whose  inspired 
and  inspiring  writings  he  drew  so  much  of  that  sublime  spirit  which 
breathes  through  his  own  •  how  well,  with  St.  Paul,  might  he  not  have 
exclaimed  : — 'I  have  fought  the  good  fight,  I  have  finished  my  course,  I 
have  kept  the  faith,  and  now  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  glory, 
which  the  Lord,  the  just  Judge,  shall  render  me.'  But,  no !  humble 
and  mortified  to  the  last,  he  could  not  endure  the  utterance  of  a  word 
which  reminded  him  of  any  good  he  had  done.  To  God,  alone,  he  gave 
all  the  merit,  on  God,  alone,  were  ali  his  ideas  fixed.  When  exhausted 
nature  apprised  him  that  the  last  sad  struggle  was  approaching,  he  called 
for  the  Holy  Viaticum.  But,  recollecting  that  his  Master  had  expired  on 
the  hard  bed  of  the  Cross,  and  anxious  to  resemble  Him  even  in  his  end, 
he  ordered  his  mourning  priests  to  lift  him,  almost  naked,  from  his  bed, 
and  stretch  him  upon  the  cold  and  rigid  floor,  and  there,  in  humiliation, 
and  penance,  and  prayer,  he  accepted  the  last  earthly  embraces  of  his 

God,  and,  shortly  after,  resigned  his  soul  into  His  merciful  Hands  ! 
*  *  *  *  *  *  * 

"  One  only  thing  is  wanted,  and  much  have  I  mistaken  his  grateful  and 
revering  people's  generous  hearts  if  it  be  wanted  long.  Europe's 
proudest  artists  should  work  to  perpetuate  the  inspired  features  and  com 
manding  stature  of  Ireland's  gifted  Bishop  and  unsullied  Patriot !  Here 
should  he  stand,  that  when,  in  after  days,  your  children  shall  come, 

Eilgrims  of  devotion  and  lovers  of  their  country's  glory,  to  kneel  upon 
is  grave,  the  inspiring  marble  may  cheer  them  to  aspire  to  what  he 
exhorted  their  fathers  to  become." 

The  preacher's  anticipations  have  been  fully  justified ;  the 
gem  and  chief  ornament  of  the  stately  Cathedral, — built  mainly 
through  the  exertions  of  Dr.  Doyle, — is  the  monument  of  that 
great  Prelate,  the  chef  d'ceuvre  of  Ireland's  great  sculptor, 
Hogan,  raised  by  the  willing  subscriptions  of  the  clergy  and 
people  of  the  Diocese  and  others,  at  a  cost  of  one  thousand 
pounds. 

EDWARD  NOLAN. — On  the  21st  of  April,  1834,  the  parochial 


122  BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE   AND   LEIGHLIN. 

clergy,  convened  by  Dr.  Doyle  for  the  purpose  of  nominating  a 
Coadjutor  with  the  right  of  succession,  placed,  by  their  votes, 
the  name  of  the  Rev.  Edward  Nolan  first  on  the  list  of  those 
whom  they  recommended  for  that  position,  to  the  Holy  See. 
Dr.  Nolan  was,  at  the  time,  Vice-President  and  Professor  of 
Theology  at  Carlow  College.  On  the  21st  of  July  he  was  elected 
successor  to  Dr.  Doyle  by  Propaganda ;  his  Brief  from  the  Pope 
was  dated  August  the  31st,  1834  (Brady).  The  Consecration 
of  the  new  Prelate  took  place  in  the  Cathedral,  Carlow,  on  the 
28th  of  October  following,  by  Archbishop  Murray,  assisted  by 
the  Bishops  of  Ossory  and  Ferns. 

Dr.  Nolan  was  born  on  the  21st  of  April,  1793,  at  Tullow, 
County  Carlow,  where  his  father,  James  Nolan,  occupied  a 
position  of  respectability.  Sir  Bernard  Burke's  "  Visitation  of 
Seats,  and  Arms,"  page  57,  sets  forth  his  descent  in  a  direct  line 
from  Cahir  O'Nolan  of  Ballykealy,  who  died  on  the  15th  of 
January,  1592.  James  Nolan  who  was  born  in  1758,  married, 
in  1787,  Mary  Moore  of  Tullow,  and,  dying  in  1819,  left  issue  five 
sons,  of  whom  Edward  was  the  second  eldest;  and  two 
daughters.* 

Whilst  the  mother  of  the  future  Bishop  was  still  a  girl,  Dr. 
Keeffe,  the  then  Bishop,  gave  her  an  episcopal  ring,  telling  her 
to  keep  it  for  one  of  her  sons  who  should  be  a  Bishop.  His 
mother  kept  the  ring,  not  mentioning  the  matter  except  to  her 
husband,  and,  upon  Dr.  Keeffe's  demise,  gave  it  to  the  Right 
Rev.  Dr.  Delany,  informing  him  of  the  circumstances  under 
which  it  came  into  her  possession.  Dr.  Delany  accepted  it,  but 
only  in  trust,  and  returned  it  before  his  death,  in  1814.  This 
ring  is  still  in  the  possession  of  a  member  of  the  family.  At  an 
early  age  Edward  Nolan  became  a  pupil  at  Carlow  College  ;  his 
name  and  those  of  his  brothers  John  and  Thomas  appear  on  the 
rolls  of  that  institution  in  1804.  Patrick  and  Daniel  also  received 

*  1.  John,  born  1792,  married,  1820,  Catherine  Walsh,  died  1824,  leaving 
issue  two  sons,  John,  and  James  (Rev.)  and  one  daughter,  Mrs.  Kehoe ;  2. 
Edward,  the  Bishop  ;  3.  Thomas,  born  3  March,  1795,  married,  20  May,  1828, 
Juliana  Mary  Agnes,  youngest  daughter  of  the  late  Michael  Blount,  Esq.,  of 
Maple  Durham,  Oxfordshire,  and  had  an  only  child,  Julia  Agnes  Mary,  who  died 
in  1845  ;  4.  Patrick,  born  in  1797,  studied  firstly  at  Carlow  College,  afterwards 
at  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  and  became  an  M.D.,  he  died  at  Rome,  9th  of  Nov., 
1840,  where,  at  S.  Lorenzo,  a  tablet  to  his  memory,  bears  the  following  inscrip 
tion  : — "  I.H.S.  Quieti  et  Memoriae  Patricii  Nolan,  Edoardi  Episcopi  Kildariensis 
Fratris :  Medendi  artis  peretissimi,  Ingenio,  Comitate,  Religione,  Conspicui ;  In. 
Hibernia  natus,  Romam,  salutis  causa  veniens,  cum  acerbo  suorum  dolore  brevi 
decessit,  dienono  Noveinbris,  A.D.  1840.  Vixit  An.  40.  Domus  et  Patriae  decus, 
Bene  vale  in  Pace."  6.  James,  who  died  in  infancy  ;  6.  Daniel  Francis,  born 
1806,  took  Holy  Orders,  became  P.P.  of  Ballyfin,  and  afterwards  of  Leighlin, 
where  he  died  on  the  29th  of  January,  1870.  The  daughters  were  married,  one, 
to  Francis  Hey  den,  M.D.,  Carlow,  the  other,  to  Mr.  M.  Bray  of  Mountrath,  each 
of  whom  gave  a  son  to  the  Sacred  Ministry. 


BISHOPS   OF   KILDAKE  AND  LEIGHLIN.  123 

their  education  at  Carlow.  Edward  early  evinced  an  inclination 
to  the  Priesthood.  After  some  years  spent  at  Carlow,  he  was 
sent  to  the  College  of  Maynooth.  There  he  was  assailed  with 
scruples  regarding  his  vocation  to  the  ecclesiastical  state,  in 
consequence  of  which  he  returned  home,  where  he  remained  two 
years.  Ultimately  at  the  command  of  the  Vicar-Capitular  of 
the  Diocese,  the  Rev.  Arthur  Murphy,  P.P.  of  Kilcock,  he 
returned  to  Maynooth  in  1814?.  He  received  Sub-deaconship  in 
the  Summer  of  1818,  and  the  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Doyle  conferred 
upon  him  the  Sacred  Orders  of  Deaconship  and  the  Priesthood 
in  December,  1819.  During  his  sojourn  at  Maynooth  he  won 
the  esteem  of  his  fellow-students  and  of  his  superiors,  especially 
of  the  President,  the  Very  Rev.  Dr.  Crotty,  who  entertained  for 
him,  ever  after,  the  tenderest  friendship.  Dr.  Crotty  offered 
him  an  appointment  in  the  College,  but  he  declined,  preferring 
to  return  to  his  native  Diocese.  He  was  at  once  appointed 
Professor  of  Logic  in  the  College  of  Carlow,  and  when,  some 
years  later,  the  Chair  of  Theology  became  vacant  by  the  appoint 
ment  of  Dr.  Kinsella  to  the  See  of  Ossory,  Dr.  Nolan  was 
promoted  to  that  position.  He  was  remarkable  for  his  great 
gentleness  and  amiability  of  character.  The  tenor  of  his  saintly 
life  was  uniformly  one  of  great  regularity,  edification,  and 
devotedness  to  his  several  duties.  He  was  regarded  by  the 
students  of  the  College,  as  their  model,  by  the  clergy,  as  their 
dear  and  esteemed  friend ;  and  by  the  Bishop,  Dr.  Doyle,  as  a 
man  of  great  theological  information  and  prudence,  in  proof  of 
which  he  entrusted  him  with  the  direction  of  his  conscience. 

On  the  occasions  of  the  annual  meetings  of  the  Bible  Society 
in  Carlow,  tickets  of  invitation  to  be  present  were  issued  to 
many  Catholics  of  the  neighbourhood,  including  the  Rev. 
Professors  of  the  College.  On  Thursday,  the  18th  of  November, 
1824,  one  of  these  meetings  was  held  at  the  Presbyterian 
Meeting-House,  at  which  some  of  the  Rev.  Gentlemen,  so 
challenged — for  the  invitation  to  attend  could  be  viewed  in  no 
other  light, — unexpectedly  presented  themselves,  and  claimed 
the  right  to  be  heard,  in  opposition  to  the  principles  of  the 
Society.  At  first  a  hearing  was  refused  them,  but  eventually  it 
was  conceded.  Colonel  Rochfort  occupied  the  chair,  and  the 
following  speakers  took  part  in  the  discussion  that  ensued,  and 
which  was  continued  on  the  following  day : — 


Protestant  Clergy. 

Hon.  and  Eer.  E.  Wingfield. 
Rev.  Mr.  Daly. 
Rev.  Mr.  Pope. 


Catholic  Clergy. 

Rev.  Mr.  McSwiney. 
Rev.  Mr.  Clowry. 
Rev,  Mr.  Nolan. 


Rev.  W.  Kinsella,   Rev.  T.  O'Connell,  and  Rev.  G.  Doyle, 


124  BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

P.P.,  Naas,  took  a  less  important  part  in  the  proceedings,  as  did 
also  some  Protestant  Clergymen  on  the  opposite  side, — but  the 
Debate  was  practically  confined  to  the  above-named  disputants. 
A  full  Report  of  the  Speeches  of  the  Rev.  Gentlemen  who  took 
part  in  the  proceedings  "  revised  and  authenticated  by  them 
selves,"  was  Published  in  1824,  by  Tims,  Grafton  Street,  Dublin. 
From  that  Report,  which  forms  a  closely-printed  Pamphlet  of 
104  pages,  the  Speech,  delivered  by  the  Rev.  E.  Nolan,  is  here 
extracted : — 

"  Now,  Mr.  Chairman,"  said  the  Kev.  Gentleman,  "  will  you  allow  me 
to  state  the  reason  why  the  Catholic  Clergy  think  they  ought  to  be  heard 
in  opposition  to  the  proceedings  of  the  Bible  Society  ?  I  think  we  ought 
to  be  heard  because  this  is  a  public  meeting,  publicly  convened,  and  to 
which  the  public  are  invited.  Tickets  of  admission  have  not  only  been 
given  to  all  who  applied  for  them,  but  they  have  been  specially  sent  to 
the  Catholic  Clergy  who  sought  them  not.  Every  person  invited  here 
has  a  right  to  speak.  I  grant  this  is  a  meeting  of  the  Bible  Society,  but 
the  proceedings  of  that  Society  are  deeply  interesting  to  the  public — and 
no  less  to  the  Catholic  public,  than  to  the  Protestant.  If  the  object  of 
the  Bible  Societies  was  to  distribute  Bibles  without  note  or  comment, 
amongst  the  Protestants  alone,  we  (the  Catholic  Clergy),  would  never 
think  of  interfering  with  their  proceedings.  But  they  openly  avow  that 
their  object  is  to  distribute  Bibles  without  note  or  comment,  generally, 
among  Catholics,  as  well  as  Protestants.  Here,  Sir,  we  consider  it  our 
duty  to  oppose  them,  because  they  attempt  to  interfere  with  the  duty  of 
the  Catholic  Clergy,  and  with  the  religious  principles  of  the  Catholic 
people.  It  is  our  duty,  Mr.  Chairman,  to  instruct  the  people  committed 
to  our  care,  and  the  Bible  Societies  have  never  been  able  to  prove  that 
the  Catholic  Clergy  neglect  that  duty.  What  right  then  have  they  to 
interfere  with  us  1  1  will  not  now  enter  particularly  into  the  question 
of  the  origin  and  authority  of  their  mission.  This  is  a  question  which  I 
know  will  be  considered  rather  as  an  unpleasant  one,  by  some,  at  least, 
of  the  Members  of  the  Society.  I  may,  perhaps,  have  another  oppor 
tunity  of  discussing  it.  Again,  we  are  opposed  to  them,  because  they 
interfere  with  the  religious  principles  of  the  Catholic  people  ;  and  in  a 
manner  which  is  calculated  to  defeat  all  the  objects  of  religious  instruc 
tion,  and  subvert  the  principles  of  the  Catholic  faith.  They  attempt  to 
distribute  copies  of  the  Bible,  which  we  know  are  mutilated  arid  in  many 
passages  adulterated— and  they  distribute  them  on  the  principle  that  the 
private  judgment,  the  caprice,  or  the  fanaticism  of  every  man,  woman,  or 
child,  is  to  be  the  sole  rule  of  interpreting  the  Scriptures,  and  learning 
the  important  truths  which  they  contain.  If  the  Bible  Society,  Mr. 
Chairman,  came  to  distribute  copies  of  the  Bible,  even  of  that  version 
which  the  Catholic  Church  approves  of,  on  this  principle  we  should  still 
consider  it  our  duty  to  oppose  them.  This  principle  is  abusive  of  the 
Scriptures,  hostile  to  the  Catholic  faith,  and  prejudicial  to  the  peace  and 
order  of  society.  On  these  grounds,  Mr.  Chairman,  we  are  opposed  to 
the  principles  of  the  Society,  and  we  claim  to  be  heard  in  opposition  to 
the  business  for  which  this  meeting  has  been  called ;  even  if  our  own 
versions  were  given  out  we  should  still  oppose  them.  Our  object,  Sir, 
is  not  controversy — we  do  not  seek  it — neither  do  we  decline  it.  Our 
object  is  one  of  practical  utility — to  oppose  proceedings,  which  we  are 
convinced  are  prejudicial  to  the  Catholic  religion  and  the  good  order  of 


BISHOPS   OF  KILDARE  AND   LEIGHLIN.  125 

society.  We  seek  not,  Sir,  to  exhibit  as  theological  gladiators  in  the 
arena  of  controversy.  The  most  we  could  expect  from  a  controversy 
would  be  a  triumph  in  argument, —and  indeed,  when  I  consider  the 
number,  the  respectability,  and  talents  of  the  Gentlemen  who  have  come 
here  to  support  the  cause  of  the  Bible  Society,  I  cannot  speak  contemp 
tuously  of  such  a  triumph.  But,  I  repeat  it,  Mr.  Chairman,  our  object  is 
to  oppose  the  proceedings  of  the  Society,  and  claim  to  be  heard  on  the 
business  for  which  this  meeting  has  been  called.  I  submit  it  to  you,  Sir, 
that  this  Society  has  no  right  to  prevent  our  being  heard.  This  is  not 
like  a  vestry  meeting,  where  a  few  Protestants  possess  by  law  a  right  to 
tax  the  Catholic  community,  where  they  themselves  are  not  allowed  to 
vote.  There  is  no  law  operating  against  us  here,  no  formalities  which 
prevent  our  being  heard  upon  this  business.  Were  there  such  a  law,  we 
certainly  would  respect  and  obey  it.  The  objects  of  this  Society  are 
public — and  they  are  hostile  to  the  interests  of  the  Catholic  religion. 
The  mode  adopted  is  in  itself  subversive  of  faith,  and  must  not  b  e 
tolerated.  For  those  reasons,  Sir,  we  claim,  as  a  right,  to  be  heard  on  the 
business  for  which  this  meeting  was  called. 

******* 

"Mr.  Chairman,  when  the  Rev.  Mr.  Pope,  about  two  hours  ago, 
attempted  to  prove  the  uncertainty  of  ordination  in  the  Catholic 
Church,  from  the  uncertainty  of  the  intention  of  the  Bishop  in  admini 
stering  the  Sacrament  of  Holy  Orders,  I  interrupted  him  on  the 
grounds  of  his  having  made  a  mis-statement  of  the  Catholic  Doctrine 
on  this  point.  I  considered  that,  in  doing  so,  I  acted  conformably 
to  the  rules  of  this  discussion ;  but  when  I  proceeded  to  advance 
my  reasons  in  explanation,  I  was  called  to  order.  I  wished  then  to 
state,  Sir,  that  there  is  no  definition  of  faith  in  the  Catholic  Church, 
regarding  the  nature  of  the  intention  necessary  for  the  valid  administra 
tion  of  the  sacraments.  Whether  that  intention  must  be  internal  or 
external,  is  a  free  opinion  among  theologians.  The  opinion  of  the 
necessity  of  the  internal  intention  alone  could  support  his  argument.  I 
was  therefore  justified  in  contradicting  him  when  he  asserted  that  opinion 
as  an  article  of  Catholic  faith.  I  think  it  would  be  irrelevant  to  the 
present  proceedings  to  say  more  on  this  subject.  I  now  beg  leave  to  re 
mind  you,  Mr.  Chairman,  that  in  the  commencement  of  this  discussion 
I  stated  that  the  object  which  the  Catholic  Clergy  proposed  to  them 
selves  in  coming  to  this  meeting  was,  not  to  enter  the  arena  of  contro 
versy,  but  to  protest  against,  and  oppose  the  principles  and  proceedings 
of  the  Bible  Society.  The  controversial  discussion,  however,  has  been 
entered  on,  and  has  been  conducted  until  now,  at  least,  (I  may  say  it 
without  the  imputation  of  egotism),  with  considerable  ability.  I  am 
happy  to  acknowledge  that  the  Gentlemen  on  the  opposite  side  (I  allude 
particularly  to  the  Hon.  and  Rev.  Mr.  Wingfield,  and  the  Rev  Mr.  Pope) 
have  displayed  much  talent,  learning,  and  moderation.  I  am  still 
more  happy  to  bear  testimony  to  the  prudent,  impartial,  and  gentle 
manly  conduct  of  the  Chairman.  Indeed,  we  could  not  expect  any 
thing  less  from  the  well-known  character  of  Colonel  Rochfort ;  but 
his  conduct  in  the  Chair  during  this  discussion  must  add  con 
siderably  to  the  very  high  estimation  in  which  he  is  deservedly  held 
by  all  ranks  and  persuasions  in  the  county.  I  cannot  be  satisfied  with 
the  matter-of-course  acknowledgments  which  are  generally  made  to  the 
Chairman  at  the  termination  of  a  Meeting.  I  cannot  help  giving  special 
expression  to  my  feelings  of  approbation  of  his  conduct. — Mr.  Chairman, 
most  sincerely  do  I  thank  you.  I  regret,  Sir,  that  this  discussion  has 


126  BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

taken  so  wide  a  range — I  regret  that  the  Gentlemen  on  the  opposite  side 
have  not  confined  themselves  more  closely  to  the  subject  on  which  we 
are  now  really  at  issue.  The  question  before  us  is,  the  propriety  of  dis 
tributing  the  Bible,  without  note  or  comment,  among  all  orders  of  the 
people  ;  and,  on  the  principle  that  it  is  to  be  expounded  according  to 
the  private  judgment  of  each  individual.  Yet,  instead  of  debating  this 
single  question,  we  have  been  engaged  in  a  tedious  discussion  on  all  the 
subjects  of  dispute  between  the  Catholic  Church  and  the  Societies  which 
have  separated  from  her.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Pope  has  occupied  the  attention 
of  the  meeting  for  three  hours  and  a  half — he  ranged  at  large  through  the 
entire  field  of  controversy — he  made  a  great  display  of  learning,  and 
exhibited  extraordinary  power  of  lungs.  It  is  not  my  intention,  Sir,  to 
follow  him  in  every  step  of  his  devious  course — indeed  it  is  not  necessary 
to  do  so.  The  Gentleman  has  saved  me  a  great  deal  of  trouble  ;  he  has 
ably  refuted  his  own  principal  arguments — and  in  that  elaborate  speech 
has  furnished  abundant  materials  to  the  opponents  of  the  Biblical  sys 
tem.  He  commenced  with  a  most  extraordinary  argument.  He  quoted 
the  15th  verse  of  the  24th  chapter  of  St.  Matthew,  where  Christ,  speaking 
of  the  abomination  of  desolation  spoken  of  by  Daniel  the  Prophet,  says 
— "  he  that  readeth  let  him  understand."  From  this  text  the  Gentleman 
triumphantly  concludes  that  Christ  has  commanded  us  not  only  to  read, 
but  to  understand — and  to  understand  what,  Mr.  Chairman  *?  The  im 
penetrable  mysteries  of  prophecy.  And,  lest  we  should  mistake  his 
meaning,  he  winds  up  his  argument  with  an  a  fortiori,  that  we,  by  the 
same  Divine  command,  are  still  more  strictly  obliged  to  understand  all 
other  parts  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  Now,  this  is  certainly  the  most 
extraordinary  argument  I  ever  heard  used  by  the  advocates  of  the  Bible 
system.  It  is  not  necessary  for  me  to  follow  the  Gentleman,  in  order, 
through  his  long  speech.  He  saves  me  that  trouble  ;  for  he  has  himself 
fully  confuted  what  he  spent  much  time  in  endeavouring  to  prove  ;  and 
if  his  general  arguments  have  any  force,  they  sweep  away  every  thing 
certain  in  religion.  He  has  denied  the  necessity  of  a  ministry  in  the 
Church;  for  he  has  done  away'with  all  distinction  between  the  teachers  and 
the  taught.  The  word  '  Church,'  he  says,  means  nothing  more  than  the 
congregation  of  Christians.  He  has  denied  the  necessity  of  mission  in 
those  who  preach  the  gospel  without  refuting  the  arguments  by  which 
my  Rev.  Friends  had  proved  that  point  ;  and  he  has  asserted  that  the 
English  Church  does  not  consider  ordination  essentially  necessary  in  her 
ministry.  This,  of  course,  I  will  not  dispute  with  him  ;  but  I  am  sure 
the  Dignitaries  of  his  own  hierarchy  will  not  feel  much  indebted  to  him 
for  giving  us  this  information.  He  denies  the  necessity  of  unity  in  the 
Church ;  and  from  this  conclusive  argument — that,  although  St.  Paul 
compares  the  mystical  Body  of  Christ  to  a  human  body,  in  which  many 
members  constitute  but  one  whole,  yet  the  different  members  may  be 
clothed  in  garments  of  various  colours.  He  has  denied  the  necessity  of 
Catholicity  in  the  Church,  because  '  narrow  is  the  way  that  leads  to  life.' 
He  has  denied  all  order  and  subordination  in  the  Church,  by  denying 
the  supremacy  of  St.  Peter,  contrary  to  the  evident  meaning  of  the  text 
— *  Thou  art  Peter,  and  on  this  rock  I  will  build  my  Church  ;'  and  that 
beautiful  text,  three  times  repeated  in  the  last  chapter  of  St.  John— 
'  Peter,  lovest  thou  me  more  than  these  ?—  feed  my  lambs — feed  my 
sheep.' — He  has  denied  the  apostolicity  of  the  Church,  by  broadly 
asserting  that  there  were  no  successors  to  the  Apostles.  Surely  it  is  un 
necessary  for  me  to  follow  the  Reverend  Gentleman  in  all  those  points. 
What  proves  too  much,  proves  nothing.  If  his  arguments  have  any 


BISHOPS   OF  KILDAKE  AND   LEIGHLIN.  127 

force,  they  carry  away  everything  certain  in  religion. — In  fact,  he  holds 
to  nothing  but  the  Scriptures  ;  and  I  think  that  before  I  have  done  I 
will  show  that  he  carries  the  Scripture  away  too.  He  denies  and 
attempted  to  disprove  the  authority  of  tradition  :  and  then,  with  admir 
able  consistency,  he  grounds  his  own  arguments  upon  that  same 
authority.  I  appeal  to  all  who  now  hear  me,  whether  the  Gentleman  did 
not  deduce  all  his  arguments,  for  the  last  hour  and  a-half,  from  the 
authority  of  that  tradition  which  he  denied  1  But,  by  what  arguments 
does  he  attempt  to  disprove  the  authority  of  tradition  2  By  tradition 
itself — tradition  versus  tradition  !  I  will  then  be  allowed  to  appeal  to 
the  same  testimony  on  the  other  side  of  the  question.  My  Reverend 
Brethren,  in  establishing  yesterday  the  authority  of  tradition,  adduced 
incontestible  arguments  from  the  Holy  Scripture.  I  will  meet  the 
Gentleman  on  the  other  side,  now,  with  some  passages  from  the  Holy 
Fathers.  St.  Ireneus,  who  was  Bishop  of  Lyons,  in  the  second  century, 
and  was  a  disciple  of  St.  Polycarp,  in  his  books  Adv.  ffcer,  writes  thus  : 
— '  Nothing  is  easier  to  those  who  seek  for  the  truth,  than  to  remark  in 
every  Church  the  i tradition  which  the  Apostles  have  manifested  to  all 
the  world.' — Lib.  3,  c.  5.  Again — *  Since  it  would  be  tedious  to  enumer 
ate  the  succession  of  all  the  Churches,  we  appeal  to  the  faith,  and  tradi 
tion  of  the  greatest,  most  ancient,  and  best  known  Church,  that  of  Rome, 
founded  by  the  Apostles  St.  Peter  and  Paul — for  with  this  Church  all 
others  agree,  inasmuch  as  in  her  is  preserved  the  tradition  which  comes 
down  from  the  Apostles/ — Lib.  3,  c.  2.  And  still  more  emphatically  he 
says,  in  the  fourth  book  of  same  work — '  Supposing  the  Apostles  had 
not  left  us  the  Scriptures,  ought  we  not  still  to  have  followed  the 
ordinance  of  tradition,  which  they  consigned  to  those  to  whom  they  com 
mitted  the  Churches  1  It  is  this  ordinance  of  tradition  which  many 
nations  of  barbarians,  believing  in  Christ,  follow,  without  the  use  of 
letters  or  ink.'  Tertullian,  in  his  book  of  Prescriptions,  says,  'that  the 
heretics  pretend  that  they  ought  not  to  argue  upon  any  other  ground 
than  the  written  documents  of  faith  : — thus  they  weary  the  firm/  &c.  I 
will  not  occupy  the  time  of  the  Meeting  by  replying  particularly  to  the 
passages  from  the  Fathers,  which  the  Gentleman  on  the  other  side  so  in 
consistently  produced.  It  is  well  known  that  when  the  Holy  Fathers 
speak  against  certain  traditions,  they  must  be  understood  not  as  speaking 
of  the  universal  tradition  of  the  Church,  but  against  the  false  doctrines 
which  some  heretics  pretended  to  find  in  tradition,  or  of  some  idle 
legends.  But,  Sir,  the  Gentleman  on  the  opposite  side  triumphantly 
challenged  us  to  state  a  single  point  of  Catholic  doctrine,  or  practice, 
which  is  to  be  found  in  tradition  alone,  and  not  in  Scripture.  This,  Sir, 
is  a  very  rash  and  dangerous  challenge. — Besides  infant  baptism  and 
baptism  by  aspersion,  which  my  Rev.  Friend  has  already  instanced,  I 
think  I  can  adduce  some  points  of  Catholic  faith  and  practice  which  are 
contained  in  tradition  alone,  and  not  in  Scripture.  All  Christians 
know  the  third  commandment  of  the  decalogue—'  Remember  that  thou 
keep  holy  the  Sabbath  day.'  All  know  likewise  that  the  Sabbath  day 
is  Saturday,  the  day  which  the  Jews  even  still  keep  holy.  Now,  let  me 
ask  the  learned  Gentleman,  on  what  authority  is  it  that  all  Christians 
keep  holy  the  Sunday  and  not  the  Sabbath  ?  Can  they  point  out  for 
me  a  single  text  in  all  the  Scriptures  which  authorises  this  change  in  the 
commandment  of  the  Lord?  No— not  one.  Here  then,  Sir,  is  a  point 
of  Catholic  faith  and  practice  found  in  tradition  alone,  and  not  in 
Scripture.  Again,  Sir,  we  learn  from  the  Acts,  that  the  Apostles,  in 
solemn  council,  passed  a  decree/ prohibiting  the  use  of  « blood  and  things 


128  BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

strangled/ — Acts,  15  c.  Let  me  ask  now,  do  Christians  consider  them 
selves  still  bound  by  this  law  1  Or  do  any  of  the  Biblical  Gentlemen 
scruple  the  use  of  the  gravy  which  flows  from  their  meat,  or  blood  pre 
pared  in  any  other  mode  of  cookery  ^  Let  them  now  point  out  to  me  a 
single  text  in  all  the  Scriptures  which  contains  a  repeal  or  dispensation 
of  this  solemn  decree  of  the  Apostles.  Here  then,  Sir,  is  another  point 
authorised  by  tradition  alone,  and  not  by  Scripture.  But,  perhaps,  Sir, 
the  Gentlemen  opposite  will  consider  those  very  trifling  and  unimportant 
matters.  Be  it  so. 

"  There  is  still  another  very  weighty  and  important  matter,  indeed, 
another  great  and  essential  point  of  Catholic  faith,  contained  in  tradition 
alone,  and  not  in  Scripture — that  is,  Mr.  Chairman,  the  authority  and 
divinity  of  the  Scriptures  themselves.  Where,  let  rne  ask,  do  the  sacred 
writings  testify  their  own  authority  and  inspiration  ? — and,  if  they  did, 
what  weight  would  such  testimony  carry  with  it  ?  Christ  did  not  rely 
on  his  own  assertion  to  prove  the  divinity  of  his  mission.  He  even  says, 
in  the  fifth  chapter  of  St.  John — '  If  I  bear  testimony  of  myself,  my  tes 
timony  is  not  true  ;  there  is  another  that  beareth  testimony  of  me.'  The 
Father  bore  testimony  of  him,  and  John  bore  testimony  of  him,  and  his 
works  bore  testimony  of  him.  The  Scripture  then  must  have  another  to 
testify  its  divinity.  Talk  no  longer  of  its  internal  evidence.  Some  parts 
of  the  Scripture  exhibit  nothing  of  what  is  called  internal  evidence  ;  and, 
in  those  that  do,  it  is  no  more  than  a  presumptive  proof  of  their 
authenticity  and  inspiration. — But,  perhaps,  it  may  be  said,  that  the 
works  of  the  Bible  bear  testimony  to  it.  Pray  what  are  the  works  of 
the  Bible  alone  ? — That  multiplied  variety  of  heterogeneous  sects  which 
distract  and  disgrace  the  Christian  world  :  and  shall  those  works  be 
considered  as  proofs  of  the  divine  origin  of  the  sacred  writings  ?  I 
believe  not.  But,  Sir,  I  must  admit  that  the  Rev.  Mr.  Pope  has  very 
learnedly  proved  the  authenticity  and  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures  from 
external  evidence.  He  has  proved  this  from  the  writings  of  Pagans, 
Heretics,  and  Doctors  of  the  Church.  It  is  a  little  extraordinary  to  hear 
a  Christian  Divine  proving  the  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures  from  Celsus 
and  Julian  the  apostate.  The  authority  of  the  heretics  is  at  least  very 
dubious.  However,  I  acknowledge  that  the  Gentleman  has  demons 
tratively  proved  the  point  from  the  doctrine  of  the  Fathers  of  the 
Church  of  every  age.  But,  Mr.  Chairman,  this  is  the  very  thing  which 
we  Catholics  call  tradition— that  tradition,  the  authority  of  which  the 
learned  Gentleman  so  emphatically  denied,  and  attempted  to  disprove. 
But  hold ! — The  Gentleman  has  given  me  an  answer  by  anticipation. 
He  tells  us  that  this  is  not  tradition  ;  and  why,  Mr.  Chairman  ? — He  tells 
us  gravely  that  this  is  not  tradition,  because  it  is  not  oral.  Really,  Mr. 
Chairman,  I  don't  know  what  to  say  to  this.  The  doctrine  contained  in 
the  writings  of  the  Fathers  is  not  tradition,  because  it  is  not  oral !  I 
protest  this  is  the  greatest  sophism  I  ever  heard  uttered.  I  am  ashamed 
to  hear  it  from  a  Gentleman  of  education — it  was  unworthy  of  his  talents 
and  learning.  After  all,  Mr.  Chairman,  it  must  be  admitted  that  we 
have  no  means  of  ascertaining  the  authenticity,  canonicity,  and  integrity 
of  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  except  the  authority  of  the  Catholic  Church. 
Here  is  the  explanation  of  that  well-known  text  of  St.  Augustine— 
*  Non  crederem  evangelic  nisi  commoveret  me  auctoritas  ecclesice,' '  I  would 
not  believe  the  Gospel,  unless  I  were  moved  to  it  by  the  authority  of 
the  Catholic  Church.'  Those,  therefore,  who  reject  that  authority,  leave 
themselves  without  an  argument  to  prove  the  authority  and  divinity  of 
the  Gospel.  Thus  the  learned  arguments  of  the  opposite  Gentleman 


BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN.  129 

carry  off  in  their  sweeping  course  not  only  the  Church,  her  Ministry, 
and  her  tradition,  but  even  the  Sacred  Scriptures  which  they  profess  to 
venerate.  The  Gentlemen  opposite  have  spoken  much  at  large  of  the 
infallibility  of  the  Church ;  they  seek  to  disconcert  the  Catholic,  by 
endeavouring  to  prove  that  it  is  uncertain  where  the  infallibility  resides. 
This  is  only  throwing  dust  in  our  eyes.  Some  Catholic  Divines,  indeed, 
maintain  that  the  Pope,  in  his  Ministerial  capacity,  speaking  'ex  cathedra' 
on  matters  of  faith,  is  infallible  ;  and  there  are  others  who  do  not  hold 
this  opinion.  But  all  Catholics  know  and  believe  that  the  Church  is 
infallible,  whether  assembled  in  a  general  Council  of  her  Bishops,  with 
the  Chief  Pontiff  at  their  head,  or  when  dispersed  throughout  the  world, 
her  Bishops  receive  and  assent  to  the  definitions  of  faith  of  the  Chief 
Pastor.  Every  Catholic  knows  and  believes  this — because  he  knows 
that  the  Church  is  founded  on  a  rock,  that  the  spirit  of  Christ  shall  never 
depart  from  her,  and  that  the  gates  of  hell  shall  never  prevail  against 
her.  It  is  in  vain  to  endeavour  to  explain  away  those  texts.  There 
must  be  an  authority  in  religion,  and  that  authority  must  be  such  as 
that  it  cannot  lead  to  error.  It  is  vain  to  endeavour  to  disturb  the 
Catholic  in  the  security  of  his  faith:  True,  he  knows  the  Pastor  is  not 
infallible  ;  but  he  also  knows,  that,  as  the  organ  of  the  Church,  he  com 
municates  to  him  the  Catholic  doctrine  pure  and  unadulterated.  He 
knows  that  the  doctrine  of  the  Priest  must  be  conformable  to  the 
doctrine  of  the  Bishop,  and  that  the  doctrine  of  the  Bishop  must  be  the 
same  as  that  which  is  believed  and  taught  by  the  Chief  Pontiff,  and  all 
the  other  Bishops  of  the  Catholic  world.  In  matters  which  are  not  of 
faith,  there  is  liberty  of  opinion ;  but  the  faith  of  the  Church  is  essentially 
one,  securely  resting  on  the  immovable  rock  of  eternal  truth.  The  mark 
of  sanctity  is  the  only  one  which  the  Gentleman  who  spoke  last  on  the 
other  side  has  thought  proper  to  leave  to  the  Church  of  Christ ;  but  he 
and  his  colleagues  have  laboured  hard  to  prove  that  this  character 
belongs  not  to  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  They  say  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church  is  not  holy,  because  some  of  her  Chief  Pastors  have  been 
men  of  immoral  lives.  I  admit  the  fact ;  but  quid  inde  ?  Does  the  con 
clusion  which  they  assume  follow]  Did  the  Church  at  the  time  of  her 
origin  lose  her  essential  sanctity  by  the  prevarication  of  St.  Peter  ? — No. 
Therefore,  in  subsequent  times,  she  did  not  lose  this  essential  character 
by  the  vices  and  immoralities  of  some  of  his  successors.  But  the 
Gentlemen  appear  not  to  understand  in  what  the  sanctity  of  the  Church 
consists.  It  consists  in  the  holiness  of  her  head,  Jesus  Christ,  and  of 
her  founders,  the  Apostles — in  the  holiness  of  her  doctrine  of  faith,  and 
her  discipline  of  morals — in  the  means  with  which  she  is  provided  for 
the  sanctification  of  her  children — and  in  the  eminent  holiness  of  numbers 
of  her  children  in  every  age-  I  say  not  of  all  her  children — for  the  enemy 
has  been  busy  sowing  tares  in  the  field  of  the  Lord,  and  they  shall  not 
be  separated  from  the  good  grain,  until  the  great  day  of  judgment  and 
final  retribution.  Those  objections  against  the  lives  of  some  of  the 
Popes  prove  nothing,  unless  it  can  be  shown  that  they  were  sanctioned 
by  any  principle  of  Catholic  faith  or  discipline.  This  never  was,  nor  will 
be,  attempted.  Some  Divines  maintain  the  Ministerial  infallibility  of 
the  Pope  in  matters  of  faith,  but  none  ever  pretended  to  invest  him  with 
the  prerogative  of  personal  impeccability.  When  this  attack,  Mr.  Chair 
man,  on  the  sanctity  of  our  Church,  from  the  vices  of  some  of  our 
Pontiffs,  was  made  by  a  Gentleman  yesterday,  he  introduced  it  with  a 
sort  of  an  apology.  I  must  now,  Sir,  introduce  a  subject,  which,  when  I 
consider  the  audience  I  address,  may  also  require  some  apology.  I  mean 

I 


130  BISHOPS   OF  KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

to  give  one  proof  of  the  claims  which  the  Reformed  Churches  have  to  the 
character  of  sanctity.  I  assure  you,  Sir,  I  don't  introduce  it  merely  for 
the  purpose  of  recrimination,  but  because  it  bears  strongly  on  my 

E resent  argument.     I  have  here,  Sir,  a  copy  of  a  document  in  which 
uther,  the  great  father  of  the  Reformation,  together  with  his  council  of 
theologians,  gave  permission  to  Philip,  Landgrave  of  Hesse,  to  have  two 
wives  at  the  same  time.     I  will  read,  Sir,  only  the  concluding  sentence. 
There  are  ladies  present :  and  I  don't  wish  to  offend  delicate  ears,  or 
raise  a  blush  on  the  cheek  of  modesty  :— '  Your  Highness  hath  therefore 
not  only  the  approbation  of  us  all,  in  a  case  of  necessity,  but  also  the 
consideration  we  have  made  thereupon,'  &c.     It  is  dated  Wirtemberg, 
1539,  and    is  signed    by  Martin  Luther,   Philip   Melancthon,   Martin 
Bucer,    Anthony  Corvin,    Adam    John    Leningue,    Justus    Winferte, 
Dionysius  Melancthen.     Now,  this  is  not  a  personal  charge  against  the 
moral  character  of  Luther  •  but  a  doctrinal  decision,  given  and  signed  by 
the  father  of  the  Reformation  and  his  theologians  in  council— a  decision 
most  licentious  and  unholy— most  pernicious  to  society,  and  destructive 
of  Christian  morality.     I  beg  it  will  be  observed,  now,  that  I  say  nothing 
of  the  personal  character  of  Luther.     We  all  know  how  immaculate  that 
was.—  '  I  can't  bear  this  Jerome/  says  he,  '  he  is  so  perpetually  canting 
about  fasting  and  continence.'— Serv.  Arb.     Judge  now,  where  is  the 
claim  to  the  character  of  sanctity.     I  regret,  Mr.  Chairman,  that  I  have 
occupied  the  time  and  attention  of  the  meeting  so^  long,  on  matters 
which  do  not  properly  belong  to  the  question  on  which  we  are  now  at 
issue.     But  I  was  compelled  to  it  by  the  mode  of  argumentation  which 
the  Gentleman  wrho  spoke  before  me  on  the  other  side  adopted.     I  will 
now,  Sir,  come  to  the  point,  and  bring  the  question  within  its  proper 
boundaries.     The  principal,  indeed  the  only  argument,  which  has  been 
brought  forward  here  to  support  the  Biblical  system,  is  one  drawn  from 
the  Holy  Fathers  and  the  practice  of  the  Catholic  Church.     Here,  Sir,  I 
must   acknowledge  ourselves  indebted  to  our  learned  adversaries.      I 
wish  particularly  to  make  my  acknowledgments  to  the  Hon.  and  Rev. 
Gentleman  who  introduced  this  argument.     I  was  much  pleased  with  his 
urbanity  and  gentlemanly  demeanour  ;  but  I  was  sorry  to  see  him,  at 
the  close  of  his  speech,  descending  from  the  graceful  dignity  he  had 
assumed,  to  rake  in  the  mire  for  filth  to  cast  in  the  face  of  his  adversaries. 
I  think  it  beneath  me,  Sir,  to  notice  farther  the  circumstance  to  which 
I  allude.    However,  I  thank  him  and  the  other  Gentlemen  for  the  argu 
ment  which  they  have  introduced.     It  refutes  a  gross  calumny  which 
had  been  long  circulated  against  the  Catholic  Church.     It  has  been  often 
said,  that  it  is  a  principle  of  the  Catholic  Church  to  lock  up  the  sacred 
writings  from  her  people,  that  she  may  keep  them  in  darkness  and  error. 
This  calumny  has  been  satisfactorily  refuted  by  the  Gentlemen  to  whom 
I  am  now  opposed.    They  have  proved  that  the  Catholic  Church  in  every 
age  strongly  recommends  the  study  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.     They  have 
proved  it  from  many  Holy  Fathers— from  the  preface  to  a  Parisian  Edition 
of  the  Bible  ;  and  one  gentleman  has  proved  it  to  the  present  day  from  a 
letter  of  a  most  respectable  Roman  Catholic  clergyman.    Let  the  foul 
calumny  then  be  no  more  repeated,  that  the  Catholic  Church  is  hostile 
to  the  Scriptures.    But  what  is  the  conclusion  which  the  gentlemen 
deduce  from  this  ? — Solid  reasoning  does  not  always  accompany  flippant 
oratory  and  graceful  gesture.     Here  is  their  argument: — The  Catholic 
Church,  in  every  age,  strongly  recommends  the  study  of  the  Scriptures  ; 
therefore,  the  Bible  Society  has  a  strict  right  to  distribute  their  own 
version  of  the  Bible,  without  note  or  comment,   among  the  Roman 


BISHOPS   OF  KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN.  131 

Catholics,  and  on  the  principle  that  it  is  to  be  expounded  by  the  private 
judgment  of  each  individual.  Admirable  conclusion,  indeed  !  The 
gentlemen  are  scholars,  and  I  am  sure  they  are  well  versed  in  logic.  I 
would  ask  them  then,  is  this  conclusion  contained  in  the  premisses  1  It 
is  one  thing,  Mr.  Chairman,  to  recommend  the  reading  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  and  quite  another  to  inculcate  the  principles  of  private  judg 
ment  in  expounding  them.  Those  two  things  ought  to  be  always  care 
fully  distinguished.  The  Catholic  Church  has  always  kept  them 
separate  ;  but  the  advocates  of  the  Biblical  system  always  studiously  con 
found  them.  Thus  they  reason :— The  Holy  Fathers  recommend  the 
reading  of  the  Scriptures ;  therefore  they  authorise  the  right  of  expound 
ing  them  according  to  the  private  judgment  of  every  individual,  no 
matter  how  that  judgment  may  be  obscured  by  ignorance,  prejudice,  or 
passion.  The  Holy  Fathers,  Sir,  knew  this  distinction  batter.  Knowing 
that  *  all  Scripture  divinely  inspired  is  profitable  to  teach,  to  reprove,  to 
correct,  to  instruct  injustice,'  they  exhort  the  faithful  to  the  study  of  the 
sacred  volume.  But  knowing  also  that  the  weakness  of  human  reason  is 
not  to  be  the  judge  of  the  truths  of  divine  revelation — knowing  that  there 
are  many  parts  of  the  Scriptures  which  the  '  unlearned  and  unstable 
(those  who,  rejecting  authority,  are  liable  to  be  carried  away  by  every 
wind  of  doctrine)  wrest  to  their  own  destruction/  they  strongly  insist  on 
the  necessity  of  studying  them  in  submission  to  the  authority  of  the 
Church,  in  the  unity  of  her  doctrine,  and  under  the  guidance  of  her 
teachers.  This,  Sir,  will  appear  clearly  from  a  few  passages  which  I  will 
take  the  liberty  of  reading. — [Here  the  Eev.  Gentleman  read  at  length 
passages  from  Rufinus,  llth  Book,  9th  c.  of  his  history.— St.  Basil,  75th 
Epist. — St.  Epiph.  contra  hsBresem  61. — St.  Augustine,  on  the  utility  of 
believing,  7th  and  17th  chap. — St.  Chrysostom,  homily  on  Methusalem. 
— Jerome,  in  Epu.  adPauUnum,  and  other  authorities.]  Thus  it  appears 
that  the  authorities  to  which  the  learned  gentlemen  appeal  to  establish 
the  principles  of  the  Biblical  system,  prove  directly  the  reverse,  viz. — 
that  there  must  be  a  living  speaking  authority  to  interpret  the  Word  of 
God,  and  preserve  the  deposit  of  faith.  These  are  the  means  which  God 
selected  for  the  establishment  of  religion,  and  these  the  means  by  which 
it  must  be  preserved.  It  is  worthy  of  observation  that  St.  Paul  and  the 
other  Apostles,  who  wrote  Gospels  or  Epistles,  did  not  write  them  for 
the  purpose  of  converting  those  to  whom  they  were  addressed ;  but, 
having  first  converted  them  by  the  living  voice  of  preaching,  they  after 
wards  wrote  to  them  on  some  apparently  casual  occasions.  And  it  is 
also  remarkable,  that  St.  Peter  even  then  thought  it  necessary  to  warn 
the  flock  against  the  danger  of  private  interpretation,  telling  them  that 
there  were  some  who  wrested  the  Epistles  of  St.  Paul,  and  the  other 
Scriptures,  to  their  own  destruction.  Mr.  Pope  has  charged  us  with  some 
errors  in  our  translations  of  the  Bible  from  the  Greek.  Mr.  Daly  also 
has  charged  the  author  of  a  new  pamphlet,  signed  J.  K.  L.,  with  a  gross 
frlunder  and  impiety  in  perverting  the  meaning  of  a  text.  I  suppose, 
however,  when  the  learned  gentleman  made  this  assertion,  he  had  not 
read  sufficiently  far  in  the  pamphlet.  If  he  had  read  two  pages  farther, 
J .  K.  L.  would  have  informed  him  that  the  Greek  word  may  be  taken  in. 
the  indicative  as  well  as  the  imperative  mood.  I  will  answer  Mr.  Pope 
upon  one  point,  and  refer  to  where  he  will  get  a  satisfactory  explanation 
in  all  the  others.  He  says,  we  improperly  translate  the  verb  peTavoeiv, 
'  to  do  penance/  instead  of '  to  repent.'  The  gentleman  is  right  in  his 
explanation  of  the  etymology  of  the  word  ;  but  he  ought  to  know,  that 
in  its  use  and  application  it  means  not  merely  a  change  and  sorrow  of 


132  BISHOPS  OP  KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

mind  but  also  the  performance  of  the  penitential  works  which  necessarily 
accompany  and  follow  a  sincere  change  and  sorrow  of  heart.  In  other 
parts  of  the  Scripture  the  same  word  is  used  to  signify  penitential  works. 
—Mat.  xi.  21;  Luke  x.  21 ;  and  the  Greek  ecclesiastical  writers  use  it  m 
the  same  sense.  To  these  authorities  we  may  add  the  poet  Ausonius  :— • 

*  Sum  Dea,  qucefacti,  non  factique,  exigo  p&nas; 
1  Scilicet  utpceniteat,  sic  v&tavoia  vocor.' 

I  now  refer  him  to  the  preface  to  the  fourth  edition  of  Ward's  Errata  of 
the  Protestant  Bible,  the  book  which  I  now  hold  in  my  hand,  for  further 
information  on  this  subject,  and  for  an  ample  refutation  of  all  the 
objections  of  this  nature  which  he  proposed.     The  arguments  of  the 
Roman  Catholics  against  the  principles  of  the  Bible  system,  ^from  their 
absurd  and  pernicious  consequences,  have  been  answered  this  day  in  a 
manner  which  appears  to  give  great  satisfaction   to  the    Gentlemen 
opposite.    It  has  been  said,  Sir,  that '  we  argue  against  the  Word  of  God, 
from  the  abuse  of  it.'    This  is  specious,  Mr.  Chairman  •  but  it  is  a 
sophism.    The  Roman  Catholics  do  not  argue  against  the  Word  of  God, 
but  against  the  abuse  of  it.    We  want  to  guard  against  the  abuse  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  and  to  secure  the  proper  and  salutary  use^of  them,  by 
the  guiding  and  correcting  principle  of  a  competent  authority.    We  do 
not  argue  directly  or  indirectly  against  the  Divine  Word  ;  but  we  argue 
directly  against  the  principle  of  private  interpretation — a  principle  which 
is  directly  abusive  of  the  Scriptures,   subversive  of    all  authority  in 
Religion,  and,  in  its  direct  operation,  productive  of  all  those  absurd  dis 
astrous  consequences  to  which  my  Rev.  Friends  alluded.    The  Rev. 
Gentlemen  declared,  that  they  don't  come  here  to  do  us  any  harm  ;  they 
disavow  all  hostile  intentions.    I  don't  want,  Sir,  to  deprive  them  of  the 
credit  of  their  benevolent  intentions  ;  I  don't  want    to  impeach  the 
sincerity  of  their  declarations.    But  I  say,  that  their  proceedings  are 
essentially  hostile  to  the  Catholic  Faith.    No  great  body  of  Religionists, 
Mr.  Chairman,  ever  made  use  of  this  principle,  of  anarchy  and  disunion, 
except  in  opposition  to  the  Church  authority.    When  the  first  reformers 
raised  the  standard  of  revolt  against  the  Church  of  Rome,  they  pro 
claimed    the  principle  of   'evangelical    liberty/    or,    more    properly, 
evangelical  licentiousness.    But,  as  soon  as  they  had  attracted  crowds  to 
their  camp,  they  proceeded  to  reduce  them  to  regular  organization,  and 
to  establish  in  their  bodies  the  principles  of  authority  and  subordination. 
Certainly  they  could  not  prevent  the  working  of  their  own  principle,  be 
cause  the  authority  which  they  established  was  incompetent ;  hence  they 
were  soon  divided  into  a  thousand  sects.    But  they  did  establish  an 
authority.    Luther  proclaimed  his  own  infallibility,  and  consigned  all 
who  opposed  him  to  reprobation.    Calvin  established  a  tribunal,  which 
brought  Servetus  to  the  stake  for  presuming  to  act  on  the  first  principle 
of  Calvin.    The  Church  of  England  established  an  authority  and  order 
more  perfect  than  any  other  reformed  Society.     Thus,  all  those  Societies 
establish  among  themselves  a  principle  of  authority  ;  but,  when  they  take 
the  field  against  the  Catholic  Church,  they  unfurl  the  banner  of  evan 
gelical  licentiousness.    When  we  see,  then,  a  powerful  Society  advancing 
towards  us  with  such  principles  and  such  arms,  we  want  no  prophet  to 
warn  us  of  the  danger.     Many  of  the  individuals  who  support  it,  I  am 
sure,  are  actuated  by  good  motives  ;  but  the  principles  and  the  object  of 
the  Societies  are  essentially  hostile  to  the  Catholic  Faith.    I  will  now 
conclude.  Sir,  by  repeating  my  protest  against  the  principles  and  pro- 


BISHOPS  OF   KILDARE   AND  LEIGHLIN.  133 

ceedings  of  the  Bible  Societies,  and  entreating  those  respectable 
individuals  who  have  lent  themselves  to  that  cause,  to  desist  ere  much, 
evil  may  be  done.  The  principles  of  the  Bible  Societies  prove  too  much; 
and  we  have  the  authority  of  a  Protestant  Dignitary  for  asserting,  that 
they  will  work  too  much.  It  is  Dr.  Balguy,  I  think,  who  says,  *  that  the 
English  Church  is  like  an  oak  which  is  shivered  into  pieces  by  a  wedge 
which  was  cleft  from  its  own  trunk." 

Those  who  have  studied  the  history  of  the  period — particularly 
in  relation  to  the  evils  and  outrages  consequent  upon  the 
attempts  to  enforce  the  payment  of  tithes, — will  readily  com 
prehend  the  motives  which  prompted  the  Bishop  of  Kildare  and 
Leighlin  to  address  the  following  Letter  to  his  Clergy.  In  June, 
1834,  a  Eesolution  had  been  carried  in  the  House,  by  a  majority 
of  396  to  120,  "  Praying  his  Majesty  to  appoint  a  Commission  to 
enquire  into  tbe  state  of  the  (Protestant)  Church,  and  of  Church 
property  in  Ireland ;  and  also  to  enquire  into  the  proportion,  in 
numbers  and  endowments,  between  the  Roman  Catholics  and 
Dissenters  and  the  Establishment  of  the  Protestant  Church." 
The  Protestant  clergy,  in  alarm,  met  and  adopted  an  Address  to 
the  King,  which  was  signed  by  1,400  clergymen,  and  was  pre 
sented  by  the  Archbishop  of  Armagh.  To,  this,  his  Majesty 
replied  stating  his  "  determination  not  to  allow  a  single  privilege 
of  the  church  to  be  touched."  Earl  Grey,  having  resigned  the 
Premiership,  was  succeeded  by  Lord  Melbourne  who  decided 
upon  making  concessions  to  the  Catholics  on  the  tithe  question. 
His  Tithe  bill,  after  passing  the  Commons,  was  rejected  by  the 
Lords.  During  the  Parliamentary  recess  which  followed, 
numerous  meetings  took  place  in  Ireland  at  which  the  undying 
hostility  of  the  people  to  this  odious  and  iniquitous  impost  was 
expressed  in  no  uncertain  terms.  On  the  14th  of  December,  the 
King  summarily  dismissed  the  Melbourne  ministry,  and  sent  for 
Sir  Robert  Peel.  Parliament  was  dissolved  on  the  30th  of 
December,  and  the  writs  for  the  new  house  of  Commons  were 
made  returnable  on  the  19th  of  February  following.  The 
dismissal  of  the  Melbourne  Cabinet  had  greatly  exasperated  the 
liberal  and  Catholic  party,  who  had  no  hope  of  redress  of  their 
grievances  from  the  party  who  were  thus  placed  in  power, 
chiefly  with  the  view  of  opposing  their  just  demands.  Such 
were  the  circumstances  under  which  this  letter  was  issued.  The 
result  of  the  General  Election  was  that,  Sir  Robert  Peel,  after 
holding  office  for  only  three  months,  had  to  resign,  and  the  King- 
was  compelled  to  recall  his  former  ministers,  the  Earl  of 
Mulgrave  being  appointed  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  with 
Lord  Morpeth  for  his  Secretary  ;  Lord  Plunket  becoming  Lord 
Chancellor,  and  Mr.  Perrin  and  Mr.  O'Loghlen  respectively 
Attorney  and  Solicitor-General  for  Ireland. 


134  BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE  AND   LEIGHLIN. 

"  Braganza  House,  Carlo  w,  January  7,  1835. 

"  DEAR  KEY.  SIR — Having  been  consulted  by  some  of  our  Clergy,  on 
the  expediency  of  our  taking  a  part  in  the  present  Elections,  I  deem  it 
necessary  to  address  my  answer  generally  to  the  Priests  of,  at  least,  this 
part  of  the  Diocese. 

"  My  wish,  as  it  is  the  expressed  wish  of  all  the  Catholic  Prelates  of 
Ireland  is,  that  we  should,  if  it  were  possible,  keep  aloof  from  all  inter 
ference  in  political  concerns.  This,  however,  must  be  subject  to  the 
modification  of  circumstances  :  and  I  am  decidedly  of  opinion,  that  the 
present  critical  and  most  important  juncture  of  public  affairs,  not  only 
justifies,  but  imperatively  calls  for,  our  most  active  and  energetic  exer 
tions.  I  will  state  my  reasons  briefly — 

"  The  best  and  dearest  interests,  religious  as  well  as  political,  of  our 
people  and  country,  are  at  this  moment  at  stake.  A  new  administration 
has  been  called  into  power,  avowedly  for  the  purpose  of  supporting  the 
temporalities  of  the  Church  by  law  established,  and  the  principles  of  the 
Tory,  anti-reforming,  or  Conservative  party  in  England  and  Ireland. — 
His  Majesty,  desiring  to  ascertain  whether  a  Ministry  formed  for  such 
objects,  and  on  such  principles,  shall  be  likely  to  possess  the  confidence 
of  the  nation,  has  dissolved  the  late  Parliament,  and  calls  on  the  Electors 
to  make  known  to  him  their  wishes  and  opinions,  by  the  free  and  inde 
pendent  exercise  of  their  legal  right  of  choosing  their  Representative  for 
a  new  one. 

"  The  present  general  Election  then, is  thejnost  important  that,  perhaps, 
ever  occurred  in  this  country  ;  for  on  its  result  depends  the  future  im 
provement,  peace,  and  prosperity  of  Ireland,  or  the  perpetual  continuance 
of  the  poverty,  misery,  and  degradation  of  her  people. 

"  Shall  we,  then,  stand  by,  as  idle  spectators  of  so  momentous  a 
contest  ?  We,  who  are  so  completely  identified  with  our  people,  in  all 
their  interests,  and  all  their  sufferings.  I  answer,  emphatically— no ! 
The  people  stand  in  need  of  our  assistance  in  this  emergency  j  and  we 
owe  to  them  our  most  zealous  co-operation,  in  an  object  so  evidently  good, 
as  their  peaceful  and  legal  endeavours  to  free  themselves  from  the 
thraldom  of  Conservative  oppression,  and  the  crying  grievances  of  an 
unjust  and  sanguinary  Tithe  system.  We  are  bound  to  give  them  our 
assistance,  by  instruction,  advice,  exhortation — and  it  is  necessary  to 
explain  to  the  Electors  the  real  nature  of  the  question  which  they  are  now 
called  on  to  determine  by  their  votes. 

"  The  question  before  the  Electors  now  is,  not  whether  this  or  that 
Candidate  be  a  man  of  wealth,  or  limited  fortune — a  man  of  amiable 
manners  and  private  worth,  or  a  haughty  aristocrat  and  bad  landlord — a 
man  of  mental  powers,  and  literary  acquirements,  or  a  .half  educated 
squire  ;  but  simply  this,  will  they,  by  their  votes,  do  all  in  their  power, 
to  support  an  administration  which  is  determined  to  check  the  progress 
of  salutary  improvement  in  ail  the  civil  institutions  of  the  Empire — to 
uphold  and  perpetuate  in  Ireland  the  enormous  abuses  of  a  Church 
Establishment,  from  which  the  people  never  received  aught  but  evil — to 
place  the  education  of  our  youth  in  the  hands  of  proselytising  fanatics — 
and  to  deliver  the  Catholic  population  again  to  the  domination  of  the 
old  ascendancy  faction  ?  Need  the  Electors  be  informed  of  the  true 
character  of  this  Ministry  1  If  they  be  unacquainted  with  the  professed 
and  uniform  principles  of  the  men  who  compose  it ;  passing  events  will 
tell  them  ;— two  or  three  sanguinary  Tithe-massacres  have  occurred  since 
the  accession  of  the  present  Ministry  to  power — not  perpetrated  indeed 
by  their  orders,  but  certainly  in  the  well-founded  hope  of  protection  and 


BISHOPS  OF   KILDARE   AND  LEIGHLIN.  135 

indemnity  from  them.  Are  they  to  be  informed  of  the  Tory  or  Con 
servative  principles]  Surely  they  cannot  have  so  soon  forgotten  those 
notable  speeches  and  resolutions,  in  which  the  Catholic  tenantry  are 
devoted  to  extermination  from  the  lands  in  which  they  and  their  fathers 
have  toiled,  unless,  besides  paying  their  rack-rents,  they  deliver  them 
selves  up  in  abject  vassalage  to  the  lords  of  the  soil. 

"Here  again  is  the  plain  question  for  the  Electors.-  Will  they  give 
their  support  to  such  a  Ministry— their  sanction  to  such  principles— 
their  Approbation  to  such  proceedings]  Can  any  honest,  independent, 
conscientious  Freeholder,  particularly,  can  any  Catholic  Freeholder,  who 
desires  to  see  the  reign  of  justice,  charity,  and  peace  in  his  native  land, 
do  so  ]  I  should  be  extremely  sorry  to  answer  in  the  affirmative. 

'Let  not  the  Electors  be  deluded  by  specious  and  plausible  professions 
of  liberality  from  any  Candidates  whom  they  know  to  be  identified  with 
the  party,  to  whose  bad  principles  and  selfish  anti-national  interest,  the 
new  Ministry  is  pledged.  The  question,  at  the  present  crisis,  I  repeat  it, 
turns  not  so  much  on  the  personal  merits  or  demerits  of  any  individual 
Candidate,  as  on  the  paramount  interests  of  the  country,  and  the  well- 
known  principles  of  the  Tory  Government. 

"  After  having  explained  to  the  freeholders  of  your  parish  the  real  state 
of  the  question  on  which  they  have  solemnly  to  decide,  your  duty,  Sir, 
is  to  instruct  them  in  the  conscientious  obligations  of  Electors  :  for  they 
are  not  to  understand  that  the  elective  privilege  is  intended  by  the  laws 
as  a  matter  of  traffic,  to  be  disposed  of  for  private  emolument  or  favour  ; 
but  a  sacred  trust  confided  to  them  for  the  public  good  ;  and,  therefore, 
to  be  exercised  for  the  public  good,  with  strict  adherence  to  integrity, 
and  according  to  the  pure  dictates  of  conscience. 

"  Their  attention  is  to  be  most  particularly  directed  to  the  nature  and 
obligation  of  the  oaths  which  are  to  be  administered  to  them— the  Oath 
of  Qualification,  and  the  Oath  against  Bribery.  However,  I  am  so  fully 
convinced  of  your  own  competency  to  give  the  necessary  instructions  on 
this  important  subject,  that  I  feel  it  sufficient  now  merely  to  advert  to  it. 

"Impress  on  the  minds  of  your  people  the  great  importance  of  unanimity. 
Unanimity  constitutes  our  strength ;  division,  always  the  bane  of  our 
unhappy  country,  would  now  be  fatal.  If  the  honest,  independent,  free 
holders,  without  distinction  of  creeds,  stand  together,  with  one  heart  and 
one  mind,  in  the  peaceful  assertion  of  their  constitutional  rights,  they 
must  be  triumphant ;  the  power  of  their  opponents  shall  be  as  chaff  before 
them  •  and  they  may  laugh  to  scorn  the  vindictive  threats  of  disappointed 
ambition.  The  popular  Election  Committee  has  already  given  the 
example  of  that  unanimity,  and  a  proof  of  the  total  absence  of  all 
sectarian  views  and  prejudices  from  their  councils  ;  for,  though  princi 
pally  Catholics,  they  have  preferred,  in  their  selection  of  Candidates  for 
the  Borough  and  County  (of  Carlow),  three  Protestants  to  three  Catholics 
of  wealth,  talent,  and  respectability. 

"  Above  all  things,  exhort  them  to  observe  inviolably,  strict  obedience 
to  the  laws,  and  a  peaceful,  sober,  orderly  line  of  conduct.  Implore  of 
them  to  avoid  all  excess  and  intemperance — to  abstain  from  intoxicating 
liquors,  and  to  '  refrain  themselves  from  all  appearance  of  evil.'  Kemind 
them  of  the  necessity  of  practising  patience  and  forbearance,  lest  they 
should  be  provoked  to  a  violation  of  the  peace,  by  designing  and  evil- 
minded  persons. 

"  In  conclusion,  Sir,  I  do  not  hesitate  to  say,  that  it  is  at  this  juncture, 
indispensably  necessary,  that  we  exert,  for  the  common  good  of  our 
Country,  all  our  energy  and  zeal.  But  I  trust  it  shall  be  with  prudence 


136  BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE  AND   LEIGHLIN. 

and  charity  :  and  in  a  manner  befitting  the  sacred  station  which  we  have 
the  honour  of  holding  :  in  order  '  that  he  who  is  on  the  contrary  part, 
may  be  afraid,  having  no  evil  to  say  of  us.'  '  Be  vigilant/  therefore, 
*  labour  in  all  things,' '  rebuke  the  unquiet,  comfort  the  feeble-minded, 
support  the  weak,  be  patient  towards  all  men.  See  that  none  render 
evil  for  evil  to  any  man  ;  but  ever  follow  that  which  is  good  towards 
each  other,  and  towards  all  men;  and  may  the  God  of  Peace  himself 
sanctify  you  in  all  things  :  that  your  whole  spirit,  and?  soul,  and  body, 
may  be  preserved  blameless  in  the  coming  of  our  Lord.' " 
"  I  remain  dear  Sir,  your  obedient  faithful  servant, 

^EDWARD  NOLAN,  Bishop,  &c." 

The  Episcopal  career  of  Dr.  Nolan  was  of  short  duration. 
Whilst  engaged  in  the  duty  of  Visitation,  in  a  remote  portion 
of  the  Diocese,  he  caught  typhus  fever,  about  the  beginning  of 
October,  1837.  He  at  once  hastened  to  Carlow,  his  illness  being 
seriously  aggravated  by  tbe  long  journey.  An  interval  of  deep 
anxiety  succeeded,  during  which,  fervent  prayers  were  con 
tinuously  offered  for  the  prolongation  of  a  life  so  precious.  But 
God's  own  good  time  had  come.  On  Saturday,  the  14th  of 
October,  1837,  at  7  o'clock  in  the  evening,  he  breathed  his  last, 
his  bed  being  surrounded  by  several  of  his  priests,  and  by  the 
Sisters  of  Mercy,  who  had  attended  on  him  throughout  his 
illness.  The  Solemn  Obsequies  took  place  in  the  Cathedral,  at 
which  several  Prelates  assisted,  the  clergy  of  the  Diocese  as  well 
as  from  the  Dioceses  adjoining,  being  also  present  in  great  num 
bers.  At  the  termination  of  the  religious  Service,  the  body  was 
borne  through  the  principal  streets  of  the  town  followed  by  a 
vast  and  sorrowing  crowd,  amongst  whom  were  many  who, 
though  not  of  his  flock,  yet  were  anxious  to  attest  by  their 
presence  their  veneration  for  his  virtues.  The  County  Carlow 
Quarter  Sessions  were  adjourned  until  the  interment  had  taken 
place,  as  a  mark  of  respect  to  the  memory  of  the  deceased 
Prelate.  The  procession  then  returned  to  the  Cathedral,  where 
all  that  was  earthly  of  the  gentle  and  holy  Bishop  was  placed 
on  the  right  hand  of  his  illustrious  predecessor  and  friend,  Dr. 
Doyle.  A  black  marble  monument,  has  been  placed  over  the 
grave,  bearing  a  floreated  Cross,  with  the  following  inscrip 
tion  :— 

"  Here  lie  the  Eemains  of  the 

RIGHT  REVD.  EDWARD  NOLAN, 

Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighliu; 

Consecrated,  Oct.  28th  1834.     Died,  Oct.  14th  1837, 

Aged  44  years. 

Ever  from  his  childhood  distinguished  for  his 
Pare  piety,  his  Gentleness,  and  amiable  simplicity  of  manners, 

he  was  called  from  a  life  of  beloved  seclusion 

Congenial  to  his  humble  and  Retiring  Disposition, 

to  watch  over  the  Church  of  Kildare  and   Leighlin, 

Which  he  Governed  in  Peace  and  Happiness, 


BISHOPS   OF  KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN.  137 

Edifying  all  by  his  Saintly  Example, 

and  Commanding  the  Cheerful  Obedience  of  all, 

More  by  the  Influence  of  his  Endearing  Virtues 

Than  by  the  Authority  with  which  he  was  Vested. 

Requiescat  in  pace." 

To  tbe  Sisters  of  the  Presentation  Convent  at  Carlow, 
especially,  the  death  of  Dr.  Nolan  was  a  source  of  most  poignant 
regret.  Immediately  after  his  Ordination  he  accepted  the 
Chaplaincy  of  that  Community,  to  which  he  knew  there  was  no 
salary  attached.  In  this  office  he  continued  until  his  Consecra 
tion,  a  period  of  fourteen  years,  the  latter  nine  years  of  which  he 
acted  as  ordinary  Confessor.  On  several  occasions  he  conducted 
the  Spiritual  Retreats  of  the  Sisterhood,  and  he  constantly 
laboured  to  promote  their  advancement  in  the  way  of  perfection, 
whilst  they  entertained  for  him  the  most  reverential  regard. 
From  the  moment  the  life,  so  dear  to  them,  was  pronounced  to 
be  in  danger,  they  never  ceased  to  importune  their  Divine 
Spouse  to  avert  the  threatened  blow.  On  the  night  preceding 
his  holy  death,  some  of  the  Sisters  were  permitted  to  remain  in 
supplicating  adoration  before  the  Tabernacle.  When  all  was 
over,  the  sad  intelligence  was  broken  to  them  by  the  present 
Right  Rev.  Abbot  of  Mount  Melleray,  Dr.  Fitzpatrick  who, 
kneeling  before  the  altar,  recited  the  De  Profundis,  the  Psalm 
for  the  Departed.  The  Sisters  earnestly  desired  to  have,  in  their 
chapel,  a  memorial  of  their  gratitude  to  their  beloved  friend  and 
father;  this  was  accomplished  chiefly  through  the  liberality  of 
the  Very  Rev.  James  Ignatius  Taylor  and  the  Rev.  Daniel 
Nolan,  brother  of  the  deceased  Prelate.  The  Epitaph  was  com 
posed  by  the  Very  Rev.  Dr.  Taylor  and  is  as  follows  : — 

"  In  Memory  of  the 

RIGHT  REV.  EDWARD  NOLAN,  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin, 
a  man  of  God,  a  master  of  the  spiritual  life, 

meek,  humble,  pious,  retiring,  learned, 
Who  during  fourteen  years  that  he  was  Professor 

in  the  College  of  Carlow 
devoted  himself  to  cultivate  in  this  Community 

the  genuine  Spirit  of  the  Religious  state 
by  the  zealous  exercise  of  <his  sacred  ministry, 

by  his  enlightened  guidance, 
but  still  more  by  his  own  saintly  example. 
This  simple  tablet  is  erected  by  a  grateful  Community. 
Born  1794— Consecrated  1834— Died  1837, 
May  he  rest  in  peace." 

Death  of  the  Right  Rev.  Doctor  Nolan. 

(From  a  contemporary  Notice). 

The  young,  amiable,  learned,  wise,  and  sanctified  Bishop  of 
Kildare  and  Leighlin  is  no  more  !     At  seven  minutes  to  seven 


138  BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

o'clock  on  Saturday  evening  last,  it  pleased  Almighty  God  to  sum 
mon  this  excellent  Prelate  to  the  reward  of  his  numerous  and  dis 
tinguished  merits.  In  him  religion  honours  another  martyr  to 
the  boundless  solicitude  and  heroic  activity  with  which  the 
Prelates  of  the  Catholic  Church  in  Ireland  devote  themselves  to 
the  various,  painful,  and  wasting  duties  of  their  exalted  function. 
He  had  but  just  finished  the  Visitation  of  his  Diocese,  when  a 
typhus  fever,  brought  on  or  aggravated  by  the  toils  of  mind  and 
body  which  he  underwent,  while  progressing  through  his 
populous  and  extensive  district,  terminated,  after  a  few  days' 
illness,  in  the  catastrophe  which  it  is  our  present  distressing 
duty  to  announce.  Little  more  than  three  years  have  elapsed  since 
the  Catholics  of  Carlow  sustained,  in  the  death  of  their  illustrious 
Dr.  Doyle,  the  loss  of  a  Bishop  high,  confessedly,  among  the 
foremost  Prelates  and  master-spirits  of  the  nineteenth  century ; 
and,  now  again,  they  are  mourning  over  one  of  the  meekest  and 
most  endeared  ornaments  of  the  Christian  Hierarchy  !  over  one 
of  whom  it  may  be  said  truly  that,  in  admiration  of  his  modest 
but  transcendent  worth,  they  felt  themselves  compensated,  as  it 
were,  for  the  towering  genius  and  far  spread  celebrity  of  his 
great  predecessor.  It  was  no  common  merit,  assuredly,  that 
could  attract  admiration  in  contrast  with  the  glories  of  the  Irish 
Bossuet ;  and  yet,  on  the  many  occasions  since  his  promotion  to 
the  Episcopacy,  when  the  name  of  Doctor  Nolan  was  mentioned 
in  public,  it  was  remarkable  how  fondly  his  people  loved  to 
couple  the  names  of  those  two  Prelates,  in  illustration  of  the 
enthusiastic  estimate  which  they  had  formed  of  the  different, 
but  singular  excellence  of  both.  Indeed,  for  many  years 
previous  to  his  demise,  Dr.  Doyle  himself  was  amongst  the 
warmest  and  most  attached  admirers  of  him  whom  Providence 
had  designed  as  his  future  successor ;  and,  among  the  chief 
things  that  cheered  his  latter  moments,  was  the  knowledge  that 
his  noble  efforts  for  the  sanctification  of  his  people  were  to  be 
taken  up  by  one  in  all  respects  so  capable  of  perpetuating  and 
extending  their  benefits.  Nor  has  the  event  disappointed  his 
expectations.  In  all  the  characteristics  of  a  Christian  Bishop, 
Dr.  Nolan  was  worthy  to  be  his  successor.  None,  but  they  who 
have  frequent  opportunity  of  observing  it,  can  form  a  notion  of 
the  profound  veneration  which  the  Catholic  Clergy  as  well  as 
the  laity,  cherished  towards  their  Bishops,  or  estimate  the 
ready  deference  with  which  all  their  opinions  are  regarded,  and 
their  wishes  gratified  ;  but  no  change,  however  flattering  to 
human  frailty,  could  disturb  his  calm  but  deep-seated  humility. 
His  elevation  brought  out  the  more  vigorous  features  of  his 
character  when  occasion  called  for  their  exercise,  but,  for  the 


BISHOPS   OF  KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN.  139 

rest,  it  left  him  just  where  he  had  ever  been,  the  same  meek 
and  gentle  being  all  through.  His  enlightened  mind  compre 
hended  accurately,  the  wide  extent  and  arduous  nature  of 
Episcopal  duties,  and  his  ardent  piety  forbade  him  set  any  limits 
to  the  zeal  with  which  he  strove  to  fulfil  all  their  various  and 
trying  details.  An  incessant  labourer,  it  does  not  appear  that 
for  the  three  years  during  which  he  governed  his  church,  he 
absented  himself  for  a  single  week  from  the  scene  of  his  pious 
cares,  save  only  upon  matters  connected  intimately  with  the 
important  concerns  of  his  flock.  Night  and  day,  his  thoughts 
were  occupied  upon  the  means  of  doing  good,  and  those  who 
knew  him  best  can  aver,  that  he  seemed  not  to  have  an  earthly 
wish  to  gratify,  but  the  execution  of  his  charitable  designs.  The 
interests  of  the  poor,  especially,  engaged  his  attention,  and  many 
a^year  must  pass  before  the  afflicted  friend,  who  takes  upon 
himself  the  mournful  duty  of  penning  these  lines,  can  forget  the 
glow  of  benevolent  delight  with  which  his  placid,  but  in 
tellectual  features  kindled  upas,  on  a  recent  occasion,  he  related 
the  prospects  which  Heaven  seemed  to  open  to  him  of  realizing 
some  projects  which  he  contemplated  for  the  spiritual,  as  well 
as  temporal,  relief  of  the  indigent  throughout  his  Diocese.  But 
while  his  people  at  large,  beheld  with  edification,  and  acknow 
ledged  with  ardour,  his  efforts  in  the  public  service,  it  was  only 
they  who  enjoyed  the  blessing,  (for  by  no  colder  term  should  it 
be  designated),  of  his  private  friendship,  that  could  rightly 
appreciate  this  good  man's  surpassing  worth.  His  tranquil 
demeanour  and  amiable  modesty,  imparted  to  all  who  conversed 
with  him,  a  portion  of  the  happy  serenity  which  his  own  calm 
spirit  breathed ;  while  the  generosity  of  his  sentiments,  his 
firmness  of  purpose,  the  zeal  with  which  he  embarked,  when 
occasion  called  for  it,  in  whatever  promised  to  advance  the 
interests  of  individual  friends  or  the  public  at  large,  dis 
covered  him  to  be  one  of  those  who,  under  the  meekest  exterior, 
conceal  hearts  glowing  with  the  warmest  sympathies,  and  souls 
ready  for  the  noblest  enterprise.  He  was  one  of  those  who 
bear  about  them,  even  from  childhood,  the  charm  that  attracts 
the  love,  and  inspires  the  hopes  and  the  wishes  of  all  that 
approach  them.  While  yet  a  student  in  College,  he  was,  not 
only  universally  beloved  as  a  companion,  but,  notwithstanding 
the  most  unpretending  simplicity  of  manners,  was,  in  fact,  as 
much  revered  as  a  superior ;  while,  even  then,  there  was  pre 
dicted  for  him  the  very  course  of  honour  and  usefulness  which 
he  has  now  so  signally,  but  alas !  so  speedily  accomplished. 
For  fifteen  years  or  upwards,  he  presided  with  signal  success  over 
the  several  departments  of  study  in  his  native  College  of  Carlo  w, 


140  BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

during  which  time  hundreds  of  students,  lay  as  well  as  clerical, 
enjoyed  the  daily  henefitof  his  learned  instructions  and  friendly 
intercourse,  and  from  those  and  other  circumstances,  there  are 
few  persons,  perhaps,  who  formed  a  wider  circle  of  acquaintance 
than  he,  and  with  every  security  it  may  be  asserted,  now  that  he 
is  gone,  that  of  all  who  knew  him,  not  one  could  be  found  to 
recollect  that  ever  he  received  from  his  lips — not  to  say  an 
affront  or  harsh  reproof — but  even  the  slightest  semblance  of  an 
offensive  word.  Not  one  who  will  not  grieve  for  his  loss,  but 
many  a  one  who  will  have  many  a  kind  word  and  gentle  deed 
to  recall,  and  many  a  wise  advice  to  be  grateful  for. 

FRANCIS  HALY.— On  the  28th  of  December,  1837,  Propa 
ganda  elected  Dr.  Haly  successor  to  Dr.  Nolan,  and  on  the  same 
day  his  election  was  approved  by  the  Pope.  (Brady).  Francis 
Haly  was  a  native  of  the  parish  of  Doonane,  in  the  Queen's 
County.  The  date  of  his  birth  is  uncertain,  but  those  who  knew 
him  from  his  childhood  represent  him  as  being,  at  the  time  of 
his  demise,  in  his  71st  or  72nd  year,*  accordingly  he  was  born 
about  the  year  1783.  In  1807  he  entered  the  College  of 
Maynooth,  where  he  completed  his  studies  and  was  ordained 
priest  in  1812.  His  first  appointment  was  to  the  Curacy  of 
Rathvilly  where  he  remained  one  year.  In  the  year  following, 
he  was  appointed  Administrator  of  Mountrath,  which  was  then 
a  mensal  parish.  In  this  position  he  remained  for  upwards  of 
eight  years,  "  always  displaying  the  same  active  zeal,  the  same 
assiduous  application  to  the  duties  of  his  sacred  calling,  the  same 
forgetfulness  of  self,  and  the  same  consideration  for  others, 
which  marked  his  career  to  its  close."  In  1822,  he  was  inducted 
Parish  Priest  of  Kilcock  by  the  illustrious  Dr.  Doyle.  For  16 
years,  he  laboured  in  this  mission.  "  A  scrupulous  exactness  in 
the  discharge  of  his  pastoral  duties — a  capacity  for  governing, 
which,  without  much  effort  on  his  part,  produced  the  happiest 
results  for  his  parishioners —an  affectionate  solicitude  for  the 
welfare  of  his  flock — above  all,  an  enthusiastic  devotion  to 
the  cause  of  education — a  devotion  which  never  waned, 
and  which  died  within  him  only  when  his  heart  ceased  to  beat 
— distinguished  him  as  a  model  amongst  Pastors,  and  produced 
for  his  people  the  happiest  results." 

On  the  18th  of  February,  1824,  Dr.  Doyle  thus  writes  to  the 
P.P.  of  Kilcock  :— 

"  MY  DEAR  REV.  SIR,— The  death  of  our  good  friend  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Mollowny  has  imposed  on  me  the  disagreeable  necessity  of  seeking 

*  The  inscription  on  his  tomb  states  that  he  was  in  the  74th  year  of  his  age  at 
the  time  of  his  death. 


u 


RIGHT  REV.  FRANCIS    HALY    D.D 
BISHOP  OF  KILOARE  AND  LEIGHL1N. 


BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN.  141 

to  provide  two  Pastors  for  Ballinakill,  henceforth,  to  be  divided  into  two 
parishes.    Mr.  O'Connor  of  Maryboro'  will  take  charge  of  one  of  them, 
and  I  know  of  no  person  whom  1  would  be  so  anxious  to  represent  our 
holy  Religion  and  preside  over  its  interests  in  that  county  town,  as  you, 
should  you  be  disposed  to  succeed  Mr.  O'Connor.    It  is  to  request  that 
you  would  consult  the  Father  of  Lights  on  this  important  subject  that  I 
write,  hoping  to  know  from  you  in  a  few  days  the  determination  you  will 
come  to.         .  .  ...... 

"  I  remain,  my  dear  Sir,  yours  truly  and  affectionately 

4«  J-  DOYLE." 

The  Rev.  N.  O'Connor,  on  further  consideration  of  the  subject, 
decided  on  remaining  at  Maryborough,  and,  in  consequence,  the 
P.P.  of  Kilcock  was  saved  the  necessity  of  deciding  whether  he 
would  accept  or  decline  the  proffered  translation. 

An  early  and  warm  friendship  had  been  formed  between  Dr. 
Haly  and  the  Rev.  Edward  Nolan,  afterwards  Bishop  of  the 
Diocese.  In  the  notice  of  the  Life  of  that  Prelate,  reference 
has  been  made  to  the  Biblical  controversies  in  which  he  was 
engaged.  His  friend,  the  Pastor  of  Kilcock,  who  was  also  his 
cousin,  took  a  lively  interest  in  those  proceedings,  as  the  follow 
ing  will  show : — 
From  Rev.  Francis  Haly,  P.P.,  Kilcock,  to  Rev.  Edward  Nolan,  Car  low 


"  MY  DEAR  EDWAKD, — I  received  the  *  Carlow  Post/  with  your  letter 
to  Mr.  Kelly.  I  was  delighted  to  see  you  in  the  field,  shivering  a  lance 
with  some  of  these  Biblical  Knights.  I  admire  very  much  your  letter 
for  its  temper,  its  argument,  and  good  style.  I  was  glad  to  see  you  draw 
on  the  '  Hind  and  Panther  ;'  the  passage  you  quoted  appears  to  me  to  be 
most  judiciously  applied.  Within  about  100  lines  of  the  conclusion  of 
the  first  Part  of  that  celebrated  Poem  you  will  find  the  following  lines 
which  may  be  of  use  to  you  when  pressing  your  adversary  on  the 
necessity  of  an  authority  in  the  interpretation  of  the  Sacred  Volume  :— - 

« As  long  as  words  a  different  sense  will  bear, 
And  each  may  be  his  own  interpeter ; 
Our  airy  Faith  will  no  foundation  find, 
The  words  a  weather-cock  for  every  wind  ' 

If  you  can  find  leisure  to  read  it,  you  will  be  able  to  select  passages 
applicable  to  every  subject  which  may  come  within  the  range  of  the 
present  controversy,  however  extended  it  may  be.  Although  Dr. 
Johnson  says  :  '  The  scheme  of  the  work  is  injudicious  and  incom 
modious/  he  has  the  honesty  to  admit  that  the  author  'seems  well 
enough  skilled  in  the  topics  of  argument,  endeavours  to  show  the 
necessity  of  an  infallible  judge,  and  reproaches  the  Reformers  with  a 
want  of  unity.'  And  that,  notwithstanding  its  'original  impropriety 
and  the  subsequent  unpopularity  of  the  subject,  it  may  be  usefully 
studied  as  an  example  of  poetical  ratiocination,  in  which  argument 
suffers  little  from  the  metre.'  I  think  the  following  passage  from  Burke 
ought  to  have  considerable  weight,  for  he  was  not  a  Catholic,  and, 
certainly,  no  latitudinarian  in  Religion  no  more  than  in  Politics.  '  The 
scheme  of  Christianity  is  such  that  it  almost  necessitates  an  attention  to 
many  kinds  of  learning.  For  the  Scripture  is  by  no  means  an  irrelative 
system  of  moral  and  divine  truths ;  but  it  stands  connected  with  so 


142  BISHOPS  OF   KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

many  histories,  and  with,  the  laws,  opinions,  and  manners  of  so  many 
various  sorts  of  people,  and  in  such  different  times,  that  it  is  altogether 
impossible  to  arrive  to  any  tolerable  knowledge  of  it,  without  having 
recourse  to  much  exterior  inquiry.'— See  Burke's  Works,  Vol.  10,  Art. 
Abridgment  of  English  History-  Quere :  Is  the  unlettered  peasant 
capable  of  this  '  exterior  inquiry  V 

"I  have  a  '  Congratulatory  letter'  of  the  Rev.  P.  Gandolphy  to  the 
Rev.  Herbert  Marsh,  D.D.,  F.R.S.,  Margaret  Professor  of  Divinity  in 
the  University  of  Cambridge,  on  his  '  Inquiry  into  the  consequences  of 
neglecting  to  give  the  Prayer-book  with  the  Bible.'  I  wish  you  had  this 
little  pamphlet,  but,  as  I  cannot  now  conveniently  accomplish  my  wish, 
I  will  give  you  two  extracts.  '  When  we  consider,'  he  says  (Inquiry, 
p.  4),  '  that  there  is  at  present  hardly  a  town,  or  even  a  village,  which  is 
not  visited  by  illiterate  teachers,  who  expound  the  Bible  with  more  con 
fidence  than  the  most  profound  theologian  ;  it  becomes  doubly  necessary, 
if  we  would  preserve  the  poor  of  the  Establishment  in  the  religion  of 
their  fathers,  to  provide  them  with  a  safeguard  against  the  delusion  of 
false  interpretation.  Under  these  circumstances,  to  leave  the  poor,  who, 
without  assistance,  cannot  understand  the  Scriptures,  as  the  itinerant 
preachers  themselves  admit,  by  their  own  practice ;  to  leave  the  poor, 
I  say,  under  such  circumstances,  to  be  tossed  about  by  every  wind  of 
doctrine, — which  they  must  be,  unless  provided  with  that  authorised 
exposition  of  the  Scriptures  which  is  contained  in  the  Liturgy, — is,  at 
least  in  my  judgment,  such  a  dereliction  of  our  duty  as  Churchmen,  that 
I  little  expected  to  hear  clergymen,  within  the  precincts  of  the  University, 
reprehend  a  Professor  of  Divinity,  because  he  contended  that  the  Prayer- 
book  should  be  distributed  with  the  Bible.'  On  this  passage,  Mr. 
Gandolphy  presses  Dr.  Marsh  severely,  by  showing  him  they  were  per 
fectly  agreed  ;  that  the  latter  had  given  up,— as  your  Rev.  antagonist  has 
done, — a  fundamental  principle  of  his  Religion — that  the  Prayer-book 
was  to  the  Protestant  what  the  notes  and  comments  are  to  the  Catholic. 
Hear  the  Doctor  again  :— *  Are  all  Protestants  alike  in  their  Religion1? 
Have  we  not  Protestants  of  the  Church  of  England,  Protestants  of  the 
Church  of  Scotland,  Protestants  who  hold  the  Confession  of  Augsburg  ] 
Have  we  not  both  Armenian  and  Calvinistic  Protestants  1  Are  not  the 
Moravians,  the  Methodists,  the  Baptists,  the  Quakers,  the  Sweden- 
borgians,  all  Protestants  1  Since,  therefore,  Protestantism  assumes  so 
many  different  forms,  men  speak  quite  indefinitely  if  they  speak  of  it 
without  explaining  the  particular  kind  which  they  mean.  When  I  hear 
of  a  Swedish  or  Danish  Protestant,  I  know  that  it  means  a  person  whose 
Religion  is  the  Bible  only;  but  the  Bible  as  expounded  in  the  Confession 
of  Augsburg.  When  I  hear  of  a  Protestant  of  the  Church  of  Holland,  I 
know  that  it  means  a  person  whose  Religion  is  the  Bible  only;  but  the 
Bible  as  explained  by  the  Synod  of  Dort.  In  like  manner,  a  Protestant 
of  the  Church  of  England  is  a  person  whose  Religion  is  the  Bible  only ; 
but  the  Bible  as  expounded  by  its  Liturgy  and  Articles.  How,  therefore, 
can  we  know,  if  we  give  the  Bible  only,  what  sort  of  Protestantism  will 
be  deduced  from  it  V  I  am  not  done  with  the  Doctor,  yet-  '  Let  me  ask/ 
lie  says,  (Inquiry,  p.  7),  'whether  the  Bible  itself  is  not  capable  of  per 
version  ;  whether  the  best  of  books  may  not  be  misapplied  to  the  worst 
purposes  1  Have  we  not  inspired  authority  for  answering  the  question 
in  the  affirmative  ?  St.  Peter,  speaking  of  the  Epistles  of  St.  Paul,  said: 
'  In  which  are  some  things,  hard  to  be  understood,  which  they  that  are 
unlearned  and  unstable  wrest,  as  they  do  also  the  other  Scriptures,  unto 
their  own  destruction.'  Would  St.  Peter,  if  he  lived  in  the  present  age, 


BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

have  thought  this  admonition  less  necessary,  than  in  the  age  of  the 
Apostles  1  Can  Churchmen,  then,  who  know  that  one  party  wrests  the 
Scriptures,  by  the  aid  of  false  interpretation,  into  authority  for  the 
rejection  of  the  Trinity,  and  the  Atonement ;  that  another  party  wrests 
them  into  an  authority  for  the  rejection  of  the  Sacraments  ;  that  other 
parties,  again,  on  the  authority  of  the  same  Bible,  prove  other  doctrines 
which  are  at  variance  with  our  own,  think  it  unnecessary,  when  they 
distribute  Bibles  to  the  poor,  who  are  incapable,  without  assistance,  of 
judging  for  themselves,  and  who  alone  are  the  objects  of  gratuitous  dis 
tribution, — can  Churchmen,  I  say,  under  such  circumstances,  think  it 
unnecessary  to  accompany  the  Bible  with  the  Liturgy,  in  which  the 
doctrines  of  the  Atonement,  the  Trinity,  the  Sacraments,  with  the  other 
doctrines  of  our  Church,  are  delivered  as  contained  in  the  Bible  ?  It  is 
not  from  the  Bible  itself,  but  the  perversion  of  it, — '  the  wresting  of  the 
Scriptures,'  as  St.  Peter  expresses  it, — by  the  '  unlearned  and  unstable  ' 
with  whom  England  now  swarms,  that  the  danger  proceeds,  and  the 
danger  must  increase  in  proportion  as  we  neglect  the  means  of  counter 
acting  it.'  I  have  done  with  the  Inquiry,  and  I  would  not  have 
trespassed  so  much  on  your  patience  with  it  but  for  observing  that  Dr. 
Milner,  in  his  8th  letter,  only  glances  at  it,  and  I  feared  that  perhaps 
you  had  not  a  copy.  I  am  inclined,  however,  to  think,  from  one  of  Mr. 
Finn's  letters  of  last  year,  that  he  has  the  Congratulatory  Letter  of  Mr. 
Gandolphy,  and  a  Sermon  of  that  gentleman  proving  the  inadequacy  of 
the  Bible  to  be  an  exclusive  Rule  of  Faith.  From  this  latter  production, 
which  is  appended  to  the  Congratulatory  Letter,^,  am  about  to  furnish 
you  with  a  few  extracts  from  high  Protestant  authority,  which  go  a  great 
way  in  support  of  the  principle  for  which  you  contend. — Reprobating  the 
system  of  education  introduced  by  Mr.  Lancaster,  a  distinguished 
Protestant  clergyman  writes  thus: — '  After  the  youth  has  made  sufficient 
elementary  progress,  the  Bible  is  put  into  his  hands,  and,  without  creed 
or  Catechism  or  Commentary,  he  is  left  to  form  his  own  selection  of 
doctrines.  How  little  such  a  vagrant  introduction  is  fitted  to  advance 
the  interest  of  real  and  practical  Christianity,  I  will  leave  to  the  common 
sense  of  any  man  to  determine  ;  to  me  it  appears  the  readiest  and  shortest 
of  all  methods  to  form  Sceptics  and  Infidels.  It  is,  in  truth,  no  other 
than  the  vain  delusions  of  Rousseau  reduced  to  practice.  This  Philoso 
pher,  in  his  utter  detestation  of  prejudice,  thought  it  best  to  leave  his 
imaginary  pupils  entirely  to  themselves  ;  to  let  them  grasp  after  wisdom 
uninfluenced  by  natural  solicitude,  and  undirected  by  hereditary  infor 
mation.  But  it  was  soon  discovered  that  a  savage,  not  a  sage,  would  be 
the  result  of  this  absence  of  prejudice,  and  not  a  few  years  must  convince 
the  public  that  any  thing  but  a  Christian  may  be  formed  from  this  wild 
and  unbottomed  scheme  of  education.  It  is  a  system  which,  under  the 
pretended  garb  of  Christianity,  could  only  introduce  a  more  probable 
species  of  infidelity  and  scepticism.  Call  this  religious  inclination  what 
you  may,  it  is  a  mere  scaffolding  for  Deism ;  and  if  the  youth  of  any 
country  were  universally  educated  in  it,  we  need  not  hesitate  to  assert 
that,  within  the  course  of  a  few  years,  there  would  be  less  of  Christianity 
subsisting  in  that  country  than  there  is  in  any  part  of  Europe  which  can 
be  mentioned  at  the  present  moment.' — Crisis  of  Religion;  by  Rev.  E.  W. 
Grimfield,  pp.  14, 19,  20. 

"  Another  accredited  organ  of  very  high  church  authority  expresses 
'astonishment  that  it  could  be  supposed  that  the  nations  of  the  East 
might  be  converted  to  the  religion  of  Christ,  by  merely  translating  the 
Bible  into  their  several  languages,  and  circulating  those  translations 


144  BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

among  such  of  them  as  could  read.'  '  Were  indeed  the  mere  studying  of 
the  Bible  sufficient  to  convert  idolatrous  nations  from  their  errors  and 
to  make  them  members  of  Christ,  children  of  God  and  inheritors  of  the 
Kingdom  of  Heaven,  why  were  the  Apostles  commanded  to  go  into  all 
the  world  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature,  when  they  could 
have  written  the  Gospel  in  all  the  languages  of  the  earth,  and  thus  con 
verted  the  nations  by  writing,  without  incurring  the  dangers  to  which, 
by  travelling  and  preaching,  they  were  daily  exposed.' — British  Critic, 
Vol.  30,  p.  584.  '  It  is  vain  to  say  that  those  who  can  read,  may  derive 
their  own  religious  principles  from  the  Word  of  God  ;  for  a  variety  of 
knowledge,  to  which  the  lower  orders  of  society  can  never  attain,  is 
necessary  to  enable  any  man  to  extract  from  the  Bible  a  system  of 
religious  principles  calculated  to  direct  his  conduct  in  every  circumstance 
which  may  occur  during  life.' — British  Critic,  Vol.  39,  p.  591. 

"  I  think  it  most  likely,  if  you  have  had  the  patience  to  follow  me  so 
far,  that  you  must  feel  a  good  deal  fatigued  ;  it  is  quite  certain  that  I 
do,  at  this  moment.  Since  my  return  from  Mountrath  I  have  not  had 
an  hour  for  myself  ;  this  being  Friday,  I  took  an  opportunity  of  throw 
ing  those  extracts  into  their  present  shape.  Perhaps  after  all  rny  labour 
I  would  be  more  profitably  employed  at  something  else.  As  your  warfare 
with  Mr.  Kelly  is  likely  to  be  carried  on  in  no  circumscribed  way,  I 
think  you  would  do  well  to  read  *  The  Book  of  the  Church,'  by  Chas. 
Butler  j  you  will  find  a  vast  deal  of  important  matter  in  it,  compressed 
into  a  very  small  space.  The  notes  and  illustrations  to  Fletcher's 
Sermons  contain  a  great  variety  of  matter  which  cannot  fail  to  be  made 
available  to  your  present  purpose.  ^Lingard,  Vol.  4,  Reign  of  Henry  8th, 
gives  a  striking  instance  of  the  mischief  which  immediately  followed 
after  the  Royal  Theologian,  in  his  newly-assumed  character  of  Head  of 
the  Church,  had  given  permission  to  his  subjects  to  read  and  interpret 
the  Sacred  Volume  according  to  the  feeble  lights  of  private  judgment. 
The  indulgence  was  speedily  withdrawn,  and  the  permission,  granted  to 
the  public,  of  reading  the  Bible,  was  revoked. 

"  Farewell,  and  believe  me  unchangeably  yours, 

"FRANCIS  HALY." 
"Kilcock,  Friday,  March  4th,  1826." 

On  the  death  of  Dr.  Nolan,  in  October,  1837,  Francis  Haly 
was  elected  his  successor ;  his  election  was  ratified  by  the  Holy 
See,  his  Brief  was  expedited  on  the  10th  of  February,  and  on 
the  25th  of  March,  1838,  he  was  consecrated  in  the  Cathedral, 
Carlow,  by  the  Most  Rev.  Archbishop  Murray,  assisted  by  the 
Right  Rev.  W.  Kinsella,  Bishop  of  Ossory,  and  the  Right  Rev. 
J.  Keating,  Bishop  of  Ferns. 

During  Dr.  Haly's  Episcopate,  extending  over  a  period  of 
seventeen  years,  religion  made  great  progress  in  the  Diocese. 
Many  fine  Churches  were  erected,  and  Religious  Communities 
established,  especially  those  whose  chief  work  is  the  education 
of  the  poor.  Of  the  Presentation  Order,  five  Convents  were 
established  by  him  : — Bagenalstown,  in  1838  ;  Clane,  in  April, 
1839  ;  Stradbally,  in  February,  1852  ;  Mountmellick,  in  1854 ; 
and  Portarlington,  also  in  1854.  A  large  wing,  intended  for 
the  accommodation  of  Ecclesiastical  Students  preparing  for  the 


BISHOPS  OF   KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN.  145 

Foreign  Missions,  was  added  to  the  College  of  Carlow.  This 
holy  Prelate's  great  and  abiding  interest  in  the  welfare  and 
education  of  the  poor  reveals  itself  in  the  number  of  primary 
schools  established  during  the  term  of  his  Administration  of  the 
Diocese,  in  addition  to  the  many  that  had  been  previously  in 
existence. 

In  September,  1844,  Dr.  Haly  set  out  for  Borne  to  make  his 
official  Report  of  the  State  of  his  Diocese  to  the  Holy  Father 
and  to  visit  the  Shrines  of  the  Apostles.  The  Right  Rev.  Dr! 
Moran,  Bishop  of  Ossory,  thus  kindly  notes  down  his  recollections 
of  this  visit : — 

"  I  was  a  very  young  student  in  the  Irish  College,  Rome, 
when  the  venerable  Bishop,  Dr.  Haly,  paid  his  visit  ad  Limina, 
in  the  year  1845.  He  lived  at  the  College  during  his  stay  in 
the  Eternal  City,  and  took  part  in  all  the  public  exercises.  He 
occasionally  said  the  Collegiate  Mass  for  the  students  at  6 
o'clock,  a.m.,  and  on  these  occasions,  during  the  half-hour  for 
Meditation,  which  preceded  Mass,  though  a  prie  dieu  was  pre 
pared  for  him,  he  was  wont  to  kneel  without  any  support  at  the 
foot  of  the  Altar,  and  to  remain  in  that  attitude  during  the  whole 
time,  quite  motionless  and  rapt  in  prayer.  I  was  at  the  time 
the  only  student  in  the  College  from  the  Diocese  of  Kildare  and 
Leighlin,  and  thus  I  had  once  or  twice  the  privilege  of  accom 
panying  him  when  he  visited  St.  Peter's  Church  and  some  other 
sanctuaries  of  Rome.  He  appeared  to  be  quite  enraptured  at 
the  grandeur  of  the  interior  of  St.  Peter's,  and  repeatedly 
expressed  his  admiration  of  the  wonderful  variety  of  its  decora 
tions,  and  the  perfection  displayed  in  its  minutest  details.  He 
was  not  a  proficient  in  the  Italian  language,  and  it  was  amusing 
to  see  the  bewilderment  of  the  Sacristan  when  the  Bishop,  most 
politely  and  seriously,  addressed  him  in  English.  I  have  never 
forgotten  the  paternal  kindness  with  which  he  gave  me,  as  a 
keepsake,  a  treatise  on  Geography  recently  published,  which  I 
highly  prized  for  its  intrinsic  worth,  and  still  more  on  account  of 
its  venerated  donor.  All  the  students  held  Dr.  Haly  in  the 
greatest  veneration,  and  throughout  the  whole  time  of  his  stay, 
he  dealt  with  us  all  as  though  he  were  the  humblest  individual 
in  the  College." 

^  Dr.  Haly  was  one  of  the  Prelates  assembled  at  the  National 
Synod,  held  at  Thurles,  in  1850.  His  name  appears  amongst 
those  affixed  to  its  Decrees. 

Dr.  Haly  possessed  a  very  refined  and  highly-cultured  literary 
taste.  He  was,  through  life,  a  constant  reader,  especially  of  the 
standard  English  authors.  His  library,  which  he  bequeathed  to 
Carlow  College,  displays  great  judgment  in  the  selection;  and, 


146  BISHOPS   OF  KILDAEE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

of  the  care  and  attention  with  which  he  read,  his  note-book  gives 
abundant  proof.  It  forms  a  considerable  volume,  in  the  Bishop's 
own  handwriting,  made  up  of  choice  extracts  from  the  works  of 
Robertson,  Pope,  Swift,  Las  Casas,  Gibbon,  &c.,  &c.,_but,  most 
of  all,  from  those  of  Edmund  Burke,  of  whom  and  his  writings 
the  Prelate  was  an  enthusiastic  admirer. 

"  Why  should  I  say  more  of  this  venerable  Prelate  to  this  congrega 
tion?"  (Thus  spoke  the  Rev.  John  Dunne,  D.D.,  on  the  occasion  of  the 
Bishop's  Month's  Memory.)     "  Is  it  necessary  that  I  should  dwell  upon 
Ms  virtues,  of  which  you  have  been,  for  18  years,  the  eye-witness  ? 
it  proper  that,  over  his  tomb,  I  should  venture,  for  the  first  time,  to 
descant  on  his  virtues,  to  which,  during  his  lifetime,  I  dare  not  allude  ? 
Melancholy  is  the  privilege  which  death  confers— that  of  speaking  the 
praises  of  him  who,  during  his  life,  shrank  from  all  praise.     Laud  a  post 
mortem,  Magnified  host  Consummationem.    It  is  to  me  a  source  of  deep 
gratification,  whilst  it  is  quite  accordant  with  the  benignity  and  unceas 
ing  gentleness  which  formed  so  prominent  a  feature  in  our  beloved 
Bishop's  character,  that  I  shall  not  have  to  mix  the  bitterness  of  political 
contention  with  the  incense  we  burn  upon  his  tomb.     A  constitutional 
disrelish  for  turmoil  made  him  keep  as  much  aloof  as  possible  from  the 
important  political  movements  which  agitated  the  country.     He  was  far 
from  being  insensible  to  the  political  grievances  under  which  his  country 
groaned.     He  condoled  with  a  suffering  people  in  all  their  sorrows, 
public  as  well  as  private.     But  he  was  conscious  that  his  peculiar  sphere 
of  duty  lay  within  the  sanctuary.  Hence  his  public  history  is  the  history 
of  his  Diocese,  whilst  his  private  history  is  the  record  of  his  personal 
virtues.    During  his  episcopacy  his  zeal  for  the  erection  of  churches  and 
the  establishment  of  schools  were  productive  of  glorious  and  permanent 
consequences.     Convents,  whose  inmates  are  devoted  to  the  education  of 
youth,  have  been  multiplied  to  an  extent,  I  believe,  unequalled  in  this 
country ;  of  their  value  for  promoting  education  he  had  the  highest  opinion, 
and  his  zeal  in  promoting  their  spread  never  tired.    It  was  not  confined 
within  the  limits  of  his  own  Diocese.     He  sent  foundations  to  many 
places  within  these  Kingdoms,  whilst  the  religious  Sisters  of  Pittsburg, 
in  the  United  States,  and  of  Auckland,  in  New  Zealand,  will  grieve  in 
the  distant  homes  of  their  adoption,  for  the  death  of  that   beloved 
Father,  who  sent  them  to  carry  the  mercies  of  God  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth.      To  these     establishments    the    zealous    Bishop   was    always 
accustomed  to  refer  with  delight  and  with  a  holy  pride.     But  with 
greater  glory  and  loftier  joy  did  he  always  contemplate  the  Institution 
for  the  education  of  Priests  for  the  foreign  Missions  which  the  muni 
ficent  bequest  of  the  late  Parish  Priest  of  Clane  enabled  him  extensively 
to  enlarge  in  Carlow  College.    I  can  speak  from  my  own  knowledge  of 
the  deep  interest  which  the  good  Prelate  took  in  this  institution,  and  of 
the  delight  he  experienced  at  being  enabled  to  send  Missionaries  to  the 
remotest  ends  of  the  earth— to  India,  California,  the  United   States, 
Australia,  New  Zealand.     The  favourable  reports  which  the  ^Prelates  of 
these  remote  countries  periodically  made  of  the  zeal  and  piety  of  the 
Priests  whom  they  received  from  Carlow  College,  were  to  him  a  source 
of  the  purest  and  most  unmixed  pleasure. 

"  Need  I  call  to  your  minds,  venerable  brethren,  the  anxiety  he  always 
manifested  for  the  spiritual  advancement  of  your  flocks,  and  the  assiduity 
with  which  he  laboured  in  the  discharge  of  his  episcopal  duties  1  Need 
I  mention  how  his  affectionate  heart  bled  when  he  heard  of  their  temporal 


BISHOPS  OF   KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN.  147 

misfortune,  and  how  compassion  contended  with  a  holy  indignation 
when  he  heard  of  their  offences  ?  Ah  !  the  struggle  was  always  a  brief 
one,  and  always  did  gentle  mercy  remain  victorious.  In  fide  et  lenitate 
sanctum  fecit  ilium  Dominus. 

"  How  shall  I  speak  of  the  virtues  which  adorned  the  private  life  of 
our  beloved  Bishop  1  A  charming  and  unaffected  simplicity  of  manner  ; 
a  courteous  and  considerate  attention  to  the  feelings  of  all  who  ap 
proached  him  ;  a  liberal  and  enlightened  appreciation  of  the  good 
qualities  of  others,  with  an  enlarged  toleration  for  their  deficiencies  ;  a 
politeness  which  never  failed  ;  a  zeal  in  the  service  of  God  which  never 
tired ;  a  boundless,  inexhaustible  spirit  of  charity  ;  a  fervent  spirit  of 
prayer,— made  him  the  living  illustration  of  the  virtues  he  inculcated. 
With  him,  as  with  every  true  Christian,  humility  was  the  basis  of  his 
spiritual  life.  If  we  wish  to  construct  the  spiritual  edifice  solid,  lofty, 
and  permanent,  we  must  commence  on  the  deep  and  enduring  founda 
tion  of  humility.  This  he  well  understood.  His  unpretending  simplicity 
of  manner,  which  sat  upon  him  so  naturally,  precisely  because  it  was  his 
nature,  received  a  spiritual  elevation  and  celestial  charm  from  his  truly 
Christian  humility.  Human  praise  he  despised ;  he  shrank  from  it 
with  an  unconquerable  abhorrence. 

"  In  prayer,  as  in  every  Christian  practice,  our  beloved  Bishop  excelled. 
In  this  holy  exercise,  the  means  of  grace  to  all,  but  peculiarly  necessary 
for  the  ecclesiastic,  he  was  blessed  with  an  unction  and  spirit  of  perse 
verance  worthy  of  the  Saints  of  antiquity.  How  often  have  we  admired 
this  venerable  Prelate,  heedless  of  the  weight  of  seventy  winters,  kneeling 
in  prayer,  for  a  time  which  would  exhaust  the  strength  of  the  strongest 
amongst  us.  It  would  almost  seem  that  God  granted  him  an  unusual 
strength.  Motionless  as  a  statue,  apparently  unconscious  of  the  flow  of 
time  and  of  the  circumstances  in  which  he  was  placed,  this  saintly  man 
would  kneel  at  the  foot  of  the  Altar,  drawing  large  draughts  of  strength 
and  love  from  the  inexhaustible  charity  of  that  God  whom  he  adored  in 
all  simplicity  and  singleness  of  heart.  His  veneration  for  the  most  holy 
Sacrament  knew  no  bounds.  He  deemed  himself  honoured  by  being 
engaged  about  the  altar,  and,  with  that  ardent  love  for  the  most  Holy 
Eucharist  which  characterises  the  true  servant  of  Jesus  Christ,  he 
hastened  with  holy  eagerness  to  serve  Mass  for  the  most  humble  priest. 
He  saw  Calvary  on  the  altar ;  he  apprehended  the  invisible  High  Priest, 
who  in  this  Holy  Sacrifice  is  at  once  Priest  and  Victim. 

"  But,  brethren,  you  are  impatient  with  me — you  are  astonished  that 
I  don't  speak  of  that  part  of  his  character  with  which  you  were  best 
acquainted,  and  with  which  his  name  shall  be  always  associated.  Is  it 
possible  that  any  who  knew  him  can  ever  forget  his  unceasing  love  for 
his  fellow-creatures — his  unvarying  benignity — the  deep  compassion  with 
which  he  listened  to  every  tale  of  distress,  and  the  eagerness  with  which 
he  hastened  to  relieve  the  suffering  ?  Independently  of  religion,  man 
has,  from  nature,  a  tendency  to  benevolent  action  ;  but  this  feeling  is 
blended  with  a  large  alloy  of  bitterness.  He  endeavours  to  cloak  his 
hatred  for  one  class  by  an  exhibition  of  great  love  for  the  other.  This  is 
human  nature,  not  yet  purified  by  grace.  Religion  loves  all  for  whom 
Jesus  died,  since  it  loves  for  Jesus*  sake.  Such  was  the  charity  of  our 
venerated  Father.  Rich  and  poor — the  sinner  and  the  just,  were  included, 
though  a  just  discrimination  attracted  the  larger  share  of  his  compassion 
to  the  more  afflicted  and  the  more  deserving.  With  a  thoughtfulness 
and  charity  peculiarly  his  own,  he  exhibited  great  tenderness  to  those  on 
whom  the  hand  of  sorrow  and  poverty,  to  which  they  had  been 


148  BISHOPS  OF   KILDA11E  AND   LEIGHLIN. 

unaccustomed,  pressed  heavily ;  and  when  those  seasons  would  come  which 
would  remind  the  bereaved  widow  of  the  loss  she  had  sustained,  and  the 
fatherless  and  afflicted  of  the  home  which  remained  for  them  no  more, 
his  kind  and  generous  heart  laboured  to   anticipate  their  wants— to 
enliven  the  loneliness  of  their  condition,  and  console  them  under  the  loss 
which  they  endured.    With  untiring  patience  and  ready  cheerfulness,  he 
cordially  gave  his  aid  to  all  who  sought  to   improve  their  temporal 
condition  :  but  the  poor  were  the  special  objects  of    his    care.     His 
munificent  charity  towards  them  knew  no  other  limit  than  his  means.    J 
speak  in  the  presence  of  thousands  who  know  the  truth  of  what  I  assert. 
When  his  private  resources  were  exhausted,  he  condescended  to  that 
which  his  nature  abhorred— he  borrowed- nay,  he  begged,  for  the  poor. 
That  generous  soul  which  knew  so  well  that  '  it  is  more  blessed  to  give 
than  to  receive'- who  never,  I  believe,  was  known  to  ask  a  favour  lor 
himself— descended  to  beg  for  the  humble  supplicants  that  beset  his 
path  in  our  streets.     Those  who  understood  not  the  depth  and  univer 
sality  of  his  charity,  were  astonished  to  behold  even  the  dissolute  and 
corrupt  included  within  its  range  ;  they  thought  the  good  Bishop  must 
be  ignorant  of  the  character  of  those  whose  distresses  he  relieved,  and 
they  ventured  to  represent  to  him  that  some  of  the  worst  characters  in  the 
community  were  the  recipients  of  his  bounty.     The  gentle  and  humble 
Prelate  received  the  protest  with  benignant  humility  ;  but  he  could  not 
deny  to  the  miserable  outcast  a  portion  of  that  charity  which,  in  a  faint 
way,  imitated  God's  mercy.    His  observation  to  one  whom  he  honoured 
with  his  confidence  was—'  If  a  Bishop  be  not  merciful  to  those  unfor 
tunates,  to  whom,  under  God,  can  they  look  for  mercy  V    But  though  he 
would  not  exclude  the  indolent  or  the  depraved  from  the  sphere  of  his 
charity,  his  first  care  was  for  the  honest  housekeeper— the  struggling 
tradesman— the  afflicted  parent  who,  shrinking  within  the  recesses  of  his 
poverty,  from  the  publicity  of  open  complaint,  pined  in  secret  over  the 
miseries  of  a  starving  family.    For  such  persons  the  bowels  of  his  com 
passion  were  moved — his  heart  as  he  was  wont  to  say,  bled  for  his  poor 
people.    His  house  and  his  purse  were  emptied  for  them,  and,  when 
every  other  resource  failed,  his  hand  was  extended  to  beg  for  them. 
During  the  season  of  famine  he  not  only  exhausted  his  available  funds, 
but  incurred  heavy  debts  which  pressed  upon  him  for  years.     Many  a 
soul  whose  sins  have  been  atoned  for  by  the  fearful  privations  of  that 
dread  period,  could  plead,  and  doubtless  did  plead,  before  the  Throne  of 
Mercy,  in  favour  of  that  venerable  Prelate,  who    laboured    like  the 
humblest  amongst  us — always  cheering  the  afflicted  with  his  word  of 
consolation — always  endeavouring  to  enlarge  that  wretched  allowance  of 
food  which  prolonged  the  period  of  dying  rather  than  _  sustained  life. 
During  his  whole  life,  the  poor  looked  upon  his  convenience,  his  time, 
and  his  purse  as  their  property.     To  such  an  extent  was  this  feeling 
carried,  that  if  he  gave  everything  he  possessed,  the  recipient  was  barely 
thankful ;  if  he  had  nothing  more  to  give,  the  disappointed  expectant 
considered  that  he  had  been  unjustly  refused  that  which  belonged  to 
him.     Had  his  charities  consisted  of  isolated  acts,  they  might  have  been 
remembered  with  more  gratitude,  but  because    his    whole    life  was 
unceasing  charity,  men  looked  upon  his  benevolent  deeds  as  a  thing  of 
course.     Hence,  had  he  been  a  little  less  charitable,  his  charity  would 
have  appeared  greater  in  the  eyes  of  men.     With  the  reflecting  observer, 
however,  the  familiarity  of  the  poor  with  their  venerable  Prelate — the 
claim  which  they  conceived  they  had  acquired  upon  every  thing  which 
he  possessed — the  freedom  with  which  they  forced  from  him  his  last 


BISHOPS   OF  KILDARE   AND  LEIGHLIN.  149 

shilling,— spoke  a  plain  tale ;  it  showed  that  by  long  practice  he  had 
conveyed  to  them  the  right  to  consider  everything  he  possessed  as  their 
own.  ...... 

"  On  the  Sunday  immediately  preceding  his  demise,  he  administered 
the  Sacrament  of  Confirmation  to  450  children  in  the  Chapel  of 
Abbeyleix.  On  the  following  day  he  was  seized  with  the  fatal  malady 
which  closed  his  mortal  career,  and  he  hastened  to  Carlow  to  leave  us, 
alas !  but  his  last  sighs.  From  the  Wednesday  of  that  week  his  medical 
attendants  prepared  us  for  the  worst.  Death  hovered  on  gloomy  wing 
round  his  couch  and  prepared  his  weapon  for  the  fatal  stroke.  The 
clergy  who  loved  him  as  a  father— the  venerable  Pastors  who,  under  his 
guidance,  governed  the  faithful— hurried,  some  from  the  most  remote 
limits  of  these  extensive  dioceses,  to  look  once  again  in  life  upon  the 
benignant  features  of  him  whom  they  were  about  to  lose.  You,  too, 
my  lord  Archbishop,  hastened  from  the  duties  of  your  Visitation  to 
stand  and  pray  beside  the  bed  of  your  dying  suffragan  and  friend,  and 
you  had  the  melancholy  consolation  of  administering  to  him  the 
Sacrament  which  was  specially  instituted  for  the  comfort  of  the  dying. 
This  large  town  was  like  a  family  weeping  beside  the  bed  of  a  dying 
parent.  Even  those  who  were  separated  from  him  in  faith,  and  who 
could  have  known  him  but  imperfectly,  exhibited  their  respect  for 
humanity  and  benevolence  by  reverencing  the  last  moments  of  one  in 
whom  through  life  these  virtues  had  found  a  most  distinguished  patron. 
On  Saturday  morning  he  received  the  Holy  Viaticum  from  the  Rev. 
William  Tracy  of  Kilcock — his  friend  in  life  and  death— and  on  the 
following  morning,  Sunday,  the  19th  of  August,  immediately  after  the 
Holy  Sacrifice  had  been  offered  for  him  in  his  own  residence,  and  whilst 
the  Priest  was  offering  the  same  Holy  Sacrifice  in  this  Cathedral  for  his 
soul's  strength,  that  pure  and  holy  spirit  winged  its  flight  from  the 
turmoil  of  earth  to  the  peace  of  God." 

The  Month's  Memory  of  Dr.  Haly,  at  which  the  foregoing  was 
delivered,  took  place  in  the  Cathedral  at  Carlow,  on  Tuesday, 
the  18th  of  September,  1855.  The  following  Prelates  attended  : 
The  Most  Rev.  Dr.  Cullen,  Archbishop  of  Dublin ;  the  Most 
Rev.  Dr.  Folding,  Archbishop  of  Sydney;  the  Most  Rev.  Dr. 
Walsh,  Archbishop  of  Halifax;  the  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Walsh, 
Bishop  of  Ossory ;  the  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Murphy,  Bishop  of  Ferns ; 
the  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Murphy,  Bishop  of  Cloyne ;  the  Right  Rev. 
Dr.  Whelan,  Bishop  of  Bombay;  and  the  Right  Rev.  Dr. 
O'Brien,  Bishop  Elect  of  Waterford. 

The  number  of  ecclesiastics  taking  part  in  the  function  was 
estimated  at  160,  including,  with  some  five  or  six  exceptions, 
all  the  Parish  Priests  of  the  Diocese.  Amongst  the  clergy,  not 
of  the  Diocese,  present,  were  : — The  Very  Revds.  Dr.  Renehan, 
President,  and  Dr.  Russell,  Professor,  Maynooth  College;  Fathers 
Haly,  O'Rourke,  Bracken,  and  Kavanagh  of  tbe  Society  of 
Jesus;  Rev.  Dr.  Forde,  Irish  College,  Paris;  Very  Rev.  Dr. 
O'Rafferty,  V.G.,  Tullamore ;  Very  Rev.  James  Dunphy,  V.GK  ; 
Halifax,  N.S.  ;  Very  Rev.  Dean  Murphy,  Glynn,  Ferns  ;  Very 
Rev.  Laurence  Dunne,  P.P.,  Castledermott;  Rev.  Mr.  Ward,  St. 


150  BISHOPS  OF  KILDAKE  AND  LEIGH  LIN. 

Louis,  U.S.,  &c.,  &c.  The  Archbishop  of  Dublin  was  celebrant 
at  the  High  Mass  on  the  occasion,  as  he  had  been  also  on  the 
day  of  the  interment.  The  Rev.  Thomas  Power  acted  as 
Deacon  ;  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Denis  and  Jerome  Kearney,  of  the 
Diocese 'of  Pittsburg,  U.S.,  as  Subdeacon  and  Master  of  the 
Ceremonies.  The  Rev.  A.  McDonald  and  Rev.  P.  Maher  were 
Antiphonarians  ;  and  the  select  Choir  was  composed  of  the 
Very  Rev.  Dr.  Taylor,  Mr.  C.  B.  Lyons,  Rev.  Messrs.  Mulally, 
Wood,  Nolan,  and  Comerford  of  the  College. 

The  mortal  remains  of  Dr.  Haly  repose  beside  those  of  Dr. 
Doyle,  in  front  of  the  High  Altar,  on  the  Epistle  side.  Over 
them  a  black  marble  slab  has  been  placed,  which  bears  the 
following  inscription : — 

"  Here  lie  the  Remains  of  the  Right  Revd.  Francis  Haly,  Bishop  of 
Kildare  and  Leighlin.  He  died,  19th  of  Augt.,  1855,  in  the  74th  year  of 
his  age,  and  18th  of  his  Episcopacy.  Consecrated,  25th  of  March,  1838. 
"A  faithful  and  prudent  Servant  of  the  Lord,  he  carefully  fed,  with 
the  Word  and  Bread  of  Life,  the  Flock  confided  to  him.  He  edified  and 
instructed  by  his  Example,  the  Church  over  which  he  ruled  with  Mildness 
and  Wisdom.  Amongst  the  Virtues  which  illuminated  the  life  of  this 
holy  Prelate,  a  Zeal  for  Education,  a  Generous  Beneficence  to  the  Poor, 
and  Charity  for  all  men,  shone  forth  with  great  Brilliancy.  Requiescat 
in  Pace." 

JAMES  WALSHE,  D.D.— On  Wednesday,  the  20th  of  Septem 
ber,  1855,  the  Parish  Priests  of  the  Diocese,  to  whom  the 
privilege  belongs,  proceeded  to  give  their  recommendation  for  a 
successor  to  the  deceased  Bishop.  His  Grace  the  Most  Rev.  Dr. 
Walshe,  Bishop  of  Halifax,  N.S.,  officiated  at  the  Solemn  Mass  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  at  which  the  Archbishop  of  Dublin  and  the 
other  Prelates,  and  many  of  the  Dignitaries  named  as  assisting 
at  the  ceremony  of  the  preceding  day,  were  again  present.  His 
Grace  the  Metropolitan  subsequently  presided  at  the  meeting  of 
the  clergy,  the  result  of  whose  voting  was  as  follows  : — 

The  Very  Rev.  James  Walshe,  D.D.,  President  of  Carlow 
College,  Dignissimus. 

The  Very  Rev.  Philip  Healy,  P.P.,  Monasterevan,  Vicar- 
Capitular,  JDignior. 

The  Rev.  James  Delany,  P.P.,  Ballinakill,  Queen's  County, 
Dignus. 

Dr.  Walshe  was  elected  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin  by 
Propaganda,  January  the  28th ;  Approved  by  the  Pope, 
February  3rd;  and  Decreed,  February  14th,  1856.  He  was 
Consecrated  on  Low  Sunday,  March  30th,  1856,  in  Carlow 
Cathedral,  by  the  Most  Rev.  Paul  Cullen,  Archbishop  of  Dublin, 
assisted  by  the  Right  Rev.  Edward  Walsh,  Bishop  of  Ossory, 
and  the  Right  Rev.  Myles  Murphy,  Bishop  of  Ferns.  The 


BISHOPS   OF  KILDAKE  AND   LEIGHLIN.  151 

Bishops  of  Limerick,  Waterford,  Cloyne,  and  Bombay,  were  also 
present. 

Dr,  James  Walshe,  son  of  Philip  Walshe,  and  his  wife,  Mary 
Walshe,  nee  Doyle,  wss  bora  at  New  Ross,  County  Wexford, 
June  30th,  1803.  The  mother  of  the  Bishop  was  first-cousin 
to  his  lordship's  illustrious  predecessor,  J.K.L.  He  was 
educated,  firstly,  at  a  Commercial  and  Classical  school  in  New 
Ross ;  next,  at  St.  Peter's  College,  Wexford ;  and,  finally,  at  St. 
Patrick's  College,  Carlow,  where  he  completed  his  Theological 
course  and  was  ordained  Priest,  at  Pentecost,  1830.  He  was 
appointed,  successively,  Professor  of  Humanities,  of  Moral 
Philosophy,  and  Theology,  in  Carlow  College.  He  then  served 
as  Curate  and,  afterwards,  as  Administrator,  of  the  Cathedral 
Parish,  Carlow,  acting  also  as  Secretary  to  the  Bishop,  Dr.  Haly. 
He  subsequently  rejoined  the  College  staff,  as  Vice-President 
and  Professor  of  Greek  and  Sacred  Scripture,  and,  on  the  retire 
ment  of  Dr.  Taylor,  in  1850,  was  appointed  President.  On  the 
death  of  the  Bishop,  in  1855,  Dr.  Walshe,  who  had  been  for  some 
time  previously  his  Vicar-General,  was  advanced  to  the  vacant 
dignity. 

After  some  years,  Dr.  Walshe,  on  account  of  declining  strength 
petitioned  the  Holy  See  to  grant  him  a  Coadjutor,  His  first 
petition  having  failed,  Dr.  Walshe  renewed  his  request,  and  Dr. 
James  Lynch  was  appointed  to  be  his  Coadjutor,  in  1869. 
(Brady's  Episcopal  Succession,  Vol.  1,  359.  Vol.  2,  371.) 

Dr.  Walshe  has  evinced,  on  many  occasions,  a  special 
solicitude  for  the  Promotion  of  Education,  and  for  the  eradication 
of  the  vice  of  Intemperance. 

' '  There  is  one  department  of  duty  to  which  I  wish  specially  to  call 
your  earnest  attention," — his  Lordship  writes,  in  his  Lenten  Pastoral 
for  1857, — "that  is  the  education  of  your  children.  The  education 
of  children  is  a  subject  of  such  vast  importance — socially,  morally, 
religiously — that  we  cannot  too  earnestly  or  emphatically  adjure 
you,  dearly-beloved  brethren,  who  have  charge  of  children,  to  watch 
diligently  over  their  education,  to  teach  them  by  word  and  example  to 
fear  God  and  abstain  from  all  sin  ;  reminding  them  that  a  young  man, 
according  to  his  way,  even  when  he  grows  old,  he  will  not  depart  from 
it  ;  teaching  them  to  have  no  fellowship  with  darkness,  and  abstain  not 
only  from  evil  but  what  has  the  appearance  of  evil.  The  peace  and  order 
of  society  are,  of  course,  greatly  promoted  by  the  proper  education  of  its 
members.  If  children  be  allowed  to  grow  up  in  ignorance,  the  growth 
of  vices  which  spring  up  spontaneously  in  the  human  heart  will  be  greatly 
fostered :  if  the  moral  and  religious  training  be  neglected,  or  performed 
in  an  undue  and  improper  manner,  the  results  will  be  saddening.  This 
religious  training  should  pervade  the  whole  system  of  education — should 
hallow  it ;  and  if  so,  it  will  be  to  the  soul  what  the  due  circulation  of 
healthy  blood  is  to  the  body.  It  will  sustain  the  various  powers  of  mind 
in  a  tone  suited  to  the  performance  of  these  duties,  in  a  manner  that  will 


152  BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

please  and  sanctify.  The  neglect  of  the  duty  of  properly  educating 
children  is  a  fearful  crime.  If  any  man  have  not  care  of  his  own,  and 
especially  of  those  of  his  house,  he  hath  denied  the  faith,  and  is  worse 
than  an  infidel.  Yes,  he  practically  denies  the  faith,  because  he  disre 
gards  the  holy  duties  it  inculcates.  His  imperpect  discharge  of  this 
duty  involves  much  guilt ;  let  no  man  deceive  you  with  vain  words. 

"In  this  country  the  facilities  for  education  are,  at  present,  thank 
God,  comparatively  great.  There  was  a  time,  when  Catholic  education 
was  proscribed,  and  under  penalties  which  fill  us  with  horror  ;  when  our 
sancturies  were  trodden  down,  our  altars  profaned,  our  religious  houses 
demolished,  our  places  for  education  seized,  and  shrubs  grew  in  the 
courts,  now  solitary,  which  were  so  full  of  [people ;  and  the  halls  once 
resounding  with  psalmody  were  silent  and  sad.  It  is  not  our  wish  to 
descend  into  the  darkness  of  those  dire  times,  or  lift  the  veil  which  time 
and  heroic  charity  have  f orbearingly  drawn  over  the  dark  and  foul  deeds 
then  perpetrated.  If  we  advert  to  those  trials,  it  is  to  thank  God  for  our 
deliverance  from  them,  and  for  having  protected  our  fathers  in  the  dark 
hour  of  their  tribulation,  and  to  preserve  a  grateful  remembrance  of  the 
enlightened  rulers,  and  statesmen,  and  patriots,  who,  like  Cyrus  and 
Artaxerxes  of  old  with  the  Jews,  restored,  to  a  great  extent,  our  civil 
and  religious  liberties. 

"  When  the  brightness  of  religious  freedom  rose  upon  the  land,  behold 
how  the  genius  of  the  nation  shewed  itself,  in  establishing  schools,  and 
providing  places  for  the  cultivation  of  learning,  though  without  the  aid 
of  the  means  so  generously,  and  with  such  enlightened  philanthropy,  given 
by  our  ancestors.  Though  comparatively  poor  in  the  wealth  of  this 
world,  but  rich  in  zeal  and  generosity,  have  we  laboured  to  build  up  the 
walls  of  our  temples,  and  of  our  schools ;  and  the  zeal  for  education  and 
for  the  dignity  of  religious  worship,  burst  forth,  and  illuminated  the 
land  like  the  miraculous  fire  of  which  we  read  in  the  Macchabees. 

"  But  yet  our  narrow  means  were  insufficient  to  enable  us  to  provide 
for  the  educational  requirements  of  our  people ;  we  required  aid,  and 
that  assistance  the  Government,  in  a  spirit  of  just  and  wise  philanthropy, 
gave,  to  a  certain  extent,  and  for  this  we  make  our  acknowledgments, 
though  we  regret  that  there  was  not  the  same  consideration  for  the 
feelings  and  sentiments  of  the  people  in  [all,  as  there  certainly  was  in 
some,  of  the  grants. 

"  We  deplore  that  the  generous  and  able  statesman  who,  a  few  years 
ago,  proposed  the  plan  for  Academic  education  in  this  country,  did  not 
bear  duly  in  mind  the  religious  sentiments  and  rights  of  the  Irish  people. 
If  he  had,  he  would,  no  doubt,  have  so  constituted  the  Colleges,  as  really 
to  meet  the  wishes,  and  provide  for  the  wants  of  the  people.  It  is  only 
just  to  the  memory  of  the  deservedly  lamented  statesman  to  say,  that  we 
believe  that  his  views  were  liberal  and  benevolent,  though,  from  over 
looking  the  condition  of  the  country,  he  signally  failed  to  practically  carry 
out  his  good  intentions  in  her  regard.  The  mistake  into  which  he  fell 
was  perhaps  induced  by  the  success  which  has  attended  the  system  of 
National  Education  in  Ireland.  That  system  has  been  productive  of 
great  advantages,  and  we  sincerely  rejoice  at  the  good  of  which  it  has 
been  productive,  and  we  bear  a  grateful  recollection  of  the  judicious  and 
upright  statesman  by  whom  it  was  introduced  and  upheld.  We  trust 
that  there  will  be  no  change  made  in  its  organization  or  administration, 
to  deprive  it  of  the  confidence,  so  far  as  its  ordinary  schools  are  concerned, 
it  enjoys,  and  to  which  confidence  it  mainly  owes  its  success.  But  the 
success  of  this  system  did  by  no  means  warrant  the  plan  proposed  for 


BISHOPS   OF  KILDARE  AND    LEIGHLIN.  153 

Academic  education.  There  seems  to  be  in  some  places,  in  modern  times, 
a  disposition  not  to  allow  the  Church  her  legitimate  influence  over  educa 
tion.  At  all  events,  there  is  manifestly  an  unwillingness  to  allow  the 
Irish  Catholic  Church  the  influence  she  ought  to  have.  Hence,  the 
embarrassing  character  of  the  proceedings  with  regard  to  education  in 
this  country.  Hence,  the  anomalous  position  in  which  it  is  in  some  degree 
placed,  and  the  failure  of  some  of  the  measures  taken  by  the  Government 
to  provide  for  education. 

"  For  Protestants  chiefly,  if  not  exclusively,  there  are  in  Ireland, 
Trinity  College,  which  is  richly  endowed,  the  Eoyal  Schools,  the  Endowed 
Schools,  the  Diocesan  Schools  which  are  endowed  to  some  extent.  For 
us  Catholics,  who  are  the  great  body  of  the  population,  there  is  only  the 
grant  to  Maynooth,  and  our  participation  in  the  grant  to  the  National 
System  of  Education.  The  amoimt  given  to  us  for  education  purposes  is 
small,  indeed,  when  compared  with  what  is  given  to  Protestants.  The 
smallness  of  our  shares  in  these  grants  will  appear  to  be  the  more 
marvellous  and  incomprehensible,  when  we  recollect  the  vast  means  and 

Eossessions  provided  by  our  forefathers  for  charitable  uses.  Our  right  to 
ave  a  share  in  the  grants  and  endowments  for  education  is  clear.  It  is 
idle  to  say  that  right  is  satisfied  by  the  opening  of  colleges  or  schools  of 
the  constitution  of  which  we  cannot  approve.  We  cannot  surrender  our 
youth  to  be  taught  by  those  who  reject  our  religious  doctrines,  or 
practices,  or  discipline.  To  do  so  would  be  to  expose  them  unwarrant 
ably  to  danger  in  the  most  susceptible  and  confiding  period  of  their 
lives.  We  believe  that  to  assail  their  faith  is  not  the  purpose  of  some— 
we  will  not  say  that  such  is  the  intention  of  any  of  the  projectors  of  this 
system— but  if  any  did  design  to  filch  the  faith  of  the  Catholic  youth  or 
weaken  its  force,  this  system  of  mixed  academic  education  appears  well 
adapted  to  secure  the  success  of  such  a  scheme.  But  with  the  motives  of 
the  projectors  we  have  nothing  to  do.  Let  us  give  them  credit  for  mean 
ing  well.  It  is  not  with  the  intentions  of  those  who  introduced  it,  but 
with  the  constitution  and  practical  tendency  of  the  system  that  we  have 
to  deal.  That  constitution  is  objectionable— that  tendency  is  dangerous. 
"  But  then  it  has  been  asked,  what  has  religion  to  do  with  the  teaching 
of  languages,  or  history,  or  science  ?  Why,  the  very  interrogatory  is 
sufficient  to  show  how  much  has  been  already  done  by  the  anti-Catholic 
tone  of  the  education  to  warp  men's  judgments,  and  enervate  their 
religious  sentiments.  Religion  has  much  in  every  way  to  do  with  the 
teaching  of  youth.  It  has  to  elevate  the  motive,  to  suggest  the  purpose, 
to  bless  the  labour  of  the  student.  What  has  religion  to  do  with  educa 
tion  ?  It  is  strange  that  anytsuch  question  would  be  asked  by  a  reflecting 
believer.  Is  it  not  the  light  of  religion  which  reveals  our  origin  and  our 
destiny  ? — which  exhibits  the  causes  of  our  infirmities  and  the  means  of 
cure — which  explains  the  mysterious  conflict  between  our  inclinations  and 
our  perceptions  of  duty — which  unfolds  to  us  the  history  of  the  fall  and 
the  resurrection  of  man— which  attests  the  effects  of  the  ruin  and  displays 
the  blessings  of  the  redemption — which  teaches  how  our  sanctification 
and  salvation  are  to  be  obtained — which  reminds  us  that  we  are  here 
pilgrims  and  strangers,  and  that  we  have  not  here  an  abiding  habitation, 
but  that  we  seek  another— that  we  expect  Him  who  will  reform  the  body 
of  our  lowness  and  make  it  like  to  the  body  of  His  glory— which  teaches 
us  that  we  are  to  seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  His  justice,  and  that 
whatever  we  do  in  word  or  work,  we  ought  to  do  for  the  glory  of  God. 

"Now,  how  any  one,  who  believes  these  truths,  can  ask  what_has 
religion  to  do  with  education,  is  surprising  indeed.  What  is  education  ? 


154  BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE   AND   LEIGHLIN. 

The  proper  cultivation  of  the  powers  and  affections  of  the  mind,  and  the 
imparting  of  knowledge.  But  as  we  are  not  like  to  those  who  said,  "  let 
us  eat,  let  us  drink,  for  to-morrow  we  shall  die,"  and  who  thought  that 
would  be  the  end  of  their  being ;  but  as  we  are  to  live  for  ever,  and  as 
our  mortal  life  is  only  preparatory  to  that  which  will  never  end,  we  can 
not,  in  the  regulation  of  our  present  course,  disregard  the  light  of  re 
ligion,  which  announces  how  it  ought  to  be  shaped  according  to  the 
object  for  which  we  were  sent. 

' '  Then  religion  has  much  to  do  in  every  way  with  education.  As  well 
might  it  be  asked,  what  has  the  beacon  which  philanthropy  has  set  to 
save  the  weary  mariner  to  do  with  his  navigation  on  the  dark  tempes 
tuous  ocean,  If  we  were  born  for  this  world  alone,  and  that  when  we 
die  we  perish  for  ever,  why  then  those  who  ask  what  has  religion  to  do 
with  education  would  have  some  pretext.  But  there  are  not,  we  hope, 
any,  in  this  land  who  entertain  this  cheerless  opinion,  which  even  pagan 
philosophy  rejected.  It  is  idle  to  say  that  the  religious  sentiments  of 
the  teacher  will  not  radiate  upon  the  pupils.  There  is  much  influence — 
as  was  well  said  by  an  orator  of  old — in  the  gesture,  in  the  bearing,  in 
the  intonation  of  the  speaker. 

"  This  system  is  suited  to  exercise  a  considerable  alterative  action  upon 
the  minds  of  youth.  That  action  is  of  its  nature  slow.  At  any  given 
moment,  for  a  considerable  time,  the  amount  of  it  is  not  very  discernible. 
Hence,  to  the  superficial  observer  there  appears  little  danger.  But  its 
effects  become  gradually  perceptible,  and  are  fully  discovered,  perhaps, 
only  when  it  is  difficult  at  least  to  hope  for  cure.  Notwithstanding  that 
we  object  to  the  constitution  of  the  Queen's  Colleges,  it  is  now  said  that 
the  notion  is  entertained  of  establishing  intermediate  schools,  upon  the 
same  principle,  with  such  a  portion  of  the  funds  for  endowed  schools  as 
remains  after  satisfying  the  specific  trusts  and  intentions  provided  for  by 
those  endowments.  We  can  hardly  believe  that  any  statesman  would 
seriously  think  of  executing  such  a  design  ;  the  surplus  at  the  free  dis 
posal  of  Government,  after  fully  satisfying  the  specific  trusts,  ought  to 
be  applied  for  the  education  of  Eoman  Catholics.  We  trust  that  such  a 
disposition  will  be  made  of  it  ;  with  anything  less  we  ought  not  to  be 
satisfied;  and  if  the  Government  will  be  advised  to  extend  by  this  means, 
or  any  other,  the  system  of  Mixed  Education,  we  must  employ  all  the 
legal  and  constitutional  means  in  our  power  to  dissuade  them  from 
adopting  a  course  which  is  in  everyway  inexpedient,  if  not  unjust,  which 
so  far  from  contributing  to  the  peace  and  happiness  of  the  country,  will 
foment  wasting  discord,  and  excite  just  and  bitter  discontent. 

"  The  conducting  and  encouraging  of  education  constitute  one  great 
function  of  the  mission  of  the  Church.  It  is  a  mission  of  light,  and  not 
of  darkness  ;  of  real  liberty,  and  not  of  bondage  ;  of  unalterable  truth, 
and  not  of  falsehood,  that  changes  like  the  moon.  And  gloriously  has 
the  Church  of  God  discharged  the  duties  of  that  mission.  She,  elevating 
the  mind  of  the  student,  and  enlarging  his  views,  directed  his  course  and 
hallowed  his  labours ;  and  when  tempests  of  civil  and  political  commo 
tion  had  obstructed  education,  she  opened  a  sanctuary  for  learning, 
where  it  was  preserved  until  the  waters  had  subsided,  and  it  came  out  as 
the  handmaid  of  religion,  to  enlighten,  to  elevate,  and  to  civilize  man 
kind.  To  further  promote  and  sustain  a  proper  Catholic  tone  in  the 
education  of  the  country,  the  Catholic  University  has  been  established. 
This  was  undertaken  under  the  instruction  of  the  Supreme  Pontiff. 
Mindful  of  his  mission  of  enlightenment,  and  treading  in  the  footsteps  of 
his  illustrious  predecessors,  he  recommended  it.  This  truly  laudable 


BISHOPS  OF   KILDAKE  AND  LEIGHLIN.  155 

undertaking  you  will,  I  am  sure,  aid  according  to  your  ability.  A  very 
small  contribution  from  each  whom  Providence  has  blessed  with  abun 
dance  will  suffice.  Already  most,  if  not  all,  of  you  have,  according  to 
your  means,  manifested  your  desire  for  the  maintenance  and  success  of 
this  important  institution.  How  thankful  should  we  be  to  God  for  the 
comparative  facilities  we  possess  for  a  proper  Catholic  education,  and 
how  diligently  should  we  avail  ourselves  of  such .  Be  careful  not  to  yield 
to  the  allurements  held  out  to  induce  you  to  send  your  children  to  places, 
where  their  religious  principles  or  practices  would  be  disregarded. 

"  In  modern  times  there  is  manifested,  in  some  places,  a  desire  to  con 
duct  education  apart  from  religion.  Such  a  design  is  certainly  not  racy 
of  the  English  soil.  It  is,  at  least,  unwise  to  build  up  a  system  of  educa 
tion  without  religion,  as  if  religion,  instead  of  pervading  the  whole 
system,  as  it  ought,  was  an  accidental  ornament,  which  could  afterwards 
be  occasionally  appended  to  the  scholar.  It  was  not  under  such  a 
system  that  our  venerable  common  law  grew  and  prospered,  and 
afforded  support  to  order,  liberty,  morality,  and  religion.  Now,  we  have 
no  wish  to  borrow  theories  from  the  rationalism  of  Germany :  we  prefer 
to  abide  by  the  old  landmarks,  and  be  conservative  of  the  truths  of  faith 
and  the  blessings  of  religion.  In  these  things,  at  least,  let  us  be  strictly 
conservative.  Unreflecting  people  talk  of  this  as  the  age  of  progress. 
They  do  not  seem  to  make  any  distinction.  Well,  it  is  the  age  of  pro 
gress  ;  and,  in  many  respects,  useful.  Men,  who  speak  thus,  seem  to 
think  we  could  not  proceed  too  rapidly.  However,  they  will  find,  if 
they  disregard  the  guide  God  gave  them,  that  they  will  soon  career  into 
the  icy  and  dismal  regions  of  infidelity,  where  there  is  no  hope .  And 
certainly,  advancing  so  far  as  to  dissociate  religion  from  education, 
would  be  to  make  progress  contrary  to  the  dictates  of  right  reason,  re 
ligion,  and  common  sense.  There  are  some  things  in  which  progress  is 
practicable,  desirable,  and  beneficial ;  there  are  other  matters  in  which 
there  cannot  be  change  :  this  is  the  point  of  which  some  people  are  for 
getful.  Though  we  have  made  and  are  making  great  discoveries  and 
useful  progress  in  the  physical  sciences  and  mechanical  arts,  who  thinks 
of  changing  the  motion  of  the  earth  ?  In  religion,  discipline  may  vary, 
but  the  truths  and  substance  of  religion  are  always  the  same — Jesus  Christ 
yesterday,  and  to-day,  and  the  same  for  ever. 

"  A  system  of  education,  apart  from  religion,  under  any  Government, 
Catholic  or  Protestant,  is,  in  our  judgment,  highly  dangerous.  It  is  not 
suited  to  the  constitution  or  venerable  traditions  of  our  people.  If 
introduced,  and  fully  established,  it  will,  in  our  opinion,  operate  as 
injuriously  in  a  moral  and  religious,  and,  I  may  add,  social  point  of  view, 
as  the  feudal  system,  completed  by  the  Norman  Conqueror,  did  in  re 
lation  to  the  ancient  rights  and  franchises  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  people. 

"Then,  dearly-beloved,  be  ever  mindful  of  the  great  duty  of  properly 
educating  your  children.  Eemember  the  facilities  with  which  you  are 
provided,  and  avail  yourselves  diligently  of  them.  Let  us  hope  that  the 
Government  will,  in  a  spirit  of  wisdom  and  justice,  increase  the  means  of 
education,  by  the  adoption  of  a  course  of  which  we  will  be  at  liberty  con 
scientiously  to  approve.  We  are  not  now  subjected  to  such  trials  as  our 
fathers  were.  But  there  is,  however,  the  persecution  of  seduction  to  be 
encountered.  They  who  conduct  it  are  artful,  like  the  serpent  with  Eve. 
They  promise  great  advantages  from  the  adoption  of  their  counsel,  but, 
like  their  prototype,  they  deceive. 

"  Be  diligent,  then,  to  see  that  your  children  regularly  attend  the 
schools  which  enjoy  the  confidence  of  your  pastors,  who  watch  as  having 


156  BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE  AND   LEIGHLIN. 

to  render  an  account  of  your  souls.  Let  no  one  be  beguiled  by  the 
attractive  golden  fruit  to  systems  or  places  where  their  holy  faith,  once 
delivered  to  the  saints,  may  be  weakened  or  soiled,  if  not  purloined. 
'  And  what  will  it  avail  a  man  to  gain  the  whole  world  if  he  lose  his  own 
soul  ?'  We  have  great  reason  to  be  thankful  to  God  for  preserving  to  us 
the  deposit  of  faith.  And,  oh !  what  language  can  express,  or  pencil 
portray,  what  our  ancestors  underwent  for  the  preservation  of  this  holy 
faith  ?  They  sacrificed  houses,  and  lands,  and  titles,  and  dignities,  and 
even  life  itself.  May  the  memory  of  these  intrepid  confessors  be  in 
perennial  benediction,  and  may  the  light  of  their  example  be  ever  before 
us.  Like  the  faithful  witnesses  mentioned  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews, 
they  suffered  with  heroic  fortitude,  they  kept  the  faith,  and,  we  hope, 
obtained  the  promises.  Therefore  we,  also,  having  so  great  a  cloud  of 
witnesses  over  our  heads,  laying  aside  every  weight  and  sin  which  sur 
rounds  us,  let  us  run  by  patience  to  the  fight  proposed  to  us,  looking  on 

Jesus,  the  author  and  finisher  of  faith think  diligently 

upon  Him,  that  endureth  such  opposition  from  sinners  against  Himself, 
that  you  be  not  wearied,  fainting  in  your  minds.  (Heb.  xii.)" 

In  his  Pastoral  for  Lent,  1861,  Dr.  Walshe  thus  writes  on  the 
evils  of  Intemperance : — 

"  In  admonishing  you — according  to  the  injunction  of  the  Apostle — to 
avoid  everything  that  has  the  appearance  of  evil ;  I  desire  most  earnestly 
to  entreat  you  to  discountenance  by  word  and  example,  in  an  especial 
manner,  the  vice  of  intemperance.  It  is  not  only  criminal  in  itself,  but 
is  the  fountain  of  many,  various,  and  abominable  crimes.  The  approach 
of  this  vice  is  as  insidious,  as  its  consequences  are  calamitous.  .Like  the 
Serpent  with  our  First  Parents,  the  Devil  of  intemperance  achieves  the 
ruin  of  its  victim  under  plausible  pretexts  ;  and,  though  the  artifice  has 
been  often  and  often  exposed,  yet  the  unwary  are  frequently  beguiled  by 
it.  Intemperance,  like  the  Dead  Sea,  is  daily  poisoning  by  its  exhala 
tions  any  health,  vigour  or  virtue  that  come  within  the  range  of  its 
deadly  action.  Who  can  adequately  describe  the  evils  of  intemperance  ? 
Who  can  tell  their  number  ?  They  are  legion — and  they  who  become 
their  victim,  like  a  herd  of  swine.  *  Who  hath  wo  ? — whose  Father  hath 
'  wo  ? — who  hath  contentions  ? — who  falls  into  pits  ? — who  hath  wounds 
1  without  cause  ? — who  hath  redness  of  eyes  ?  Surely  they  that  pass  their 
'  time  in  wine  and  study  to  drink  off  their  cups. — Look  not  upon  the 
'  wine  when  it  is  yellow — when  the  colour  thereof  shineth  in  the  glass — 
'  it  goeth  in  pleasantly.— But  in  the  end  it  will  bite  like  a  snake,  and  will 
'  spread  abroad  poison  like  a  basilisk." — (Proverbs  c.  23.  vs.  29,  et  seq.) 
Do  we  not  frequently  see  graphic  disastrous  illustrations  of  these  declara 
tions  'f — Is  it  not  the  mind  enfeebled — is  not  the  body  wrecked — is  not  the 
soul  degraded  and  stained — is  not  the  moral  constitution  deranged — is 
not  religious  sentiment  weakened  and  banished,  by  intemperance  ?  Man 
is  injured  and  oftentimes  ruined  in  all  his  relations  by  intemperance — It 
not  only  destroys  its  immediate  victim,  but  it  scatters  desolation  in  the 
circle  in  which  he  moves. 

"  Intemperance  wastes  property,  and  often  what  remains  is  consumed 
by  neglect.  The  Bruchus  devours  what  the  locust  leaves.  The  house  of 
the  intemperate  is  miserable — his  family  sad — upon  their  homestead  no 
cheerfulness  beams — neither  peace  nor  harmony,  nor  contentment  abides 
there.  In  that  dismal  home  there  is  perpetual  winter — no  ray  of  kind 
paternal  care  to  warm — no  virtuous  example  to  hallow — no  hope  to 


BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN.  157 

brighten.  Whether  that  family,  tossed  upon  the  dark  waters  of  afflic 
tion,  reflect  on  their  present,  or  look  forward  to  their  future  condition  in 
life,  they  see  nothing  within  their  horizon  but  present  sorrow  and  im 
pending  ruin. 

"  But  the  moral  evils  resulting  from  intemperance  are  immeasurably 
greater  than  even  those  which  mildew  the  hopes  of  individuals  and 
families,  and  steep  them  in  domestic  want  and  misery.  Intemperance 
leads  to  the  perpetration  of  many  crimes— anger,  and  Quarrelling,  and 
injustice,  and  blasphemy,  and  impurity,  are  often  the  results  of  it.  This 
dreadful  vice  assails  order,  industry,  peace,  morality,  religion.  The 
course  of  intemperance  may  be  traced  by  the  physical  and  moral  desola 
tion  it  leaves  after  it. 

"  Then,  dearly-beloved  brethren,  such  an  evil,  every  lover  of  peace  and 
virtue  and  happiness,  should  endeavour,  firmly  and  unceasingly,  to  dis 
countenance.  Our  efforts  should  be  proportionate  to  the  insidious 
character  of  the  vice  and  the  enormous  magnitude  of  its  evil. 

"  I  have  said  that  the  approach  of  this  evil  is  insidious.  Very  little 
reflection  is  necessary  to  enable  us  to  perceive  this.  No  one  ever  yet 
acquired  habits  of  intemperance  suddenly— they  advance  stealthily,  and, 
under  perhaps  friendly  guise,  they  take  possession  of  a  man  and  exercise 
a  dreadful  despotism  over  him.  It  is  true,  he  can  lay  aside  these  habits 
—but  it  is  equally  certain,  that  when  they  have  established  themselves 
in  his  constitution,  he  will  not,  probably,  make  the  exertion  necessary  for 
his  disenthralment.  Ask  the  unfortunate  man  who  is  enslaved  by 
intemperance,  how  he  was  thus  reduced.  He  will,  in  most  cases,  tell 
you,  that  he  found  himself  addicted  to  drinking  before  he  became  aware 
of  his  danger.  He  had  naturally  no  fondness  for  it.  He  began  to  drink 
first  for  the  sake  of  company.  He  almost  imperceptibly  acquired  a  mor 
bid  appetite  for  drinking — his  standard  of  temperance  and  propriety 
gradually  sank  far  below  the  point  at  which  common  sense,  reason  and 
religion  would  fix  it.  Vice  took  possession  of  him,  and  like  the  evil 
spirits  of  which  we  read  in  the  Gospel,  agitated,  degraded  and  injured 
him,  and  filled  with  sorrow  and  dismay  those  who  beheld  him. 

"  When  a  person  has  become  habitually  addicted  to  drinking  it  is 
exceedingly  difficult,  indeed,  to  reclaim  him.  Point  out  to  him  the  bodily 
evils  it  produces.  He  knows  them — he  feels  them—  he  suffers  from  them 
— yet,  he  is  not  dissuaded.  Tell  him  the  moral  evils  to  which  it  leads- 
he  acknowledges  them— he  deplores  them— he  desires  to  be  freed  from 
them— yet,  he  will  not  take  the  measures  necessary  for  his  liberation. 
Remind  him  that  the  drunkard  shall  not  possess  the  Kingdom  of  God — 
he  trembles  at  the  announcement,  but  like  Felix  before  St.  Paul,  he  is 
not  converted.  He  proceeds  from  iniquity  to  iniquity,  and,  perhaps,  con 
summates  the  impiety  of  his  life,  by  the  dark  and  frightful  impenitence 
of  his  death.  Direct  his  attention  to  the  wretched  career  and  miserable 
end  of  some — perhaps,  of  the  companions  of  his  excesses.  It  is  useless  ; 
he  has  followed  their  remains  to  the  grave  to  which  intemperance  had 
prematurely  consigned  them,  he  sighed  over  their  fate  and  wept  over  the 
ruin.  Yet,  he  heeds  not  the  lesson — nor  gives  up  his  own  intem 
perance. 

"  There  is  nothing  in  which  the  saying— prevention'is  better  than  cure 
— so  often  receives  such  triumphant  attestation  as  in  the  matter  of  drink 
ing  habits.  It  is  easy,  very  easy  indeed,  to  guard  against  their  growth, 
as  it  is  diffiult,  exceedingly  difficult  to  eradicate  them,  when  they  have 
been  allowed  to  strike  their  wasting  roots  deeply  into  the  constitution. 
"  Beware  then,  of  drinking  usages.  Discountenance  them— they  are 


158  BISHOPS  OF   KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

the  prolific  parents  of  intemperance.  Be  not  beguiled  by  the  various 
pretexts  by  which  persons  seek  to  conceal  their  danger  and  justify  their 
practice.  Beware  of  a  false  standard  of  temperance.  Remember  that 
the  powerful  at  drinking  are  accursed.  Remember  that  drinking  freely, 
begets  a  love  and  habit  of  drinking.  Beware  of  those  who  foolishly  and 
wickedly  imagine  that  drinking  is  free  from  guilt,  when  it  does  not 
amount  to  actual  drunkenness.  There  are  persons  who  are  always  drink 
ing  and  never,  perhaps,  drunk,  in  the  popular  sense  of  the  word,  and 
entail  on  themselves  all  the  evils  of  intemperance,  and  have  just  reason 
to  fear  the  curse  pronounced  against  the  'potentibus  Hbendo'  Who 
would  avoid  intemperance,  should  keep  away  from  the  occasions  of  it, 
and  should  beware  of  the  companionship  of  those  who  drink  freely.  Sit 
not  in  the  chair  of  pestilence.  Have  no  fellowship  with  them — their 
standard  of  generosity  is  excess.1  They  are  a  sensual  and  perverse 
generation,  whom  no  counsel  will  control— no  admonition  warn— no 
example  alarm — no  punishment  reclaim.  They  are  not  unlike  those  of 
whom  St.  Paul  writes—'  that  their  God  is  their  belly,  their  glory  is  in 
their  shame— whose  end  is  destruction.'— (Phil,  iii.)  In  the  heated 
atmosphere  of  such  society  good  purposes  evaporate — the  strongest  re 
solutions  are  molten— the  tone  of  moral  feeling  is  lowered— the  vigour  of 
religious  sentiment  is  weakened— the  healthy  sensibility  of  conscience  is 
impaired— natural  gentleness  becomes  rough,  and  vulgarity  waxes  front- 
less  and  offensive— the  man  who,  ordinarily,  is  agreeable  and  decent, 
becomes,  under  the  influence  of  drink,  a  boisterous  buffoon,  or  a  bitter 
acrimonious  and  quarrelsome  companion.  His  drinking  soon  leads  to 
other  inquities— the  Christian  degenerates  into  the  animal  man,  '  who 
perceiveth  not  these  things  that  are  of  the  Spirit  of  God.'— 1st.  Cor. 

Then,  who  would  protect  himself  against  the  evils  of  intemperance 
should  eschew  such  dangerous  society.    All  should  observe  most  strictly 
at  least,  a  rigid  moderation.     'By  surfeiting  many  have  perished— but  he 
that  is  temperate  shall  prolong  life.'— Ecc.  37  c.,  34  v.     And  that  total 
abstinence  which  we  could  easily  shew  to  be  highly  useful  to  all,  is 
absolutely  necessary  for  some  whose  natural  temperament  does  not  admit 
with  impunity,  the  use  of  strong  drink  even  in  the  smallest  quantity   In 
such  instances,  there  can  be  no  compromise.     The  moderation  should  be 
total  abstinence.     And,  indeed,    if  all  persons  would  become   total 
abstainers  they  would  find  such  abstinence  highly  advantageous  in  every 
way,  in  relation  to  their  health,  comfort  and  happiness.     We  have  wit 
nessed  the  marvellous  blessings  produced  by  the  Temperance  movement, 
not  only  m  reclaiming  the  intemperate,  but  also,  in  breaking  down  the 
drinking  usages  that  were  so  disgraceful  and  ruinous.     But  greater 
blessings,    than  any    of  worldly  value,  await    total   abstinence?    The 
Almighty  blessed  the  Rechabites  for  their  obedience  to  the  injunction  of 
their  .bather  to  practise  total  abstinence,  as  we  read  in  the  prophecy  of 
Jeremias   (chap    xxxv.)    When    wine    was    set    before    them-' They 
answered,  we  will  not  drink  wine,  because  Jonadabthe  son  of  Rechab 
our  father  commanded  us  saying,  you  shall  drink  no  wine,  neither  you 
4  nor  your  children  for  ever.'    *    *    *    And  Jeremias  said  to  the  House 
of  the  Rechabites,  'Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  Host  the  God  of  Israel- 
Because  you  have  obeyed  the  commandment  of  Jonadab  your  Father 
ar  i  have  kept  all  his  precepts,  and  have  done  all  that  he  commanded 
you  therefore,  thus  saith  the  Lord  of  Host  the  God  of  Israel-there 
shall  not  be  wanting  a  man  of  the  race  of  {Jonadab  the  son  Rechab 
standing  before  me  for  ever.  ' 


BISHOPS   OF  KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN.  159 

SILVER  JUBILEE  OF  THE   RIGHT  REV.   DR.   WALSHE. 

On  the  30th  March,  1856,  the  Eight  Rev.  Dr.  James  Walshe, 
was  consecrated  Bishop  of  the  united  Dioceses  of  Kildare  and 
Leighlin.  The  25th  anniversary  of  his  consecration,  and  the 
festivities  usual  on  so  joyous  an  occasion  were  celebrated  with 
with  great  pomp  and  ceremony  in  Carlow  Cathedral,  on  Passion 
Sunday,  3rd  April,  1881.  The  celebrant  of  the  High  Mass  was 
the  Rev.  A.  Wall,  Adm.  The  Rev.  M.  J.  Murphy,  Vice-President, 
Carlow  College,  preached,  and  made  graceful  and  touching 
allusion  to  the  Bishop's  Jubilee.  After  Mass  the  "  Te  Deum" 
was  sung,  and  Solemn  Benediction  of  the  Most  Holy  Sacrament 
given.  The  vast  congregation  seemed  deeply  earnest  and 
devotional,  and  there  is^no  doubt  that  Dr.  Walshe  is  loved  and 
revered  by  his  Carlow  children.  But  not  in  Carlow  only,  but 
through  the  entire  diocese  the  occasion  was  one  of  great  rejoic 
ing.  His  clergy  gladly  seized  the  opportunity  of  presenting  Dr. 
Walshe  with  an  address  and  testimonial,  in  token  of  their  esteem 
and  attachment.  On  Tuesday  a  deputation,  consisting  of  the 
Vicars  of  the  diocese,  the  President  and  Vice-President  of  the 
College,  and'  some  of  the  clergy,  waited  on  his  Lordship  at 
Braganza,  where,  in  the  name  of  all  the  clergy,  the  Right  Rev. 
Dr.  Lynch,  Coadjutor  Bishop,  read  the  following  address: — 

"  The  clergy  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin,  on  the  completion  of  tlie  25th 
year  of  your  Lordship's  Episcopate,  feel  it  a  duty  to  offer  their  respectful 
and  cordial  congratulations.  Mindful  of  your  lordship's  disposition  to 
shrink  from  display,  we  have  dispensed  with  the  ceremonial  which  is 
usual  on  occasions  like  the  present,  and  we  confine  ourselves  to  the  simple 
but  heartfelt  expression  of  our  respect  and  filial  devotion.  Your  unde- 
viating  fidelity  to  the  duties  of  your  sacred  office,  your  delicate  and 
thoughtful  consideration  for  the  wants  of  others,  and  the  truly  apostolic 
simplicity  of  your  life,  have  been  a  source  of  edification  to  us  all,  and  we 
feel  that  having  so  long  and  so  constantly  experienced  your  paternal  and 
affectionate  kindness,  we  should  be  ungrateful  indeed  if  we  did  not  take 
this  opportunity,  to  assure  your  lordship  of  our  veneration,  grateful 
respect,  and  unalterable  attachment.  We  may  be  permitted  also  to  join 
with  you  in  thanksgiving  for  the  many  blessings  coming  from  the  Father 
of  Light,  which  have  enabled  you  to  discharge  the  onerous  and  anxious 
duties  of  your  high  office  with  honour  to  yourself  and  advantage  to  your 
flock.  We  pray  that  you  may  be  long  spared  to  guide  us  by  your 
wisdom,  to  enlighten  us  by  your  knowledge  and  experience,  and  to  en 
courage  us  by  your  example,  and  we  hope  that  this  diocese  may  continue 
to  be  blessed  with  the  affectionate  union  between  bishops  and  priests, 
clergy  and  laity,  which  has  characterised  your  long  administration.  We 
know  well  your  Lordship's  aversion  to  receive  gifts,  and  that  like  St. 
Paul,  you  would  not  IDC  a  burthen  to  anyone,  but  custom  sanctions  a 
free-will  offering,  which  we  hope  may  be  worthy  of  your  Lordship's 
acceptance." 

His  Lordship  replied  in  the  following  words  : — 

"  I  am  deeply  moved  by  this  expression  of  your  interest  and  regard. 


160  BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE   AND   LEIGHLiN. 

To  say  I  am  thankful  for  your  kindness  but  feebly  expresses  my  gratitude. 
Your  generosity  leads  you  to  overrate  my  service  very  much.  You  give 
me  credit  for  devotion  to  my  duties.  I  am  well  aware  of  their  impor 
tance,  and  of  the  weighty  responsibility  they  entail.  I  am  mindful  that 
it  is  written, '  Judicium  durissimum  eis  qui  praesunt.'  Although  never 
desirous  of  this  office,  which  I  have  the  honour  to  hold,  when  the  Holy 
Father  was  graciously  pleased  to  impose  the  burden  upon  me,  I  en 
deavoured  to  discharge  the  duties  to  the  best  of  my  ability,  and 
certainly  in  a  very  disinterested  spirit.  In  the  example  of  my  revered 
predecessors,  I  had  much  to  stimulate  and  direct  me.  I  had  the  advan 
tage  of  serving  in  the  sacred  ministry  under  the  last  three  of  them,  and 
of  observing  their  judicious  and  enlightened  administration.  Their 
example  afforded  a  great  light  to  their  unworthy  successor.  I  desire  to 
walk  in  this  light — but  here— magno  intervallo  et  Tiaud  passibus  cequis. 
When  the  approach  of  infirmity,  incident  to  advanced  age,  lessened  my 
ability,  such  as  it  is,  to  discharge  the  onerous  duties  of  my  office,  I 
humbly  petitioned  the  Holy  Father  to  allow  me  to  retire,  or  at  least  to 
give  me  the  aid  I  needed.  His  Holiness  was  graciously  pleased  to  send 
to  my  assistance  the  holy  bishop  whose  presence  on  this  occasion  imparts 
great  additional  value  to  the  most  efficient  support  given  to  me  at  all 
times  by  his  Lordship.  The  healthy  tone  of  ecclesiastical  discipline,  the 
knowledge,  enlightened  zeal,  and  piety  of  the  clergy,  the  love  of  order 
and  uprightness  of  our  generous,  docile,  and  devoted  people,  facilitate 
very  much  the  discharge  of  the  onerous  duties  of  the  Episcopacy.  I 
confidently  trust  that,  under  the  divine  blessing,  the  cordial  harmony  so 
happily  existing  between  bishops  and  priests,  secular  and  regular,  and 
our  beloved  flock  shall  be  perpetual.  I  accept  your  generous  offering, 
which  shall  be  allocated  in  a  wray  becoming  the  bishop  and  clergy." 

It  will  not  surprise  those  who  know  Dr.  Walshe,  to  learn 
that  the  only  condition  on  which  he  would  consent  to  receive 
the  testimonial  was,  that  he  might  be  permitted  to  send  it  to 
the  Holy  Father;  and  the  £520,  the  munificent  gift  of  his 
devoted  clergy,  was  sent  to  the  Holy  See,  as  an  offering  from  the 
bishop  and  priests  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin. 

Copy  of  Letter  from  the  Eight  Rev.  Monsignor  Kirby,  now 
Bishop  of  Lita,  to  the  Eight  Rev.  James  Walshe,  Bishop  of 
Kildare  and  Leighlin. 

"  Irish  College,  Rome,  19th  April,  1881. 

"My  DEAR  LORD,— I  feel  great  pleasure  in  informing  your  Lordship 
that  I  had  the  honour  and  happiness  of  laying  at  the  feet  of  His  Holiness 
on  Easter  Sunday,  agreeably  with  your  request,  the  draft  for  ^£520  sent 
to  me  by  your  Lordship.  His  Holiness  was  deeply  affected  by  so  generous 
an  offering.  But  his  feelings  of  gratitude  were  immeasurably  enhanced 
when  I  miormed  him  that  that  offering  was  a  present  made  to  yourself 
personally  by  your  devoted  clergy  on  the  occasion  of  your  late  Episcopal 
jubilee.  So  courteous  and  disinterested  an  act  on  the  part  of  your  Lord 
ship  on  such  an  occasion  filled  him  with  deep  emotion,  and  he  was 
pleased  to  charge  me  to  express  those  feelings  on  conveying  to  your 
Lordship  his  apostolic  benediction  to  yourself  and  your  worthy 
Coadjutor  and  entire  clergy,  who  made  so  eloquent  and  expressive 
a  manifestation  of  their  love  and  veneration  towards  their  vene 
rated  Pastor  on  the  happy  completion  of  the  25th  year  of  his 


THE  RIGHT  REV  JAMES  LYNCH^  D.D. 
COADJUTOR   BISHOP  OF  KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN 


BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE  AND   LEIGHLIN.  161 

Episcopal  consecration.  '  But,'  he  added,  '  I  wish  also  to  have  some  share 
in  the  festa'  So  he  went  into  his  private  closet,  and  brought  me  a 
beautiful  gold  medal  which  he  desired  me  to  forward  to  your  Lordship 
as  a  mark  of  his  participation  in  the  celebration  of  your  jubilee.  The 
medal  was  struck  off  by  order  of  His  Holiness  to  commemorate  the 
renovation  of  philosophical  and  theological  studies  according  to  the 
doctrine  and  method  of  the  angelic  Doctor  St.  Thomas  of  Aquin,  so 
emphatically  recommended  by  His  Holiness  to  the  Bishops  of  the 
Catholic  world,  and  to  all  ecclesiastical  colleges,  in  his  memorable 
Encyclical  letter  Aeterni  Patris.  The  medal  accordingly  has  on  one  side 
the  likeness  of  the  angelic  Doctor  himself,  standing  between  two 
personages,  representing  respectively  Theology  and  Philosophy.  On  the 
other  side  there  is  a  correct  likeness  of  the  Holy  Father  himself.  I  have 
taken  the  liberty  of  sending  with  it  a  small  souvenir  which  your  Lord 
ship  will  kindly  accept  as  a  token  of  my  congratulations  on  the  happy 
event,  your  Jubilee,  It  is  a  small  picture  of  the  B.  Virgin  for  your  study 
table.  Perhaps  it  may  remind  your  Lordship  sometimes  to  send  up  a 
brief  ejaculation  to  this  great  Mother  of  mercy  for  me  who  am  now  in  so 
much  need  for  her  maternal  aid,  '  the  sear  and  yellow  leaf '  being  already 
at  hand.  The  few  beads  which  are  in  the  little  case,  are  all  blessed  by  the 
Holy  Father,  and  highly  indulgenced  for  distribution  amongst  your 
friends. 

"  Again  wishing  to  your  Lordship  many  happy  Easters  and  every 
temporal  and  spiritual  consolation. 

"  I  have  the  honour,  to  be,  with  profound  veneration, 
"  Your  most  obedient,  devoted  servant, 

"T.  KlRBY." 

(COPY  OP  CERTIFICATE.) 

"Irish  College,  Rome,  Easter  Sunday,  1881. 

"  The  accompanying  gold  medal  was  given  to  the  undersigned  on  this 
day  by  His  Holiness  Leo  XIII.  to  be  transmitted  with  His  apostolic 
Benediction  to  the  Most  Rev.  Dr.  Walshe,  Bishop  of  Kildare  and 
Leighlin,  as  a  token  of  his  Paternal  regard  on  the  occasion  of  the  happy 
completion  of  the  25th  year  of  his  Episcopacy. 

"T.  KiEBY,Dom.  Prelate  of  His  Holiness  Leo XIII." 
Locus  I 
Sigilli  } 

Doctor  Walshe  still,  happily,  presides  over  the  Diocese  of 
Kildare  and  Leighlin. 

QUEM  DEUS  DIU  SOSPITEM  SERVET  ! 

RIGHT  REV.  JAMES  LYNCH,  Bishop  of  Arcadiopolis,  and 
Coadjutor  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin  ;  son  of  Joseph  Lynch,  M.D., 
and  Mary  Anne  Scurlog,  was  born  at  Dublin,  January  12th, 
1307.  He  received  his  classical  education  at  the  College  of  the 
Fathers  of  the  Society  of  Jesus,  Clongowes  Wood,  Ireland  ;  at 
the  termination  of  which,  he  proceeded  to  the  study  of  Medicine, 
as  a  pupil  of  the  College  of  Surgeons,  Dublin.  Dr.  Lynch  after 
wards  feeling  himself  called  to  ,the  Ecclesiastical  state  entered 
the  College  of  St.  Patrick,  Maynooth,  where  he  completed  his 
studies,  and  was  ordained  Priest  by  Dr.  Murray,  Archbishop  of 

L 


162  BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 

Dublin,  in  June,  1833.  He  then  joined  a  number  of  Priests 
who  introduced  into  Ireland  the  Congregation  of  the  Mission  of 
St.  Vincent  de  Paul.  He  became  attached  to  the  staff  of  the 
Vincentian  College  at  Castleknock,  County  Dublin,  and  was,  for 
many  years  a  Professor  and  Vice-President  of  that  educational 
Establishment.  In  October,  1858,  Dr.  Lynch  was  appointed 
Rector  of  the  Irish  College  of  St.  Patrick,  Paris,  which  appoint 
ment  he  held  until  November,  1866,  when  he  was  promoted  to 
the  Episcopate  by  being  nominated  Bishop  of  Arcadiopolis,  in 
partibus  infidelium,  and  Coadjutor  to  the  Vicar- Apostolic  of  the 
Western  District  of  Scotland.  He  was  Consecrated  in  the 
Chapel  of  the  Irish  College,  Paris,  by  Dr.  Keane,  Bishop  of 
Cloyne,  assisted  by  Dr.  Gillooly,  Bishop  of  Elphin,  and  Dr. 
O'Hea,  Bishop  of  Eoss,  on  Sunday,  November  4th.  The 
following  is  taken  from  an  account  of  the  ceremony,  published 
at  the  time  : — 

"  The  Old  Quartier  Latin  was  fairly  puzzled  for  tlie  past  few  days. 
Carriages  with  purpled  occupants  continually  drove  towards  the  Irish 
College,  disturbing  the  monotony  of  the  classic  hill.  People  wondered 
what  it  all  meant,  and  the  curisosite  Franyaise  was  not  easily  satisfied. 
However,  the  secret  leaked  put  on  Saturday  •  and  it  was  not  long  until  it 
was  known,  even  at  the  Tuilleries,  that  the  Hector  of  the  Irish  College 
was  about  to  be  Consecrated  Bishop.  Early  on  Saturday  morning, 
November  3rd,  the  immediate  preparations  for  the  Ceremony  were  com 
menced  ;  and,  although  there  was  no  lack  of  excitement,  the  enthusiasm 
was  heightened  by  the  arrival  of  M.  Lacroix,  Administrator,  accompanied 
by  a  complete  staff  from  the  Tuilleries,  bringing  a  supply  of  Tapestry, 
Draperies,  Trophies,— everything  necessary  for  the  embellishment  of  the 
Court,  Halls,  and  Chapel  of  the  College. 

"  The  College  is  a  fine,  old,  lofty  Building,  founded  in  1578,  by  John 
Lee,  and  is  in  good  preservation  ;  it  forms  three  sides  of  a  Quadrangle. 
It  is  entered  from  the  street,  La  rue  des  Irlandais,  (just  beside  the 
Pantheon),  by  a  large  folding  Door-way  in  the  centre  of  the  middle  Wing. 
In  the  Wing  on  the  left  is  the  Refectory,— in  that  on  the  right  are  the 
Chapel  and  Library.    The  whole  Building  is  skirted  with  a  Colonnade, 
rising  as  high  as  the  first  storey.    A  series  of  some  fifteen  columns  in 
bronze,  support  its  arched  roofing,  which  is  of  green  varnished  zinc,  and 
plate  glass.    The  interior  of  the  Colonnade  was  well  adapted  for  display 
ing,  at  the  Bishop's  Consecration,  the  rich  Tapestry  sent  from   the 
Tuilleries,  and  for  exhibiting  the  beauty  of  the  groupes  represented  on 
them.    These  splendid  Works  of  art,  some  of  which  are  20  feet  long  by 
14  high,  were  from  the  celebrated  Tapisserie  Imperiale  of  the  Gobelins, 
executed  in  the  reign  of  Louis  XIV.,  of  immense  value,  consisting  chiefly 
of  Scripture  allegorical  Pieces  after  Eaphael,  the  originals  of  some  of 
which  are  to  be  seen  at  the  Louvre  or  Tuilleries.    These  were  sent  for  the 
fete,  by  the  Emperor  Napoleon,  through  the  Minister  of  State,  to  Canon 
Owen  Lacroix,  Administrator  of  the  Irish  Establishments  in  France,  and 
becretary  to  the  Emperor's  almoner.    In  the  niches  of  the  windows  of 
the  Rez-de-€haussee,  and  in  the  spaces  between  the  Tapestries,  were 
arranged  piles  of  standards,  representing  the  Escutcheon  of  the  Napoleon 
amily. 


BISHOPS   OF   KILDARE   AND   LEIGHLIN.  163 

"  Over  the  door,  in  the  centre  of  the  grand  court-yard,  was  raised  a 
Cross,  under  which  were  engraved  Protegit  una  Duas ;  on  one  side  the 
word  France,  on  the  other  Irlande;  over  the  whole,  the  French  eagle  was 
supported  on  each  side  by  tricolor  flags.  Above,  floated  the  Papal  flag, 
and  on  the  Porch,  the  Green  Flag  of  Erin,  with  Harp  of  Gold. 

"  On  one  side  of  the  above  was  a  Scutcheon  bearing  the  Arms  of 
Glasgow,  with  the  Inscription — '  Evangelizare  Pauperisms  misit  me.'  On 
the  other  side  a  Cross,  with  the  Arms  of  Ireland  and  Scotland,  and  the 
Thistle  and  Shamrock  entwined  together. 

"  There  was  a  time  when  Scotland  had  its  College,  too,  in  Paris ;  and 
not  far  from  the  Pantheon,  over  the  gate  of  a  fine  old  Building,  is  still  to 
be  seen  on  a  black  marble  Slab,  the  Inscription  in  letters  of  gold,  College 
des  Eccossais- 

"  Splendid  caiidelabras  between  the  columns  in  the  great  court-yard  ; 
tricolor  flags  floating  in  the  air  ;  the  names  of  every  Diocese  in  Ireland 
inscribed  in  letters  of  gold,  (souvenirs  of  the  past),  arranged  around  the 
canopy,  richly  ornamented,  and  raised  for  the  occasion  ;  the  names  of 
Scotland,  Ireland,  and  France  on  every  side ;  the  Cross  of  St.  Andrew, 
and  the  Banner  of  St.  Patrick,  beautifully  painted  on  Scutcheons  ;  the 
rich  and  costly  Hangings  ;  the  gold  and  silver  ornaments  ; — formed  an 
ensemble  of  decoration  rarely  seen  in  France  in  a  private /£te. 

"  At  an  early  hour  on  Sunday  morning,  the  few  who  were  invited  to 
assist  at  the  ceremony  arrived  in  the  Chapel  of  the  College.  It  was 
ornamented  with  rich  Hangings,  in  velvet  and  gold,  and  decorated  with 
exquisite  taste.  A  canopy  of  the  richest  description  overhung  the  High 
Altar,  the  folded  Hangings  just  permitting  the  beautiful  marble  Statue 
of  the  Madonna  to  be  visible.  Two  fine  chandeliers  with  16  branches 
and  numerous  cut-glass  pendants,  adorned  each  side,  whilst  two  others  of 
great  beauty  were  hung  in  front.  The  large  candles  on  the  Altar  were 
adorned  with  the  Arms  of  the  Consecrating  Bishop  and  Bishop  Elect. 
The  carpets  on  the  Sanctuary  were  of  the  Gobelins'  manufacture.  The 
Tribunes  were  in  keeping  with  the  rest  of  the  Church. 

"  High  Mass  and  the  Ceremony  of  Consecration  commenced  at  8 
o'clock  ;  the  whole  community  having  formed  in  the  Sacristy,  whence 
the  Procession  started.  The  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Keane,  Lord  Bishop  of 
Cloyne,  was  Consecrator ;  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Gillooly,  Bishop  of  Elphin, 
and  Right  Rev.  Dr.  O'Hea,  Bishop  of  Ross,  Assistant  Bishops.  These 
three  Prelates  were  residents  in  the  College  in  their  early  days.  The 
chaplains  and  other  officers  of  the  ceremony  belonged  to  the  College. 
There  were  also  present— Rev.  Father  Jean  Baptiste  Etienne,  Superior 
General  of  the  Congregation  of  the  Mission  ;  the  Rev,  Superior  of  St. 
Esprit ;  the  Rev.  Neil  McCabe,  the  newly-appointed  Superior  of  the  Irish 
College;  Rev.  Canon  Lacroix,  Rev.  Canon  Lynch,  Dublin,  (brother  of 
the  Bishop  Elect);  Rev.  Canon  Perraud,  Orat.,  Author  of  the  celebrated 
*  Etudes  sur  FIrlande  contemporaine ;'  Rev.  Father  Burke,  O.P. ;  and  a 
number  of  other  distinguished  personages,  lay  and  clerical,  residing  in 
Paris. 

"The  Ceremonies  occupied  more  than  three  hours,  and1  were  particu 
larly  grand  and  imposing.  The  bearing  of  the  revered  Ecclesiastic,  who 
has  been  placed  among  the  number  of  the  Princes  of  the  Church,  was 
most  touching  and  edifying  throughout  the  ceremony.  The  Mitre  was  a 
great  blow  to  the  humility  of  the  unassuming  Rector ; — and,  towards  the 
close  of  the  ceremony,  when  installed  on  the  Throne  with  Crozier  in 
hand,  the  strong  emotions  of  his  heart  were  vividly  pictured  on  his 
countenance.  But  he  looked  the  Bishop  in  every  sense  of  the  word  ;  and 


164  BISHOPS  OF   KILDARE  AND   LEIGHLIN. 

when  he  rose  to  bestow  the  Benediction  on  his  children,  the  majesty  of 
the  good  father  impressed  all  hearts. 

"Atone  o'clock,  the  Bishop  and  Dignitaries  met  in  one  of  the  large 
Halls,  together  with  the  Professors  and  Students.  A  Presentation,  con 
sisting  of  a  superb  Mitre  and  Crozier  was  made  to  Dr.  Lynch.  The 
Crozier  bore  the  following  inscription:— Rmo-  D°>  Lynch,  Episcopo 
Arcadiapolitano,  Alumni  Collegii  Clericum  Nibernorum,  Pariis,  in 
signum  singularis  amoris  et  gratitudinis,  dono  dederunt,  anno  Salutis, 
1866.  On  the  Mitre  were  the  words:— Memento  Alumnorum  tuorum 
Collegii  Hibernorum,  Parisiis.  An  Address  was  also  read,  in  which  the 
youths,  whilst  begging  the  acceptance  of  their  gift  and  congratulating  his 
Lordship  on  his  new  dignity,  expressed  their  sorrow  at  the  great  loss 
they  were  about  to  sustain  by  his  removal  from  amongst  them.  Dr. 
Lynch  replied  with  much  feeling  and  warmth.  He  said,  the  Crozier, 
which  was  the  emblem  of  authority,  reminded  him  of  his  happy  connexion 
with  the  Irish  College;  for,  throughout  the  long  term  of  his  government, 
he  was  never  called  upon  to  exercise  any  power  but  the  influence  of  the 
heart. 

"  At  six  o'clock  a  grand  dinner  was  given  in  honour  of  the  elevation  of 
the  President  to  the  See  of  Glasgow.  It  is  not  often  that  so  many  dis 
tinguished  Irish  have  met  in  Paris.  Besides  the  four  Bishops,  there 
were  the  great  Irish  Preacher,  Father  Burke,  O.P.,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hogan, 
the  eminent  Professor  of  Theology  at  St.  Sulpice,  the  Key.  Mr.  Barnard, 
of  the  Passionist  Fathers,  Abbe"  Perraud,  and  the  distinguished  Superiors 
of  the  Priests  of  Saint  Esprit.  About  160  sat  down  to  dinner.  After 
sunset  the  Court  and  Galleries  were  illuminated.  The  scene  on  all  sides 
was  magnificent.  The  light  from  the  chandeliers,  falling  on  the  rich 
tapestries,  was  reflected  out  among  the  long  rows  of  chestnuts  planted 
round  the  court,  and  had  a  very  brilliant  effect." 

After  some  years,  the  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin,  Dr. 
Walshe,  on  account  of  declining  strength,  petitioned  the  Holy 
See  to  grant  him  a  Coadjutor.  The  first  petition  having  failed, 
Dr.  Walshe,  renewed  his  request,  in  consequence  of  which, 
Propaganda  elected  Dr.  Lynch  to  be  Coadjutor  of  Kildare  and 
Leighlin,  cum  jure  successionis,  in  April,  1869.  The  Pope  gave 
his  assent,  on  the  4th  of  April,  at  the  same  time  relieving  Dr. 
Lynch  from  his  Scotch  Vicariate.  The  Propaganda  "  expedited" 
this  appointment  on  the  5th  of  April,  1869.  (Brady's  Episcopal 
Succession,  Vol.  2,  p.  372.) 


COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLOW. 


By  a  relaxation  in  the  Penal  Laws,  effected  in  1782,  Catholics 
were  enabled  to  acquire  freehold  property,  for  lives,  or  of  inheri 
tance  ;  they  were  also  enabled  to  establish  schools  and  to 
educate  their  youth  in  literature  and  religion.  (O'Connell's 
Memoir  of  Ireland.)  The  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin,  DR. 
LUKE  KEEFFE,  at  once  determined  to  avail  himself  of  the 
facilities  thus  afforded  for  the  establishment  of  a  College  in 
Ireland  for  the  training  and  education  of  a  domestic  priesthood. 
He  was  the  more  urgently  impelled  to  this  by  the  course  of 
political  events  in  France,  where  the  impending  Revolution  fore 
boded  the  ruin  of  those  Colleges  in  that  country  in  which  the 
Irish  clergy  had,  for  the  most  part,  been  educated.  "  To  effect 
this  object,"  writes  Dr.  Doyle,  "  he  was  possessed  of  no  means, 
he  had  no  money,  no  friends  able  to  assist  him,  no  protection 
from  the  law,  no  favour  or  support  from  the  wise  or  wealthy. 
He  had  only  to  cast  his  heart  with  its  concern  on  the  Lord,  and 
to  gather  from  an  impoverished  clergy  and  people  a  portion  of 
the  means  too  small  for  their  subsistence.  But  his  faith  was 
animated,  his  confidence  in  a  protecting  Providence  unbounded. 
He  believed  that  his  design  was  agreeable  to  God,  and  under 
His  favour  he  feared  not  to  carry  it  into  effect."  Dr.  Keeffe  at 
first  selected  the  town  of  Tullow,  where  he  resided,  as  the  place 
for  the  Diocesan  College  ;  unexpected  obstacles,  however,  having 
interfered  with  his  obtaining  an  eligible  site  there,  he  ultimately 
decided  on  erecting  it  at  Carlow.  Such  was  his  anxiety  for  the 
success  of  the  undertaking  that — though  closely  approaching 
his  ninetieth  year,  and  nearly  blind — he  relinquished  his  home 
in  Tullow  and  took  up  his  abode  in,  what  Dr.  Doyle  describes  as 
a "  mean  apartment"  in  the  town  of  Carlow,  that  the  rising 
building  might  be  under  his  own  personal  supervision.  In 
reply  to  certain  Queries  addressed  by  Government  in  1800  to 
the  Irish  Bishops,  Dr.  Delany,  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin 
thus  refers  to  this  subject: — "No  sooner  had  the  repeal  of  the 
Penal  Statutes  taken  place  that  before  opposed  an  inseparable 
bar  to  the  erection  of  Catholic  schools  in  this  Kingdom,  than 
DR.  KEEFFE,  late  R.  C.  Bishop,  in  conjunction  with  the  actual 


166         COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLOW. 

incumbent  (i.e.  DEAN  STAUNTON,  P.P.  of  Carlow),  availed  them 
selves  of  the  auspicious  moment  and,  with  eager  zeal,  vigorously 
set  about  at  once  commencing  this  foundation, — slender  means 
as  they  could  boast  at  the  time,  and  untoward  as  the  circum 
stances  were  in  which  they  then  stood  for  the  accomplishment 
of  so  very  arduous  a  measure — the  united  incomes  of  the  two 
founders,  both  in  capacity  of  Prelate  and  Parish  Priest,  not 
exceeding  the  sum  of  one  hundred  guineas  a  year  at  that  period. 
Nevertheless,  by  degrees,  and  generously  aided  by  the  Joint 
liberality  of  the  clergy  and  Roman  Catholic  laity  of  the  Diocese 
of  Kildare  and  Leighlin,  they  at  length  happily  completed  their 
design,  and  by  means  of  subscriptions  universally  entered  into 
everywhere  through  the  district,  of  from  a  British  sixpence  and 
a  shilling  each  up  to  a  guinea  and  more  individually  in  a  few 
instances,  in  each  parish,  combined  with  hat  collection  for  brass 
also  in  every  chapel,  did  they  finally  execute  the  work, — a  large 
handsome  edifice  nearly  120  feet  long,  26  wide  in  the  central 
part,  36  deep  in  each  end  or  wing,  consisting  of  four  stories  above 
the  surface,  besides  underground  apartments  for  servants, 
kitchen,  cellarage,  etc.,  etc.,  the  three  upper  stories,  17  com 
modious  bedrooms  for  Superior,  Professors,  and  Students  on  each 
floor  ;  51  in  the  whole."  (This  description  refers  to  the  centre 
house  which  forms  bat  a  small  portion  of  the  present  pile  of 
buildings. — EDITOR.)  "The  building  stands  in  a  remarkably 
healthy  and  beautiful  situation  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
town,  with  a  piece  of  ground  annexed  of  four  acres  and  a  quarter, 
the  whole  recently  enclosed  on  every  side  by  a  well-built  wall  of 
lime  and  stone  ten  feet  high.  There  is  also  a  very  elegant 
chapel  lately  built  within  a  few  paces  of  the  Seminary,  and  a 
very  neat  Infirmary  just  erected  at  a  more  remote  distance,  but 
within  the  enclosure,  the  entire  at  an  expense  little  short  of 
£6,000." 

In  the  College  books,  under  head  of  Subscriptions,  is  found 
an  item  that  reveals  the  fact  that  the  enclosure  of  the  College 
grounds  and  erection  of  the  Infirmary  was  done  at  the  cost  of 
.the  VERY  REV.  DEAN  LALOR,  P.P.  of  Allen :— "  Augt.  1st,  1798. 
By  Cash  received  from  Rev.  Dean  Lalor  of  Allen  through  hands 
of  Dr.  Delany,  for  enclosing  the  College  field  and  building  an 
Infirmary,  £341  5s  Od." 

Dr.  Delany  continues  : — "  The  Priests  continued  to  bestow  on 
the  College  a  guinea  or  half  a  guinea  each  after  the  schools 
were  opened,  till  it  was  reckoned  to  be  fully  established,  when 
these  donations  were  wholly  withdrawn,  and  it  was  left  for 
several  years  back  to  support  itself  solely  by  the  surplus  profits 
resulting  from  pensions  paid  by  students.  From  these  economical 


COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLOW.          167 

savings  have  the  various  expenses  of  the  establishment  been 
defrayed,  and  on  such  scanty,  fluctuating, and  precarious  resources 
has  it  even  in  some  degree  flourished,  till  the  late  enormous  rise 
in  the  price  of  provisions,  fuel,  etc.,  which  has  given  a  mortal 
blow  to  our  funds  in  this  way ;  whilst  her  younger  but  highly 
favoured  sister  of  Maynooth  evidently  threatens — is  it  lawful  to 
say  ? — to  follow  it  up  ere  long  with  the  coup  de  grace,  by  the 
vast  diminution  in  the  number  of  students,  clerical  particularly, 
before  resorting  to  it  from  every  province  of  the  Kingdom,  but 
who  do  not,  however  otherwise  well-disposed,  choose  now  to  pay 
at  Carlow  for  what  they  are  invited,  all  both  rich  and  poor, 
equally,  to  partake  of  gratis  within  the  former's  privileged  walls. 
In  illustration  of  the  truth  of  this  remark,  let  me  here  be  per 
mitted  to  state,  that  a  farmer  deemed  worth  from  £14,000  to 
£15,000,  sterling,  has  made  instant  application  to  me  to  name 
his  son  to  a  place  in  Maynooth.  It  is  needless  to  add  that  his 
prayer  was  rejected  with  indignation'" 

"  There  are  six  professors  or  teachers,  resident  inmates  in  the 
Seminary  of  Carlow,  one  of  Theology,  one  of  Philosopy,  one  of 
Belles  Lettres,  etc.,  two,  of  the  Classics,  and  one  of  writing,  etc. 
The  three  first  are  French  Emigrant  Priests,  at  a  stipend  of 
fifteen  guineas  each  per  annum,  as  much  as  could  be  afforded  in 
the  present  disastrous  circumstances  of  the  house.  The  Pro 
fessor  of  Divinity  is  nevertheless,  a  man  of  distinguished 
celebrity  in  his  department,  and  has  taught  with  universal 
applause  in  several  French  Universities.  .  .  .  The  President, 
who  acts  also  in  capacity  of  Procurator  or  Bursar,  receives  no 
salary.  He  is  Parish  Priest  of  Carlow."  (Memoirs  and  Corres 
pondence  of  Viscount  Castlereagh,  Vol.  4,  p.  143.) 

Though  the  precise  date  at  which  the  building  of  the  College 
was  commenced  is  not  on  record,  yet  there  is  evidence  to  show 
that  it  was  begun  early  in  the  year  1787.  The  Lease  of  the 
ground  on  which  the  College  stands,  was  made  to  Dr.  Keeffe  for 
a  term  of  999  years,  and  is  dated  September,  1786.  It  was 
admittedly,  the  conjoint  undertaking  of  Bishop  Keeffe  and  Dean 
Staunton,  Parish  Priest  of  Carlow.  The  latter  succeeded  Dean 
Gernon  as  Pastor  of  Carlow  in  March,  1787 ;  and  Dr.  Keeffe 
died  September  18th,  in  the  same  year,  by  which  time  the 
building  had  already  made  considerable  progress. 

THE  VERY  REV.  HENRY  STAUNTON. 

Dr.   Staunton   was   born   at   Kellymount,   in   the  parish  of 
Paulstown,  County  Kilkenny;  the  precise  year  of  his  birth  is 
not  known.     He  made  his  ecclesiastical  studies  on  the  Continent, 
probably  at  Paris,  and,  on  his  return  home,  was  at  once  employed 


168  COLLEGE  OF  ST.   PATRICK,  CARLOW. 

in  the  duties  of  the  mission.  Previous  to  his  appointment  to 
Carlow,  he  had  charge  of  the  Parish  of  Graignamanagh, either  as 
Parish  Priest  or  as  Administrator.  On  the  death  of  Dean 
Gernon,  P.P.  of  Carlow,  in  March  1787,  Henry  Staunton  was 
appointed  his  successor,  being  also,  at  the  same  time,  promoted 
to  the  dignity  of  Dean  of  the  Diocese  of  Leighlin.  At  this  time 
the  aged  Bishop,  Dr.  Keeffe,  was  setting  about  the  erection  of 
the  College ;  Dean  Staunton  entered  with  zeal  into  the  project 
and,  on  the  death  of  the  Venerable  Prelate  on  the  18th  of 
September,  following,  continued  the  direction  of  the  works  till 
he  saw  them  completed  in  1793.  Dean  Staunton,  on  the  opening 
of  the  College,  became  President,  which  position  he  occupied 
until  his  death  in  1814,  remaining,  at  the  same  time,  Parish 
Priest  of  Carlow.  The  unselfish  nature  of  his  interest  in  the 
success  of  the  College  is  evidenced  by  the  fact  that  from  the 
time  of  his  first  connexion  with  it  in  1787  to  the  period  of  his 
death,  he  never  accepted  of  any  salary. 

Whilst  he  presided  over  the  College  with  great  solicitude  for 
its  success,  Dean  Staunton  was  not  unmindful  of  the  interests  of 
the  flock  committed  to  his  Pastoral  care.  His  zeal  for  the 
promotion  of  education  in  Carlow,  is  shewn,  by  the  Free  School, 
for  the  education  of  boys,  which  he  erected  and  established  there 
and  on  which  the  following  inscription  may  still  be  seen: — 
"I.H.S.  This  School  was  erected  by  the  inhabitants  of  Carlow 
and  its  vicinity,  under  the  patronage  of  the  Kev.  Dean 
Staunton  ;"  and,  still  more,  by  the  foundation  of  the  Presentation 
Convent  and  Schools,  for  the  education  of  the  poor  female 
children  of  the  town.  In  1810,  the  Kev.  Andrew  Fitzgerald, 
then  Professor  of  Theology  at  Carlow  College,  suggested  the 
need  that  existed  of  such  an  institute  ;  the  holy  pastor  at  once 
entered  into  his  views  with  pious  enthusiasm,  and  handed  over 
to  him  a  considerable  sum  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  good 
work.  The  first  Mass  was  celebrated  in  the  new  Convent  by 
Dean  Staunton  on  the  festival  of  St.  Francis  de  Sales,  the  29th 
of  January,  1811.  (Annals  of  P.  Convent,  Carlow.) 

The  fine  cut-stone  arch,  now  at  the  Convent  of  Mercy,  Carlow, 
was  previously  the  entrance  to  the  parish  Church,  and  was 
erected  by  Dean  Staunton,  as  his  initials  and  the  date  : — "  H.  S. 
A.D.  1792"— testify. 

Dean  Staunton  died  on  the  1st  of  September,  1814,  and  was 
interred  at  the  Parish  Church ;  when  the  new  Cathedral  was 
commenced,  his  remains  and  those  of  his  successor  in  the 
Pastoral  office,  the  Very  Rev.  William  FitzGerald,  V.F.,  were 
removed  to  the  Cemetery  of  the  College.  On  the  29th  of 
September,  1814,  the  Month's  Memory  for  the  repose  of  the 


COLLEGE  OF  ST.   PATRICK,  CARLOW.  169 

soul  of  the  Pastor  of  Carlow,  and  first  President  of  the  College, 
took  place.  It  was  attended  by  the  Right  Rev.  Kyran  Marum, 
Bishop  of  Ossory,  the  Right  Rev.  Patrick  Ryan,  Coadjutor  Bishop 
of  Ferns,  the  Very  Rev.  Arthur  Murphy,  Vicar-Capitular  of 
Kildare  and  Leighlin,  and  a  large  concourse  of  the  clergy. 

On  the  1st  of  October,  1793,  Carlow  College  was  opened  for 
the  reception  of  students,  on  which  occasion  the  following 
entered : — 

The  Rev.  John  Walsh. 
The  Rev.  Matthew  Reilly. 
The  Rev.  James  Byrne. 
The  Rev.  William  Comerford. 
The  Rev.  Thady  Duane. 
The  Rev.  Daniel  Nowlan. 
The  Rev.  James  Murphy. 
The  Rev.  John  Cleary. 

Of  the  above,  the  Rev.  John  Walsh  was  afterwards  P.P.  of 
Borris,  County  Carlow;  Rev.  Matthew  Reilly  was  P.P.  of 
Philipstown  ;  Rev.  James  Byrne,  was  P.P.  of  Ballyadams  ;  Rev. 
William  Comerford  died  at  College,  19th  April,  1794,  and  was 
buried  at  Clopoke,  having  been  a  native  of  that  district ;  Rev. 
Thady  Duane  was  P.P.  of  Clonaslee  and  Rosenallis  ;  Rev.  Daniel 
Nowlan  was  P.P.,  first  of  Kill,  County  Kildare,  and  then  of 
Paulstown,  County  Kilkenny.  The  Rev.  James  Murphy  and 
Rev.  John  Cleary  perhaps  were  subjects  of  other  Dioceses.  The 
seven  survivors  of  the  above  appear  to  have  all  left  Carlow  College 
in  August,  1796,  probably  on  the  completion  of  a  three  years' 
course  of  Theology. 

The  first  Professor  named  in  the  College  books  is  the  REV. 
DOCTOR  KELLY,  who  became  connected  with  the  house  on  the 
20th  of  October,  1793,  and  left  in  the  following  March.  There 
is  reason  to  suppose  him  to  be  the  same  "  Rev.  J.  Kelly,  D.D., 
Parish  Priest  of  Rathoe  and  Ballon,"  who,  according  to  the 
inscription  on  his  tomb  at  Kellistown  "  Departed  this  life  on  the 
5th  March,  1799,  aged  43  years." 

The  next  Professors  of  note  we  meet  with  are  the  REV.  MR. 
NOGIER,  who  came  to  the  College  November  19th,  1794;  the 
REV.  MR.  LA  BRUNE,  and  the  REV.  MR.  CHABAUX,  who  came  in 
April,  1795.  These  were  the  three  French  Emigrant  Priests 
referred  to  by  Dr.  Delany.  They  continued  at  Carlow  College 
for  several  years,  but  ultimately  returned  to  their  own  country. 
We  are  indebted  to  the  accomplished  Author  of  "  Irish  Wits 
and  Worthies,"  for  the  following,  p.  93  :— "The  late  Very  Rev. 
Dr.  Yore  was  fond  of  telling  the  following  ancedote :  '  One  day, 
when  walking  in  Carlow  College  park,  my  letters  and  the 
Evening  Post  were  placed  in  my  hands,  containing  the  news  of 


170          COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLOW. 

the  restoration  of  the  Hierarchy  in  France.  Never  can  I  forget 
the  scene.  I  meant  only  to  amuse  the  French  priests  with  an 
item  of  ephemeral  news ;  but  instead  of  awakening  a  momentary 
interest,  I  found  that  I  had  touched  a  chord  of  thoroughly 
spiritual  cadence  which  vibrated  long  and  sensitively.  There, 
on  the  spot,  they  flung  themselves  upon  their  knees,  bareheaded, 
and  fervently  raising  their  hands  and  eyes  to  heaven,  they 
uttered  a  loud,  extempore  prayer  of  thanksgiving,  so  beautiful 
and  touching,  that  I  have  never  since  recalled  the  scene  without 
participating  in  the  emotion  which  had  agitated  their  own 
hearts.'" 

The  REV.  PATRICK  KEATING  became  a  Professor  at  Carlow  on 
the  1st  October,  1795.  He  continued  at  the  College  until 
March,  1800.  He  appears  to  be  the  same  who  died  "  Parish 
Priest  of  Tinryland  and  Bennekerry,  March  19th,  1813,  aged  52 
years."— See  his  Epitaph  at  Bennekerry  Churchyard. 

On  the  1st  of  March,  1800,  the  Rev.  Andrew  FitzGerald, 
O.S.D.,  entered  Carlow  College  as  Professor  of  Humanity. 

THE  VERY  REV.  ANDREW  FITZGERALD,  O.S.D. 

Dr.  FitzGerald  was  the  son  of  James  FitzGerald  and  Mary 
FitzGerald  nee  Knaresborough,  and  was  born  in  High  Street, 
Kilkenny,  in  November,  1763.  He  was  lineally  descended  from 
the  FitzGeralds,  Barons  of  Cluain  and  Brownsford,  of  County 
Kilkenny,  a  branch  of  the  Desmonds  who  forfeited  title  and 
property  on  account  of  their  adherence  to  King  James  II. 
Baron  FitzGerald,  ancestor  to  the  priest,  was  killed  at  the  battle 
of  Aughrim ;  after  he  fell,  his  horse  galloped  home,  having  his 
master's  sword  attached  to  the  saddle.  This  sword  is  now  in  the 
Museum  of  the  Kilkenny  Arch.  Association.  Andrew  Fitz 
Gerald  received  his  classical  education  in  the  College  of  Kilkenny. 
In  his  sixteenth  year  he  became  an  alumnus  of  the  University 
of  Louvain.  It  was  whilst  there  that  he  joined  the  Order  of  St. 
Dominic.  After  a  philosophical  and  theological  course  of  seven 
years  at  Louvain,  he  proceeded  to  Lisbon  where  he  passed  from 
the  rank  of  student  to  that  of  Professor,  being  engaged  for  six 
years  teaching  Philosophy.  A  Document  bearing  the  signature 
of  the  Master-General  of  the  Dominican  Order  at  Rome  testifies 
that  Father  FitzGerald  was  promoted  to  the  Degree  of  Master 
of  Arts,  on  the  4th  of  September,  1788.  He  returned  to  Ireland 
in  1792  and,  shortly  after,  was  placed,  with  Rev.  Patrick 
McGrath,  in  charge  of  St.  Canice's  Academy,  Kilkenny,  where 
he  continued,  until  the  1st  of  March,  1800,  when  he  became 
Professor  at  Carlow  College ;  he  there  taught  successively,  the 
Classics,  Philosophy,  Theology,  and  Sacred  Scripture. 


COLLEGE   OF   ST.   PATRICK,  CARLOW.  171 

On  the  death  of  the  President,  Dean  Staunton,  in  1814, 
Father  A.  FitzGerald  succeeded  him  in  that  office.  He  im 
mediately  arranged  to  have  the  College  and  its  property  vested 
in  trustees.  In  September,  1832,  he  was  thrown  into  prison  for 
refusing  to  pay  the  tithes.  Dr.  Troy,  Archbishop  of  Dublin, 
offered  him  an  important  appointment  at  Maynooth  College, 
but  Father  Andrew  declined  the  offer,  as  he  did  others  of  the 
like  nature,  and  remained  at  Carlow  College  till  his  death,  which 
took  place  on  the  14th  of  September,  1843.  His  remains  were 
interred  in  the  Cemetery  of  the  College.  (See  Paper  on  "The 
Catholic  Schools  of  Kilkenny,"  by  Rev.  N.  Murphy,  in  Trans 
actions  of  the  Ossory  Archceological  Society,  Vol.  2,  Part  2. 
Father  Murphy  acknowledges  to  have  received  his  information 
regarding  Dr.  FitzGerald,  from  the  late  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Kinsella, 
Bishop  of  Ossory,  and  Maurice  Lenihan,  Esq.,  J.P.,  M.R.I.A., 
both  of  whom  were  pupils  at  Carlow  College  during  his  Presi 
dency.) 

On  the  application  of  Dr.  FitzGerald,  Carlow  College  was 
incorporated,  by  Royal  Charter,  with  the  University  of  London. 
Amongst  those  who  entered  Carlow  College  in  1801,  we  find 
the  names  of  William  Yore — afterwards  Monsignor  Yore,  Y.G., 
Dublin — and  Peter  Joseph  Kenny,  who  subsequently  entered  the 
Society  of  Jesus,  and  was  justly  regarded  as  one  of  the  most 
distinguished  ecclesiastics  of  his  time,  as  a  preacher,  a  theologian, 
and  a  master  of  the  spiritual  Life. 

THE  RIGHT  REV.  KYRAN  MARUM. 

In  the  College  books,  under  date,  September,  1803,  we 
find  the  name  of  "the  Rev.  Kyran  Marum,  Professor  of 
Philosophy."  Doctor  Marum  was  born  at  Rathpatrick, 
Galmoy,  County  Kilkenny,  in  1772,  being  the  son^  of  Pierce 
L.  Marum  and  Eleanor  his  wife,  nee  Fitzpatrick.  He 
made  his  classical  studies  at  the  Academy,  James's  Street, 
Kilkenny,  from  whence  he  proceeded,  at  the  age  of  thirteen,  to 
the  Irish  College  of  Salamanca.  There  he  completed  his  sacred 
studies  and  passed  the  required  examinations  for  his  degree  of 
Doctor  in  Theology.  He  afterwards  occupied  the  position  of 
Professor  and  Vice-Rector  of  that  College,until  he  was  summoned 
home  by  his  Bishop,  in  1798.  He  then  served  in  the  capacity 
of  curate  at  Durrow,  until  his  appointment  as  Professor  at  Carlow 
College.  At  Carlow  he  filled  successively  the  chairs  of 
Philosophy  and  Theology."  Dr.  Marum  left  Carlow  College  in 
1810,  on  his  appointment  to  the  Parish  of  St.  John's,  Kilkenny. 
On  the  death  of  Dr.  Lanigan,  Bishop  of  Ossory,  in  March,  1812, 
Dr.  Marum  was  selected  by  the  clergy  as  his  successor,  but 
owing  to  the  troubles  of  the  Church  at  the  period,  his  canonical 


172  COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,   CARLOW. 

election  at  Rome  did  not  take  place  till  after  the  liberation  of 
Pope  Pius  VII.,  in  November,  1814.  Dr.  Marum  died  at 
Kilkenny  on  the  22nd  December,  1827,  at  the  early  age  of  55. 
(Paper  on  "  Catholic  Schools  of  Kilkenny") 

September  1803,  "the  REV.  JOHN  BARRETT,  Professor  of 
Humanity." — This  Professor's  name  appears  in  the  College 
books  for  the  succeeding  three  years.  He  was  held  in  high 
esteem  by  the  President,  Dr.  FitzGerald,  for  his  great  knowledge 
of  the  classics,  and  his  skill  in  the  composition  of  Latin  Poetry. 

THE  RIGHT  REV.  JOHN  ENGLAND. 

On  the  1st  of  September,  1803,  John  England  entered  Carlow 
College  as  an  ecclesiastical  student.  He  was  born  in  the  city  of 
Cork,  on  the  23rd  of  September,  1786.  The  Bishop  gives  the 
following  account  of  his  parentage  : — "  More  than  45  years  have 
passed  away  since  a  man,  then  about  60  years  of  age,  led  me  into 
a  prison  and  showed  me  the  room  in  which  he  had  been  confined 
during  upwards  of  four  years,  in  consequence  of  the  injustice  to 
which  the  Catholics  of  Ireland  were  subjected  in  those  days  of 
persecution.  On  the  day  he  was  immured,  his  wife  was  seized 
with  fever,  the  result  of  terror.  Whilst  she  lay  on  her  bed  of 
sickness,  she  and  her  family  were  dispossessed  of  the  last 
remnant  of  their  land  and  furniture ;  she  was  removed  to  the 
house  of  a  neighbour  to  breathe  her  last  under  a  stranger's  roof. 
Her  eldest  son  had  completed  his  seventeenth  year  a  few  days 
before  he  closed  her  grave.  Two  younger  brothers  and  two 
younger  sisters  looked  to  him  as  their  only  support.  He 
endeavoured  to  turn  his  education  to  account.  It  was  discovered 
that  he  was  a  Papist,  and  that  he  was  guilty  of  teaching 
mathematics  to  a  few  scholars,  that  he  might  be  able  to  aid  his 
father  and  support  his  family.  Informations  were  lodged 
against  him  for  this  violation  of  the  law,  which  rendered  him 
liable  to  transportation.  Compassion  was  taken  on  his  youth 
and  misfortunes,  and,  instead  of  proceeding  immediately  to  the 
prosecution,  an  opportunity  was  given  him  of  swearing  before  a 
Protestant  Bishop  that  he  disbelieved  in  the  Doctrine  of 
Transubstantation,  etc.,  and  the  certificate  of  the  bishop  would 
raise  a  bar  to  his  prosecution.  He  managed  to  effect  his  escape 
and  fled  to  the  mountains,  where  he  remained  more  than  a  year, 
subsisting  on  the  charity  of  those  whose  children  he  had  been 
teaching,  but  in  most  painful  anxiety  about  his  father,  brothers, 
and  sisters.  The  Declaration  of  American  Independence  having 
led  to  a  relaxation  in  the  penal  laws,  the  fugitive  returned  by 
stealth  to  the  city  and  was  enabled  to  undertake  the  duties  of  a 
land-surveyor,  to  have  his  parent  liberated,  his  family  settled, 


COLLEGE   OF  ST.   PATKICK,   CARLOW.  173 

and  he  became  prosperous."  Bishop  England  was  the  eldest 
son  of  this  martyr  to  Catholic  truth  and  sincerity.  (From 
Memoir,  by  Mr.  0.  Read.) 

"A  modesty  the  most  sensitive,  a  kindness  of  heart  the  most  devoted 
distinguished  John  England,  even  in  boyhood,  and  endeared  him  to  all 
within  his  sphere,  long  before  the  development  of  those  great  intellectual 
powers  that  have  ranked  him  with  the  ablest  and  most  eminent  men  of 
his  time.  It  were,  indeed,  easy  to  furnish  instances  from  his  earliest  age, 
of  that  fervour  of  devotion,  that  greatness  of  soul,  that  lofty  spirit  of  self- 
sacrifice,  that  ennobled  him  living,  and  embalm  his  memory,  dead. 
Having  providentially  recovered  from  a  severe  fever  that  attacked  him 
in  the  seventh  year  of  his  age,  accompanied  by  an  ulcerous  affection  of 
the  throat  which  rendered  the  removal  of  one  of  the  tonsils  necessary,  he 
received  all  the  advantages  of  education  that  the  schools  of  his  native 
city  afforded.  Dr.  Hutch,  (Life  of  Nano  Nngle,p.  36),  states  that  young 
England  pursued  his  early  studies  at  a  Protestant  school,  and,  being  the 
only  Catholic  pupil,  he  was  subjected  to  many  galling  insults  on  account 
of  his  faith,  not  only  by  his  companions,  but  even  by  his  master,  whose 
bigotry  got  the  mastery  over  his  charity  and  his  sense  of  public  duty. 
Having  been  withdrawn  from  this  establisment,  he  had,  as  private  tutor 
for  two  years,  a  barrister  then  resident  in  Cork,  and  it  is  not  unnatural 
to  infer  that  he  was  largely  indebted  to  the  training  received  under  this 
gentleman  for  much  of  that  accuracy  of  thought  and  keen  logic  which 
distinguished  him  as  a  controversialist  in  later  years.  Having  made  con 
siderable  progress  in  his  studies,  his  father  became  desirous  that  he  should 
turn  his  attention  to  some  pursuit  in  which  he  could  forward  him  in  life, 
but,  when  on  the  eve  of  doing  so,  he  was  agreeably  surprised  by  his  son 
unexpectedly  communicating  to  him  his  wish  to  embrace  the  ecclesiastical 
state — a  wish  which  he  stated  to  be  the  result  of  nearly  two  years  of 
silent  reflection,  and  on  the  fulfilment  of  which  he  declared  his  heart  to 
be  firmly  and  unalterably  fixed.  Mr.  England's  parents  gladly  seconded 
his  views.  From  this  time  to  his  entrance  at  College — a  space  of  two 
years — he  occupied  himself  in  more  assiduous  application,  having,  at  the 
desire  of  his  Bishop,  the  Eight  Kev.  Francis  Moylan,  placed  himself 
under  the  particular  guidance  of  the  Very  Rev.  Robert  McCarthy,  Dean 
of  the  Diocese.  .  .  On  the  31st  of  August,  1803,  Mr.  England  left 
Cork  for  the  College  of  Carlow ;  and  in  two  years  after  his  entrance  he 
commenced  delivering  catechetical  instructions  in  the  parish  Church 
which,  not  only  the  children,  but  the  adults  of  the  town  and  neighbour 
hood  thronged  to  hear.  He  likewise  devoted  much  of  his  leisure  time  to 
the  religious  instruction  of  the  Catholic  portion  of  the  Cork  militia,  then 
stationed  in  Carlow  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Longfield.  This 
officer  was  persuaded  by  some  bigoted  fanatics  to  bring  to  court-martial 
the  men  that  attended  these  instructions,  but,  to  the  mortification  of  the 
persecutors,  the  enquiry  ended  in  his  sanction  and  approval  of  the  young 
apostle's  proceedings,  who  frequently  after  expressed  his  delight  that  his 
mission,  like  that  of  the  great  Francis  de  Sales,  had  its  commencement 
amongst  the  military. 

"  His  religious  instructions  was  not,  however,  the  sole  benefit  derived 
by  Carlow  from  the  exertions  of  Mr.  England.  Before  his  departure 
from  it  he  laid  the  foundation  of  a  more  lasting  claim  to  the  gratitude  of 
its  inhabitants  by  procuring  the  establishment  there  of  a  female  peni 
tentiary,  and  the  erection  of  male  and  female  poor  schools,  which  latter 
institution  chiefly  suggested  the  formation  of  the  Presentation  Convent. 


174          COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLOW. 

He  took  his  departure  in  the  year  1808,  to  the  great  regret  of  all,  both 
students  and  Professors,  particularly  the  Venerable  President,  who 
expressed  the  most  unaffected  sorrow  at  their  separation— and  returned 
to  Cork  to  receive  Holy  Orders,  for  which  Dr.  Moylan  had,  without 
apprising  him,  obtained  a  Dispensation  from  Home,  Mr.  England  not 
having  attained  the  canonical  age.  On  the  9th  October,  that  year,  he 
received  the  Order  of  Deacon,  and  Priesthood  the  following  day.  Im 
mediately  ofter  his  Ordination,  he  again  visited  Carlow  to  regulate  the 
affairs  of  the  different  establishments  there  which  had  been  under  his 
superintendance  and  resign  the  charge  of  them.  After  a  stay  of  a  fort 
night,  he  returned  to  Cork.  It  will  not  be  amiss  to  state  here  the 
grateful  recollection  he  retained  to  the  last,  of  what  he  esteemed  the 
judicious  method  of  his  spiritual  guardians  at  Carlow  College,  whose  aim 
he  represented  to  have  been  to  form  their  pupils  to  habits  of  independent 
devotion,  so  that,  when  they  should  emerge  from  the  security  of  the 
cloister  to  the  exposure  of  the  world,  their  piety  might  not  fail  for  want 
of  those  accustomed  helps  of  religious  Sodalities  which,  however  useful, 
where  they  are  maintained,  are  unhappily  not  often  found  in  these  ages 
of  infidelity,  beyond  the  precincts  of  the  Seminary. 

"  On  his  return  to  Cork,  Mr.  England  was  appointed  lecturer  at  the 
Cathedral.  The  Bishop  himself  announced  the  appointment  from  the 
altar,  and  requested  the  attendance  of  the  congregation  at  the  lectures. 
At  the  Bishop's  request  he  commenced  a  series  of  these  on  the  Old  and 
New  Testaments.  On  Sundays,  besides  the  lectures  at  the  Cathedral,  he 
delivered  an  exhortation  in  the  small  chapel  of  the  Presentation  Convent, 
which  was  crowded.  He  was  at  the  time,  chaplain  of  that  Convent. 

"  On  his  arrival  from  Carlow,  the  present  Magdalen  Asylum,  built  at 
the  expense  of  Mr.  Therry,  was  in  progress  of  erection.  To  this  he  im 
mediately  turned  his  attention  and,  up  to  the  time  of  its  opening  in  June 
1809,  he  assembled  six  of  the  unfortunate  beings  who  were  to  be  its 
future  inmates,  whom,  with  the  assistance  of  his  friends,  he  supported 
till  the  house  should  be  opened  for  their  reception,  placing  them  under 
the  care  of  the  person  who  was  afterwards  matron  of  that  institution. 
Another  of  his  labours  at  the  time  was  the  publication  of  a  monthly 
periodical,  The  Religious  Repertory,  which  he  originated  in  May  of  the 
same  year,  with  a  view  to  diffuse  a  spirit  of  piety  amongst  the  people, 
and  to  withdraw  them  from  the  perusal  of  books  of  a,  dangerous  or  im 
moral  tendency.  He  likewise  established  a  circulating  Library  in  the 
parish  of  St.  Mary's,  Shandon.  He  next  turned  his  attention  to  the  city 
jail,  and,  Government  not  then  allowing  a  salary  for  the  Homan  Catholic 
Chaplain,  gave  his  services  gratuitously  for  no  inconsiderable  time.  In 
1812  he  was  appointed  President  of  the  Diocesan  College  of  St.  Mary, 
opened  by  Dr.  Moylan  for  the  education  of  Candidates  for  Holy  Orders, 
and  taught  in  it  the  Theological  course. 

"In  the  commencement  of  1814,  Mr.  England  was  providentially 
preserved  under  the  following  circumstances : — Having  left  Cork  for 
Dublin  on  business  of  a  spiritual  nature,  a  heavy  fall  of  snow,  which 
came  on  during  the  night,  prevented  the  Mail  Coach,  in  which  he 
travelled,  from  proceeding  beyond  Carlow.  Mr.  England's  business  was 
urgent  and,  having  no  better  mode  of  proceeding,  he  resolved,  with  some 
others,  to  walk  the  remaining  part  of  the  journey.  The  snow  had  fallen 
to  such  a  depth  as  to  cover  altogether  the  huts  on  the  roadside,  and  he 
at  one  time  narrowly  escaped  fracturing  his  leg  by  thrusting  it  through 
the  chimney  of  a  cottage.  After  proceeding  some  distance,  and  feeling 
fatigued,  he  drank  of  the  snow  water  to  refresh  himself.  This  produced 


COLLEGE  OF   ST.   PATEICK,   CARLOW.  175 

sickness  and,  unable  to  keep  pace  with  his  fellow-travellers,  he  fell 
exhausted  on  the  snow.  He  reached  with  some  effort,  a  little  elevation, 
as  he  thought  to  expire,  and  there  fell  into  a  swoon.  In  this  state  he 
was  fortunately  discovered  by  a  countryman,  who,  with  difficulty,  restored 
him  so  far  that  he  was  able  to  articulate :  /  am  a  priest.  The  man 
assured  him  that  at  any  risk  he  would  not  abandon  him,  and  with  the 
assistance  of  others  who  happened  to  reach  the  spot,  conveyed  him  to 
the  nearest  house.  Here  he  quickly  recovered  strength  and  pursued  his 
journey. 

"  During  the  year  1814,  Mr.  England  powerfully  exerted  himself  in 
opposing  the  Veto,  which  was  then  the  universal  topic  of  conversation 
amongst  the  Catholic  body  both  in  this  country  and  England.  He  looked 
upon  it  as  an  insidious  attempt  to  undermine  and  sap  the  foundations  of 
the  Irish  Church,  and  assailed  it  incessantly  with  voice  and  pen.  In  the 
Repertory,  he  warmly  espoused  the  cause  of  the  anti-Vetoists,  and  he 
held  up  to  deserved  contempt  those — and  there  were  high  and  influential 
names  amongst  them — who  with  the  power  of  constitutionally  gaining 
their  rights,  would,  with  fawning  servility,  accept  them  as  a  ministerial 
boon,  and  give  in  exchange  the  freedom  of  that  religion  which  their 
ancestors  had  preserved  with  their  fortunes  and  their  blood.  Happily 
the  boon  was  rejected,  and  the  rights  have  been  obtained. 

"  On  the  death  of  Dr.  Moylan,  Dr.  Murphy,  succeeded,  and,  in  1817, 
appointed  Mr.  England  to  the  parish  of  Bandon,  on  the  death  of  the  Rev 
James  Mahony.  He  continued  in  this  parish  till  his  appointment  to  the 
See  of  Charleston,  in  the  year  1820,  the  Bulls  of  which  were  expedited 
from  Eome  on  the  2nd  of  June  in  that  year.  On  the  arrival  of  the  Bulls 
Mr.  England  withheld  the  knowledge  of  them  from  his  family  for  some 
time,  not  wishing  to  afflict  them,  particularly  his  mother,  his  surviving 
parent.  He  was  Consecrated  on  the  21st  of  September,  J  820,  by  the 
Right  Rev.  Dr.  Murphy,  assisted  by  Dr.  Marum,  Bishop  of  Ossory,  and 
Dr.  Kelly,  Bishop  of  Richmond,  several  other  Prelates  being  present. 
He  was  entertained  at  a  public  dinner  which  was  attended  by  the  most 
respectable  inhabitants  of  Cork,  both  Catholic  and  Protestant.  He  left 
for  Belfast  on  the  10th  of  October,  accompanied  by  his  youngest  sister, 
who  resolved  to  be  the  partner  of  his  privations  and  perils,  and 
after  a  delay  of  a  fortnight  waiting  for  the  vessel,  set  sail  for  the 
United  States.  Shortly  after  putting  to  sea,  the  weather  became 
tempestuous,  and  they  were  driven  into  Milford  Haven,  having  narrowly 
escaped  shipwreck,  where,  after  having  remained  ten  days  for  repairs, 
they  again  set  sail,  and,  after  a  severe  passage,  reached  Charleston  on  the 
30th  of  December.  It  would  extend  beyond  our  limits  were  we  to  enter 
into  the  details  of  Dr.  England's  successful  and  distinguished  Episcopal 
career.  He  died,  deeply  regretted,  on  the  llth  of  April,  1842.  A 
Collected  Edition  of  his  writings,  extending  to  five  large  Vols.,  has  been 

Eublished  in  the  United  States  ;  a  Memoir  of  Dr.  England  is  prefixed, 
jom  which  the  present  notice  has  been  mainly  extracted." 

The  name  of  '  MASTER  EGBERT  HOLMES,  OF  DUBLIN/  appears 
in  the  list  of  students  at  Carlo w,  under  date,  the  4th  of  February, 
1802.  In  little  more  than  a  year  later,  this  young  man  met  with 
an  untimely  end,  being  drowned  in  the  river  Barrow  whilst 
endeavouring  to  save  the  life  of  a  fellow-student  and  dear  friend. 
In  the  College  Cemetery  a  tablet  has  been  placed  over  his 
grave:— ''Sacred  to  the  Memory  of  Robert  Frederick  Holmes, 


176  COLLEGE   OF  ST.   PATRICK,   CARLOW. 

student  of  Carlow  College,  who  departed  this  life  the  8th  of 
August,  1803,  in  the  22nd  year  of  his  age.  This  Monument 
has&been  erected  by  the  Rev.  Henry  Staunton,  President  of  said 
College."  Then  follows  a  long  inscription,  lauding  the  virtues 
of  the  deceased.  "  Happy,"  it  says  of  him,  "  in  the  accomplish 
ment  of  his  dearest  and  oft-repeated  wish  in  life,  to  die  in  the 
God-like  exercise  of  Charity,  after  a  generous  but,  alas  !  fruitless 
effort  to  snatch  from  the  devouring  flood,  and  save  his  tender,  his 
beloved  companion  in  life,  unmindful  of  his  own." 

THE  VERY  EEV.  NICHOLAS  O'CONNOR,  V.F. 

The  College  books  show  that  "  Mr.  O'Connor  of  Baltinglass," 
commenced  as  teacher  of  classics  there,  in  October,  1804.  On 
his  subsequent  promotion  to  Holy  Orders,  he  continued  at  the 
College  as  Professor  of  the  Humanities  until  he  received  charge 
of  the  Parish  of  Maryborough,  where  he  also  discharged  the 
duties  of  Vicar-Forane  and  Master  of  Conference.  He  died  on 
the  17th  of  February,  1855,  aged  75  years.  "  The  Monuments 
of  his  zealous  labours  that  are  to  be  seen,  in  the  Church  of 
Maryborough  which  he  built,  in  the  other  Chapels  and  Schools 
of  the  Parish,  in  the  Presentation  Convent,  and  in  the  House  of 
the  Christian  Brothers  that  he  established,  will  give  some  idea  to 
a  future  generation,  of  his  far  greater  labours  for  the  moral  im 
provement  of  the  Parish,  during  his  long  care  of  it."  (Inscription 
over  his  grave.) 

KEV.  JOSEPH  D'RAFTERY. 

In  1804,  the  Rev.  Joseph  D'Raftery  was  appointed  on  the 
teaching  staff  of  the  College.  He  was  not  a  native  of  the 
Diocese  or  Province.  He  acted  for  some  time  as  Dean  of 
Residence  to  a  house  in  Browne  Street,  occupied  by  a  number  of 
ecclesiastical  students,  for  whom  there  was  not  accommodation 
within  the  College  bounds.  He  continued  at  the  college  for 
many  years. 

THE  MOST  REV.  MICHAEL  SLATTERY,  ARCHBISHOP  OF  CASHEL. 

"Mr.  Michael  Slattery,  Diocese  of  Cashel,"  appears  as  a 
student  at  Carlow  College,  in  1805.  Dr.  Slattery  had  graduated 
as  Master  of  Arts  at  Trinity  College,  Dublin.  On  the  comple 
tion  of  his  ecclesiastical  studies  in  1809,  he  was  appointed 
Professor  of  Philosophy,  and  subsequently,  on  the  Consecration 
of  Dr.  Doyle,  he  succeeded  to  the  Chair  of  Theology.  On  the 
death  of  Archbishop  Everard,  in  1822,  Dr.  Doyle,  who  knew  so 
well  the  eminent  qualifications  and  piety  of  Dr.  Slattery,  exerted 


COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLO W.          177 

himself  to  have  him  appointed  to  the  See  of  Cashel.  In  this, 
however,  he  was  unsuccessful  for  the  time.  A  warm  personal 
friendship  founded  on  mutual  esteem  was  maintained  throughout 
life  between  these  Prelates.  When  the  earthly  career  of  Dr. 
Doyle  was  drawing  to  a  close,  in  1833,  being  too  unwell  to  per 
form  the  journey  to  Maynooth,  he  wrote,  strongly  recommending- 
the  appointment  of  Dr.  Slattery  to  the  Presidency  of  that  College, 
rendered  vacant  by  the  resignation  of  Dr.  Grotty,  which  appoint 
ment  accordingly  took  place.  On  the  death  of  Dr.  Laffan,  in 
the  same  year,  Dr.  Slattery  was  appointed  to  the  Archiepiscopal 
See  of  Cashel.  His  election  by  Propaganda  took  place,  Novem 
ber  the  26th.  His  Brief  was  dated  December  22nd,  1833,  and 
his  Consecration  took  place  on  the  24th  of  February,  1834.  He 
died  in  1857.  (Brady  s  Episcopal  Succession.) 

THE  REV.  JAMES  MAKER,  D.D. 

"  He  was  born  at  Donore,  County  Carlow,on  the  24th  of  May, 
1793.  His  parents,  shortly  after  his  birth,  removed  to  Kilrush, 
County  Kildare.  Young  though  he  was,  the  unusual  occurrences 
of  the  year  1798  left  a  strong  impression  on  his  memory  ;  he  had 
a  distinct  recollection  of  having  spent  night  after  night,  with  his 
parents  and  the  other  members  of  his  family,  in  a  sandpit 
situated  upon  the  farm,  being  obliged  to  have  recourse  to  this 
measure  in  order  to  avoid  the  outrages  to  which  even  the  most 
peaceable  inhabitants  were  constantly  subjected  by  the  brutal 
yeomanry  and  soldiery  whom  the  proclamation  of  Martial  Law 
had  practically  rendered  irresponsible  for  their  conduct.  Having 
received  his  rudimentary  education  at  a  Quaker's  School  at 
Ballytore,  James  Maher  entered  Carlow  College  in  1808,  where 
he  continued  for  eight  years.  Then,  after  remaining  a  year  at 
home,  he,  in  June,  1817,  set  out  for  the  Eternal  City,  where  in 
the  Yincentian  House  of  Retreat  at  Monte  Citorio,  he  pursued 
his  Theological  studies.  On  the  9th  of  September,  1821,  he 
received  the  Order  of  Priesthood  and,  some  weeks  later,  set  out 
on  his  return  to  Ireland.  His  first  appointment  was  to  the 
curacy  of  Kildare,  but,  after  a  few  months,  he  was  transferred  to 
Carlow.  In  1827,  Father  Maher  was  appointed  Parish  Priest  of 
Leighlin  Bridge.  Towards  the  close  of  1830,  he  was  translated 
to  the  united  parishes  of  Goresbridge  and  Paulstown.  In  1833, 
the  Bishop,  Doctor  Doyle,  finding  his  illness  on  the  increase 
expressed  a  wish  to  Father  Maher  that  he  should  return  to 
Carlow  and  take  up  his  abode  with  him  at  Braganza.  This  wish 
was  readily  complied  with  ;  Father  Maher  at  once  resigned  his 
parish  and  it  became  his  privilege  to  assist  that  great  Prelate, 
whom  he  loved  with  true  filial  devotedness,  during  the  last 

M 


178  COLLEGE  OF   ST.   PATRICK,   CARLOW. 

months  of  his  Episcopate,  till  his  death,  on  the  15th  of  June, 
1834.  Father  Maher  ever  cherished  a  most  devoted  affection  for 
the  memory  of  Dr.  Doyle  ;  he  ever  loved  to  speak  of  him,  and 
he  at  all  times  did  so  with  unbounded  enthusiasm.  One  item 
of  Father  Maher's  last  Will  is  strikingly  characteristic  of  his 
attachment  to  this  great  Prelate  ;  it  was  a  bequest  of  £20  "  to 
keep  in  repair  the  Statue  of  the  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Doyle,"  in 
Carlow  Cathedral. 

"Father  Maher  continued  to  act  as  Administrator  of  the 
Parish  of  Carlow  till  the  close  of  1837  when  he  was  appointed  by 
Dr.  Haly  to  fill  the  chair  of  Theology  and  Sacred  Scripture  in 
Carlow  College. 

"  On  the  20th  of  January,  1841,  Father  Maher  was  appointed 
P.P.  of  Carlow-Graigue.  Having  suffered  in  1844  from  a  severe 
attack  of  illness,  the  Bishop  gave  him  leave  of  absence.  He 
proceeded  to  Rome,  where  he  remained  two  years.  On  his 
return,  in  June,  1846,  he  resumed  his  pastoral  duties.  Soon 
after  commenced  the  dreadful  famine.  Father  Maher  gave 
abundant  proof  of  his  solicitude  in  behalf  of  the  starving  poor 
during  this  most  trying  period. 

"  Soon  after  the  Famine  visitation,  Dr.  Taylor,  president  of 
the  College,  invited  Father  Maher  to  take  up  his  residence  there, 
which  offer,  with  the  approval  of  the  Bishop,  he  gratefully 
accepted.  He  was  thus  within  a  few  minutes'  walk  of  his 
parochial  Church,  whilst  he  was  free  from  the  troubles  of  house 
keeping,  and  enjoyed  moreover  the  most  amiable  and  literary 
society  that  he  could  desire.  He  continued  to  live  in  the  College 
till  a  few  years  before  his  death,  and  throughout  this  long  period 
he  was  loved  and  venerated  alike  by  the  superiors,  professors, 
and  students. 

"  His  last  illness  was  long  and  painful.  He  was  greatly  com 
forted  by  the  blessing  of  His  Holiness  which  was  notified  to  him 
by  telegraph  a  short  time  before  his  death.  He  expired  on 
Holy  Thursday,  April  2nd,  1874.  On  Easter  Monday  his 
obsequies  were  solemnly  performed  in  the  Cathedral  of  Carlow. 
The  Bishop  of  Ossory  was  Celebrant.  His  Eminence  Cardinal 
Cullen  and  the  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin  and  his 
Coadjutor,  were  also  present.  About  200  priests  assisted;  at 
the  conclusion  of  the  ceremonies  his  remains  were  borne  amid 
a  vast  and  sorrowful  multitude  to  his  own  parochial  Church  of 
Carlow-Graigue  where,  at  the  Gospel  side  of  the  Altar,  they  rest 
in  peace." — The  foregoing  particulars  are  taken  from  a  Memoir, 
by  the  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Moran,  Bishop  of  Ossory,  prefixed  to  a 
Collected  Edition  of  the  Letters  of  Father  Maher,  edited  and 
published  by  his  Lordship,  in  1877. 


COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLOW.  179 

THE  VERY  REV.  JOHN  THERRY.* 

"  John  Therry  of  Cork,"  appears  on  the  Roll  of  Students  in 
1812.  The  Very  Rev.  John  Joseph  Therry,  the  Venerable  Arch- 
priest  and  Apostle  of  Australia,  was  born  at  Cork  in  the  year 
1791.  He  had  the  inestimable  advantage  of  being  born  of 
enlightened  and  exemplary  Christian  parents  who  trained  him 
to  virtue  and  piety  from  his  childhood.  In  1812,  he  entered 
Carlow  College  to  prepare  himself  for  the  priesthood,  where  he 
made  his  course  of  ecclesiastical  studies,  having  for  his  Professor 
of  Theology,  Dr.  Doyle,  afterwards  the  illustrious  Bishop  of 
Kildare  and  Leighlin.  During  his  collegiate  career  he  secured 
the  affectionate  regards  of  his  superiors  and  formed  many 
friendships  which  lasted  for  life.  He  was  a  class-fellow  of  the 
present  Patriarchal  Parish  Priest  of  Abbeyleix,  the  Rev.  Thomas 
Nolan,  who  describes  Father  Therry  as  smart  and  intelligent, 
but  of  retiring  habits.  Even  at  this  early  period  his  mind  was 
strongly  directed  to  that  species  of  labour  to  which  he  after 
wards  devoted  his  life.  He  organized,  we  are  told,  an  Associa 
tion  of  young  ecclesiastics  to  engage  to  recite  certain  prayers, 
daily,  for  the  spread  of  the  light  of  the  Gospel  amongst  those  who 
were  seated  in  darkness.  Those  young  men  also  offered  their 
lives  to  God  for  His  service  in  foreign  countries  if  it  should 
please  Him,  by  any  special  sign,  to  .manifest  an  acceptance  of 
that  oblation.  Father  Therry  was  ordained  priest  in  April,  1815, 
by  the  Most  Rev.  Dr.  Troy,  Archbishop  of  Dublin.  His  first 
mission  was  in  Cork,  the  city  of  his  birth.  He  was  attached  to 
the  Church  of  SS.  Peter  and  Paul,  where  he  remained  two  years. 
He  was  then  transferred  to  the  Cathedral,  where  he  ministered 
for  three  years.  During  this  time  he  resided  with  the  Bishop, 
the  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Murphy,  to  whom  he  was  strongly  attached, 
and  who  loved  him  with  a  paternal  affection.  But  in  the  midst 
of  this  happy  and  useful  life  in  his  native  city,  his  mind  still 
retained  its  early  bent ;  he  awaited  only  the  call  to  a  more 
extended  and  arduous  field  of  missionary  labour.  A  circum 
stance  occurred  at  this  time  that  directed  his  attention  to 
Australia.  Walking  one  day  in  the  streets  of  Cork,  a  waggon 
passed  him  containing  a  number  of  his  countrymen  hand-cuffed, 
and  guarded  by  a  military  escort.  On  inquiry,  he  found  that 
they  were  convicts  being  conveyed  to  the  hulk,  about  to  sail  for 
Botany  Bay.  He  at  once  went  into  an  adjoining  book-seller's 


*  This  sketch  of  the  Life  of  Father  Therry  is  kindly  contributed  by  the  Rev. 
Andrew  Phelan,  P.P.,  Mountrath,  who  w'as  personally  acquainted  with  the 
Venerable  subject  of  it  whilst  engaged  in  missionary  labours  in  Australia. 


180  COLLEGE   OF   ST.   PATRICK,   CARLOW. 

shop,  bought  some  twenty  or  thirty  prayer-books,  threw  them 
amongst  the  convicts,  and,  then  and  there,  resolved  to  follow 
them  to  the  other  side  of  the  earth  to  save  their  immortal  souls 
from  destruction.  About  this  time,  too,  he  made  the  acquain 
tance  of  Father  O'Flinn  who  had  been,  just  before,  forcibly 
expelled  from  Australia.  A  few  words  about  the  previous 
history  of  Australia  may  be  appropriately  inserted  here.  The 
Colony  was  founded  in  1792  ;  the  first  batch  of  convicts  and 
English  officials  took  possession  of  the  country  in  that  year. 
There  was  not  any  Catholic  Priest  in  the  Colony  till  1801.  In 
December  of  that  year  there  arrived  three  Irish  Priests  who  had 
been  sentenced  to  transportation  for  complicity  in  the  Rebellion 
of  1798.  Their  names  were  Dixon,  Harold,  and  O'Neill.  About 
a  year  later,  the  authorities  discovered  that  they  had  transported 
the  wrong  man  in  the  person  of  Father  O'Neill.  He  was 
accordingly  sent  home  and  ended  his  days,  it  is  said,  in  a 
Monastery  near  Mullingar.  The  other  two  priests  remained  in 
the  Colony  as  convicts,  for  seven  or  eight  years.  During  this 
time  they  were  allowed — it  is  believed  through  the  intervention 
of  Henry  Grattan — to  discharge  some  of  their  clerical  duties, 
but  under  the  most  galling  restrictions.  Broken  down  in  health 
and  spirits,  they  left  about  1809.  The  Colony  was  then  without 
a  priest  till  1817.  In  that  year  there  arrived  in  the  Colony  a 
very  holy  priest,  Father  O'Flinn.  After  labouring  zealously  and 
efficiently  for  two  years,  he  was  forcibly  expelled  the  Colony  by 
the  bigoted  Government  officials,  and  sent  back  to  Europe. 
Soon  after  his  arrival  in  Cork,  he  was  introduced  to  Father 
Therry  to  whom  he  gave  an  account  of  the  state  of  affairs  in 
Australia.  Father  Therry  recognized  this  as  the  opportunity  he 
had  been  looking  for.  After  some  difficulty,  he  succeeded  in 
in  obtaining  the  sanction  of  his  Bishop,  the  holy  See,  and  also  of 
the  English  Government.  He  sailed  from  Cork  early  in 
January,  1820,  but  did  not  reach  his  destination  till  April. 
When  he  started  for  Australia  the  voyage  was  long  and  perilous; 
now  it  is  performed  in  45  days  as  a  pleasure  trip.  Affairs  in 
Australia  at  the  time  did  not  wear  a  cheering  aspect.  It  is  a 
curious  fact  that  the  first  batch  of  convicts  and  officials  were, 
more  than  once,  during  their  first  year  there,  in  imminent  danger 
of  being  starved  to  death.  The/  had  to  depend  altogether,  for 
their  supplies,  on  England.  Now,  they,  not  only  support  their 
own  population,  but,  moreover,  send  large  quantities  of  corn  and 
meat  to  the  mother  country.  Father  Therry  was  accompanied 
by  a  colleague  in  the  person  of  the  Rev.  P.  Connolly,  who  does 
not  appear  to  have  lived  many  years,  as  Father  Therry 


COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLOW.          181 

was,  for  some  time,  the  sole  missionary  Priest  in  New  South 
Wales.* 

Father  Therry,  provided  as  he  was  with  credentials  from 
Church  and  State,  had  not  much  difficulty  in  entering  on  the 
discharge  of  his  clerical  duties.  He  was,  however,  received  but 
coldly  by  the  bigoted  officials  of  the  day,  who  also  placed  every 
obstacle  they  could  in  his  way.  Many  interesting  anecdotes  are 
related  of  Father  Therry  during  this  time.  A  priest  of  the 
Diocese  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin,  on  his  arrival  in  Sydney  about 
1862,  called  on  Father  Therry.  He  found  the  fine  old  Priest  at 
Balmain,  one  of  the  beautiful  and  picturesque  suburbs  of 
Sydney,  in  an  humble  dwelling.  He  received  his  visitor  with 
great  kindness  and  courtesy.  Though  naturally  of  a  distant 
manner,  he  showed  that  he  had  an  affectionate  and  vivid 
recollection  of  the  old  Alma  Mater  and  his  days  there.  He 
asked  his  visitor  where  he  was  about  to  be  stationed,  and  being 
told  that  Maitland  was  his  destination,  "  It  is  now  many  years 
ago,"  said  Father  Therry,  "  since  I  celebrated  the  first  Mass  in 
Maitland  under  very  painful  and  peculiar  circumstances.  I 


*  The  following  letter  from  Eight  Rev.  Dr.  Poynter  to  the  Right  Rev.  Dr. 
Doyle  will  be  of  interest  in  connexion  with  this  subject : — 

"4  Castle  Street,  Holborn,  London,  Oct.  13,  1825. 

"Mr  DEAR  LORD, — I  have  been  desired  by  Earl  Bathurst,  to  find  two  Roman 
Catholic  Clergymen  to  be  sent  to  New  South  Wales.  There  is  one  there  already, 
the  Revd.  Mr.  Therry ;  besides  the  Revd.  Mr.  Connolly,  at  Van  Dieman's  Land. 
But  it  seems  that  the  labours  of  two  more  are  called  for  in  New  South  Wales. 
Not  having  any  clergyman  free  and  proper  to  be  sent  on  such  a  mission,  I  beg 
leave  to  ask  your  Lordship  if,  from  among  the  prudent  and  laborious  Priests  of 
your  Diocese,  you  could  not  spare  two.  who  would  go  and  devote  their  meritorious 
labours  to  the  great  cause  of  Religion  and  of  the  salvation  of  souls  in  that  distant 
Colony.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Connolly,  in  one  of  his  letters,  observed  to  me,  that  it 
was  amongst  the  zealous  and  laborious  Vicars,  working  under  the  Parish  Priests 
in  Ireland,  that  those  apostolic  men  were  to  be  found  who  are  wanted  in  New 
South  Wales.  I  need  not  point  out  the  requisite  qualifications  of  those  who  are 
to  be  selected.  Your  Lordship's  recommendation  would  be  the  greatest  satisfac 
tion  to  me.  Earl  Bathurst  expressed  a  wish,  that  those  who  are  to  be  sent  should 
be  men  who  would  confine  themselves  solely  to  their  Religious  duties.  If  it  should 
be  in  your  power  to  engage  two  good  priests  of  your  Diocese,  whom  you  judge  to 
be  duly  qualified  for  this  mission,  you  will  confer  a  great  benefit  on  Religion  and  a 
great  favour  on  me.  Lord  Bathurst  has  informed  me,  in  answer  to  the  question 
which  I  put  on  the  subject,  that  the  clergymen  who  shall  go  out  will  receive  £100 
each,  per  annum,  out  of  the  colonial  funds ;  that  passages  will  be  provided  for 
them  at  the  public  expense ;  and  that  no  objection  will  be  made  to  their  receiving 
six  months'  pay  in  advance,  which  will  be  issued  to  them  whenever  they  may  be 
reported  to  be  ready  for  embarkation. 

*  *  *  * 

"  I  have  the  honour  to  be  with  respect  and  affectionate  attachment, 
"  My  dear  Lord,  your  Lordship's  faithful  and  devoted  servant, 

"*J«  WILLIAM  POYNTER." 

"The  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Doyle,  &c.,  &c." 


182  COLLEGE   OF   ST.    PATRICK,   CARLOW. 

heard  that  a  number  of  Irishmen  were  to  be  executed  there  at 
the  end  of  the  week.  The  overland  route  was  then  almost  im 
passible.  There  was  only  one  small  Government  steamer  going 
to  the  Hunter  Eiver  District,  in  which  Maitland  is  situated, 
each  week.  I  was  refused  a  passage  in  the  steamer,  by  the 
Government  authorities.  I  started  on  horseback  with  a  trusted 
Irish  friend.  After  travelling  uninterruptedly  for  a  day  and 
night  we  reached  Maitland  at  five  o'clock  on  the  morning  fixed 
for  the  execution.  I  at  once  set  about  preparing  the  men  for 
death.  I  then  celebrated  Mass,  administered  Holy  Communion 
to  them,  and,  in  a  few  hours  afterwards,  attended  at  their 
execution."  Such  was  the  beginning  of  the  Catholic  Church  in 
Maitland.  Now,  within  a  few  paces  of  the  scene  of  this 
execution,  there  resides  an  Irish  Catholic  Bishop,  with  his 
College,  Convents,  Cathedral,  and  all  the  luxuries,  so  to  speak, 
of  the  Catholic  Church. 

Another  anecdote  was  related  by  the  Venerable  Archdeacon 
McEnroe,  the  fast  friend  and  fellow-labourer  of  Father  Therry. 
One  day  Father  Therry  happened  to  hear  that  a  Catholic 
soldier  was  lying  dangerously  ill  in  the  Barrack  at  Sydney.  He 
proceeded  at  once  to  attend  the  sick  man  but,  on  presenting 
himself  at  the  small  entrance-gate  the  soldier  on  guard  informed 
him  that  he  had  express  orders  not  to  allow  him  to  pass,  arid, 
suiting  the  action  to  the  word,  he  presented  his  musket  with 
bayonet  fixed,  to  oppose  his  entry.  Father  Therry  said  he  would 
see  the  dying  man  or  perish  in  the  attempt,  and  rushed  forward. 
The  soldier — it  is  supposed  he  was  an  Irishman — shrank  from 
turning  his  deadly  weapon  upon  the  priest,  "  and  thus,"  said 
Archdeacon  McEnoroe,  "  Father  Therry  administered  the  rites 
of  the  Church  to  the  dying  man,  despite  the  opposition  of  the 
devil  and  his  accomplices,  the  bigoted  military  officials." 

The  following,  connected  as  it  is  with  freedom  of  education, 
is  worth  relating.  Father  Therry  having  opened  a  school  in  his 
first  temporary  Church,  the  Governor  of  the  day,  as  soon  as  he 
heard  of  it,  sent  his  underlings  at  once  to  shut  it  up.  They 
expelled  Father  Therry  and  his  pupils — for,  like  Montalembert 
in  France,  under  similar  circumstances,  he  was  himself  acting  as 
teacher.  They  closed  the  school,  placing  a  padlock  on  the  door. 
In  this  dilemna  the  priest  went  for  advice  to  Mr.  Wentworth,  a 
rising  English  barrister  of  liberal  views.  Mr.  Wentworth  told 
him  that  the  act  of  the  authorities  was  illegal ;  he  then  returned 
with  Father  Therry  and,  calling  for  a  hammer,  himself  broke 
open  the  door  and  reinstated  the  teacher  and  his  pupils.  This 
was  the  first  blow  struck  for  liberty  of  Catholic  Education  in 
Australia :  strange,  that  it  should  be  the  act  of  an  Englishman 


COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLOW.         183 

and  a  Protestant !  Father  Therry  lived  to  see  the  Catholic 
Church,  not  only  free,  but  placed  on  terms  of  perfect  equality 
with  the  English  Protestant  Church,  and  even  endowed  by  the 
State.  This  was  the  work  of  a  great  Irish  statesman,  Sir  Richard 
Burke,  whose  memory  is  revered  in  New  South  Wales  to  the 
present  day.  Father  Therry,  by  his  conciliatory  manner  and 
prudent  bearing,  contributed  much  to  overcome  the  bigotry  and 
concilate  the  prejudices  of  the  English  Protestant  party  then 
ruling  the  country.  His  personal  character  was  above  reproach, 
his  zeal  for  the  advancement  of  Catholic  interests  was  prudent 
and  enlightened.  Charity  and  meekness,  combined  with  firm 
ness  were  the  weapons  he  made  use  of  in  this  warfare.  He 
kept  entirely  aloof  from  politics,  to  which  he  was  naturally 
averse.  Besides,  the  Catholics,  at  the  period  referred  to,  were 
in  such  a  hopeless  minority  that  any  combination  or  party 
action  of  theirs  would  have  been  ruinous.  The  great  political 
movement  that  soon  after  was  set  on  foot  by  the  colonists  was 
one  in  favour  of  self-government.  After  a  difficult  but  well- 
sustained  struggle,  they  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  splendid 
constitution,  under  which  the  colony  has  progressed  in  a 
wonderful  manner.  Father  Therry  held  aloof  altogether  from 
political  or  public  matters  of  a  secular  nature;  he  was  fully 
occupied  with  a  higher  and  holier  work,  namely,  in  the  building 
of  Churches  and  Schools.  He  fortunately  secured  a  most 
desirable  site  for  his  first  Church  in  Sydney  ;  it  is  a  triangular 
plot  bounded  on  one  side  by  the  Government  demesne,  on 
another  by  the  public  Park  of  the  city,  and  on  the  third,  by  the 
public  Museum  and  its  annexed  grounds.  On  this  plot  Father 
Therry  erected  the  first  permanent  Catholic  Church  in  Australia. 
It  was  a  large  and  commodious  house  of  worship,  built  of  fine 
Sydney  granite.  He  received  liberal  assistance  from  his 
Protestant  fellow-colonists.  It  was  built  in  a  great  measure  by 
prison  labour,  the  Irish  convicts  joining  in  the  work  as  a  labour 
of  love.  It  was  the  Religious  centre  towards  which  the  Catholics 
of  this  Colony  turned  with  affection  for  many  years.  This 
Church  was  destroyed  by  fire  on  the  29th  of  June,  1855.  The 
most  affecting  scenes  took  place  on  the  night  of  the  burning. 
The  Irish  Catholics  wept  like  children;  some  of  those  who 
witnessed  it  felt  themselves  forcibly  reminded  of  the  description 
given  in  Holy  Writ  of  the  Jews  weeping  over  the  ruins  of  the 
Temple.  The  Catholics  of  Sydney  evinced  wonderful  faith  and 
courage  on  the  occasion.  The  fire  had  scarcely  been  extinguished 
when  they  held  a  preliminary  meeting  to  take  measures  for 
replacing  their  former  Church  by  a  second  and  more  magnificent 
structure.  This  is  now  rising,  phoenix-like,  from  the  ruins,  and 


184  COLLEGE   OF   ST.   PATRICK,   CARLOW. 

will  be  the  finest  Cathedral  in  the  Southern  Hemisphere.  A 
portion  has  already  been  completed,  and  was  opened  with  great 
solemnity  in  last  September.  As  in  building  its  predecessor,  so 
also  on  this  occasion,  the  Catholics  have  been  generously 
assisted  in  this  great  work  by  their  Protestant  fellow-colonists. 
At  the  first  meeting  after  the  fire,  held  in  the  Theatre  at  Sydney, 
the  then  Governor,  Sir  John  Young,  afterwards  Lord  Lisgar, 
proposed  the  first  Resolution  in  terms  that  should  be  gratefully 
remembered  by  every  Irishman. 

Father  Therry  built  many  Churches  and  Schools  in  Australia, 
and  also  in  Tasmania.  The  last  Church  which  he  erected  was 
that  of  Balmain,  in  Sydney  Harbour.  There  the  fine  old  priest 
was  engaged  in  ministering,  when  his  summons  came  to  render 
an  account  of  his  stewardship.  On  the  day  previous  to  his  death 
he  was  fully  occupied  in  the  discharge  of  his  priestly  duties.  In 
the  evening  he  presided  at  a  meeting  of  his  parishioners  held  for 
the  purpose  of  establishing  a  Branch  of  the  Guild  of  St.  Mary 
and  St.  Joseph.  He  retired  to  rest  seemingly  in  good  health. 
Towards  midnight  he  summoned  his  servant  and  complained  of 
being  ill ;  becoming  rapidly  worse,  and  feeling  that  his  end  was 
near,  he  sent  for  his  esteemed  friend  and  colleague,  Archdeacon 
McEnroe,  but  before  he  arrived,  the  holy  old  missionary  passed 
away,  on  the  25th  of  May,  1864.  Had  Father  Therry  any 
disposition  to  accumulate  money  he  could  have  been  possessed 
of  immense  wealth.  The  early  Irish  colonists  who  had  no  other 
friend,  bequeathed  to  him,  from  time  to  time,  a  considerable 
amount  of  property.  He,  however,  retained  nothing  of  this, 
and,  when  he  died  he  had  comparatively  but  little  to  bequeath. 
What  he  possessed,  he  bequeathed  to  the  Irish  Jesuits.  This 
was  the  foundation  on  which  some  Fathers  of  that  illustrious 
Order  proceeded  to  Australia.  They  are  now  firmly  established 
in  Melbourne  and  Sydney,  engaged  in  the  great  work  of  Catholic 
Education,  and  the  advancement  of  our  Holy  Religion. 

The  Australian  Church  owes  a  deep  debt  of  gratitude  to 
Father  Therry 's  Alma  Mater,  Carlow  College,  and  to  the 
Diocese  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin.  The  most  laborious  and  suc 
cessful  missioner,  perhaps,  that  ever  landed  on  her  shores,  the 
late  Very  Revd.  Michael  McAlroy,  Vicar-General  of  the  Diocese 
of  Goulburne,  was  a  priest  of  the  Diocese  of  Kildare  and 
Leighlin,  where  he  laboured  previous  to  his  departure  for 
Australia.  His  present  successor  in  that  office,  the  Very  Rev. 
T.  J.  Dunne,  is  also  a  native  of  the  Diocese,  and  completed  his 
education  in  Carlow  College.  The  Very  Rev.  Doctor 
Bermingham,  another  of  the  most  distinguished  clergymen  of 
that  Diocese,  was  also  a  student  and,  afterwards,  Professor  of 


COLLEGE  OF   ST.   PATRICK,  CARLOW.  185 

Theology  in  Carlow  College.  The  two  principal  Churches  at 
present  in  Sydney  are  ruled  by  two  Carlow  students — Dean 
O'Brien  and  Dean  Leonard.  The  Catholic  Directory  of  last  year 
contains  an  interesting  account  of  the  Ceremony  of  conferring 
the  dignity  of  Dean  on  the  latter,  by  Archbishop  Vaughan,  on 
which  occasion  his  Grace  pronounced  on  him  a  glowing  eulogium 
for  his  distinguished  services  to  Religion.  Two  other  honoured 
students  of  Carlow  College,  Dean  McCarthy  and  Dean  White, 
after  the  labours  of  quarter- of-a-century  at  the  Antipodes, 
returned  within  the  last  few  years  to  recruit  their  shattered 
constitutions  in  their  native  land,  but,  alas !  it  was  only  to  die. 
There  are  many  other  holy  priests  engaged  in  the  labours  of  the 
mission  in  Australia,  who  made  their  studies  at  Carlow  College, 
and  who  still  preserve  for  that  institution  feelings  of  deep 
reverence  and  attachment. 

THE  VERY  REV.  PATRICK  BRENNAN. 

In  1812  Father  Brennan  was  appointed  one  of  the  Superiors 
of  Carlow  College.  He  was  a  native  of  the  town  of  Carlow.  He 
continued  at  the  College  until  1820,  when  he  received  the 
pastoral  charge  of  the  Parish  of  Kildare.  He  was  promoted  to 
the  dignity  of  Penitentiary  of  the  Dioceses  of  Kildare  and 
Leighlin.  After  a  long,  laborious  and  successful  pastorate,  he 
died  at  Kildare  in  1864. 

THE  RIGHT  REV.  JAMES  DOYLE,  D.D. 
Dr.  Doyle  joined  the  Professorial  staff  of  Carlow  College  in 
1813.  He  was  a  Professed  Member  of  the  Order  of  St.  Augustine, 
and  was  then  in  his  twenty-seventh  year.  His  first  class  was 
that  of  Rhetoric,  but,  on  the  death  of  the  President,  Dean 
Staunton,  and  the  consequent  promotion  of  Dr.  FitzGerald  to 
that  office  in  the  year  following,  Dr.  Doyle  succeeded  to  the 
Chair  of  Theology,  which  he  continued  to  occupy  until  his 
Consecration  as  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin  in  November, 
1819.  An  outline  of  his  distinguished  Episcopal  career  has 
already  been  given  in  these  pages  ;  those  who  would  know  more 
regarding  the  illustrious  Prelate  are  referred  to  "The  Life, 
Times,  and  Correspondence  of  the  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Doyle,"  by 
Mr.  W.  J.  Fitzpatrick,  LL.D.  The  project  of  writing  the  Life 
of  Dr.  Doyle  had  engaged  the  attention  of  not  a  few  others 
before  Dr.  Fitzpatrick  undertook  the  task.  The  following 
Extract  from  Sir  C.  G.  Duffy's  recently  published  work,  "Four 
Years  of  Irish  History,"  in  reference  to  this  subject,  will  prove 
interesting : — 

"  Maddyn  was  still  willing  to  aid  us  in  literary  projects,  and  proposed 
to  write  a  '  Life  of  Dr.  Doyle.'  Dr.  Doyle  was  a  Prelate  of  singular 


186          COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLOW. 

manliness  and  liberality  of  character,  distinguished  by  great  gifts,  among 
which  a  logic  that  struck  like  Thor's  hammer,  and  a  sincerity  that  was 
mesmeric,  were  conspicuous.  He  had  differed  with  O'Connell  on  the 
proposed  Poor  Law,  and  other  public  questions,  and  taught  his  special 
opinions  with  a  freedom  and  power  which  would  have  been  fatal,  at  that 
time,  to  any  man  on  the  popular  side  who  was  not  protected  by  the 
episcopal  purple.  He  was  probably  the  greatest  ecclesiastic  the  Catholic 
Church  in  Ireland  had  produced  since  the  Reformation:  '  Charlemont 
and  his  contemporaries'  (Maddyn  wrote,  in  reply,  doubtless,  to  some 
suggestion  of  mine) '  has  been  overdone.  The  subject  has  no  interest  for 
me.  But  I  would  write  the  life  of  Dr.  Doyle  con  amore.  There  would 
not  be  a  sectarian  word,  or  a  sectarian  thought,  in  it.  Of  all  modern 
Irishmen,  I  think  him  the  most  admirable — a  far  greater  nature,  though 
not  a  greater  man,  than  O'Connell.  I  think  I  could  do  him  justice,  and 
that  my  life  of  him  would  be  extremely  popular.'  I  encouraged  the 
second  project,  but  not  the  first.  The  life  of  a  Catholic  Bishop  by  a 
writer  who  had  been,  and  had  ceased  to  be,  a  Catholic,  would  be  an 
awkward  experiment.  An  English  editor  who  recognised  the  sincerity 
of  Father  Faber,  would  scarcely  select  him  to  write  a  life  of 
Cranmer,  or  even  of  Laud.  Some  of  my  friends  regarded  the  proposal 
still  more  unfavourably.  Pigot  wrote  a  strong  protest,  and  suggested  an 
alternative  which  I  would  have  gladly  accepted  :— '  With  great  pleasure 
I  hear  from  J.  O'Hagan*  that  he  will  write  a  memoir  of  Dr.  Doyle.  How 
could  any  one  dream  of  giving  such  a  man  to  the  mercies  of  a  cold, 
peculiar,  and  un-Catholic  Maddyn  ?'  Of  all  works  let  this  chiefest  be 
done  by  a  Believer.  But  make  J.  O'H.  do  it  alone,  and  not  join  (as  he 
proposes)  a  Protestant  logic-chopper  in  the  same  volume.  Doyle  is  quite 
above  the  crowd,  and,  perhaps,  in  other  circumstances  would  have  been 
entirely  a  Catholic  Swift,  whose  power  he  almost  equals  sometimes,  and 
from  whom  he  differs  in  being  a  thorough  real  Irishman  as  well  as 
patriot.  If  you  form  the  Society  for  Irish  History  Publications,  pray  put 
me  on  it,  and  I  will  work  on  my  return  [to  Ireland].  Almost  my  first 
enterprise  was  to  try  to  make  such  a  thing  long  ago.'; — The  Editor's 
Room,  p.  59,  et  seq. 

THE  REV.  DAVID  O'CALLAGHAN  appears  on  the  College  books 
as  a  Professor  in  1815,  and  the  two  succeeding  years. 

"  1816,  the  REV.  JAMES  KINSELLA  commenced  as  Professor  of 
Logic."  He  was  a  native  of  Gowran,  County  Kilkenny.  After 
two  years  spent  at  Carlow,  he  went  to  the  Irish  College  at  Paris, 
and  subsequently  to  Rome. 

"  1816,  the  REV.  JOHN  GA.HAN,  Professor."  He  was  after 
wards  Parish  Priest  of  Rathvilly,  where  he  died  in  1854,  aged 
70  years. 

THE  REV.  JEREMIAH  DONOVAN,  D.D. 

"  1816,  the  Rev.  Jeremiah  Donovan  commenced  as  Professor 
of  Classics."  Dr.  Donovan  was  a  native  of  Cork  ;  he  continued 
at  Carlow  until  the  year  1820  when  lie  was  appointed  Professor 
of  Rhetoric  at  the  College  of  Maynooth.  He  was  amongst  the 

*  The  present  Judge  of  the  Land  Court. 


COLLEGE   OF   ST.   PATRICK,  CARLOW.  187 

most  intimate  friends  of  Dr.  Doyle  whose  great  affection  for  him 
appears  in  their  correspondence.  Under  date  the  13th  of 
February,  1820,  Dr.  Doyle  thus  addresses  him : — My  dear 
Friend  ....  I  am  truly  happy  at  your  appointment.  I 
congratulate  the  College,  Dr.  Grotty,  and  yourself  on  it.  I  am 
satisfied  that  I  myself  will  derive  much  advantage  from  it  in  the 
improvement  of  the  young  men  of  this  diocese  who  will  attend 
your  lectures  on  eloquence.  .  .  .  The  defence  of  my  letter* 
could  not  fall  into  better  hands  than  yours,  for  if  we  might  com 
pare  small  things  to  great,  I  could  say  to  you  as  Paul  to  Timothy, 
'  Consecutus  es  meam  doctrinam,  propositum,  institutionem ; 
and  hence  you  could  explain  my  mind  when  it  could  not  be 
ascertained  otherwise."  Dr.  Donovan,  under  the  signature  of 
'  Clericus,'  published  several  letters  in  defence  of  the  writings  of 
his  Episcopal  friend. 

On  the  31st  of  December,  1824,  Dr.  Doyle  writes  thus  to  Dr. 
Donovan : — "  MY  DEAR  FRIEND, — I  am  jealous  of  you,  and 
almost  angry  with  you,  for  not  spending  a  day  with  me  when 
going  to  or  returning  from  Cork.  I  will  not  forgive  you,  or  be 
reconciled  with  you  unless  you  come  to  spend  the  Christmas  tete- 
a-tete  with  your  old  friend.  You  know  there  is  no  place  more  your 
home  than  Old  Derrig — none  of  your  intimates  more  sincerely 
attached  to  you  than  its  Hermit.  Come,  then,  and  relax  that 
monkish  austerity  which  the  Courier  says  binds  up  all  your 
faculties  and  almost  unfits  you  for  society !  How  little  the  block 
head  knows  of  your  being  the  very/Los  and  decus  of  society  !" 

In  1829,  Dr.  Donovan  published  an  English  translation  of 
the  "  Catechism  of  the  Council  of  Trent."  Previous  to  doing  so 
he  submitted  the  MS.  to  Dr.  Doyle,  who  thus  expressed  his 
opinion  of  the  original  work  and  the  English  version  of  it.  "It 
is  difficult  to  estimate  justly  the  importance  and  value  of  the 
work  which  you  have  just  translated.  The  'Catechism  of  the 
Council  of  Trent'  is  the  most  methodical,  the  most  scientific,  the 
most  full  and  accurate  exposition  of  the  Christian  creed  and 
morality  which  has  ever  been  published  in  an  abridged  state. 
But  though  it  be  a  summary  only  of  our  heavenly  code,  the 
doctrines  set  forth  in  it,  the  authorities  condensed  in  it,  the 
proofs  adduced  in  it,  and  the  arguments,  as  well  convincing  as 
persuasive  which  it  presents  to  the  reader,  in  a  style  unexampled 
for  purity  and  precision,  are  more  proportioned  to  the  extent  and 
importance  of  its  subject  than  to  its  size  or  bulk.  Be  not  sur 
prised  that  I  seek  to  exalt  the  merits  of  this  work ;  for,  besides 
the  ordinary  use  which  is  made  of  it  by  all  who  have  care  of 

*0n  Religions  Education. 


188         COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLO W. 

souls  and  are  anxious  to  discharge  their  duty,  it  has  been  to  me, 
for  years  past,  like  a  dear  friend  or  inseparable  companion. 
Next  after  the  Divine  Revelation,  I  have  learned,  perhaps  more 
from  it  than  from  all  the  books  I  have  ever  perused.  My  judgment 
in  religious  matters  has  been  cast  in  it,  as  it  were  in  a  mould — 
my  decisions  in  matters  of  controversy  and  morals  have  been 
framed  on  it,  and  much  of  the  public  instruction  I  have  ever 
communicated  has  been  little  more  than  the  unfolding  of  its 
doctrines,  its  authorities,  and  proofs. 

"  You  know  how  much  I  am  gratified  by  your  having  under 
taken  the  translation  of  this  inestimable  work  ;  this  gratification 
has  been  heightened  by  the  perusal  of  your  manuscript — which, 
though  it  is  only  such  as  I  had  reason  to  expect  from  your 
extensive  knowledge,  your  classical  and  refined  acquaintance 
with  the  ancient  and  modern  languages,  is  yet,  in  truth,  the 
best  translation  into  English  of  a  Latin  work  that  I  have  ever 
read."— (See  Dr.  Fitzpatrick's  "  Life  of  Dr.  Doyle,"  passim.) 

His  EMINENCE  CARDINAL  CULLEN. 

The  future  Cardinal  entered  Carlow  College  as  a  pupil  on  the 
17th  of  February,  1817.  He  was  the  son  of  Hugh  Cullen  and 
Mary  Maher,  and  was  born  on  the  27th  of  April,  1803,  at 
Prospect,  County  of  Kildare.  His  parents  had  resided  in  the 
Parish  of  Leighlin  until  a  few  years  previous  to  the  birth  of 
their  son,  Paul.  They  had  their  full  share  in  the  sufferings  of 
the  troubled  days  of  1798.  The  Bishop  of  Ossory,  (Memoir  of 
Rev.  J.  Maker),  tells  how  on  one  occasion,  Mr.  Cullen  was  made 
a  prisoner  in  his  own  house  on  a  charge  of  affording  shelter  and 
assistance  to  the  rebels  when,  a  little  time  before,  they  were 
assembled  at  the  adjoining  Rath  of  Mullaghmast.  What  made 
this  charge  the  more  offensive  was  that  it  was  brought  by  a 
wounded  yeoman,  whom  Mr.  Cullen,  after  a  skirmish  near  the 
Rath,  had  found  in  a  dying  state  and,  bringing  to  his  house,  had 
nursed  with  the  greatest  care  till  he  was  restored  to  health.  Mr. 
Cullen  was  at  once  conveyed  to  Naas  where  the  assizes  were 
being  held,  and  tried  for  his  life  for  the  legal  offence  alleged 
against  him  by  this  ungrateful  wretch,  but  was  fortunately 
acquitted.  Mr.  Cullen's  brother,  Paul,  was  not  so  fortunate. 
Whilst  engaged,  on  a  particular  occasion,  hiring  farm-labourers 
in  the  neighbouring  town  of  Leighlin-Bridge,  one  of  the  men 
jokingly  said :—"  Mr.  Paul  you  must  be  our  Captain."  This 
thoughtless  saying  being  reported  to  the  authorities,  he  was 
arrested,  tried  by  "Court- martial,  and  shot! 

When  not  quite  fourteen  years  of  age  Paul  Cullen,  as  has 
been  already  stated,  entered  the  College  of  Carlow  where  he 


COLLEGE   OF   ST.    PATKICK,   CAKLOW.  189 

remained  until  he  left  for  Rome  in  1820.  Dr.  Cullen  retained 
an  affectionate  regard  for  his  first  Alma  Mater  and  his  Superiors 
there,  especially  for  Dr.  Doyle.  Writing  to  the  Author  of  the 
Life  of  J.  K.  L.,  his  Eminence  observed: — "I  feel  a  personal 
interest  in  your  success.  When  I  was  very  young,  and  com 
mencing  my  studies  in  Carlow  College,  I  had  the  happiness  of 
knowing  Dr.  Doyle,  then  Professor  of  Theology,  in  that  noble  and 
flourishing  Catholic  institution,  and  of  enjoying  his  instructions, 
and  receiving  encouragement  from  his  paternal  kindness.  I 
would  now  consider  myself  ungrateful  indeed  were  I  not  anxious 
that  the  memory  and  the  good  works  of  so  great  a  man  should 
be  rescued  from  oblivion  and  recorded  by  a  skilful  hand  like 
yours  in  the  Annals  of  our  Church,  for  the  instruction  and 
edification  of  posterity."  (Vol.  2,  p.  145.) 

"On  the  29th  of  November,  1820,  Paul  Cullen  entered  the 
Urban  College  of  the  Propaganda.     While  yet  a   student  in 
minor  Orders  he  was  selected  to  hold  a  public  disputation  before 
Leo  XII.  and  his  Court,  on  the  occasion  of  that  Pontiffs  visit  to 
the  Collegio  Urbino,  on  the  llth  of  September,  1828.     The 
Church  of  the  Propaganda  was  arranged  and  decorated  for  the 
occasion  under  the  superintendence  of  the  Cavaliere  Giuseppe 
Valadier.     Invitations  were  issued  by  the  Prefect  of  Pontifical 
Ceremonies  to  ten  Cardinals  of  the  Congregation,  who  attended 
in  full  habit  of  their  rank  with  their  suites.     The  Pope  was  met 
at  the  doors  by  the  Cardinal  Prefect,  and  conducted  to  a  throne. 
Dr.  Cullen  undertook  to  make  a  Defence  of  all  Theology  and  to 
defend  224  theses."  (Brady.)     '•  Amongst  the  crowd  assembled 
on  the  occasion  was  a  bright-eyed,  most  intelligent  young  noble 
man  of  Anagni  who  had  embraced  the  ecclesiastical  state,  and 
who  never  forgot  the  profound  impression  made  upon  him  by 
the  Irish  student  that  day.     This  was  no  other  than  the  learned, 
holy,  and  illustrious  man  who  now  governs  the  universal  Church 
of  God — Leo  XIII.     The  long  day  passed  on,  and  all,  from  the 
Pontiff  down,  himself  a  keen  and  eager  theologian,  were  amazed 
at  the   clear,  yet  deep,  copious,  accurate  learning  which  was 
poured  forth  from  the  splendid  mind  of  the  young  Irishman  ; 
but   far   more  than  the  treasures  of  his  knowledge  did   they 
admire   the  profound   humility  with  which  he   received   and 
acknowledged  their  acclamations  of  delight  and  astonishment. 
.     .     .     Four  years  later  we  find  him  appointed  Rector  of  the 
Irish  College,  and  Professor  of  Hebrew  and  of  Sacred  Scripture 
in  the  great  College  of  Propaganda.     No  mere  honour  this,  nor 
sinecure,  to  teach  Hebrew  to  youths  from  Chaldea  and  Palestine, 
and  in  the   presence  of  Mezzofanti ;  to  profess  Scripture  and 
illustrate  it  from  its  original  sources,  Hebrew  and  Greek,  in  the 


190  COLLEGE   OF  ST.   PATRICK,   CARLOW. 

midst  of  the  greatest  Scriptural  scholars  in  the  world.  Later  on 
we  find  him  filling  the  high  post  of  Rector  of  Propaganda  itself, 
which  office  he  held  at  the  peril  of  his  life  during  the  stormy 
period  of  revolution  and  anarchy  in  1848."  (Funeral  Oration,  by 
Father  Burke,  O.P.)  At  this  time  Mazzini  became  master  of 
Rome.  An  order  was  issued  by  the  revolutionary  Triumvirate, 
commanding  the  students  to  leave  the  Propaganda  within  a  few 
hours.  Dr.  Cullen  knew  Mr.  Freeborn,  the  British  Consul  at 
Rome,  to  be  a  revolutionist,  and  more  likely  to  assist  than  oppose 
the  designs  of  Mazzini ;  he  preferred  therefore  to  apply  to  the 
American  Minister,  Mr.  Cass,  for  protection.  Mr.  Cass  promptly 
went  to  Mazzini,  and  in  the  name  of  his  Government  demanded 
protection  for  the  Propaganda,  on  the  grounds  that  several  of  its 
students  were  American  citizens.  The  revolutionists  could  not 
afford  to  quarrel  with  the  American  Minister,  and  accordingly 
they  issued  a  new  order  stating  that  the  Propaganda  was  a 
literary  institution  of  great  merit,  that  it  was  the  proud  privilege 
of  Republicans  to  foster  learning  and  science,  and  that  therefore 
the  Roman  Government  forbade  any  interference  with  the 
property  of  Propaganda.  Thus  Dr.  Cullen  succeeded  in  saving 
the  College  by  placing  it  under  American  protection."  (Brady's 
Episcopal  Succession-) 

When,  in  April,  1834,  in  consequence  of  the  declining  health 
of  Dr.  Doyle,  it  became  necessary  to  appoint  a  Coadjutor  to  the 
Diocese  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin,  that  Prelate  was  very  desirous 
that  Dr.  Cullen  should  be  named  for  the  office.  Writing  in  reply 
to  one  of  his  priests,  he  says  : — "  As  you  wish  my  opinion  as  a 
private  friend  to  assist  your  own  judgment  I  give  it  to  you  in 
strict  confidence.  I  would  greatly  prefer  to  all  others  Paul 
Cullen,  now  of  Rome.  He  is  a  priest  of  the  Diocese — greatly 
eminent  for  piety,  learning,  and  the  conducting  of  the  most 
delicate  and  difficult  affairs,  having  a  good  name  in  Rome  and 
here,  and  endowed  with  all  the  qualities  required  in  a  bishop. 
His  not  being  on  the  mission  is  his  strongest  recommendation  in 
my  eyes.  Next  to  him  I  would  select  Laurence  Dunne  of 
Castledermot,  and  next,  Edward  Nolan,  or  Phil.  Healy  of  Clou- 
more."  (Life  J.KL.  Vol.  2,  p.  497.) 

Dr.  Cullen,  who  had  been  raised  by  Gregory  XYI.  to  the  rank 
of  Monsignor,  cubicularius  intimus  ad  honorem,  was  appointed 
to  the  Primacy  of  Ireland  by  Pius  IX.  in  1850.  He  was 
Consecrated  by  Cardinal  Castracane,  assisted  by  the  Bishop  of 
Demerara,  Dr.  Hinds,  and  the  Archbishop  of  Jesi,  Carlo  Luigi 
Monchini,  afterwards  Cardinal.  The  Consecration  was  performed 
in  the  Church  of  St.  Agatha,  attached  to  the  Irish  College  in 
Rome,  on  the  feast  of  St.  Matthias,  February  24,  1850.  In 


COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLO  W.          191 

August  of  same  year  Dr.  Cullen  presided  over  the  National 
Synod  of  Thurles.  By  resolution  of  Propaganda  of  1st  of  May, 
1852,  he  was  translated  to  the  See  of  Dublin.  He  was  created 
Cardinal  in  the  Consistory  of  June  22, 1866.  He  attended  the 
Vatican  Council,  at  which,  when  the  Doctrine  of  the  Infallibility 
of  the  Supreme  Pontiff  came  to  be  defined,  the  words  selected  to 
express  the  mind  of  the  Church  were  those  of  the  Cardinal 
Archbishop  of  Dublin.  In  1875  he  presided  at  the  National 
Synod  of  Maynooth.  He  died  after  a  brief  illness,  on  the  Feast 
of  St.  Raphael,  the  24th  of  October,  1878;  his  mortal  remains 
repose  at  the  back  of  the  principal  Altar  in  the  Church  attached 
to  the  College  of  Clonliffe. 

"  MASTER  MATTHEW  SAUSSE"  appears  as  a  pupil  at  the 
College  in  1817  and  succeeding  years.  This  was  Sir  Matthew 
Sausse,  afterwards  Chief  Justice  of  Bombay.  He  died  in  1867 
at  Killarney,  whilst  on  a  visit  to  Lord  Kenmare,  and  is  there 
interred.  His  wife,  Lady  Charlotte  Henrietta  Fraser,  daughter 
of  Lord  Lovat,  has  erected  a  Memorial  Cross  over  his  grave. 

THE  RIGHT  REV.  WILLIAM  KINSELLA,  D.D. 
Dr.  Kinsella  was  a  native  of  the  town  of  Carlow,  and  was  born 
in  1797.  He  entered  the  College  at  an  early  age,  and  was  a  dis 
tinguished  member  of  Dr.  Doyle's  famous  Rhetoric  class  in  1813. 
On  his  Ordination  in  1818,  he  received  his  appointment  as  one  of 
the  Professors.  He  continued  at  the  College  up  to  the  time  of  his 
Consecration  as  Bishop  of  Ossory  ;  during  that  period  he  filled 
various  positions,  including  the  Chair  of  Theology,  and  was,  at 
the  same  time,  frequently  engaged  in  controversy  both  in  the 
pulpit  and  the  public  press.  His  controversial  letters  were 
afterwards  published  in  a  collected  form,  to  which  the  writer 
added  a  valuable  Appendix.  Dr.  Kinsella  was  also  ever  ready 
to  wield  his  pen  in  defence  of  his  friend,  Dr.  Doyle, — the  most 
memorable  occasion,  perhaps,  of  his  doing  so  was  in  reply  to 
O'Connell,  in  1825,  on  the  subject  of  the  Wings.  On  the  death 
of  Dr.  Marum,  Bishop  of  Ossory,  in  the  last  days  of  1827,  the 
Rev.  Miles  Murphy,  afterwards  Bishop  of  Ferns,  was  named  as 
successor,  but  he  declined  the  proposed  dignity.  Dr.  Kinsella 
was  then  appointed  chiefly,  as  it  was  understood,  through  the 
influence  and  on  the  recommendation  of  Dr.  Doyle.  He  was 
consecrated  at  Kilkenny,  on  the  26th  of  July,  1829,  at  the  early 
age  of  thirty-two.  Amongst  the  Memorials  of  his  Episcopate 
are  the  noble  Cathedral  of  Ossory,  and  St.  Kieran's  Diocesan 
College,  both  of  which  he  erected.  He  acted  as  President  of 
the  College  and  resided  there,  for  a  short  time.  When  the 
earthly  career  of  Dr.  Doyle — the  friend  to  whom  he  was  so 


192  COLLEGE  OF  ST.   PATRICK,   CARLOW. 

warmly  attached — was  drawing  to  a  close,  Dr.  Kinsella  was 
assiduous  in  his  attendance  on  the  dying  Prelate  ;  and  when  the 
tomb  had  closed  over  his  remains,  the  Bishop  of  Ossory  pro 
nounced  his  panegyric.  Extended  extracts  from  this  funeral 
oration  have  already  been  inserted  in  these  pages.  Again, 
when  Dr.  FitzGerald,  the  President  of  the  College,  under  whom 
he  had  served,  rested  in  death,  Dr.  Kinsella  attended  his  Month's 
Memory,  held  in  Carlow  Cathedral  on  the  10th  of  October,  1843, 
in  company  with  five  other  Prelates,  and  delivered  an  address 
on  the  virtues  and  good  works  of  the  deceased.  Dr.  Kinsella 
died  December  the  12th,  1845. 

THE  REV.  WILLIAM  CLOWRY. 

Father  Clowry  appears  as  one  of  the  Superiors  at  Carlow 
College,  in  1818.  He  was  principally  distinguished,  and  his 
services  much  sought  after,  as  a  preacher.  He  was  one  of  the 
chief  disputants  in  the  memorable  Biblical  discussion  which 
took  place  at  Carlow  in  1824.  He  became  Administrator  of 
the  Mensal  Parish  of  Tullow  where  he  died  in  1829.  Dr.  Doyle 
wrote  the  inscription  which  appears  there  on  his  tornb ;  the 
Bishop  refers  to  him  as  one  "  whose  talents  and  virtues  came 
forth  with  him  from  his  mother's  womb,  and  were  cultivated  by 
him  with  the  most  assiduous  care.  His  zeal,  his  eloquence,  and 
polemic  writings  placed  his  name,  when  he  had  only  arrived  at 
manhood,  among  the  most  distinguished  in  the  Church  of 
Ireland."  He  died  at  the  early  age  of  35. 

REV.  JAMES  MCDONNELL. 

"  1818,  Rev.  James  McDonnell,  Professor."  He  was  a  nephew 
of  Dr.  FitzGerald,  President  of  the  College.  He  left  in  1822, 
and  was  appointed  Missionary  Rector  at  Leamington,  England. 
In  1832,  Dr.'FitzGerald  directed  him  to  return.  The  Most  Rev. 
Thomas  Walsh,  Bishop,  wrote  to  Dr.  Doyle  to  remonstrate  against 
the  recall  under  date,  28th  May,  1832.  "  MY  DEAR  LORD  .... 
Last  Saturday  week  I  was  at  Leamington  and  found  the  Rev. 
James  McDonnell  in  much  distress  of  mind  in  consequence  of  a 
letter  just  received  from  his  uncle,  the  Rev.  Dr.  FitzGerald, 
urging  his  immediate  return  to  Ireland.  Mr.  McDonnell's  wish 
is  to  remain  at  Leamington,  but  not  in  opposition  to  a  superior 
duty,  if  there  be  one,  under  all  the  circumstances  of  the  case, 
that  calls  him  to  Ireland.  To  take  that  gentleman  now  from 
Leamington,  where  he  is  doing  so  much  good,  would  prove  a 
most  serious  injury  to  the  English  mission,  for  which  ten  years' 
residence  in  England,  in  addition  to  his  superior  education  and 
talent  for  preaching  so  eminently  qualifies  him.  His  predecessor, 
the  Revd.  Mr.  Crosbie,  has  left  a  debt  of  £1,000  on  the  chapel. 


COLLEGE   OF  ST.   PATRICK,   CARLOW.  193 

Through  the  exertions  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  McDonnell,  who  is  so  highly 
respected,  that  debt  might  in  time  be  liquidated,  whilst  his 
situation  would  be  immediately  rendered  more  comfortable. 

"  I  hope,  My  dear  Lord,  that  you  will  take  into  your  charitable 
consideration  the  state  of  the  mission  at  Leamington,  which  it 
would  be  so  exceedingly  dime  alt  to  me  to  supply  in  the  event  of 
Mr.  McDonnell's  removal,  and  that  you  will  induce  Dr. 
FitzGerald  not  to  urge  the  return  of  his  nephew.  I  certainly 
oppose  such  removal  with  all  the  power  I  have,  as,  if  persisted 
in,  I  shall  consider  it  a  harsh  and  unkind  measure,  for  there  are 
so  many  talented  ecclesiastics  in  Ireland  that  the  situation 
intended  for  Mr.  McDonnell  might  easily  be  supplied  on  your 
side  of  the  water ;  whereas,  owing  to  the  peculiar  sentiments 
and  feelings  of  the  English,  it  would  not  be  an  easy  matter  to 
procure  a  substitute  for  that  gentleman  at  Leamington.  I  leave 
my  case  in  your  hands,  My  dear  Lord,  and  flatter  myself  that 
your  kind  interference  in  behalf  of  poor  Leamington  will  have 
a  favourable  result."  The  remonstrance  of  Dr.  Walsh  proved 
successful,  and  Father  McDonnell  remained  at  Leamington  up 
to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  took  place  on  the  26th  of  June, 
1839,  in  the  42nd  year  of  his  age. 

THE  RIGHT  REV.  EDWARD  NOLAN,  D.D. 
The  Rev.  Edward  Nolan  commenced  as  Professor  in  1819  . 
His  first  Chair  was  that  of  Moral  Philosophy  from  which  he 
afterwards  passed  to  that  of  Theology.  In  this  position  he 
continued  until  by  the  suffrages  of  the  clergy  he  was  selected  as 
Coadjutor  to  Dr.  Doyle.  Dr.  Nolan  was  consecrated  Bishop  of 
Kildare  and  Leighlin  in  Carlow  Cathedral  on  the  28th  of 
October,  1834.  He  died  on  the  15th  of  October,  1837.  Further 
details  of  his  life  have  been  already  given. 

THE  VERY  REV.  P.  McS WEENY,  D.D. 

Dr.  McSweeny  was  appointed  Professor  of  Theology  in 
October,  1819,  in  succession  to  Dr.  Doyle,  on  hisadvancament  to 
the  See  of  Kildare  and  Laighlin.  He  took  a  prominent  part  in 
the  memorable  Biblical  Discussion  at  Carlow  in  1824.  In  the 
year  following  the  Evangelical  missionaries  wished  to  renew  the 
controversy.  Dr.  Doyle  prohibited  his  priests  from  accepting 
their  challenge.  So  offensive  was  the  exultation  of  the 
Biblical  champions  at  what  they  affected  to  regard  as  fear  on 
the  part  of  the  priests  to  meet  them  in  disputation,  that  Dr. 
McSweeny  actually  resigned  his  position  as  Professor  at  Carlow 
College,  in  order  to  be  free  to  enter  the  lists,  which  he  professed 
his  readiness  to  do,  single-handed,  against  the  whole  six  who 
sent  the  challenge,  or  as  many  others  as  they  might  wish  to  add 


194         COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATKICK,  CARLO W. 

to  their  number.  His  opponents  at  first  agreed  to  meet  him 
under  certain  conditions,  but  finally  they  declined.  Subjoined 
is  the  letter,  somewhat  curtailed,  of  Dr.  McSweeny  on  this 
occasion : — 

"  To  Messrs.  Singer,  Daly,  Hamilton,  Pope,  Urwick,  and  Burnet. 

"GENTLEMEN In  offering  myself  at  present  to  your 

notice,  I  am  not  actuated  by  the  hope  of  being  still  enabled  to  force  you 
into  an  acknowledgment  of  the  truth,  or  of  dissolving  that  spell,  in  which 
the  understandings  of  your  admirers  in  this  Country  seem  to  be 
inextricably  bound.  No  such  thing.  Your  reputation  has  now  become 
so  closely  connected  with  the  continued  support  of  the  Biblical  doctrines, 
that  it  would  be  in  vain  to  expect  you  would  renounce  them.  And  as 
for  your  followers — the  battery  of  reason  has  been  so  often  tried  upon 
them  to  no  effect,  it  only  remains  that  they  be  left,  for  the  future,  to  the 
disposal  of  a  benignant  Providence.  My  attention  is  now  directed  to 
you  not  on  your  account,  or  that  of  your  Irish  adherents.  Your  and 
their  case  I  have  for  a  long  time  teen  led  to  regard  as  hopeless .  But  there 
is  another  class  of  people — our  English  brethren — whose  peculiar  con 
dition  claims  for  them  an  exemption  from  that  irremediable  fatuity  to 
which  many  of  the  sons  and  daughters  of  Erin  seem  to  have  been  con 
signed.  The  English  people  have  had  no  Bible-battles — they  have  had 
no  opportunity  of  witnessing  the  prowess  of  the  Carlow  Priests  ;  and  it 
is  probable  that  such  of  them  as  read  of  their  achievements,  had  no  other 
means  of  judging  of  their  deserts,  than  what  were  afforded  by  the 
garbled  report  of  The  Mail  newspaper,  or  some  other  equally  fallacious 
medium  of  communication.  That  such  a  people,  either  entirely  ignorant 
of,  or  only  slightly  informed  upon,  our  objections  to  the  unrestricted 
interpretation  of  the  Sacred  Volume,  should  continue  to  profess  those 
principles,  which  they  were  taught  to  lisp  from  their  cradles,  is  not  a 
matter  of  wonder.  In  doing  so,  they  are  directed  by  the  accidental 
peculiarity  of  their  education,  and  not  by  any  obstinate  perversion  of 
their  faculties,  which,  in  ninety-nine  cases  out  of  a  hundred,  they  have 
never  at  all  exercised  on  the  subject  of  our  disputations.  To  such  persons, 
Charity  opens  her  arms.  They  afford  a  prospect,  either  that  their  errors 
will  be  corrected,  or  that  they  will,  at  least,  be  saved  from  a  confirmation 
in  their  delusions. 

"  Erom  what  I  have  said,  Gentlernen,  you  need  not  put  conjecture  on 
the  stretch,  to  guess  the  object  of  this  letter.  You  must  perceive  that  I 
have  become  warm  with  a  zeal  for  the  conversion  of  the  English  Biblicals, 
and  that  I  intend  making  you  a  party  to  the  effectuation  of  my 
benevolent  purpose.  In  a  word,  it  must  occur  to  you,  that  I  write  to 
signify  my  acceptance  of  your  challenge  ;  and  that  such  is  my  confidence 
in  the  result  of  the  expected  Meeting,  as  fondly  to  anticipate  at  the  other 
side  of  the  Channel,  the  same  great  revolution  in  public  opinion,  which 
was  effected  in  this  country  by  the  memorable  Carlow  Battle.  You  shall 
learn,  by-and-by,  through  what  means  I  shall  secure  for  every  part  of 
England  as  accurate  a  knowledge  of  our  proceedings,  as  could  be  had  at 
the  very  scene  of  our  contest. 

"Before  I  proceed  to  state  the  terms  on  which  I  purpose  meeting  you, 
it  may  be  necessary  to  say  a  word  or  two  on  the  subject  of  a  letter  which 
issued  from  the  pen  of  the  Eight  Rev.  Dr.  Doyle,  prohibiting  the  Clergy 
men  within  his  jurisdiction,  from  holding  any  conference  with  the 
adversaries  of  the  Catholic  Faith.  Of  the  wisdom  of  that  distinguished 


COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLOW.          195 

Prelate,  no  one  holds  a  higher  opinion  than  I  do.— Upon  the  occasion, 
however,  on  which  he  published  that  mandate,  how  could  he  have  been 
directed  by  the  maxims  of  a  cold  and  calculating  prudence  ?  Anticipat 
ing,  as  he  did,  such  another  scene  of  absurdity  and  contradiction,  as  was 
exhibited  at  the  former  rencontre,  must  he  not  have  revolted  with  horror, 
at  the  idea  of  its  repetition  1  He,  in  whose  mind  REASON  sits  enthroned, 
in  all  the  glories  of  her  native  dignity,  must  have  felt  for  the  honour  of 
this  divine  principle,  and  must  have  been  hurried  away  to  study  her 
security  from  outrage,  even  when  the  insult  she  received  could  only  recoil 
to  the  discomfiture  of  his  enemies.  Were  he  to  have  foreseen,  that  the 
refusal  of  the  challenge  would  be  interpreted  into  a  victory— that  certain 
circumstances  would  supervene  to  give  plausibility  to  the  fabrication, 
and  that  the  Biblicals  would  take  effectual  means  of  impressing  the 
English  mind  with  the  idea  of  their  own  triumph,  I  am  of  opinion,  that 
so  far  from  preventing  his  Priests  from  following  their  own  wishes,  he 
would,  on  the  contrary,  (if  the  thing  could  possibly  be  necessary),  stimu 
late  them  to  the  combat.  As,  however,  I  have  had  no  communication 
whatsoever  with  Dr.  Doyle,  and  as  I  ain  ignorant  as  to  what  his  views  of 
the  matter  precisely  were,  I  must  be  uncertain  whether  my  present  con 
duct  shall  receive  his  approval,  or  be  followed  by  disapprobation.  I  must 
suppose  the  worst ;  and  as  I  happen  to  be  a  subject  of  his,  in  order  that 
my  offer  of  battle  may  not  clash  with  his  authority,  /  hereby  resign  my 
place  in  the  College  ofCarlow,  and  withdraw  myself  from  his  jurisdiction. 
Such  persons  as  know  the  distinction  necessarily  to  be  made  between  a 
subject  of  a  diocese,  by  birth,  and  a  subject,  such  as^I  am,  merely  by 
domicile,  will  easily  perceive  that,  in  acting  in  this  manner,  I  do  not,  by 
any  means,  commit  a  breach  of  that  respect  and  obedience  which  a 
Clergyman  owes  to  his  existing  superior.  In  thus  renouncing  my  pro 
fessorship,  let  it  not  be  supposed  that  the  sacrifice  is  a  trivial  one.  ISTo ; 
all  my  worldly  happiness  was  concentrated  in  the  situation,  and  nothing 
upon  the  earth,  save  the  honour  of  the  religion  of  JESUS  CHRIST,  could 
induce  me  to  relinquish  it. 

'*  Having  now,  Gentlemen,  obviated  the  charge  of  acting  inconsistently 
with  my  duty  to  Dr.  Doyle,  with  which  I  might  possibly  be  visited,  it 
remains  that  I  should  state  the  terms  on  which  I  mean  that  the  proposed 
controversy  shall  take  place.  They  shall  be  so  reasonable  as  not  to 
admit  of  exception,  as  they  regard  the  combatants— the  time  and  place 
of  meeting— the  matter  to  be  contested — the  judges,  and  the  termination 
of  the  contest. 

"  First.  As  to  the  combatants :  I,  atone,  shall  advocate  the  Catholic 
doctrine,  while  you  six  may  add  to  your  number,  if  you  think  proper. 
The  controversy  being  intended  solely  with  the  view  of  finally  settling 
the  question  so  long  agitated  between  the  Catholics  and  Biblicals,  the 
readiest,  and  most  effectual  way  of  arriving  at  the  truth  is  to  be  adopted. 
Every  one  is  aware  that  speeching  answers  no  useful  purpose,  and  hence,  • 
that  no  time  may  be  lost  in  this  way,  the  business  shall  be  managed  in 
the  form  of  question  and  answer. 

"  Secondly.  As  to  time  and  place.  Upon  these  points  I  am  perfectly 
indifferent.  You  may  choose  the  time,  and  also  the  place,  provided  it 
be  somewhere  within  the  United  Kingdom. 

"  Thirdly.  As  to  the  matter  to  be  contested.— This,  by  the  acknowledg 
ment  of  all,  is  resolvable  into  the  question— whether  every  one,  by  Divine 
appointment,  be  constituted  the  judge  of  the  Scriptures,  and  should  form 
that  faith,  necessary  for  salvation,  only  by  the  exercise  of  their  own  judg 
ment  upon  the  Sacred  Volume.  If  I  recollect  well,  instead  of  this  single 


COLLEGE   OF   ST.    PATRICK,   CA.RLOW. 

proposition,  you  would  have  six  to  form  the  subject  of  debate.    To  what 
purpose  ?    Unless  it  was  to  embarrass  the  discussion,  arid  to  protract  it 
into  an  interminable  and  fruitless  altercation.     If  it  be  true,  as  you  con 
tend,  that  each  person  is,  for  himself,  the  judge  of  the  meaning  of  the 
Scriptures,  it  follows  necessarily,  that  every  one  should  read  them,  that 
there  is  no  infallible  Church,  <kc.,  &c.    If,  on  the  other  hand,  it  was  the 
design  of  God  that  the  faithful  should,  as  I  maintain,  receive  their  creed 
from  an  established  authority,  it  is  a  matter  of  course,  that  they  may  be 
restricted  in  the  use  of  the  Sacred  Volume  ;  that  they  cannot  be  deceived 
by  the  injunctions  of  that  tribunal,  to  which  they  are  bound  to  submit, 
<fcc.     Those  at  your  side,  or  at  mine,  who,  for  some  time  past,  have  been 
agitating  these  questions  in  the  public  Papers,  without  any  reference  to 
the  great  Cardinal  point,  upon  which  they  all  hinge,  may  as  usefully 
have  been  entertaining  the  public  with  a  description  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  Moon. 

"  Fourthly.  As  to  the  judges.  These,  who  are  to  be  the  only  auditors, 
shall  be  100  in  number,  of  known  respectability  and  information,  fifty 
Protestants  and  fifty  Catholics.  The  Protestants  to  be  selected  by  me, 
and  the  Catholics  by  you.  It  will  be  required  of  them,  that,  at  the  close 
of  our  discussion,  they  will  pronounce  a  conscientious  verdict  upon  the 
point  argued  between  us,  and  you  and  I  must  sign  a  declaration  of  our 
willingness  to  abide  by  their  decision.  This  gagging  clause  I  have 
thought  necessary  to  add,  inasmuch  as  I  find,  that  some  of  you,  whom  I 
conquered  on  a  former  occasion,  have  again  come  forward,  as  if  they  had 
never  measured  their  strength  with  me. 

"  Fifthly,  and  lastly,  As  to  the  termination  of  the  contest.  Having 
been  prompted  to  enter  the  lists,  with  you,  solely  with  the  view  of 
dissipating  that  cloud  of  prej  udice  in  your  favour,  which  overhangs  the 
minds  of  our  English  brethren,  I  am  desirous  of  making  some  provision, 
whereby  I  may  be  enabled  to  put  into  the  hands  of  almost  every  one  of 
them,  an  authenticated  copy  of  the  result  of  our  proceedings.  What  I 
would  propose  is,  that,  as  I  have  made  some  sacrifice,  in  giving  you  a 
splendid  opportunity  of  advocating  your  doctrines,  you  should  agree,  in 
case  of  my  vanquishing  you,  to  give  me  some  of  the  hundreds  you  draw 
from  the  Establishment  of  the  Bible  Society,  for  the  furtherance  of  my 
charitable  views.  This,  however,  I  do  not  press.  I  am  sure  the  Catholics 
of  Ireland  will  not  fail  to  respond  to  my  wishes  in  this  respect. 

"  Such,  Gentlemen,  are  the  terms  on  which  I  am  willing  to  meet  you. 
I  shall  leave  the  Public  to  judge  if  they  be  not  fair  and  reasonable.  Any 
communication  from  you  to  me,  directed  to  Richard  Coyne,  4  Capel- 
street,  on  or  before  the  15th  of  October,  shall  be  immediately  attended 
to. 

"  I  have  the  honour  to  remain,  Gentlemen, 
"  Your  obedient  humble  servant, 

"P.  M'SWEENY,  late  Professor  of  Theology, 
4 'in Carlo w  College." 

In  September,  1828,  Dr.  McSweeny  was  appointed  President 
of  the  Irish  College,  Paris,  of  which  Institution  he  was  a  judicious 
and  successful  Administrator  for  more  than  twenty  years. 

"1820.  REV.  DENIS  RYAN,  Cashel,  Procurator."  He  re 
mained  but  a  short  time  in  this  position,  as  we  find,  in 

"  1821,  REV.  MICHAEL  RAFTEK,  Procurator."    Father  Rafter 


COLLEGE   OF   ST.   PATRICK,  CARLOW.  197 

was  appointed  Parish  Priest  of  Killeshin  in  1823,  and  died  there 
on  the  18th  of  January,  1840. 

"  1825,  REV.  MR.  O'BRIEN,  Dean."  This  was  the  Very  Kev. 
Morgan  O'Brien,  afterwards  Parish  Priest  of  Mitchelstown,  and 
Vicar-General  of  the  Diocese  of  Cloyne. 

THE  VERY  REV.  MONSIGNOR  L.  DUNNE,  V.Gr.,  ARCHDEACON  OF 

DUBLIN. 

The  Venerable  Pastor  of  Castledermot  has  been,  during  a 
long  and  honoured  life-time,  so  identified  with  Carlow  College, 
that  any  record  of  that  Institution  which  did  not  include  a 
reference  to  him,  would  be  notably  incomplete.  Monsignor 
Dunne  made  his  full  course  of  ecclesiastical  studies  at  Carlow, 
as  to  which  and  the  estimation  in  which  he  was  there  held,  we 
have  the  high  testimony  of  Doctor  Doyle.  Writing  to  Arch 
bishop  Troy,  July  1st,  1822,  Dr.  Doyle  says: — "The  Rev. 
Laurence  Dunne,  one  of  your  Grace's  subjects,  who  has  been 
lately  ordained  here,  desires  that  I  should  introduce  him  to  your 
Grace.  He  has  been  at  our  College  for  the  last  eight  or  ten 
years  ;  and  in  truth,  I  could  not  express  to  your  Grace  how  much 
the  great  purity  of  his  life  and  amiability  of  his  manners 
endeared  him  to  all  his  companions  and  superiors.  I  have 
always  had  a  particular  affection  for  him  on  account  of  his 
eminent  virtues ;  his  talents  and  acquirements  are  very  consider 
able,  and  I  am  confident  your  Grace  will  find  him  an  ornament 
to  his  profession."  (Life  J.  K.  L.,  2,  497.)  When,  in  1834,  in 
consequence  of  the  failing  health  of  Dr.  Doyle,  it  became 
necessary  to  appoint  a  Coadjutor  for  Kildare  and  Leighlin,  the 
dying  Prelate,  in  compliance  with  the  request  of  a  personal 
friend  amongst  the  clergy  who  wished  for  the  benefit  of  his 
advice,  named  the  then  youthful  P.P.  of  Castledermot  as  second 
only  to  the  late  Cardinal  Cullen  for  the  office  :—  "  Next  to  him 
(Dr.  Cullen)  I  would  select  Laurence  Dunne  of  Castledermot/' 
(Id.)  Again,  when  the  death  of  Archbishop  Murray,  in  1852, 
made  it  necessary  to  appoint  a  successor  in  the  Metropolitan 
See,  the  clergy  of  the  Archdiocese,  by  their  suffrages,  decided 
upon  recommending  to  Rome,  again  in  conjunction  with  that 
of  Dr.  Cullen,  the  name  of  the  Rev.  Laurence  Dunne.  The 
endeared  relations  between  Archdeacon  Dunne  and  Carlow 
College,  which  began  full  seventy  years  ago,  have  never  suffered 
any  change.  On  every  occasion,  whether  festive,  literary,  or 
sorrowful,  which  called  together  the  friends  of  that  Institution, 
the  revered  Pastor  of  Castledermot  was  never  missing  ;  and  his 
appearance  has  been  always  greeted  by  Superiors  and  students 
with  the  hearty  welcome  due  to  an  old  and  valued  friend. 


198  COLLEGE   OF   ST.   PATRICK,   CAELOW. 

THE  REV.  DANIEL  WILLIAM  CAHILL,  D.D. 

Dr.  Cahill,  who  was  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  and  popular 
ecclesiastics  of  his  time,  was  born  at  Ashfield,  in  the  parish  of 
Arless,  Queen's  County,  November  28th,  1796.  He  was  the 
third  son  of  Daniel  Cahill,  C.E.,  and  Catherine  Brett.  He 
received  his  rudimentary  education  at  Ferris's  Academy,  Athy. 
In  1816,  he  was  appointed  to  a  place  in  Maynooth  College  by 
Bishop  Corcoran,  to  whom  he  was  related.  On  the  completion 
of  his  studies,  he  received  Ordination  at  the  hands  of  the  Right 
Rev.  Dr.  Doyle,  and  was  immediately  appointed  to  the  Curacy 
of  Leighlin-Bridge.  In  1825  Dr.  Cahill  came  to  Carlow  College 
as  Professor  of  Natural  Philosophy,  which  position  he  continued 
to  occupy  until  the  close  of  the  year  1834.  In  1834  he 
established  a  school  at  Carlow  ;  in  1835  he  opened  a  boarding- 
school  at  Seapoint,  Williams  town,  County  Dublin;  which,  in 
1840,  he  transferred  to  Prospect,  Blackrock.  About  1850  we 
find  him  at  Esker,  from  which  time  he  resided  in  the  vicinity 
of  Dublin  until  the  year  1859  ;  during  this  period  he  was  con 
stantly  engaged,  not  only  in  various  parts  of  this  country,  but 
also  in  the  chief  towns  in  England  and  Scotland,  preaching 
charity  sermons,  and  delivering  lectures,  especially  on  Astronomy 
and  other  philososphical  subjects, — his  presence  in  pulpit  or  on 
platform  being  ever  sure  to  bring  together  an  overflowing  and 
enthusiastic  audience.  He  was  also,  for  a  short  time,  Editor  of 
The  Advocate,  a  Journal  that  had  but  a  brief  career.  In  1859, 
Dr.  Cahill  carried  into  effect  a  resolution  he  had  formed  long 
before,  of  visiting  America.  He  visited  many  parts  of  the 
United  States  and  British  America,  constantly  engaged  in 
preaching  and  lecturing,  being  received  everywhere,  especially 
by  his  own  countrymen,  with  enthusiasm.  Feeling  his  health 
failing  in  1864,  he  determined  to  return  to  his  native  country, 
but  Providence  ordered  it  otherwise.  After  a  protracted  and 
painful  illness,  which  he  sanctified  by  the  exercise  of  Christian 
patience  and  resignation  to  the  Divine  Will,  he  breathed  his 
last  in  the  city  of  Boston,  on  the  28th  of  October,  1864,  in  the 
68th  year  of  his  age.  Several  of  his  Sermons,  Lectures,  etc., 
have  been  published  in  a  collected  form,  making  up  two  portly 
octavo  volumes.*  When  intelligence  of  his  demise  reached 
Ireland,  a  Solemn  Requiem  Office  for  the- repose  of  his  soul, 
took  place  in  Carlow  Cathedral,  at  which  the  Bishop,  the  Right 
Rev.  Dr.  Walshe,  and  a  very  large  number  of  the  clergy  of  the 


*"  Letters   and  Speeches:"   Duffy,  Dublin,    1856.      "Lectures,  Sermons,  and 
Letters:"  D.  J.  Sadlier  and  Co.,  New  York,  1879. 


COLLEGE  OF   ST.   PATRICK,  CARLOW.  199 

Diocese  and  neighbourhood  assisted,  not  a  few  of  whom  were 
attached  personal  friends  of  the  lamented  deceased.  Some  five 
years  prior  to  his  departure  for  America,  Dr.  Cahill,  in  com 
pliance  with  an  invitation  to  that  effect,  visited  Carlow,  to 
preach,  and  also  to  deliver  a  course  of  scientific  Lectures.  The 
inhabitants  of  the  town  and  its  vicinity  availed  themselves  of 
the  occasion  to  present  him  with  the  following  address : — • 

"  With  hearts  overflowing  with  affection  and  grateful  admiration,  wa 
come  to  welcome  you,  in  the  name  of  the  people  of  Carlow,  to  the  home 
of  your  earlier  years,  and  the  scene  of  your  earlier  triumphs. 

"  Time  has  not  effaced,  it  has  but  consecrated  the  memories  of  that 
bright,  though  distant  period.  We  love  still  to  linger  on  its  thousand 
cherished  associations,  and  to  trace,  with  fondest  pleasure  mid  its 
departed  hopes  and  glories  the  first  dawning  splendours  of  your  bright 
career. 

"  Ah  !  we  know  too  well  how  many  a  change  since  has  been,  in  the 
sphere,  to  which  you  were  even  then  a  glory,  how  many  a  well  loved  voice 
is  now  silenced,  and  how  many  a  fondly  venerated  form  vanished  for  ever. 
He  whose  spirit  of  light  and  power  had  filled  the  Christian  world 
with  his  fame,  whilst  his  noble  virtues  lent  a  new  lustre  to  the  enduring 
glories  of  our  Church,  has  fallen,  and  the  drooping  genius  of  religion  now 
mourns  by  his  silent  tomb.  These  recollections  impart  indeed,  a  sad, 
though  endearing  interest  to  your  presence,  yet  still  we  remember  too, 
with  pleasure  and  with  pride,  that  your  own  genius,  like  star  of  kindred 
heavenly  splendour,  has  brightened  into  full  brilliancy  mid  the  very 
changes  that  darkened  the  scene — 

'  To  mem'ry  ever  dear/ 

"  Genius  indeed,  we  had  ever  known  was  yours,  genius  of  the  loftiest 
order,  and  genius  too,  with  all  her  lights  and  glorious  aspirations;  but  we 
confess  ourselves  filled  with  sense  of  confused,  but  delighted  wonder  as 
we  now  contemplate  its  vast  and  varied  comprehensiveness.  For  you, 
Sir,  no  realm  of  truth  remains  unexplored  or  unknown.  For  you,  all 
that  human  thought  may  conceive  of  religious  grandeur  and  magnificence, 
all  that  science  has  revealed  from  her  first  simplest  truths  to  her  most 
recent  and  most  sublime  discoveries,  all  that  nature  has  achieved  through 
her  varied  worlds,  from  her  lowest  organization  to  the  powers  that  sus 
tain  each  bright  and  shining  orb,  all  that  History  loves  to  tell  of  the 
grand  progress  of  human  civilization,  all  seem  ever  present  to  the  view 
blended  into  one  bright  vision  of  magnificence  and  of  glory. 

"  With  genius  so  vast  and  so  comprehensive,  combined  with  each. 
varied  gift  that  lends  grace  and  dignity  to  the  human  form;  no  wonder, 
Sir,  that  captivated  thousands  should  have  pronounced  you,  the  most 
brilliant  lecturer  and  the  most  splendid  orator  of  our  day. 

"  But,  Sir,  we  have  followed  you  through  your  series  of  triumphs  witn 
an  interest  higher  than  even  genius  herself  can  inspire.  Your  noble 
devotion  to  the  cause  of  faith  and  freedom  has  lent  to  your  career  its 
crowning  splendour,  and  won  for  your  name  the  gratitude  and  love  of  an 
admiring  nation.  Yours,  Sir,  have  been  no  barren  triumphs,  yours,  no 
vain  displays.  Your  voice  has  been  borne,  from  the  crowded  city  to  tne 
loneliest  hamlet  on  the  mountain  side— your  words  are  repeated  from 
lip  to  lip  throughout  the  land  with  an  enthusiasm  of  delight — they  have 
made  every  heart  of  our  race  to  throb  with  renewed  courage  and  devotion 


200          COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATKICK,  CARLO W. 

they  have  infused  new  life  into  the  country's  drooping  spirit,  and  con 
tributed  to  cherish  the  faith  of  the  noble  in  truth  and  justice — the 
proud  hope,  and  the  ennobling  aspirations  for  freedom  which  it  was  the 
'  Liberator's'  great  glory  to  have  wakened  in  the  land.  Yes,  and  we  feel 
that  we  speak  but  the  simple  truth  when  we  assure  you  there  is  now  no 
living  one  whose  sway  is  more  unbounded  over  the  Irish  heart,  or  whose 
name  is  more  fondly,  proudly,  cherished,  from  shore  to  shore  than  your 
own. 

"  "With  your  brilliant  career  thus  brightening  on  the  view,  and  proudly 
conscious  that  you  are  yet '  our  own/  with  a  thousand  affecting  memories 
crowding  round  and  beholding  you  again  present  amongst  us — whilst 
we  remember  the  joyousness,  the  kindness,  the  wit,  and  thousand  graces 
that  made  your  presence  a  pleasure,  and  endeared  you  to  every  home, 
and  see  before  us  the  greatness  and  fame  you  have  achieved  by  noble 
efforts  in  the  noblest  cause — when,  in  a  word  we  remember  you  the 
admired  and  loved  of  every  social  circle,  and  now  behold  you  the 
admired  and  loved  of  an  entire  nation — with  feelings  too  fervent  for 
words,  we  bid  you  again,  in  the  name  of  your  old  devoted  friends  and 
their  no  less  devoted  children,  enthusiastic  welcome,  we  offer  you  the 
homage  of  our  love  and  most  grateful  admiration,  and  earnestly, 
fervently,  pray,  that  Heaven,  in  lending  new  success  to  your  efforts, 
may  continue  to  lend  new  and  enduring  glories  to  your  career.'' 

The  dates,  etc.,  for  the  foregoing  notice  have  been  kindly 
supplied  by  Mr.  Patrick  Cahill,  LL.B.,  nephew  to  Dr.  Cahill,  and, 
himself,  amongst  the  most  distinguished  alumni  of  whom  Carlow 
College  is  justly  proud. 

"182G,  KEY.  MR.  McLsoD,  Professor  for  the  Lay  boys." 
Previous  to  coming  to  Carlow  Mr.  McLeod  had  been  a  member 
of  the  Society  of  Jesus.  He  continued  at  the  College  some  five 
or  six  years,  and  was  esteemed  a  deeply-read  classical  scholar. 

THE  EIGHT  REV.  WILLIAM  CLANCY,  D.D. 
On  the  promotion  of  Dr.  Kinsella  to  the  See  of  Ossory,  in 
1829,  Dr.  Edward  Nolan  succeeded  him  in  the  chair  of 
Theology,  and  Dr.  Clancy  was  appointed  Professor  of  Moral 
Philosophy  and  Hebrew.  He  was  a  native  of  the  Diocese  of 
Cork,  and  had  served  on  the  mission  in  that  Diocese  for  seven 
years  before  his  arrival  in  Carlow.  In  1832,  Dr.  England,  Bishop 
of  Charleston,  paid  an  official  visit  to  Rome,  on  which  occasion 
he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  an  Assistant  Prelate  to  the 
Papal  throne,  and,  on  his  departure,  was  nominated  Legate  of 
his  Holiness  to  the  Government  of  Hayti,  in  the  hope  that  he 
might  effect  some  arrangement  of  the  affairs  of  the  Church  in 
that  island  which,  since  the  Revolution,  had  been  in  a  most 
disordered  state.  In  1833,  Dr.  England  proceeded  on  this 
mission  and,  in  the  following  Spring,  returned  to  Rome  to  report 
the  result  of  his  negotiations.  During  his  stay  in  the  Holy 
City,  he  procured  the  appointment  of  Dr.  Clancy  as  his 
Coadjutor  in  the  See  of  Charleston,  in  order  that  he  might  be 


COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLOW.          201 

more  at  liberty  to  fulfil  his  duties  as  Legate.  Dr.  Clancy  was 
consecrated  in  Carlow  Cathedral  on  Sunday,  the  21st  of  Decem 
ber,  1834,  as  Bishop  of  Oriense,  and  Coadjutor  of  Charleston. 
The  Very  Rev.  Michael  O'Sullivan,  himself  an  alumnus  of  Carlow 
College,  who  was  afterwards  Vicar-General  of  Cork  and  Superior 
of  the  House  of  the  Vincentian  Fathers  in  that  city,  preached 
the  Consecration  Sermon.  In  an  address  to  the  Hierarchy, 
Clergy,  and  People  of  Ireland,  dated  Carlow  College,  January 
1835,  asking  for  aid  for  his  mission,  Dr.  Clancy  writes  : — "  For 
himself,  individually,  Dr.  Clancy  wants,  and  asks  nothing  but 
the  prayers  of  the  pious  for  his  spiritual  necessities — a  sum  suf 
ficient  to  defray  his  own  personal  expenses  has  been  offered  by 
a  layman,  and  thankfully  accepted  as  a  loan.  By  leaving  his 
situation  in  Ireland,  he  has  already  sacrificed  as  much  temporal 
happiness  as  it  was  possible  for  an  ecclesiastic  to  enjoy  in  this 
life.  Accustomed  to  the  literary,  and  moderable  habits  of  an 
academic  career  for  the  last  five  years — enjoying  the  confidence 
and  society  of  the  learned,  religious,  and  respected  President  and 
Professors  of  Carlow  College  (which  has  been  to  him  truly  an 
Alma  Mater,)  trained,  moreover,  to  the  fatiguing  but  meritorious 
duties  of  a  city  and  country  curate,  in  Cork,  for  seven  years 
previously — edified  by  the  labours,  virtues,  and  disinterestedness 
of  the  clergy  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin,  and  the  neighbouring 
dioceses — honoured,  also,  by  the  acquaintance  and  friendship  of 
that  apostolic  light  and  pillar  of  the  Irish  Catholic  Church,  Dr. 
Doyle,  and  his  able,  prudent,  and  amiable  successor.  Under  the 
influence  of  such  education  and  examples,  he  is,  and  must  be 
contented,  as  an  American  Coadjutor,  with  much  mental  and 
bodily  labour,  and  little  or  no  reward  from  men — in  fact,  with 
food,  and  raiment  the  mere  necessaries  of  temporal  existence  ; 
not  unmindful,  however,  of  the  eternal  crown  which  may  await 
him,  and  his  fellow-labourers,  if  the  Deity  sustains  such  feeble 
instruments  during  their  transitory  duties  in  his  own  vineyard." 
Right  Rev.  Francis  Patrick  Kenrick,  then  Coadjutor  Bishop  of 
Philadelphia,  writing  to  the  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Nolan,  on  Ascension 
Thursday,  1836,  remarks: — "Dr.  Clancy  has  returned  to 
Charleston  from  Hayti,  and  is  now  engaged  in  the  Visitation  of 
that  wilderness  of  a  Diocese,  which  has  been  hitherto  the  scene 
of  the  labours  of  the  illustrious  Dr.  England.  He,  no  doubt,  lets 
his  Irish  friends  know  how  inen viable  is  his  lot.  I  have  long 
regretted  that  the  splendid  talents  and  vast  erudition  of  Dr. 
England  were  wasted  in  the  government  of  a  few  thousand 
Catholics,  scattered  over  an  immense  tract  of  country ;  but  now 
two  Bishops  are  to  labour  on  that  ungrateful  soil.  An  Irish 
curacy  would  give  far  more  employment,  and  afford  much 


202  COLLEGE   OF  ST.   PATRICK,   CARLOW. 

greater  consolation,  not  to  speak  of  better  maintenance  ;  but  the 
reward  must  be  great  to  those  who,  under  circumstances 
altogether  disheartening,  persevere  in  sustaining  Religion  against 
herXmtiring  adversaries,  and  devote  themselves  to  the  humble 
duties  of  a  ministry  having  no  earthly  attraction." 

In  1837,  Dr.  Clancy  was  translated  to  the  Yicariate  of  British 
Guiana,  and  about  the  same  time,  was  created  a  Count  of  the 
Holy  Roman  Empire.  In  the  following  year  he  visited  Ireland, 
chiefly  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  priests  for  his  new  Diocese. 
Under  date,  November  15th,  1838,  it  is  recorded  :— "  The  Right 
Rev.  Dr.  Clancy,  Vicar- Apostolic  of  British  Guiana,  sailed  from 
Liverpool  by  the  Sandbach,  direct  to  Georgestown,  Demarara, 
accompanied  by  six  missionaries,  three  of  whom  were  priests, — 
Rev.  Thomas  Morgan,  Rev.  "W.  Bates,  and  Rev.  John  Cullen ; 
the  other  three  gentlemen,  Messrs  Duffy,  McDonald,  and  Craig, 
are  students  who,  previous  to  Ordination,  will  assist  in  the 
District  as  Catechists  and  teachers.  There  are  four  other 
ecclesiastical  students  in  Carlow  College,  affiliated  to  this 
extensive  and  newly-created  vicariate." 

Later  on,  we  find  Dr.  Clancy  thus  addressing  the  Directors 
of  the  Association  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith : — 

"  Georgestown,  December  10th,  1839. 

"  GENTLEMEN, — It  is  now  twelve  months  since,  on  the  same  day,  our 
vessel  came  in  sight  of  this  port.  The  captain  without  our  knowledge, 
raised  on  the  mainmast,  the  standard  of  the  cross,  intending  by  this 
unusual  exhibition  to  honour  our  ministry,  and  bring  the  attention  of 
the  city  on  us.  The  cross  floated  from  the  mast-head,  and  the  cross, 
that  is  to  say,  persecution  and  sufferings  awaited  us  on  shore.  We  landed 
few  in  number— a  Vicar- Apostolic,  seven  missionaries,  and  an  ecclesiastic 
in  minor  orders,  without  a  chapel,  a  school,  or  any  human  resources. 
Such  was  the  feeble  colony  which  was  to  be  opposed,  to  the  Methodists, 
for  a  long  time  previously,  masters  of  the  country,  and  which  was  to 
contend  against  fifty-six  Protestant  ministers,  supported  by  the  author 
ities,  and  in  possession  of  more  than  fifty  churches.  British  Guiana  is 
bounded  on  the  east  by  the  river  Corantin,  on  the  west  by  that  of  Bargma, 
the  Atlantic  washes  its  northern  shores,  and  to  the  south  its  boundaries 
are  lost  in  the  immense  forests  and  savannas  which  separate  it  from 
Spanish  Guiana — by  its  extent,  which  is  more  than  200,000  square  miles, 
it  might  easily  receive  a  population  as  considerable  as  that  of  France. 

"  Our  Catholics  are  numerous,  but  for  a  long  time  past,  were  left  in  a 
state  of  the  most  complete  destitution  as  to  their  religious  instruction. 
An  aged  Portuguese  said  lately,  upon  seeing  one  of  my  priests,  *  In  truth 
there  were  no  Christians  in  Guiana  ;  it  is  now  twelve  years  since  I  could 
hear  Mass.'  I,  myself,  when  preaching,  not  far  from  the  city,  to  a  con 
gregation  of  two  hundred  and  four  individuals,  had  the  pain  to  learn, 
that  out  of  that  number,  three,  at  most,  had  been  to  confession  only  once 
in  their  lives  ! 

"  The  Protestants,  too,  are  beginning  to  manifest  more  favourable  dis 
positions  towards  us  ;  they  attend  in  great  numbers  the  instructions  we 
give  expressly  for  them,  and  many  have  generously  contributed  to 


COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLOW.         203 

enable  me  to  enlarge  my  chapel ;  may  we,  one  day,  give  them  the  know 
ledge  of  the  truth,  in  exchange  for  the  succours  they  afford  us.  I  have 
already  received  the  abjuration  of  some,  may  the  Almighty  complete  His 
work,  and  bring  into  the  bosom  of  the  church,  all  our  erring  brethren. 

"  I  shall  never  forget  the  day  when  I  arrived  for  the  first  time,  in  an 
Indian  mission  ;  we  had  travelled,  with  considerable  fatigue  and  danger, 
more  than  two  hundred  miles,  in  frail  barques,  when,  at  nine  o'clock  in 
the  evening,  we  discovered  a  glimmering  light  in  the  underwood  which 
borders  the  forest.  In  a  few  moments  afterwards  our  arrival  was  hailed 
by  musket  shots,  and  a  small  cannon,  which  was  fired  from  the  banks  of 
the  river.  About  twenty  Spanish  Indians  were  here,  impatiently 
awaiting  for  many  days  our  arrival.  All  threw  themselves  on  their  knees 
to  receive  my  benediction,  and  celebrated  with  every  mark  of  joy,  my 
presence  in  this  distant  land,  where  in  the  memory  of  man  no  Catholic 
bishop  had  been  seen.  The  priest  who  resided  with  them  conducted  me 
to  his  dwelling.  Fancy  a  barn,  open  to  every  wind  ;  except  a  hammock, 
and  a  common  table  which  served  for  an  altar,  with  the  exception  of  an 


'  and  it  will  be  also  the  episcopal  palace  as  long  as  your  lordship  may  be 
pleased  te  remain.7  This  interesting  congregation  did  not  confine  itselt 
to  sterile  demonstrations  of  joy  and  respect;  a  considerable  number  ot 
confessions  heard;  and  thirty  persons  admitted  to  the  sacrament  of 
Confirmation;  baptism  solemnly  administered  to  the  savage  tribe  of  the 
Harraws  and  Arawacks — were  the  happy  results  of  my  visit. 

Some  years  later,  Dr.  Clancy  retired  from  the  administration 
of  the  Vicariate  of  Guiana ;  he  returned  to  Cork,  where  he 
resided  up  to  tbe  time  of  his  death. 

THE  REV.  DANIEL  MCCARTHY. 

Father  McCarthy  was  a  native  of  Cork,  and  was  nephew  to 
the  Right  Rev.  Florence  McCarthy  who  was  consecrated  Bishop 
of  Antinoe  in  partibus  and  appointed  Coadjutor  to  Dr.  Moylan 
of  Cork  in  1804,  but  predeceased  that  Prelate.  Father  McCarthy 
made  his  ecclesiastical  studies  at  Carlo w,  and  was  appointed 
Professor  of  Rhetoric  on  his  ordination  in  1831.  He  remained 
at  the  College  up  to  the  year  1837,  when  he  became  one  of  the 
priests  of  the  Cathedral  parish  of  which  he  was  subsequently 
Administrator.  On  the  formation  of  the  military  camp  at  tbe 
Curragh  in  1855,  he  was  appointed  chaplain  to  the  forces.  On 
the  death  of  the  Rev.  P.  Hicky,  P.P.  of  Arless,  in  November  1857, 
Father  McCarthy  was  named  his  successor.  He  died  in  1881. 

THE  REV.  PATRICK  BYRNE. 

Father  Byrne  made  his  full  course  of  ecclesiastical  studies  at 
Carlow  College,  and,  on  his  Ordination,  about  the  year  1831,  was 
appointed  to  the  office  of  Dean.  In  this  position  be  continued 
— forming  to  God  the  young  levites  assigned  to  his  care,  not  only 
by  word,  but,  still  more  potently,  by  example — until  the  year 


204          COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLOW. 

1837,  when  he  retired  from  the  College,  probably  on  account  of 
ill-health.  Having  served  for  a  short  time  on  the  mission  in 
Dublin,  his  native  diocese,  he  returned,  quite  broken  down  in 
health,  to  the  neighbourhood  of  Carlow,  to  Park,  where  his 
brother  then  resided,  and  there  he  died  on  the  Feast  of  St. 
Joseph,  March  9th,  1834,  aged  34  years.  His  remains  were 
interred  in  the  cemetery  of  the  College,  where  the  following 
inscription  appears  on  his  tomb  : — 

"  Hie  sepultae  sunt  reliquiae  mortales  Rev.  Patritii  Byrne  olim  alumni 
postea  Decani  in  hoc  Collegio  Sti.  Patritii. 

"  Vere  homo  Dei !  qui  in  brevi  explevit  tempora  multa  et  conversatione 
in  ccelis  continua  in  scientia  Sanctorum  ita  prof ecerat  ut  singulis  ornatus 
dotibus  ad  efformandum  clerum  prpbum  ac  pium  alumnos  haud  minus 
quin  potius  exemplo  quam  verbo  in  disciplina  ecclesiastica  institueret 
necnon  tanta  inter  moniales  prudentia  et  cura  sanctimoniam  enutriyit 
earumque  pedes  in  via  salutis  direxit  ut  vitae  spiritualis  magister  merito 
perfectus  haberetur.  Obiit  die  Martis  XIX.  anno  Salutis  MDGCCXL, 
aetatis  XXXIV.  Requiescat  in  Pace." 

THE  VERT  KEY.  THOMAS  CANON  POPE. 

At  the  same  time  that  the  Rev.  P.  Byrne  was  Dean  of  the 
Ecclesiastical  College,  the  Rev.  Thomas  Pope  discharged  the 
duties  of  Dean  of  the  Lay  College  and  also  of  a  professor  of 
classics.  He  left  Carlow  in  1836,  since  which  time  he  has  been 
engaged  in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  missionary  priest.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  venerable  Chapter  of  the  Diocese  of  Dublin, 
and  has  enriched  our  Catholic  literature  with  some  interesting 
works, — "  St.  Peter's  Day  in  the  Vatican,"  "  Illustrated  Litany 
of  Loretto,"  etc. 

THE  RIGHT  REV.  BARTHOLOMEW  FITZPATRICK. 

The  future  Lord  Abbot  of  Mount  Melleray  was  born  at 
Boardstown,  County  Westmeath,  in  April,  1813.  Having 
received  his  rudimentary  education  at  a  school  in  the  town  of 
Trim,  he  proceeded  to  Paris  where  he  studied,  firstly  at  St. 
Sulpice,  and  subsequently  at  the  Irish  College.  He  returned  to 
Ireland  in  1834  and  became  Professor  of  French,  and  afterwards, 
of  Logic,  at  Carlow  College.  Not  having  attained  the  age 
required  by  the  Canon  Law,  his  Ordination  did  not  take  place 
till  December  the  17th,  1836,  when  he  was  promoted  to  the 
priesthood  by  the  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Nolan.  On  the  resignation  of 
Dean  Byrne  in  1837,  Father  FitzPatrick  was  advanced  to  that 
office.  He  left  Carlow  College  in  1841,  and  was  for  a  short 
time  employed  in  missionary  duties,  first  at  Athy,  and  afterwards 
at  Booterstown.  In  May,  1843,  he  joined  the  Trappist  Com 
munity  at  Mount  Melleray,  and,  in  1848,  on  the  resignation  of 
Abbot  Ryan,  he  was  elected  to  the  dignity  of  Lord  Abbot. 


COLLEGE   OF  ST.   PATRICK,   CARLOW.  205 

Immediately  after  his  appointment  the  new  Abbot  sailed  for 
the  United  States  of  America,  to  establish  a  House  of  his  Order 
at  Kingston,  which  was  styled  St.  Patrick's  Monastery,  the 
Location  being  named  New  Ireland.  He  subsequently  estab 
lished  another  Monastery  near  Dubuque,  Iowa.  Dr.  Fitzpatrick 
still  presides  over  the  numerous  Cistercian  Community  at 
Mount  Melleray,  whose  unceasing  prayers  and  practices  of 
heroic  self-denial  have  proved  a  source  of  edification  and  of 
heavenly  blessings,  not  only  to  the  immediate  locality,  but 
extending  far  beyond  its  limits. 

THE  REV.  EDWARD  MULHALL. 

He  was  a  native  of  the  Queen's  County,  and  was  born  in  1812. 
He  entered  Carlow  College  at  an  early  age  and,  on  the  com 
pletion  there  of  his  ecclesiastical  course,  was  ordained  priest  in 
1835,  from  which  time  until  he  was  obliged  to  retire  through 
failing  health,  he  filled  the  position  of  Professor  of  Humanity. 
He  died  at  Mountrath  on  the  9th  of  September,  1857,  and  was 
interred  there.  He  was  possessed  of  rare  abilities,  which  he 
sedulously  cultivated  ;  he  was  an  accomplished  linguist  and 
proficient  in  sacred  and  profane  literature,  and  was  held  in  deep 
reverence  for  his  great  piety  and  the  many  virtues  which 
adorned  his  life. 

EICHARD  DALTON  WILLIAMS. 

The  future  poet  was  born  at  Dublin  about  the  year  1824. 
When  still  a  child,  his  home  was  changed  to  Grenanstown, 
County  Tipperary.  An  article  in  the  Nation  newspaper,  July 
26th,  1851, — written,  there  is  every  reason  to  believe,  by  his 
school-fellow  at  Carlow  College,  and  who  was  sub-editor  of  the 
Nation  then,  and  until  his  death  in  1853 — Maurice  Richard 
Leyne — thus  refers  to  him  : — "Williams,  studious  and  fanciful 
even  when  a  child,  had,  in  the  old  country  house  where  he  was 
brought  up,  under  the  shadow  of  the  Devil's  Bit  Mountain,  in 
Upper  Ormond,  fed  his  imagination  by  the  eager  perusal  of  all 
the  tales  of  adventure,  volumes  of  verse,  repertories  of  fairy 
lore,  and  scanty  chronicles  of  Irish  history,  which  fell  into  his 
hands,  and  in  many  a  visit  to  the  solemn  solitudes  of  the 
Camailte  Mountains,  he  heard  hymns  in  the  winter  storms,  and 
peopled  the  wild  fastnesses  with  beings  of  his  own  imagining." 
He  began  his  education  at  St.  Stanislaus'  College,  Tullabeg,  and 
afterwards,  about  the  year  1835,  proceeded  to  Carlow  Lay 
College,  where  he  remained  for  several  years.  Writing  from 
Spring  College,  Mobile,  to  a  friend,  December  llth,  1853,  he 
says : — "  If  you  ever  meet  Dr.  Taylor,"  (Professor  and  afterwards 
President  of  Carlow  College,)  "  remember  me  affectionately  to 


206  COLLEGE   OF   ST.   PATRICK,  CARLOW. 

him.  The  little  he  could  succeed  in  teaching  so  erratic  a  pupil 
has  enabled  me  to  hold  my  present  professorship  (for  Tullabeg 
was  only  preparatory  in  my  time,)  and  has  left  open  to  me  at 
all  times  many  sources  of  pleasure  and  solace  for  which  I  can 
never  be  too  grateful."  It  was  from  Carlow  College  that,  in 
1843,  he  sent  his  first  Poem  to  the  Nation.  An  article  in  that 
paper,  written  in  1851,  on  the  occasion  of  Williams'^  leaving  for 
America,  says : — "  Early  in  the  first  year  of  the  Nation,  a  poem 

reached  us  from  Carlow  College It  proved  to  be  a  ballad 

of  surpassing  vigour,  full  of  new  and  daring  imagery,  which 
broke  out  like  a  tide  of  lava  among  the  faded  flowers  and 
tarnished  tinsel  of  minor  poetry.  And  the  vigour  seemed  to  be 
held  in  check  by  a  firm  and  cultivated  judgment ;  there  was  not 
a  single  flight  which  Jeffrey  would  have  called  extravagant,  or 
a  metre  to  which  Pope  could  object.  It  was  the  Munster  War 
Song,  Williams's  first  Poem  in  the  Nation."  And  again,  in  a 
review  of  the  Poems  of  Williams  in  the  Nation  of  July  26th, 
1851,  the  writer  remarks  : — "  There  is  more  imagination  in  this 
vehement  Tipperary  singer  than  would  form  one  hundred  of  the 
ordinary  rhetoricians  who  attempt  'the  toil  divine  of  verse/ 
His  intellect  is  robust  and  vigorous ;  his  passion  impetuous  and 
noble  ;  his  perception  of  beauty  most  delicate  and  enthusiastic ; 
his  sympathies  take  in  the  whole  range  of  human  affection ; 

and  his  humour  is  irresistible We  see  reason  to  think 

that  Shamrock,"  (the  nom-de-plume  under  which  Williams 
wrote),  "  was  an  unambitious  writer.  He  did  not  work  for  fame. 
To  help  a  good  cause,  to  raise  a  pleasant  smile  or  healthy  laugh 
by  honest  humour,  to  give  to  his  own  nature  the  fine  sense  of 
pleasure  that  flows  from  the  happy  exercise  of  a  delightful  gift 
— these  were  the  inspiring  motives  of  the  poetry  of  Richard 
Dalton  Williams." 

The  following  Address  from  the  Students  of  the  Lay  College 
to  O'Connell,  belongs  to  the  Leyne- Williams  period,  and  was 
drawn  up,  most  probably,  by  either,  or,  perhaps,  conjointly  by 
both:— 

CARLOW  COLLEGE. 

LAY  STUDENTS'  ADDRESS  TO  DANIEL  O'CONNELL,  ESQ. 

"HONOBED  AND  BELOVED  SIB,— We,  the  Lay  Students  of  Carlow 
College,  though  fully  aware  of  the  engrossing  nature  of  the  subjects 
which  at  present  engage  your  attention,  yet  feel  emboldened  by  your 
well-known  anxiety  for  the  diffusion  of  the  light  of  virtue,  literature,  and 
liberty,  to  confess,  that  we  dare  not  meet  the  future  reproaches  of  our 
hearts  should  we  allow  this  happy  occasion  to  pass  without  assuring  you, 
beloved  Sir,  of  our  fullest  gratitude  for  those  invaluable  blessings  of 
right  and  liberty  procured  for  us  by  your  exertions— of  our  deep  venera 
tion  for  your  virtues— and  of  our  love,  our  growing  love  for  you,  our 


COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,   CARLOW.  207 

Country's  Liberator — for  you,  the  unrivalled  advocate  of  universal  liberty 
and  Catholic  truth. 

"If  wisdom  commanded  at  all  times  its  votaries — eloquence  its 
admirers — if  religious  excellence  had  its  temples,  its  altars,  and  its  shrines 
— oh  !  beloved  father  of  our  country,  by  wisdom  ennobled,  in  eloquence 
unrivalled,  by  religious  exactitude  hallowed,  and  for  it  revered,  shall  we 
not  be  permitted  with  exulting  pride  to  admire  you  for  your  wisdom, 
exalt  you  for  your  eloquence,  and  rejoice  with  holy  joy  with  you  and  for 
you,  that,  blessed  by  God  with  all  those  gifts  which,  whilst  ennobling, 
too  often  delude,  you,  dearly  beloved  Sir,  have  en  joyed  the  great  prero 
gative  to  recognise  in  the  grandeur  of  the  gifts,  the  goodness  of  the  Giver 
— to  read  impressed  on  your  intellectual  powers  and  innate  integrity, 
Heaven's  kind  decree,  bidding  you  to  your  country's  liberation — bidding 
you  to  wield  your  giant  arm  for  your  country's  freedom,  for  your 
country's  faith. 

"  Happy  lot  was  yours  j  for  lifted  above  the  rank  of  vulgar  minds  by 
your  surpassing  intellectual  energy,  and  radiant  in  fame  (whose  lustre 
history  proves  to  have  ever  warmed  into  madness  the  dizzy  head  encircled 
by  its  halo),  you,  and  you  alone,  beloved  Sir,  are  chastened  by  the 
influence  of  pure  religion  unto  Christian  lowliness,  undazzled  by  your 
splendour,  uncorrupted  by  your  renown. 

"  Great,  indeed,  have  been  your  exertions,  lurking  and  terrific  your 
perils,  numerous  and  powerful  and  implacable  your  enemies,  much  have 
you  encountered  and  much  endured ;  yet  countless  and  unceasing  as  have 
been  the  trials  through  which  your  every  virtue  has  been  doomed  to  pass 
—  now,  beloved  Sir,  now  that  you  stand  greatly  triumphant,  undismayed 
by  the  thunder  and  unscathed  by  the  lightning  of  a  wicked  faction's 
hate,  are  not  your  days  glorious  and  happy  beyond  the  sons  of  men, 
living  beloved  by  those  who  used  to  hate  you,  admired  by  those  who  oft 
reviled  you,  breathing  the  heartfelt  blessings  of  a  holy  people,  and  resting 
on  the  bosom  of  a  nation's  love. 

"Too  freely  have  we  expressed  our  veneration,  our  gratitude,  and 
love  ;  and  despairing  of  interpreting  more  successfully  our  sentiments, 
and  fearing  to  trespass  on  your  kind  indulgence,  we  shall  conclude  in  a 
manner  which  we  feel  must  be  pleasing  to  you — we  shall  conclude  by 
pledging  ourselves  before  you,  whose  presence  awakes  the  impulse  of 
freedom,  to  imbibe  with  every  draught  of  literature  the  inspiring  breath 
of  liberty,  till  filled  with  its  spirit  and  purified  by  its  fire  we  may  be 
worthy  to  appreciate  your  labours,  and  humbly  but  steadfastly  follow 
your  great  example  by  endeavouring  to  make  our  country  all  that  we 
could  wish  her— to  make  her  worthy  to  be  called  the  native  land  of 
O'Connell,  the  Liberator  of  his  Country,  the  Champion  and  Glory  of  her 
Faith." 

Mr.  O'Connell  seemed  much  affected  and  greatly  pleased  by 
the  Address.  He  immediately  gave  a  verbal  answer,  with  an 
appositeness  of  thought,  sentiment,  and  language,  so  peculiarly 
his  own.  He  told  them  he  could  easily  pardon  them  for  the  too 
glowing  colours  in  which  they  had  drawn  the  picture  of  his  life, 
knowing  that  they,  in  forming  their  estimate,  consulted  not  the 
cold  dictates  of  reason,  but  the  generous  feelings  of  their  hearts 
— that  yet,  exaggerated  though  it  was,  he  regarded  it  as  a  con 
solation  to  his  heart  in  the  strife  of  politics  to  have  deserved  by 


208  COLLEGE  OF  ST.   PATRICK,   CARLOW. 

his  labours  so  warm  an  esteem,  a  love  so  genuine,  from  young 
gentlemen  so  numerous,  so  respectable,  and  whose  hearts, 
yet  untainted  by  the  duplicity  of  the  world's  artifice,  spoke  as 
they  felt,  and  felt  because  they  loved.  He  pointed  to  himself  as 
an  instance  of  how  much  one  man  can  effect  when  strongly 
aroused  by  horror  of  slavery,  and  fully  enamoured  with  the 
charms  of  liberty.  From  this  thought  he  passed  with  easy 
transition  to  address,  with  much  earnestness  of  manner,  a  warm 
exhortation  to  the  37oung  students,  to  induce  them  to  repeat 
frequently  the  pledge  given  in  the  address,  to  labour  for  their 
country's  complete  emancipation  from  every  remaining  link  of 
slavery — remembering  that  their  fathers,  being  born  slaves, 
became,  by  great  exertions,  comparatively  free ;  but  that  they 
having  been  born  freemen,  should  never  rest  content  till  every 
remaining  badge  of  ancient  thraldom  had  been  removed — till 
every  trace  of  former  bondage  had  ceased  to  disfigure  the  fair 
form  of  their  country,  too  lovely  to  generate  a  race  of  slaves — 
with  a  population  too  great,  too  temperate,  and  too  brave,  to 
brook  any  longer  insult  or  oppression. 

Having  made  choice  of  the  medical  profession,  Williams 
settled  in  Dublin  to  attend  lectures.  The  Hospital  with  which 
he  became  connected  was  St.  Vincent's,  under  the  care  of  the 
Sisters  of  Charity,  The  Sisters  who  knew  him,  retain  the 
kindliest  recollections  of  the  shy  youth  in  spectacles  who  was 
known  to  be  a  poet,  and  whose  poetic  gifts  they  pressed  into 
their  service,  as  several  compositions  of  his  in  the  "  Manual  of 
the  Sisters  of  Charity,"  published  in  1848,  testify. 

«  At  the  point  we  have  reached,"  writes  the  Rev.  M.  Russell, 
S J.* " Williams  became  an  editor;  yet  to  this  stormy  period  of 
his  life  belong  some  incidents  which  might  occur  in  the  life  of  a 
Saint.  '  He  was  more  ready,'  says  Mr.  Sullivan,  '  to  visit  the 
sick  and  dying,  than  to  join  the  not  unfrequent  symposia  of  his 
literary  and  political  friends.  From  one  of  the  two  or  three 
companions,  who  had  personal  knowledge  of  the  fact,  we  have 
heard  of  his  having  left  for  covering  on  the  bed  of  a  poor  sick 
woman  whom  he  was  called  on  to  visit  in  one  of  the  purlieus  of 
Dublin,  the  inner  and  outer  coats  which  he  had  brought  on  him, 
and  returning  to  his  home,  on  a  winter  night,  in  his  shirt 
sleeves.  This  act  would  surprise  no  one  who  knew  him  ;  it  was 


*  Relics  of  Richard  Dalton  Williams;  a  Lecture  delivered  in  1876,  by  Father 
Eussell,  and  published  in  the  Irish  Monthly  for  March,  April,  May,  and  June, 
1877.  The  present  brief  Memoir  has  been  compiled  chiefly  from  Father  Russell'* 
interesting  Lecture,  and  from  the  Preface  to  the  Collected  Poems  of  Williams, 
published  at  the  Nation  Office. 


COLLEGE   OF   ST.   PATRICK,   CARLOW.  209 

quite  in  keeping  with  his  character/  This  incident  took  place 
probably  while  Williams  was  discharging  his  self-imposed  duties 
as  a  member  of  the  Society  of  St.  Vincent  de  Paul.  He  was 
one  of  the  first  of  the  young  men  who  aided  in  establishing  it  in 
Dublin,  to  which  it  found  its  way,  not  many  years  after  it  was 
first  founded  in  Paris  by  that  pious  and  gifted  Frenchman, 
Frederic  Ozanam." 

"  The  Famine  came,"  writes  Mr.  T.  D  Sullivan,  "  and  the 
Continental  revolutions,  and  John  Mitchell's  United  Irishman, 
and  under  the  combined  influence  of  these  the  Irish  national 
party  were  taken  somewhat  off  their  feet.'*  Early  in  1848, 
Williams,  in  conjunction  with  Kevin  Izod  O'Doherty,  established 
the  Irish  Tribune  which,  after  a  short  career  of  six  weeks,  was 
suppressed,  and  Williams  was  arrested.  On  the  2nd  of  Novem 
ber  he  was  tried  on  a  charge  of  treason-felony.  He  was  defended 
by  Mr.  Samuel  Ferguson,  Sir  Colman  O'Loughlin,  and  Mr.  John 
O'Hagan.  In  the  course  of  his  speech  Mr.  Ferguson  said : — 
"  Gentlemen,  I  arn  not  a  member  of  that  ancient  and  venerable 
Church  within  whose  pale  my  client  seeks  for  salvation,  and  has 
found  tranquillity  and  contentment  in  affliction.  But  I  would 
be  unworthy  of  the  noble  and  generous  Protestant  faith  which  I 
profess,  if  I  could  withhold  my  admiration  from  the  services 
which,  I  am  instructed,  he  has  rendered  to  the  cause  of  religion 
andof  charity,  not  only  by  his  personal  exertions  in  distributing 
the  beneficence  of  one  of  the  best  and  most  useful  charitable 
institutions  existing  in  our  city,  but  also  by  his  pen  in  embody 
ing  the  purest  aspirations  of  religion  in  sublime  and  beautiful 
poetry.  When  I  speak  of  the  services  he  has  rendered  to 
religion  by  his  poetry,  allow  me  also  to  say  that  he  has  also 
rendered  services  to  the  cause  of  patriotism  and  of  humanity  by 
it ;  and  permit  me  to  use  the  privilege  of  a  long  apprenticeship 
in  those  pursuits  by  saying  that,  in  my  humble  judgment,  after 
our  Poet  Moore,  the  first  living  poet  of  Ireland  is  the  gentleman 
who  now  stands  arraigned  at  the  bar." 

The  jury  were  at  first  for  finding  him  guilty  of  publishing  the 
Irish  Tribune,  but  not  of  an  intent  to  depose  the  Queen  ;  this  not 
satisfying  the  judge,  they  were  sent  back  to  reconsider  their 
verdict,  which  resulted  in  a  verdict  of  acquittal.  Sir  C.  G.  Duffy 
in  his  recently  published  work,  "Four  Years  of  Irish  History," 
gives  a  strange  account  of  the  trial  of  Williams,  and  the  means 
by  which  his  acquittal  was  brought  about.  "  Count  Dalton 
visited  the  prisoner  and  assured  him  that  he  should  be  acquitted. 
*  The  chances  are  ten  to  one,  you  won't  be  condemned/  he  said, 
'  nay  a  hundred  to  one,'  '  Kemmis '  (the  Crown  Solicitor)  '  is* a 
friend  of  mine,  and  he  tells  me  you  were  seldom  at  the  office  of 

o 


210  COLLEGE   OF   ST.    PATRICK,   CARLOW. 

the  Tribune,  and  that  the  only  evidence  against  you  is  the  MS. 
of  one  of  the  articles  in  your  handwriting.  But  this  shan't  harm 
you,  he  will  pin  the  paper  between  two  others,  so  that  no  witness 
will  be  able  to  see  it.  Kemmis  is  determined  you  shall  escape, 
and  you  may  be  assured  it  will  happen  as  he  wishes.'  .  .  .  The 
trial  of  Williams  immediately  followed,  and  ended  as  he  had 
foreseen.  His  domestic  servant  proved  that  he  was  detained  at 
home  by  illness  during  the  fortnight  before  his  arrest,  and 
persons  connected  with  his  printing  office  gave  corroborative 
evidence.  A  clergyman  and  a  doctor  described  his  religious 
and  benevolent  character.  The  indictment  did  not  charge  that 
any  of  the  articles  were  in  his  handwriting,  and  no  witness  was 
called  upon  to  identify  his  manuscript.  Mr.  Ferguson,  who  was 
his  leading  counsel,  made  a  persuasive  and  sympathetic  speech, 
but  the  Crown  Solicitor  had  rendered  his  task  easy.  The  jury 
wished  to  return  a  verdict  of  publishing,  but  not  with  the  intent 
imputed  in  the  indictment,  but  the  Court  would  not  receive  it, 
and  after  a  slight  delay  they  declared  him  not  guilty." — Chapter 
on  "  Trials  at  Clonmel  and  Green  Street" 

After  this,  Williams  attended  the  medical  schools  of  Edin 
burgh,  where  he  took  his  diploma,  and,  returning  to  Dublin, 
practised  his  profession  for  a  short  time.  In  the  Summer  of 
1851  he  bade  "  Adieu  to  Inisfail"  and  left  for  A.merica.  A  short 
time  afterwards  we  rind  him  filling  the  position  of  Professor  of 
Belles  Lettres  in  Spring  College,  Mobile,  Alabama. 

On  the  8th  of  September,  1856,  he  married  a  Miss  Connolly 
of  New  Orleans,  and  removed  to  that  city,  where  he  practised 
medicine  for  some  years^  contributing  meanwhile  to  some  of  the 
leading  journals  and  periodicals.  Later  on  he  removed  to  Baton 
Rouge  and  thence  to  Thibodeaux,  Louisiana,  where  he  died  on 
the  5th  of  July,  1862.  By  a  brother-bard,  Thomas  D'Arcy 
McGee,  the  sad  event  was  sung  in  the  following  beautiful 
verses : — 

The  early  mower,  heart-deep  in  the  corn 
Falls  suddenly,  to  rise  on  earth  no  more  ; 

The  lark  lie  startled  carols  to  the  morn, 
The  field  flowers  blossom  brightly  as  before. 

Gay  laughs  the  milkmaid  to  the  shouting  swain, 

Who  calls  the  dead  afar,  but  calls  in  vain. 

Thus  in  the  world's  wide  harvest-field  doth  life, 
Unconscious  of  the  stricken  heart,  rejoice  ; 

Thus,  through  the  city's  thousand  tones  of  strife* 
The  true  friend  misses  but  the  single  voice  ; 

Thus,  while  the  tale  of  death  fills  every  mouth, 

For  us  there  is  but  one—fallen  in  the  South. 


COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLO W.         211 

One  that,  amid  far  other  scenes  and  years, 
Leal  memory  still  recals  full  to  our  view, 

Ere  life  as  yet  had  reached  the  time  of  tears, 
When  many  hopes  were  garnered  in  a  few — 

Blithe  was  his  jest  in  those  fraternal  days, 

Before  we  reached  the  parting  of  the  ways. 

They  were  a  band  of  brethren,  richly  graced 

With  all  that  most  exalts  the  sons  of  men- 
Youth,  courage,  honour,  wit,  well-placed — 
When  shall  we  see  their  parallels  again? 
The  very  flower  and  fruitage  of  their  age, 
Destined  for  duty's  cross  or  glory's  page. 

And  he,  our  latest  lost  among  them  all, 
No  rival  had  for  strangely-blended  powers — 

All  shapes  of  beauty  waited  at  his  call : 
Soft  Pity  wept  o'er  Misery  in  showers, 

Or  honest  Laughter,  leaping  from  the  heart, 

Pealed  her  wild  note  beyond  the  reach  of  Art. 

Meekly  o'er  all,  the  rare  and  priceless  crown 

Of  gentle,  silent  Pity  he  still  wore — 
Like  some  fair  chapel  in  the  midmost  town, 

His  busy  heart  was  holy  at  the  core  ; 
Deep  there  his  virtues  lay— no  eye  could  trace 
The  Pharisee's  prospectus  in  his  face. 

Sleep  well,  0  Bard !  too  early  from  the  field 

Of  labour  and  of  honour  called  away  ; 
Sleep,  like  a  hero  on  yonr  own  good  shield, 

Beneath  the  Shamrock  weathed  about  the  bay. 
Not  doubtful  is  thy  place  among  the  host 
Whom  fame  arid  Erin  love  and  mourn  the  most. 

[  While  leap  on  high  Ben  Heder  the  wild  waves, 

While  sweep  the  winds  through  storied  Aherlow, 
While  Sydney's  victims  from  their  troubled  graves 

Oer  Mullaghmast  at  midnight  come  and  go, 
While  Mercy's  sisters  kneel  by  Misery's  bed, 
Thou  art  not  dead,  0  Bard,  thou  art  not  dead. 

A  few  months  after  his  death,  some  companies  of  Irish- 
American  soldiers,  engaged  in  the  civil  war  then  raging  in 
America,  were  encamped  in  the  neighbourhood.  Having  heard 
of  the  recent  death  of  the  Irish  patriot  poet,  they  determined  to 
erect  a  suitable  monument  over  his  grave.  This  consists  of  a 
massive  Cross  and  plinth  of  Carara  marble,  and  bears  the 
following  inscription  : — 


212  COLLEGE   OF   ST.   PATHICK,    CARLOW. 

"  Sacred  to  the  memory  of 
RICHARD  DALTON  WILLIAMS, 

The  Irish  Patriot  and  Poet, 

who  died  July  5th,  1862.     Aged  40  years. 

This  stone  was  erected  by  his  countrymen  serving  in 

Companies  G  and  K,  8th  Regt.  N.  H.  Volunteers, 

As  a  slight  testimonial  of  their  esteem 

For  his  unsullied  patriotism  and  his  exalted  devotion 

To  the  cause  of  Irish  Freedom/ 

This  graceful  and  touching  act  drew  from  the  friend  who  had 
mourned  his  death  in  plaintive  verse,  another  poem  of  which  the 
following  is  an  extract  :— 

God  bless  the  brave  !  the  brave  alone 
Were  worthy  to  have  done  the  deed. 

A  soldier's  hand  has  raised  the  stone. 
Another  traced  the  lines  men  read, 

Another  set  the  guardian  rail 

Above  thy  minstrel— Inn  isf ail ! 

A  thousand  years  ago— ah !  then 

Had  such  a  harp  in  Erin  ceased 
His  cairn  had  met  the  eyes  of  men 

By  every  passing  hand  increased. 
God  bless  the  brave  !  not  yet  the  race 
Could  coldly  pass  his  dwelling  place. 

The  following  Poems  composed  by  Williams,  are  selected,  not 
so  much  as  favourable  specimens  of  his  genius  for  poetical  com 
position  as  of  that  deep  devotional  feeling  which  was  a  leading 
and  abiding  characteristic  throughout  his  chequered  but  truly 
Christian  life : — 

ADORO   TE  DEVOTE. 


O  hidden  God !  devoutly  I  adore  Thee 

Beneath  these  figures  truly,  though  concealed  : 

My  heart  bows  down  undoubtingly  before  Thee, 
Lost  in  the  marvel  Thou  hast  here  revealed. 

Sight,  taste,  and  touch  in  vain  the  mind  deceive, 
Thy  word  alone  suffices,  Lord,  for  me — 

Whate'er  God's  Son  hath  uttered  I  believe ; 
Nought  than  the  word  of  Truth  can  truer  be. 

Upon  the  cross  a  cloud  Thy  God-head  wore, 
Here  thy  humanity  is  shrouded  too  ; 

Yet  both  confessing  truly  I  adore, 
And  what  the  good  thief  prayed  I  humbly  sue. 


COLLEGE  OF  ST.   PATRICK,   CARLOW.  213 

Thy  wounds,  like  Thomas,  I  do  not  behold, 

Still  I  confess  Thee  God,  all  Gods  above  ; 
Grant  me  still  more  this  fixed  faith  to  hold, 

In  Thee  to  hope — Thee  always  more  to  love. 

O  sweet  memorial  of  Christ's  death  for  me, 

True  living  bread,  conferring  life  on  man, 
Grant  that  my  soul  may  ever  feast  on  Thee, 

And  taste  Thy  sweetness  as  Faith  only  can. 

O  pious  pelican,  Lord  Jesus !  hear, 

Cleanse  me,  a  sinner,  in  Thy  healing  blood, 
One  drop  of  which,  or  even  one  sacred  tear 

Could  save  the  world — yet  Thou  wouldst  shed  a  flood. 

For  only  this  sufficed  Thy  love  to  show, 

And  thus  the  frozen  heart  of  man  to  gain — 
From  all  Thy  wounds  the  willing  fountains  flow, 

A  thousand  tongues  in  every  bleeding  vein. 

Sweet  Jesus,  whom  I  now  behold  concealed, 

What  I  so  thirst  for  hasten,  I  implore, 
That,  seeing  Thy  bright  countenance  revealed, 

My  happy  soul  Thy  glory  may  adore 
For  evermore  ! 


BEFORE  THE  BLESSED  SACR \MENT. 


Teach  me,  O  God,  the  truest  adoration  : 

Give  me  to  know,  in  Thy  mysterious  ways, 
Shall  hymns  of  joy  and  fervent  aspiration, 

Or  tearful  silence,  best  proclaim  Thy  praise  1 
Whene'er  I  bow  in  humble  prayer  before  Thee, 

So  great  my  load  of  sorrow  and  of  sin — 
So  great  my  joy  one  moment  to  adore  Thee — 

Sobs  and  hosannas  strive  my  heart  within. 

Wo  for  the  soul  that  cannot  here  discover 

Her  own  Creator  and  the  angels'  King — 
King  of  the  angels — but  man's  more  than  lover, 

Tortured  and  slain  for  our  vast  ransoming  ! 
And  yet  the  vilest  dust  concealeth  wonders, 

Teems  with  strange  marvels — miracles  indeed: 
And  heaven  hath  distance,  splendour,  time,  and  numbers 

The  lerdliest  mind  shall  never  grasp  and  read. 

Still  man,  who  sees  Thee  in  the  humblest  flower, 
Who  knows  so  little  round  him  or  above, 

While  he  perforce  admits  Thy  boundless  power, 
Presumes  to  set  a  limit  to  Thy  love  ! 


214  COLLEGE   OF   ST.   PATKICK,   CARLO W. 

Had  heaven  to  me  the  shining  sceptre  yielded 
Of  some  strong  angel,  whose  bright  throne  may  be 

O'er  many  a  starry  myriad  lightning-shielded, 
In  glory  marching  through  eternity — 

Oh  !  happier  far,  in  humble  adoration 

Were  I,  to  bend  my  pride,  head,  heart,  and  knee, 
And  feel,  no  more  a  discord  in  creation, 

My  soul  in  harmony  with  her  and  Thee  ! 
Before  Thee  then  this  world  seems  cold  and  narrow, 

The  spirit  blossoms  like  the  prophet's  rod, 
And  every  sigh  becomes  a  burning  arrow 

Whose  bright  point  flashes  through  the  heart  of  God  ! 

Thou  hast  unnumbered  Seraphim  to  sing  Thee 

Adoring  canticles  from  pole  to  pole — 
But  we,  alas  !  faint  praise,  poor  offering  bring  Thee, 

Yet  Thou  has  died  for  this — the  human  soul ! 
Oh  !  make  it  Thine  by  grace  and  tribulation, 

And  when  life's  brief  calamity  is  o'er, 
Crown  us  in  love's  sublimest  adoration, 

Where  faith  is  lost  in  vision  evermore  ! 

THE  REV.  JAMES  HAMILTON. 

The  Rev.  James  Hamilton  was  a  native  of  the  County  Kerry, 
and  was  born  about  the  year  1813.  At  an  early  age  he  entered 
Carlow  College,  and  during  a  distinguished  career  be  won  the 
highest  collegiate  honours.  His  superior  talents  and  virtue 
attracted  the  attention  of  the  great  Bishop,  Dr.  Doyle,  who 
ambitioned  to  have  him  for  his  own,  and,  with  the  consent  of 
Dr.  Egarj,  Bishop  of  Kerry,  he  was  affiliated  to  the  Diocese  of 
Kildare  and  Leighlin.  Whilst  still  in  Deacon's  orders  he  acted 
as  a  Professor  of  Classics  at  the  College.  He  was  ordained  priest, 
on  the  20th  of  December,  1836,  by  Dr.  Nolan  who  had  been  his 
professor,  and  who  remarked  on  that  occasion  that  of  all  the 
students  who  had  graduated  under  him,  the  most  gifted  was 
James  Hamilton.  Having  served  on  the  mission  in  the  parishes 
of  Mountrath,  Bagenalstown,  and  Rathvilly,  Father  Hamilton 
was  recalled  to  the  College,  as  Professor  of  Natural  Philosophy, 
in  August,  1842,  in  which  position  he  remained  during  the 
succeeding  nine  years.  His  brother,  REV.  PATRICK  HAMILTON, 
was  Lecturer  in  "Natural  Philosophy  at  Carlow  College  in  1833 
and  the  two  following  years.  He  died  young  and  whilst  still  a 
Deacon.  In  June,  1851,  Father  Hamilton  resumed  missionary 
duties  in  the  parish  of  Tullow.  In  January,  185G,  acceding  to 
the  request  of  the  Catholic  Young  Men's  Society  in  Dublin,  he 
delivered  a  course  of  four  lectures  in  the  Rotundo,  on  the 
"  Structure  of  the  Heavens,"  which  attracted  much  attention. 


COLLEGE   OF   ST.    PATRICK,   CARLO  -V.  215 

The    following  details   are    extracted    from    a    contemporary 
account : — 

CATHOLIC  YOUNG  MEN'S  SOCIETY.— The  Rev.  Professor  Hamilton's 
Lectures. — "  Last  evening  the  first  of  a  series  of  lectures  on  astronomy 
was  delivered  by  the  Rev.  Professor  Hamilton  in  the  small  concert-room 
of  the  Rotundo,  before  a  numerous  assemblage  of  the  members  of  the 
society,  several  clergymen  and  other  distinguished  visitors.  The  Rev. 
lecturer  commenced  by  stating  the  great  truths  which  the  science  of 
astronomy  was  calculated  to  teach — its  practical  uses,  and  its  power  in 
leading  the  student  or  observer  from  the  contemplation  of  physical 
nature  to  the  great  source  of  all  creation.  He  confined  himself  to  the 
subject  of  the  annual  and  diurnal  motion  of  the  earth,  and,  as  he  pro 
ceeded,  illustrated  his  views  on  the  subject  in  a  clear  and  comprehensive 
manner.  He  was  listened  to  throughout  with  marked  attention.  As  a 
lecturer  we  have  seldom  heard  any  one  more  philosophic,  eloquent,  and 
erudite  in  this,  perhaps,  one  of  the  most  practical  and  instructive  lectures 
we  have  heard  for  a  long  time.  Ths  second  lecture  is  announced  for  to 
morrow  evening." 

Professor  Hamilton's  Second  Lecture, — "  Yesterday  evening  the  Lecture- 
room  of  the  Rotundo  was  crowded  with  a  most  respectable  audience  who 
assembled  to  hear  Professor  Hamilton's  lecture  on  the  Planets.  The 
reverend  gentleman  was  clear,  eloquent,  and  philosophical  in  his  explana 
tions  of  the  various  motions  of  the  planets,  and  his  profound  and  erudite 
explanation  of  Nature's  great  laws  was  occasionally  relieved  by  the 
narration  of  interesting  anecdotes  arid  circumstances  connected  with  the 
lives  of  the  celebrated  astronomers.  The  history  of  the  discovery  of 
Neptune  was  made  interesting  to  a  wonderful  degree  by  the  admirable 
clearness  and  eloquence  of  the  lecturer.  The  various  allusions  to  the 
beauty  of  the  system,  and  the  grandeur  of  Kepler's  laws,  and  the  utility 
of  astronomy  in  leading  the  mind  to  contemplate  Him  who  is  the  origin 
and  author  of  all  law  and  all  order,  were  given  with  fervid  and  glowing 
eloquence — the  audience  listening  with  breathless  attention  for  two  hours, 
interrupted  only  by  bursts  of  applause,  which  were  sometimes  reluct 
antly  withheld  through  fear  of  losing  one  sentence  of  the  lecturer." 

Third  Lecture. — "The  reverend  gentleman  had  an  exceedingly  numer 
ous  and  respectable  auditory  yesterday  evening  at  the  Rotundo.  The 
eloquent  lecturer  was  peculiarly  felicitous  in  his  explanations  of  the  laws 
of  the  heavenly  bodies.  His  memoir  of  Newton,  interspersed  with  an 
account  of  his  scientific  discoveries,  partook  of  the  nature  of  an  eloge 
pronounced  by  an  academician.  The  latter  part  of  his  lecture  was 
directed  to  the  question — Are  the  planets  inhabited1?  During  the  pro 
gress  of  his  various  arguments  there  burst  from  him  a  most  spirit-stirring 
and  eloquent  passage  on  the  evidences  of  design  in  the  earth,  and  the 
different  orbs  that  roll  in  distant  space.  He  sat  down  amid  vehement 
cheering." 

Fourth  Lecture.— "The  Lecture  Room  of  the  Rotundo  was  crowded  to 
excess  last  evening  to  hear  this  eloquent  gentleman  deliver  his  last 
lecture.  The  subject  was  the  fixed  stars.  The  lecturer  gave  a  most  lucid 
and  beautiful  description  of  the  solar  system,  tracing  the  various  planets 
in  their  course  round  the  sun  ;  and,  having  clearly  fixed  in  the  minds  of 
his  auditory,  by  peculiar  felicity  of  language  and  illustration,  these 
motions  and  relations,  he  then  opened  to  their  view  the  sidereal  system, 
passing  in  review  binary  and  multiple  systems,  and  pointing  out  the 


216  COLLEGE   OF   ST.   PATRICK,   CARLOW. 

conformity  of  computed  and  observed  distances,  thereby  demonstrating 
that  the  same  law  which  made  the  apple  fall  extended  to  realms  in  space, 
and  from  this  view  he  raised  the  minds  of  his  auditory  to  contemplate 
the  goodness  and  power  of  the  Great  Creator.  He  then  passed  to  an 
extremely  interesting  explanation  of  complementary  colours  in  optics,  and 
illustrated  the  matter  by  giving  lists  of  double  stars.  His  account  of 
periodic  stars  was  received  with  no  less  applause  than  the  eloquent  de 
scription  of  the  nebulae.  In  the  course  of  the  evening  he  did  ample 
justice  to  the  Hanoverian  band-boy  (Herschell),  giving  the  interesting 
incidents  in  his  splendid  career.  The  reverend  gentleman  took  his  seat 
amidst  the  warm  applause  of  his  numerous  auditory.  The  President 
read  an  address  to  the  eloquent  lecturer  on  the  conclusion  of  the  course, 
to  which  Professor  Hamilton  replied  in  most  happy  and  graceful  terms." 

On  the  occurrence  of  a  vacancy  for  a  military  chaplain  at  the 
Curra^h  Camp  in  December,  1857,  the  Bishop,  Dr.  Walshe, 
appointed  Father  Hamilton  to  the  office.  He  afterwards 
officiated  at  Woolwich,  and  was  then  ordered  on  foreign  service, 
and  was  for  several  years  stationed  at  Bermuda.  Writing  from 
St.  George's,  Bermuda,  to  a  friend,  on  the  7th  February,  1866, 
he  thus  describes  the  place : — 

"These  islands  they  say  are  in  number  365.  To  make  up  that  fanciful 
number,  though,  mere  specks  on  the  water  are  counted.  They  are  all 
composed  of  a  kind  of  sandstone,  whitish,  porous,  granular,  and  so  soft 
that  it  is  cut  into  shapes  for  building  purposes  with  hatchet  and  saw. 
This  is  not  a  little  odd  to  a  new  comer.  The  rock  is  everywhere,  and 
makes  its  appearance  everywhere,  giving  to  the  surface  of  the  islands  a 
rocky  character.  That  surface,  again,  is  but  a  confusion  of  little  hills, 
none  half  as  high  as  the  hill  of  Allen,  but  still  hills  in  endless  variety  of 
form  and  combination.  Over  all  the  islands  you  would  not  find,  I  do 
believe,  one  quarter  mile  of  level  ground.  All  hills.  But,  strangest  of 
all,  these  hills  and  their  hollows,  and  a  full  three-fourths  of  the  islands, 
are  covered  with  cedar  trees.  The  whole  place  might  be  called  a  planta 
tion  of  cedars, — everywhere  you  go,  cedars,  cedars  on  hills,  cedars  in 
valleys,  cedars  by  rocks  on  shore,  cedars,  cedars  everywhere.  Alas! 
though,  they  are  not  what  you  imagine  cedars  to  be,  trees  lofty  and 
magnificent.  They  are  little  stunted  trees,  very  like  the  Scotch  firs  of 
the  bleak  hills  over  with  you. 

"  And  is  not  the  soil  cultivated  ]  Literally  so.  A  patch  here  and  there 
in  a  sheltered  hollow  may  be  sown  with  onions  or  potatoes,  sweet  or 
Irish,  or  arrow-root  or  some  such  thing,  but  that  is  all.  None  of  the 
cultivated  patches  is  as  large  as  a  good  field  in  Ireland,  and  of  these  you 
would  not  find  a  dozen  between  this  and  Hamilton,  a  distance  of  twelve 
miles.  Except  for  the  cedars,  then,  the  land  is  perfectly  unproductive. 
Why  1  Various  reasons  are  given  —no  market,  none  nearer  than  New 
York — high  price  of  labour,  and  a  thousand  other  reasons — but  the  fact 
is  what  I  say,  no  cultivation.  Hence,  though  the  country  grows  oranges, 
a  good  orange  will  cost  you  more,  far  more  than  in  London.  No  culti 
vation,  no  crops,  perhaps  for  this  reason,  no  birds,  none  worth  noticing. 
I  have  not  seen  a  dozen  since  I  came — of  the  few  I  did  see  some  are  red, 
some  blue,  and  some,  again,  little  brown  doves.  Sometimes  quails  and 
crows  get  blown  over  from  America,  but  only  occasionally  and  in  small 
numbers.  I  saw  a  crow  the  other  day;  my  heart  warmed  to  him,  as  it 
struck  me  he  might  be  of  the  old  country,  but  he  passed  on  without 


COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLO W.          217 

minding  me.  Instead  of  birds,  we  have  ants  in  myriads — on  drawers,  on 
tables,  on  the  bread  you  eat.  At  first  I  did  not  like  it,  now  I  go  on 
eating  and  let  them  look  to  it.  Other  insects,  too,  are  well  represented, 
particularly  cockchafers,  horrid  looking  things.  I  saw  three  of  them  the 
other  day,  they  excited  a  kind  of  horror  ;  had  they  stood  their  ground  I 
should  have  fled;  they  ran,  though,  and  I  killed  them.  We  shall  have 
them,  and  other  like  gentry,  in  squads  in  Summer. 

"Houses  all  white — white  walls  and  roofs,  white  from  bottom  to 
highest  top.  This  is  to  throw  off  the  summer  rays.  The  little  town  here 
is  just  as  if  it  were  covered  with  snow.  The  houses  over  the  island, 
gleaming  in  their  white  'mid  the  dark  green  cedars,  have  an  animated, 
cheery  appearance.  No  thatched  cabins  here,  not  one;  no  houses  again  to 
compare  with  the  mansions  of  the  gentry  in  Ireland.  They  have,  the 
best  of  them,  a  good  deal  the  appearance  of  the  loftier  and  better  class  of 
farm-houses  in  Ireland.  Many,  though,  have  verandahs  and  all  have 
green  wooden  blinds  outside  the  windows  ;  this  gives  them  an  appearance 
blank  as  the  face  of  a  blind  man.  The  town  of  St.  George's  is  situated 
on  the  very  edge  of  a  beautiful  bay  and  surrounded  closely  by  a  line  of 
hills,  themselves,  too,  dotted  over  with  white  houses.  The  town  of 
Hamilton  is  rather  larger  and  is  the  seat  of  Government.  Hamilton  is  a 
pretty  place,  on  a  beautiful  bay,  too,  with  beautiful  scenes  and  walks  all 
round.  Indeed  I  can  give  you  no  idea  of  the  singularly  picturesque, 
beautiful  scenes  that  the  thousand  bays,  channels,  etc.,  with  their  islands, 
present  to  view.  So,  too,  with  the  hills — they  sometimes  blend  into 
forms  and  combinations,  charming  indeed.  You  have  every  form  of  the 
beautiful  that  wood,  water,  and  hill,  in  their  various  combinations,  can 
produce. 

"  The  population,  some  11,000  or  12,000,  are  of  two  classes,  one,  the  white, 
the  other  the  coloured  people.  These  last  are  the  labourers,  theartizans, 
the  boatmen,  the  fishermen,  in  one  word,  the  mass  of  the  population. 
They  are  some  8,000  or  more  of  the  whole  number.  They  are  of  various 
shades  of  colour,  some  as  black  indeed  as  your  boot,  a  shiny  black,  too, 
shining  with  a  greasy  lustre,  with  the  features  of  their  race  strongly, 
coarsely  marked.  The  others  are  of  various  shades  of  brown.  They  seem 
to  me  a  gentle,  affectionate,  most  inoffensive  race,  fond  of  music,  fond  of 
ornament,  and  fond  of  dress.  They  are  nearly  all— at  least  the  young 
men  and  women — of  light  elastic  form  and  most  graceful  carriage.  No 
appearance  of  poverty  or  destitution  amongst  them.  On  two  occasions 
I  saw  them  turn  out  at  funerals,  80  or  100  on  each  occasion  ;  there  was 
no  man  there  not  dressed  in  black,  and,  as  far  as  I  could  judge,  dressed 
as  well  as  myself.  In  England  I  never  saw  labourers  or  artizans  turn  out 
half  so  respectably,  and  what  is  more,  never  saw  a  procession  move  on 
in  better  order  or  in  more  becoming  silence.  Indeed  there  is  a  natural 
politeness  about  them  you  will  not  find  elsewhere.  On  the  whole,  they 
appear  a  comfortable,  contented,  and,  in  their  way,  a  very  respectable 
people.  Though  at  first  the  coloured  face,  and  particularly  the  glare  of 
the  white  eye,  may  seem  strange,  after  a  while,  you  get  reconciled  to 
them  and  find  there  an  expression  soft  and  pleasing.  And  the  little 
things,  well  they  do  sometimes  look  so  serious,  with  a  strange  expression 
of  sadness,  but  then,  let  them  hear  music  or  laugh  kindness  at  them, 
they  are  up  in  a  moment,  every  feature  warming  in  joy,  and  they  them 
selves  as  merry  as  monkeys.  Of  a  truth,  they  are  an  amiable,  interesting 
race. 

"  The  whites,  well,  they  are  a  fine  looking  people.  There  are  no  gentry 
here.  They  are,  'tis  true,  the  proprietors  of  the  soil,  but  all  either  are  or 


218  COLLEGE   OF   ST.   PATRICK,    CA.KLOW. 

have  been  engaged  in  trade,  and  have  or  have  had  stores,  that  is,  shops. 
Store-keeping  then  is  not  proscribed  here  as  it  is  in  England.  You  must 
not  call  them  shop-keepers,  no,  not  that, — 'twere  offensive, — but  store 
keepers.  What  the  difference  may  be  I  cannot  conceive.  These  give  balls, 
large  ones  sometimes,  have  the  officers  of  the  Garrison  at  them,  and  are 
themselves  invited  to  the  Governor's  balls.  And  well  they  may  be,  for 
they  are  the  kindest,  most  hospitable,  and  most  generous  people  you 
could  desire  to  meet.  They  will  ask  you  to  come  to  their  houses  every 
evening  you  like,  arid  they  mean  and  wish  it.  They  are  a  most  refined 
class,  and  the  refinement  is  heightened  by  the  natural  simplicity  and 
kindness  of  those  far  removed  from  large  cities.  When  they  entertain 
they  do  it  splendidly.  At  other  times  fish  is  the  staple  of  their  food, 
meat  is  almost  unknown,  and  for  a  good  reason,  because  it  cannot  be  got. 
I  have  not  seen,  since  I  came,  two  dozen  cows,  I  do  not  remember  to  have 
seen  a  single  sheep.  Cows  and  sheep  are  imported  here  from  Halifax  or 
elsewhere  for  the  army.  All  our  supplies  come  from  Halifax,  as  a  rule. 
There  is  no  regular  steamer  to  New  York  or  any  other  city.  Things  then 
are  not  first-class,  but  exorbitantly  dear.  There  are  none  of  our  Northern 
fish  here,  the  fish  are  firm  and  strong,  I  do  not  like  them.  No  spring 
water  here,  not  a  drop;  no  rivers,  of  coarse,  not  a  streamlet  even.  The 
rain-water  is  saved  in  tanks,  every  house  has  one,  sometimes  they  throw 
a  handful  of  lime  into  the  tank,  the  water  is  pleasant  enough  to  drink-  • 
how  it  is  so  I  cannot  tell. 

"The  islands  are  surrounded  by  coral  reefs  extending,  sometimes, 
miles  from  shore.  The  passages  through  them  for  ships  are  most  intricate 
and  difficult.  Yet,  it  was  a  special  Providence  that  placed  these  islands 
here.  Not  a  storm  occurs  that  we  have  not,  soon  after,  some  disabled 
ships  seeking  shelter  and  repairs  here  ;  some  of  their  adventures  are  most 
touching.  For  this  reason,  as  a  place  of  refuge,  these  islands  are  so 
valuable  to  England. 

"  The  weather  is  very  like  a  wettish  summer  at  home,  not  so  cold  as 
some  cold  summer  days  though.  It  is  moist,  too,  but,  with  these  slight 
differences,  as  far  as  a  climate  goes,  you  might  easily  fancy  yourself  in 
England  or  Ireland.  They  tell  me  some  of  the  flowers  are  very  beautiful 
in  summer.  I  saw  to-day  a  garden  of  potatoes  as  grown  and  green  as 
they  would  be  over  with  you  in  July.  Potatoes  are  dug  out  to-day  and 
fresh  ones  planted  in  the  same  ground  to-morrow." 

The  parish  of  Pbilipstown  falling  vacant  in  October,  1866, 
the  Bishop  offered  it  for  Father  Hamilton's  acceptance.  He 
accordingly  tendered  his  resignation  of  tbe  chaplaincy  to  the 
Horse  Guards,  but  the  authorities  there  expressed  their  high 
estimate  of  his  services  to  the  troops  and  their  regret  at  his 
thought  of  leaving  them,  and  requested  of  him  to  reconsider  and 
withdraw  his  resignation.  On  his  compliance  with  their  request 
they  brought  him  home  and  promoted  him  to  the  rank,  pay,  and 
perquisites  of  a  major  in  the  army  ;  and,  had  he  survived  a  few 
years  longer,  he  would  have  attained  to  the  rank  and  pay  of  a 
Lieutenant-colonel.  He  was  attached,  on  his  return,  to  the 
South  Camp  at  Aldershot.  When,  in  September,  1873,  in  con 
sequence  of  failing  health,  he  presented  himself  at  the  War 
Office  to  solicit  sick  leave,  the  military  officials,  who  at  once  saw 


COLLEGE   OF   ST.    PATRICK,   CARLOW.  219 

his  precarious  state  of  health,  expressed  their  deepest  sympathy, 
and  immediately  gave  him  leave  for  six  months,  allowing  him  to 
retain  full  pay,  and  if,  at  the  expiration  of  that  time,  he  should 
be  invalided,  securing  to  him  an  ample  pension  for  life.  He 
came  to  the  home  of  his  brother,  Dr.  W.  Hamilton  of  Tarbert, 
where  all  that  -a  brother's  and  sister's  loving-kindness  could  do 
to  assuage  the  sufferings  of  an  incurable  malady  was  done.  He 
expired  on  the  20th  of  December,  the  36th  anniversary  of  his 
Ordination,  1873,  in  the  60th  year  of  his  age.  His  remains  were 
interred  in  the  Parish  Church  at  Tarbert.  On  Wednesday,  the 
21st  of  January  following,  a  solemn  Month's  Memory  Office  and 
Requiem  Mass  for  the  repose  of  his  soul  took  place  in  the 
Cathedral,  Carlow,  at  which  his  former  fellow-professor  and  life 
long  friend,  the  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Walsh e,  presided,  assisted  by  a 
numerous  attendance  of  the  clergy  of  his  adopted  Diocese,  and 
also  from  that  of  Dublin.  Amongst  those  present  were  the  Very 
Rev.  J.  J.  Taylor,  D.D;,  V.F.,  Very  Rev.  Archdeacon  Dunne, 
V.F.,  Very  Rev.  P.  Morrin,  V.F.,  Very  Rev.  D.  Kane,  D.D.,  Very 
Rev.  J.  B.  Kavanagh,  D.D.,  Very  Rev.  Canon  Pope  (cousin  to 
the  deceased),  etc.,  etc. 

As  a  writer,  Father  Hamilton  commanded  great  felicity  of 
expression  and  elegance  of  style ;  he  was  an  eloquent  and 
effective  lecturer  and  pulpit  orator,  and  in  classics,  and  more 
especially  in  the  knowledge  of  the  Natural  Sciences,  had  few 
compeers.  A  good  Religious  with  whom  Father  Hamilton 
maintained  a  correspondence,  has  kindly  supplied  notes  which 
she  fortunately  made  from  his  writings.  From  these  notes  some 
extracts  are  here  given  ;  they  will  serve  as  illustrations  of  his 
style  and  spirit: — 

"  Why  is  it  that  all  that  is  beautiful  is  doomed  so  soon  to  fade  1  Smiles 
all.  all  gone— every  look  faded— many  a  head  drooping,  and  some  fallen 
and  for  ever !  The  sight  might  well  have  made  one  sad. — And  how  like 
life!  Youth  passes,  its  joys  and  dreams,  and  high  hopes  and  generous  senti 
ments — all  pass — and  the  beautiful  feelings  and  glow  of  young  life  pass, 
too,  and  decay.  What  remains  !  what  remains  ]  All  of  worth  remains — 
truth,  religion,  virtue,  and  virtue's  own  bright  queen,  Charity,  all 
remain.  Aye,  more  than  remain ;  like  summer  flowers,  they  go  on 
brightening  in  new  splendours  till  one  other  change  impart  to  them  the 
full  richness  and  glory  of  enduring  perfection.  Thank  God  !  there  be 
some  objects  still  in  this  world  of  change,  unchanging  still,  and  worthy 
the  soul's  noblest  thought,  and  the  heart's  noblest  affection.  There  is  joy 
and  consolation  in  the  thought." 

"  I  feel  a  high  satisfaction  in  calmly  contemplating  that  beautifully 
wise  dispensation  of  suffering  which  once  did  seem  so  incomprehensible 
to  earlier  years.  Suffering !  strange,  mysterious  word.  Oh,  I  do  remem 
ber  well  how  surprised  I  once  had  been  at  the  law  which  doomed  '  the 
disciple  to  mourn  whilst  all  beside  should  rejoice'— made  sufferings  the 


220  COLLEGE   OF   ST.   PATRICK,   CARLOW. 

gifts  of  love  Divine,  arid  the  portion  of  those  whom  Heaven  loved  the 
best.  If  surprised,  though,  it  was  only  for  the  season  ;  with  other 
years  came  clearer  views  of  the  religion  of  the  Cross  and  the  heart  of 
man,  and  with  them,  too.  the  conviction  that  suffering,  with  grace,  were 
the  richest  treasures  Heaven  could  bestow.  Without  them  there  can  be 
no  true  perfection,  no  true  Religion,  if  perfection  and  religion  be  the  love 
of  the  One  Great  Being  with  the  whole  and  unstinted  heart,  with  the 
whole  soul  and  whole  being.  To  love  Him  so,  we  must  in  truth  become 
dead  to  ourselves,  and  to  all  around.  And  how  may  this  be  done  with 
out  suffering,  how  else  can  we  become  detached,  disengaged,  how  else  be 
rendered  indifferent  to  things  of  time,  how  else  restored  to  that  freedom 
of  spirit  which  recognises  no  submission  to  ambition,  vanity,  or  the 
thousand  other  dispositions  that  seem  of  themselves  but  of  little  harm, 
yet  fetter  the  spirit  and  all  its  affections  to  earth.  How  else  can  we  be 
introduced  to  that  pure  and  perfect  peace  which  neither  joy  nor  sorrow 
of  earth  can  disturb —that  peace  which  follows  the  completed  triumph 
over  ourselves — that  pure  peace  which  in  humble  hope  and  confidence 
reposes  in  God  and  God  alone — that  peace  which  the  disengaged  heart 
alone  can  know  and  which  the  pleasures  of  a  thousand  worlds  cannot 
bestow.  If  it  never  had  been  written,  experience  of  the  human  heart 
itself  would  tell,  that  it  is  impossible  to  be  in  full  enjoyment  of  honour, 
fortune,  or  the  world  around,  without  being  more  or  less  attached  to 
them.  Ah !  who  could  preserve  that  perfect  purity  of  spirit  which  knows 
no  shade  of  earthly  affection,  which  beams  in  purest  splendour  of  Divine 
love, — mid  the  honours,  riches,  health,  happiness  of  the  world1?  Many 
will,  I  know,  flatter  themselves  they  do  so ;  what  extraordinary  graces 
may  do  I  know  not,  but  of  a  truth  I  believe  their  pleasing  persuasion  to 
be  but  a  delusion.  But  how  beautifully  does  suffering  achieve  the  task 
despite  of  ourselves.  It  mars  every  enjoyment  of  earth  ;  it  guards  the 
freedom  of  the  heart  ;  it  prevents  the  spirit  from  being  dazzled,  blinded, 
captivated;  it  affords  season  for  calm  pure  thought ;  it  teaches,  in  accents 
that  may  not  be  mistaken,  that  Earth  is  not  our  home,  and  that  all 
around  is  vain  and  passing.  How  easily,  gently,  yet  effectually  does  it 
thus  wean  the  heart  from  affection  to  earth,  from  esteem,  applause,  dis 
tinction  ;  how  beautifully  does  it  purify  the  heart  from  each  inordinate 
affection,  and  prepare  a  temple  of  purity  and  love  where  the  Deity  Him 
self  may  repose.  Did  you  ever  mark  the  calm,  beautiful  light  that 
seems  often  shed  over  the  spirit  of  the  tranquil  sufferer  ;  how,  'mid  what 
seems  wreck  and  ruin  of  existence,  the  spirit  rises  in  newness  of  life  and 
light  and  beauty,  and  how,  too.  'mid  what  seems  all  wretchedness  and 
gloom,  the  whole  being  seems  lighted  by  beam  of  bliss  from  Heaven. 
Then,  again,  what  better  calculated  to  teach  the  other  Christian  virtues, 
than  suffering,— humility,  hope,  patience,  and,  above  all,  perfect  con 
formity  with  the  will  of  God.  Do  they  not  all  go  hand  in  hand  with 
suffering1?  In  one  word,  surely  it  is  suffering,  and  suffering,  alone,  can 
plant  and  cherish  in  the  heart  the  virtues  of  the  Cross,  arid  impress  upon 
the  soul  the  full  likeness  of  the  Crucified.  Oh  !  yes,  if  it  be  the  most 
painful,  it  most  assuredly,  is  the  most  profitable  exercise  of  the  Christian. 
When  does  virtue  purer  beam  than  mid  suffering'?  Anyone  could  engage 
in  a  dazzling  enterprise,  anyone  could  embark  in  an  applauded  under 
taking,  any  one  could  undergo  pain  and  toil  and  sacrifice  when  an  admir 
ing  world  looks  on  with  approbation — all  those  things  I  feel  I  could  do 
from  sentiment  of  nature  alone,  and,  in  doing  so,  would  have  but  little 
merit.  But.  to  feel  the  frame  sinking  in  weakness,  to  be  confined  day 
after  day  to  the  cheerless  solitude  of  sickness,  to  feel  pain  after  pain,  and 


COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLOW.          221 

pain  again  without  end,  to  feel  hope  herself  faint,  and  to  see  existence 
around  shaded  in  gloom,  and  all  this  with  none  to  admire,  few  to 
sympathize — to  feel  and  endure  all,  because  'tis  His  Will,  to  submit,  and 
harder  still,  to  continue  to  submit  cheerfully  and  willingly  to  His  ap 
pointments,  not  for  applause  of  the  world,  not  for  own's  sake  alone,  but 
wholly  and  entirely,  and  simply,  and  purely  in  obedience  to  His  Will,  in 
submission  to  this  Providence,  O,  that,  that  is  virtue  indeed,  true 
religion,  the  spirit  of  the  Cross. 

"  0,  don't  then  say  life  is  weary  and  passing  fruitlessly  away.  It  is, 
to  be  sure,  the  sentiment  of  the  zealous  spirit,  but  still  it  can  but  disturb 
peace  and  distract  resignation.  No,  your  life  is  not  weary,  useless  or 
dark,  that  one  spirit  of  resignation  will  sanctify  its  every  hour,  shed  light 
of  Heaven  on  its  every  instant,  and  impart  to  it  an  excellence  which  other 
more  active  and  more  striking  lives  may  never  attain.  '  But  had  I 
health,7  you  say,  '  Oh  !  how  I  could  devote  myself  to  charity,  religion's 
noblest  virtue.'  It  is,  in  truth,  religion's  noblest  virtue,  'tis  itself  religion 
on  earth  as  'tis  in  Heaven.  But  in  what  does  its  excellence,  merit,  glory, 
consist1?  in  this,  and  this  only,  that  'tis  the  Will  of  God.  From  thai  it 
borrows  all  its  splendours,  in  that  it  wholly  and  entirely  consists.  Ah! 
why  then  uneasy  and  depressed]  Surely,  since  your  present  delicacy 
has  been  sent  you  by  the  hand  of  God,  since  'tis  His  Will  that  you  beat- 
it,  surely,  by  doing  so  you  fulfil  that  Will,  you  comply  with  His  wishes, 
you  please  Him  just  as  much,  and  perhaps  more  so,  than  if  you  were  to 
engage  in  loftiest  enterprises  of  charity.  '  Thy  Will  be  done.'  Tis  per 
fection  in  the  sick  room  as  well  as  on  the  foreign  mission,  in  the  calm 
silence  of  suffering,  as  well  as  in  the  excitement  of  toil  and  danger. ' 


"  Charity,  divinest  spirit  of  Heaven,  thou  art  indeed  our  light  and  life 
and  only  hope,  in  this  land  of  exile,  the  merit  of  our  every  action,  the 
soul  of  our  every  virtue,  our  only  true,  enduring  peace  and  bliss  on  earth, 
bliss  and  brightest  glory  in  Heaven. 

"God !  Ah,  is  He  not,  Himself,  infinite  perfection  and  most  deserving 
the  heart's  fondest,  tenderest  love  !  He  is — yet  how  1  Infinite,  Eternal, 
and  Divine,  He  may  not  be  represented  to  the  mind  in  sensible  form  of 
grandeur  or  of  glory.  Infinitely  do  His  perfections  transcend  all  of 
beauty  or  of  glory  that  material  nature  has  revealed,  or  mind  itself  con 
ceived.  Yet,  still,  material  Creation  may  aid  the  darkened,  trembling 
spirit  to  form  some  idea  of  the  beauty  and  grandeur  of  Divine  Majesty. 
What  are,  after  all,  its  varied  glories  and  magnificence,  but  faint  reflec 
tions  of  the  splendour  on  which  '  mortal  may  not  gaze  and  live.'  The 
sun  himself  enthroned — ah  !  yes,  in  dazzling  effulgence,  what  is  he  but  an 
image,  faint  and  shrouded  too,  of  His  Glories — the  Heavens,  vast  and 
immeasurable,  but  an  image  of  His  Immensity — their  unchanging  youth 
and  freshness,  of  His  Eternity — the  varied  forms  of  breathing  life  that 
swarm  around,  but  evidence  of  His  Goodness  and  tenderness,— and  all 
Creation,  one  vast  and  glorious  monument  of  His  Wisdom,  Providence, 
and  Power.  Pursue  the  thought  still,  till  wearied  thought  sink 
bewildered  and  fatigued.  We  may  adore,  but  surely  we  will  not  wonder 
that  this  glory  of  perfection,  dimly  seen  as  in  a  glass,  should  have  imparted 
bliss  unspeakable  to  God's  own  favoured  servants  on  earth,  that  it  should 
be  bliss  unbounded  to  Cherub  and  glowing  Seraph,  or  that  every  heart  of 
man  should  be  sweetly  borne  by  instinct  of  its  own  nature  and  sugges 
tion  of  its  own  thought,  to  pay  Him  the  purest  homage  of  its  fondest 
and  tenderest  affection.  God,  is  a  God  of  unspeakable  goodness.  This 


2*22  COLLEGE    OF   ST.    PATRICK,    CARLOW. 

truth  is  told  in  every  form  of  material  creation.  For  us  has  He  reared 
the  beautiful  Temple  in  which  we  dwell,  radiant  in  beauty  and  in  glory. 
For  us  he  made  suns  of  summer  shine,  and  flowers  of  spring  in  softest 
fragrance  bloom.  For  us  has  He  clothed  mountain  and  vale  in  richest, 
varied  luxuriance  of  forest,  garden,  grove.  But  pause.  He  it  was,  of 
His  own  goodness,  built  up  this  material  frame,  breathed  into  it  a  soul 
of  Angel  dignity,  of  hope,  and  excellence  immortal.  He,  of  His  own 
goodness,  has  watched  over  me,  with  more  than  parent's  tenderness,  from 
infancy's  first  and  helpless  hour,  preserved  my  being  through  each  mo 
ment  of  existence,  guarded  me  against  a  thousand  dangers,  showered  on 
me  every  favour  that  now  lends  light  to  being  and  charm  to  existence. 
Oh,  yes!  of  His  own  goodness  He  has  imparted  to  me  health  and 
strength,  and  gifts  of  fortune,  and  hope,  and  happiness.  Nay  more,  the 
flower  may  bloom  in  beauty,  but  'tis  doomed  to  fade  ;  the  sun  may  shine 
in  dazzling  glory,  but  it,  too,  ah  !  is  it  not  doomed  to  pass  ;  but  to  me, 
on  me  has  He  conferred  higher  and  nobler  destinies,  a  higher  and  nobler 
existence,  a  higher  and  more  enduring  grandeur.  Flowers  may  bloom, 
and  suns  may  fade,  my  existence  knows  no  end.  For  me  an  existence, 
glorious  as  immortal,  expands  to  view,  for  me  has  sphere  of  being  and 
bliss  unchanging  and  undecaying,  been  destined,  for  me  has  Hope 
immortal  beamed,  for  me  has  been  prepared  a  region  of  light  and  glory, 
where,  'mid  glowing  Lost  of  Angels,  Archangels,  and  Sainted  Spirits. 
I,  too,  am  destined  to  be  sharer  for  ever  of  the  glory  that  neither  eye  hath 
seen,  nor  ear  heard,  nor  heart  of  earth  conceived.  Oh  !  surely,  were  love 
to  be  proportioned  to  goodness  the  love  of  man  should  be  as  unbounded 
as  his  destinies. 

"  God  is  a  God,  not  alone  of  beneficence  and  of  goodness,  but  of  love — 
infinite  love,  love  Divine.  Time  was  when  man  had  forgotten  his  God, 
and  idolatry  covered  the  face  of  the  earth.  Did  God — our  God — then 
launch  the  lightning  of  His  justice  and  consume  the  world  man  had 
profaned  ?  Did  He  hurl  the  terrors  of  His  vengeance  and  annihilate  the 
guilty  race1?  He  might  have  done  it — 'twere  justice — but  did  he  do  so? 
Go  to  Calvary's  rugged  steep  and  what  do  you  there  behold — who  is  He 
nailed  to  an  ignominious  Cross,  with  hand  and  foot  mangled,  body 
gashed  from  head  to  foot,  tortured  head  pillowed  on  the  hardness  of  the 
Cross,  and  life  blood  streaming  in  gushing  tides  from  the  expiring  Heart. 
Gaze  still,  and  as  you  behold  that  Sacred  Victim — the  Incarnate  Word, 
the  well  beloved  Son  of  the  Father,  the  Figure  of  His  Substance  and  the 
splendour  of  His  glory,  as  you  behold  Him  expiring  in  more  than  mortal 
agony,  the  bleeding  Victim  sent  by  God  himself  to  reconcile  a  guilty  race, 
and  restore  hope  and  peace  to  man,  Oh!  well  indeed,  may  we  exclaim 
with  Heaven's  astonished  Hosts  '  God  is  a  God  of  love,' of  love  unspeak 
able,  infinite  and  unbounded.  And  why  all  this  ?  Ah  !  not  only  does 
He  permit,  but  He  invites,  commands,  ask  our  love,  asks  it  by  every 
motive  that  can  sway  the  heart,  and  offers  in  return  peace  and  bliss  on 
earth,  peace  and  glory  everlasting  in  heaven.  My  God,  then  do  I  desire 
to  love  Thee  with  my  whole  heart  and  soul,  and,  Oh  !  do  Thou  from  Thy 
bright  throne  above  send  down  Thine  own  spirit  to  enlighten,  inspire, 
animate,  fill  my  heart  and  soul  and  whole  being  with  Thine  own  Divine 
Love,  and  grant,  Oh  !  grant,  in  life  and  death  I  ever,  ever  may  be  thine ! 
Amen." 


"I  have  an  unoccupied  hour;    I  cannot  better  employ  it  than  in 
penning  you  these  lines.    The  setting  sun,  the  closing  day,  the  universal 


COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLOW.          223 

repose,  all  invite  to  thought.  None  but  a  fool  will  fail  to  see  that  sancti- 
fication  and  salvation  are  the  only  great  objects  of  existence, — that  for 
them  existence,  thought,  feeling,  affection,  time,  all  have  been  given,  and 
to  them  all  should  be  dedicated.  In  them,  with  them,  existence  receives 
its  last,  highest  perfection  and  glory  ;  without  them  all  else  is  vain,  worse 
than  the  flower  that  fadeth,  as  grass  that  withereth.  It  is  so  indeed, — 
there  is  but  one  true,  one  only  grand,  one  only  noble,  one  only  happy 
object  of  existence,  call  it  by  what  name  you  will — sanctification,  perfec 
tion,  religion — and  the  reason  is  plain,  'tis  the  only  object  for  which  we 
were  created,  the  one  that  fulfils  the  grand  designs  of  Infinite  Goodness 
in  our  creation.  Tis  an  object,  too,  most  easily  within  our  own  Breach, 
one  on  our  own  threshold,  one  within  the  reach  of  every  created  being  no 
matter  how  poor,  how  weak,  how  powerless,  how  unprotected.  Not  on 
the  wide  surface  of  the  earth,  not  beneath  yon  wide  beautiful  blue 
canopy  of  Heaven  is  there  one  to  whom  it  is  denied.  And  what  is  it  1 
It  is  called  by  different  names — religion,  perfection,  conformity  with  the 
will  of  Heaven,  and  so  on — 'tis  simply  the  love  of  God.  It  is  simply  the 
sentiment  that  seeks  in  Him,  and  sees  in  Him,  though  for  the  hour,  but 
dimly  and  darkly  too,  the  soul's  supreme,  chief  bliss,— that  desires  to 
please  Him,  serve,  obey  Him,  that  seeks,  in  thought,  word,  action, 
affection,  feeling,  only  what  He  wills  and  because  He  wills.  Every  heart 
was  formed  for  love,  every  heart  can  love,  every  heart  knows  how  to 
love,  and  it  were  waste  of  time  to  tell  what  is  love  of  Ood.  It  may  be 
felt,  it  cannot  well  be  told.  Is  there  any  heart  that  would  not  love  God  ? 
I  presume  not ;  the  sentiment  is  one  implanted  in  every  being  by  nature, 
breathed  into  us  with  existence,  the  first,  purest,  holiest,  tenderest 
association  of  infant  years,  one,  like  the  fragrance  associated  with  the 
beauty  of  the  flower,  that  still  survives  through  decay,  and  change  and 
ruin.  Does  every  heart  love  God  1  Alas  !  I  fear  me,  no.  With  what 
wonderful  beauty  of  wisdom  was  this  being  of  ours  designed,  organized. 
Destined  to  exist  for  a  season  in  this  world  of  probation — we  see  the 
soul  endowed  with  loftier  aspirations  and  higher  thoughts  to  bear  it  on 
to  its  future  and  enduring  region  of  unchanging  bliss,  a.nd,  at  the  same 
time,  with  sensibilities  to  created  things  designed  to  render  the  days  of 
its  exile,  like  the  days  in  Eden,  days  of  bliss.  A  foreign  hand  spoiled 
the  beautiful  harmony  of  the  work  and  darkened  the  purer  lights  of  the 
spirit  and  weakened  the  whole  beautiful  being.  But  still  the  beautiful 
goodness  of  God,  in  imparting  these  sensibilities  and  in  scattering  around 
us  created  objects  that  might  well  please  if  they  did  not  captivate,  is  not 
the  less  apparent,  less  manifest,  less  adorable,  though,  alas  !  the  very  pro 
visions  for  our  happiness  become  our  most  serious  difficulties,  and  those 
very  sensibilities  with  their  accompanying  weakness  and  darkness,  our 
greatest  trials.  And  thus,  alas !  has  it  become  the  law  of  our  fallen 
existence  that  sensible  objects  most  do  affect  us  and  excite  the  liveliest, 
most  sensible  feelings  in  the  heart,  even  whilst  the  higher  objects,  to 
which  our  whole  will,  and  heart,  and  feelings  tend,  are  scarcely  felt.  The 
loss  of  friends  or  of  fortune,  sickness,  some  petty  annoyance,  will  be  more 
felt  than  objects  for  which  friends  and  fortune  would  gladly  be  sacrificed, 
sickness  and  trials  endured  for  ever.  The  pious  have  ever  felt,  Saints 
have  borne,  and  reason  and  religion  weep  over  the  strange  contradiction 
in  our  existence.  'This,  however,  the  law  of  one  being  and  all  should 
know  and  remember  it. 

"  And,  returning  once  again  to  this  love  of  God  which  all  revere  and 
desire  to  have, — some,  alas !  from  ignorance,  bad  education,  or  other 
circumstances,  are  hurried  along  far  from  God  and  the  love  of  God. 


224  COLLEGE   OF   ST.   PATRICK,   CAULOW. 

Heaven  look  on  them  with  an  eye  of  pity  !  And  other  some, — more 
blessed,  oh  !  infinitely  more  blessed— tend  on  to  the  noble  object,  and 
meet  various  difficulties  in  their  path.  It  is  no  easy  task  to  centre  the 
whole  being  in  God,  to  direct  to  Him  every  affection  and  feeling,  and 
train  one's  self  to  wish  only  what  God  wills  and  because  He  wills  it.  It 
is  a  task  that  will  only  be  accomplished  with  time,  one  that,  on  this 
earth  never  will  be  perfectly  accomplished,  one  to  which  a  thousand  lives 
may  well  be  devotod,  one  which  never  will  be  attained  without  prudence- 
He  who  seeks  to  attain  it  in  a  day  is  not  prudent.  A  tree  will  not  grow 
in  a  day,  the  various  dispositions  will  not  be  formed  in  a  day.  Gradually 
and  beautifully  does  every  form  of  being  expand  into  its  full  per 
fection  beneath  the  fostering  Providence  of  Divine  Power  and  Goodness, 
and  gradually,  too,  will  every  virtue  grow,  and  but  gradually,  into  its 
full  perfection  beneath  the  genial  influence  of  Divine  Grace.  There  must 
then  be  patience  as  well  as  zeal  ere  the  Sanctification  of  the  soul  or  per 
fection  be  attained.  He  who  grows  discouraged  at  trials  or  temptations 
or  imperfections,  is  not  prudent.  Many  a  cloud,  and  many  a  cold  wind, 
and  many  a  storm  will  pass  over  the  tree,  but  yet  it  will  produce  its  fruit. 
Tis  law  of  nature  that  pass,  they  should,  and  equally  law  of  existence 
and  nature  and  religion,  too,  that  there  be  trials  and  temptations  many. 
— '  Life  is  the  warfare  to  the  end.'  They  will  be  there  then.  And  what 
is  the  soul  to  do]  To  stand  alarmed — to  gaze  amazed — to  yield  dis 
couraged1?  Ah  !  riot  so,  but  simply  to  bow  in  humility  to  the  law, 
labour  in  humility  to  correct,  and,  in  humility  and  hope  to  look  to  Heaven 
for  support.  Hope — without  that  all  is  vain.  '  He  must  persevere  in 
good  hope  if  he  would  reach  the  Crown/  says  the  Imitation,  and  never 
was  truer  sentiment  uttered.  Hope,  and  hope  alone  can  cheer,  animate, 
encourage,  sustains  us  in  the  contest.  Hope  is  courage,  light,  life, 
strength,  peace  ;  it  is  buckler,  helmet,  shield,  armour,  all  beside.  What 
is  Hope1?  The  daughter  of  Faith,  the  beautiful  spirit  that,  looking 
beyond  the  trials  and  miseries  of  life,  sees  everywhere  scattered  in  light 
and  glory,  through  nature  and  religion,  unnumbered  monuments  and 
wonders  of  Divine  goodness,  mercy,  love;  believes  what  it  beholds 
revealed  ;  regards  the  Supreme  God  as  Parent,  Benefactor,  Friend,  and 
relies  upon  Him  with  the  simple,  confiding  affection  of  the  child,  because 
He  is  good." 

REV.  M.  F.  CUMMINS,  D.D. 

This  gentleman  came  to  Carlow  College  as  Professor  of 
Theology  at  the  commencement  of  the  year  1836.  He  had  made 
his  studies  in  France,  and  had  passed  many  years  in  that 
country  subsequent  to  his  ordination,  engaged  in  the  great  work 
of  education.  Previous  to  coming  to  Carlow  he  had  rilled  the 
position  of  Vice-President  in  the  College  of  Pontlevoy.  His 
stay  at  Carlow  College  was  but  short — not  extending  beyond  a 
year ;  whilst  there  he  was  chiefly  instrumental  in  establishing 
the  literary  Society  called  THE  ACADEMY,  which,  as  it  has,  since 
that  time,  been  one  of  the  standing  institutions  of  the  College, 
deserves  a  passing  notice  : — 

"  THE  ACADEMY  OF  CAKLOW  COLLEGE  was  founded  on  the 
First  of  March,  1836,  and  was  instituted  to  develop  in  the  pupils 


COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CAKLOW.          225 

of  the  College  the  love  of  Virtue,  of  Science,  and  of  Country. 
It  is  composed  of  Dignitaries,  and  of  Ordinary  and  Honorary 
Members.  The  Dignitaries  are  three  ;  a  President,  a  Vice- 
President,  and  a  Secretary,  these,  as  also  the  Ordinary  members, 
are  chosen  by  ballot.  The  Honorary  members  are  such  gentle 
men  as  may  accept  this  title,  thus  associating  their  names  and 
literary  labours  with  those  of  the  Academicians.  This  title 
confers  upon  them  the  privilege  to  correspond  with  the  Academy, 
to  receive  communication  of  its  proceedings,  and  to  take  part  in 
its  exercises.  At  the  public  meetings  of  the  Academy,  appointed 
to  take  place  on  the  first  Sunday  of  each  month,  are  read  the 
Compositions  which  have  been  admitted  to  this  distinction  by 
the  Council  of  Direction,  composed  of  the  Directors  and  Pro 
fessors  of  the  College.  The  exercises  of  the  Academy  may  be 
diversified  by  Declamation,  by  Dramatic  Scenes,  by  Vocal  and 
Instrumental  Music,  and  other  interesting  exhibitions,  in  the 
performance  of  which,  not  only  the  Members  of  the  Academy, 
but  also  the  other  pupils  may  share.  It  may  prove  of  interest  to 
old  Carlovians  to  have  the  names  of  the  original  members  of 
the  Academy  recorded  ;  they  were  the  following  : — 

Dignitaries — CHARLES  SUGRUE,  President;  JOHN  O'SuL- 
LIVAN,  Vice- President ;  EDMUND  RYAN,  Secretary. 

Ordinary  Members — CHARLES  McMANUS,  RICHARD  KELLY, 
PATRICK  O'SULLIVAN,  JOHN  O'MEARA,  and  DENIS  O'MAHONY. 

Honorary  Members— REV.  JAMES  MAHER,  REV.  LAURENCE 
DUNNE,  DOCTOR  TUOMY. 

On  the  occasion  of  the  first  meeting  of  the  Academy  on  the 
6th  of  March,  1836,  Dr.  Cummins  contributed  the  following 
translation,  in  Latin  Verse,  of  Campbell's  "  Exile  of  Erin  ;"  it  is 
inserted  as  a  Souvenir  of  the  foundation  of  the  Academy: — 

THE  EXILE  OF   ERIN, 

IN   LATIN   VERSE. 

Erigenes  Exul  mcerens  ad  littora  venit, 
Ros  tenuem  densus  geliclusque  gravabat  amictum ; 
Lugebat  Patriam,  primo  dura  luminis  ortu 
Lustraret  solus  ventosa  cacumina  mentis . 
Jamque  Aurora  recens  blande  pia  lumina  traxit, 
Assurgebat  enim  Patrise  natalibus  undis, 
Fervidus  et  juvenis,  qua  decantare  solebat 
Sublimes  modules :  sis  semper,  Hibernia,  victrix  1 

Dura  mihi  Fata !  exclamat  moestissimus  Hospes, 
Silvarum  hospitio  cervique  lupique  fruuntur ; 
Ast  mihi  nil  superest  nisi  dira  pericla  famesque, 
Neve  Lares  almi,  dulcis  nee  Patria  restat ! 


226  COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLOW. 

Umbram  nee  nemoris  viridem  captare  licebit, 
Qua  vixere  patres,  boras  nee  ducere  gratas, 
Simplicibusve  Lyram  florum  vincire  corollis : 
Heu  !  Citbarse  resonare  nefas  modulamen  lernes  I 

Oras  soepe  tuas,  tristis  licet  atque  relictus, 
Patria,  dulce  solum  ;  noctu  per  somnia  lustro. 
Somnus  abest — iterumque  alien!  littoris  hospes, 
Absentes  ploro  quos  non  visurus  amicos  I 
Extorrem  Patria,  Fatum !  nunquamne  repones, 
Tutus  ubi  possim  soles  decurrere  laetos  ? 
Fasne  erit  amplexu  tenero  constringere  fratres? 
Nunquam  1  me  plangunt  vivi — aut  periere  tuentea  1 

Rustica  statne  domus,  yiridi  quae  proxima  silvse  1 
An,  Pater,  eversam  luxisti,  vosque,  Sorores  1 
Mater  ubi,  puero  mihi  quse  vigilare  solebas  1 
O  ubinam  ante  alias  dulcis  dilectaque  Conjux  ? 
Cur  ego,  cui  misero  tarn  longum  ignota  voluptas, 
Thesauri  fragilis  vixi  dulcedine  captns  t 
Plurimus,  instar  aquae,  lacrymarum  defluat  imber, 
Nee  bona,  necformam  potemnt  revocare  venustam  ! 

Hsec  tamen  oblitus,  languenti  pectore  vocem 

Pro  Patriot  effundam  cara  moriturus et  exul 

Vota  plus,  Mater,  natus  tibi  solvet,  lerne  ! 
Delicise  patrum  !  sis  semper  Hibernia.  victrte  ! 
Artus  dum  gelide  jaceant,  tumulpque  sepulti, 
Stent  virides  campi  semper,  dulcissima  ponti 
Insula  !  te  cithara  celebrent,  te  carmine  vates  ! 
Vivat  in  ceternum,  carissima  vivat  lerne  / 

THE  REV.  JAMES  O'BEIRNE,  B.A. 

Father  O'Beirne,  a  native  of  the  Parish  of  Monasterevan,  was 
Professor  of 'Natural  Philosophy  from  1838,  the  period  of  his 
promotion  to  the  priesthood,  to  1842,  when  he  entered  on 
missionary  duties  in  the  Diocese.  On  the  incorporation  of 
Carlow  College  with  the  London  University  in  1840,  Father 
O'Beirne  became  a  graduate,  and  in  due  course,  took  his  B.A. 
degree  with  marked  distinction.  He  was  endowed  with  talents 
of  a  very  high  order,  possessed  a  clear  and  vigorous  intellect, 
and  an  accurate  and  retentive  memory,  which  was  well  stored 
with  the  results  of  careful  and  extensive  reading.  He  died 
December  24th,  1882. 

VERY  REV.  JAMES  IGNATIUS  TAYLOE,  D.D. 

Dr.  Taylor,  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Anne  Taylor,  was  born  at 
Gardiner's  Place,  Dublin,  in  July,  1805.  Previously  and  until 
a  short  time  before  his  birth,  the  family  of  which  Dr.  Taylor  was 
a  member  had  resided  at  Nonsuch  House,  Castlepollard,  County 
Westmeath.  He  became  a  pupil  at  Carlow  College  in  1822,  at 


.COLLEGE  OF  ST.   PATRICK,  CAB-LOW;  227 

which  time  his  brother,  the  REV.  JOHN  B.  TAYLOR,  was  a  Pro 
fessor  in  that  institution.  This  latter,  who  had  made  his  studies 
with  distinction  at  Paris,  continued  at  Carlow  for  some  years, 
and,  on  leaving  it,  became  one  of  the  priests  attached  to  the 
Cathedral,  Marlborough  Street,  Dublin.  He  died  young,  of  fever 
caught  in  the  discharge  of  his  clerical  duties.  On  the  comple 
tion  of  his  studies  at  Carlow,  Dr.  Taylor  was  ordained  priest  on 
the  28th  of  May,  1831.  He  was  at  once  appointed  Bursar  of  the 
College,  and,  on  the  Consecration  of  Dr.  Nolan  in  1834,  suc 
ceeded  to  the  Vice-Presidency.  Later  on,  he  acted  as  Professor 
of  Sacred  Scripture,  and  in  1841,  the  College  having  been  shortly 
before  incorporated  with  the  University  of  London,  he  graduated 
as  Bachelor  of  Arts.  On  the  death  of  the  President,  Dr. 
FitzGerald,  in  1843,  Dr.  Taylor  succeeded  to  that  office.  In 
1847  he  paid  a  visit  to  the  Eternal  City,  having  had  the  Degree 
of  Doctor  in  Theology  conferred  on  him  shortly  before.  In  1848 
he  was  elected  a  Member  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy.  In 
July,  1850,  Dr.  Taylor  joined  the  Fathers  of  St.  Vincent  de  Paul, 
and  took  part  in  several  of  the  Missions  conducted  by  that  body. 
Subsequently  he  became  Secretary  to  the  Archbishop  of  Dublin  ; 
in  January,  1853,  he  was  appointed  Secretary  to  the  Catholic 
University ;  and  in  June  of  the  same  year  he  acted  as  Secretary 
to  the  Synod  of  the  Province  of  Dublin  in  conjunction  with  Dr. 
Woodlock.  In  1854,  Dr.  Taylor  received  the  appointment  of 
Parish  Priest  of  Rathvilly,  and,  on  the  death  of  the  Very  Rev. 
N.  O'Connor,  P.P.  of  Maryborough,  the  following  year,  was 
translated  to  that  Parish,  being  also  at  the  same  time  advanced 
to  the  dignity  of  Vicar- Forane  and  Master  of  Conference.  He 
died  on  the  5th  of  February,  1875,  in  the  69th  year  of  his  age. 
Amongst  the  memorials  of  his  successful  Administration  of  Car- 
low  College  was  the  acquisition  of  themansionand  landsof  Knock- 
beg,  and  the  establishment  there  of  ST.  MARY'S  PREPARATORY- 
SCHOOL  in  connexion  with  the  Lay  College.  This  fine  old  place 
had  been  the  residence  of  the  Carruther  family,  and  further  back, 
of  the  Bests.  It  is  mentioned  in  the  MS.  notes  of  "  Journey  to 
Kilkenny  in  1709,"  by  Dr.  Thomas  Molyneux.* 


* 'Edited  by  Dean  Greaves,  and  published  in  the  Journal  of  the  Archceologica 
Society  of  Ireland.  The  tour  of  Dr.  Molyneux  was  commenced  on  Tuesday,  the 
8th  November,  1709,  on  which  day  he  left  Dublin,  and  in  five  hours'  time,  came 
to  Naas  where  he  lay  the  night.  He  then  passed  through  Blessington,  Bally- 
more-Eustace,  Dunlavin,  Timolin,  and  Kilkea,  and  so  to  Bealin,  *'  a  fine  improved 
seat  of  Mr.  Stradford's," — about  an  hour  from  whence  he  crossed  the  Barrow 
"at  a  very  deep  ford  at  Shroule,"  and,  half  a  mile  from  thence,  to  "  Cousin 
Best's  at  Knockbeg  in  the  Queen's  County."  From  Knockbeg  he  made  some 
excursions,  amongst  others  to  the  ruins  of  Killeshin  which  he  describes,  and, 
returning  again,  stayed  there  till  the  19th. 


228  COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CAKL6W. 

The  existing  buildings  at  Knockbeg  proving  insufficient  for 
the  number  of  pupils,  a  new  wing  has  been  added,  dedicated  to 
St.  Joseph,  the  foundation  stone  of  which  was  laid  by  the  Eight 
Rev.  Dr.  Walshe,  Bishop  of  the  Diocese,  on  the  15th  of  May, 
1879. 

The  subjoined  notice  appeared  on  the  occasion  of  the  an 
nouncement  of  Dr.  Taylor's  death,  and  was  penned  by  one  who 
had  known  him  long  and  well : — 

"  On  Friday  morning,  the  death  of  the  Very  Revd.  Dr.  Taylor  took 
place  at  the  Parochial  house,  Maryborough.  Far  beyond  the  limits  of 
the  diocese  of  which  lie  was  one  of  the  most  distinguished  priests  the 
melancholy  announcement  will  awaken  feelings  of  the  deepest  sorrow. 
During  the  greater  part  of  a  life  that  has  ended  in  its  69th  year,  Dr. 
Taylor  was  engaged  in  ecclesiastical  duties  of  so  wide  a  range  and  so 
varied  a  character  that  he  may  be  cited  as  an  eminent  instance  of  that 
happy  versatility  that  is  the  product  of  a  clear  intellect,  warmed  by  zeal 
and  stimulated  by  piety,  and  that  finds  itself  equally  at  home  in  the  dis 
charge  of  every  duty  which  has  God's  honour  for  its  ultimate  end.  For 
many  years — indeed,  from  his  very  boyhood— Identified  with  the  interests 
of  Carlow  College,  whether  as  Professor  or  as  President,  he  added  one 
more  to  the  great  names  which  that  venerable  institution  has  contributed 
to  Irish  ecclesiastical  history.  Nor  is  it  less  worthy  of  record  how,  when 
called  to  the  pastoral  office,  he  for  20  years  filled  the  position  of  parish 
priest  of  Maryboro'  in  a  way  that  won  for  him  an  abiding  place  in  the 
affection  and  in  the  memory  of  the  people. 

"  Schools  raised,  churches  embellished,  every  interest  of  religion  care 
fully  secured,  a  convent  nearly  completed,  which,  that  he  did  not  live  to 
complete  was  the  final  cross,  patiently  borne,  with  which  God  ended  his 
labours — these  are  monuments  conspicuous  in  the  sight  of  the  world  of 
his  20  years  in  Maryboro'.  But  those  who  knew  him  know  there  are 
other  monuments  of  his  fatherly  charity,  less  conspicuous,  but  not  less 
substantial,  which  only  the  eye  of  God  can  see  in  the  grateful  hearts  of 
those  who  found  in  him  a  friend  when  friends  were  hard  to  find,  and  a 
father  whose  acts  as  well  as  his  office  made  him  a  fitting  representative 
of  their  Father  in  Heaven.  Doing  well  the  part  of  a  good  and  faithful 
servant,  so  far  from  letting  anything  interfere  with  his  proper  work,  it 
was  a  marked  feature  in  Dr.  Taylor's  character — a  feature  of  which  those 
who  had  the  privilege  of  being  his  friends  will  fondly  cherish  the  remem 
brance—that  every  claim,  social  and  political,  that  was  made  upon  him 
was  tested  first  of  all  by  its  estimated  bearing  on  the  interests  of  the 
Church  and  the  glory  of  God.  An  accomplished  scholar,  a  polished 
gentleman,  a  true  friend  in  that  elevated  sense  which  religion  alone  can 
bestow  upon  the  word,  a  counsellor  whose  rare  prudence  was  a  light  in 
very  darkness,  a  lover  of  God  and  a  worker  for  men,  a  holy  priest  and  a 
good  pastor— the  people  of  Maryboro',  the  Diocese  of  Kildare  and 
Leighlin,  the  Irish  Church  have  lost  in  Dr.  Taylor  one  whose  loss  will  be 
deeply  mourned  and  not  easily  supplied." 

THE  REV.  JOHN  MAGEE,  D.D. 

Dr.  Magee  was  born  in  the  parish  of  Borris,  County  of  Carlow, 
about  the  year  1812.  He  made  his  studies,  first,  at  Carlow 
College,  and  afterwards  at  Maynooth,  where  he  was  a  member 


COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLOW.         229 

of  the  Dunboyne  Establishment.  On  leaving  College,  after 
being  employed  for  some  few  months  in  the  discharge  of 
missionary  duties  in  the  Parish  of  Portarlington,  he  was  ap 
pointed  to  the  Chair  of  Theology  in  Carlow  College,  which 
position  he  retained  from  1839  to  1862  in  addition  to  that  of 
Vice-President,  to  which  he  was  advanced  in  1856.  He  retired 
from  the  College  in  1862  on  his  promotion  to  the  Parish  of 
Stradbally,  Queen's  County,  where  he  died  on  the  15th  of 
October,  1881,  in  the  69th  year  of  his  age.  Dr.  Magee  was 
justly  esteemed  as  a  high  authority  on  all  matters  appertaining 
to  Theology  and  the  Canon  Law  ;  he  was  a  ready  speaker  and 
clever  controversialist.  He  projected  several  works  on  theo 
logical  and  other  subjects,  and  made  considerable  progress  with 
some  of  them,  but  he  lacked  the  plodding  perseverance  to  bring 
any  to  completion. 

THE  REV.  JAMES  HUGHES. 

Father  Hughes  was  born  at  Carlow  in  March,  1810.  He 
received  his  education  in  the  Lay  and  Ecclesiastical  College  of 
his  native  town,  and  was  promoted  to  the  priesthood  in  June, 
1833.  He  acted  as  Professor  of  Natural  Philosophy  at  the 
College  in  1835-6,  and  also,  for  some  time,  had  the  charge 
of  the  Carlow  Classical  Academy.  He  served  as  Curate 
in  the  parish  of  Maryborough,  and,  again  at  Kilcock,  whither 
he  went  in  1837.  In  1841,  Abbot  Fitzpatrick  having 
resigned  the  office  of  Dean  of  the  Ecclesastical  College,  was 
succeeded  by  the  present  much  respected  P.P.  of  Kilcock, 
the  VERY  REV.  THOMAS  GEOGHEGAN,  V.F.,  to  whom 
after  the  lapse  of  some  months,  Father  Hughes  was 
appointed  successor,  and,  in  which  position  he  remained  until 
1855  when  he  became  Administrator  of  the  Cathedral  Parish  of 
Carlow.  In  December,  1858,  he  was  promoted  to  the  Pastoral 
charge  of  Naas,  where  he  died  in  May,  1876.  Father  Hughes 
made  the  Ceremonial  of  the  Church  a  special  stud}7;  he  compiled 
or  translated  "  The  Ceremonies  of  Low  Mass,"  "  The  Ceremonies 
of  High  Mass,"  "  Pontifical  Ceremonies,"  etc. 

THE  RIGHT  REV.  JAMES  WALSHE,  D.D. 
The  present  venerable  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin,  Dr. 
"Walshe,  having  made  his  ecclesiastical  studies  at  Carlow  College, 
was  ordained  priest  in  1830,  and  appointed  Professor  of 
Humanities,  and  subsequently,  of  Moral  Philosophy  and 
Theology.  In  1837,  he  became  Curate  of  the  Parish  of  Carlow 
of  which  he  was  afterwards  Administrator,  at  the  same  time 
acting  as  Secretary  to  the  Bishop.  In  184)3  he  returned  to  the 


230          COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLOW. 

College  as  Vice-President  and  Professor  of  Greek  and  Sacred 
Scripture.  In  1850,  Dr.  Walshe  became  President  in  succession 
to  Dr.  Taylor,  and  in  1856  he  was  consecrated  Bishop  of  Kildare 
and  Leighlin. 

THE  VERY  EEV.  JOHN  DUNNE,  D.D. 

Doctor  Dunne  was  born  at  Ballinakill,  Queen's  County,  in 
July,  1816.  He  was  descended  in  the  third  generation  from 
John  Dunne  of  Brittas,  who  was  despoiled  of  his  property  in  the 
Penal  times  in  consequence  of  his  adherence  to  the  Catholic 
Faith.  The  Bight  Kev.  Dr.  Dunne,  Bishop  of  Ossory  from  1787 
to  1789,  was  son  to  this  John  Dunne  and  great-uncle  to  the 
President  of  Carlow  College,  to  whom  his  portrait,  still  preserved, 
displays  a  singular  resemblance.  John  Dunne,  Dr.  Dunne's 
father,  and  his  brother  Matthew  were  receiving  their  education 
at  Lille  when  the  outbreak  of  the  French  Revolution  compelled 
them  to  fly  for  their  lives.  Mr.  Dunne  was  summoned  on  two 
occasions  to  give  evidence  before  Committees  of  the  House  of 
Commons  on  the  state  of  the  country.  Dr.  Dunne  received  his 
early  education,  firstly  at  home,  and  afterwards  at  a  classical 
school  at  Ballyroan.  He  entered  Carlow  College  in  1834,  from 
whence  in  1837,  he  proceeded  to  Maynooth  where  he  completed 
his  ecclesiastical  course — during  the  latter  portion  of  which  he 
was  a  member  of  the  Dunboyne  Establishment.  He  was  then 
appointed  to  the  Chair  of  Moral  and  Mental  Philosophy  at 
Carlow  College ;  in  1850  he  became  Vice-President,  and,  in 
1856,  on  the  Consecration  of  Dr.  Walshe,  he  was  advanced  to  the 
Presidency.  He  preached  on  the  occasion  of  the  Month's 
Memory  of  the  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Haly,  from  which  sermon, 
lengthened  extracts  have  been  already  given  in  these  pages.  He 
was  appointed  Parish  Priest  of  Kildare  in  July  1864,  where  he 
died  July  25th,  1867. 

On  the  28th  of  May,  1840,  her  Majesty  the  Queen  was  pleased 
to  grant  a  CHARTER  associating  CARLOW  COLLEGE  with  the 
UNIVERSITY  OF  LONDON. 

THE  REV.  TIMOTHY  CONNELL,  D.D. 

Dr.  Connell,  who  afterwards  became  so  celebrated  as  a 
Preacher,  chiefly  in  and  about  Dublin,  was  Professor  of  Logic  at 
Carlow  College  in  1841-2.  He  was  a  native  of  the  Diocese  of 
"Waterford  ;  his  brother  who  was  an  M.D.,  taught  Physiology  and 
Chemistry,  also  at  Carlow,  about  the  same  time.  The  former 
left  at  the  end  of  the  year  ;  the  latter  in  May,  1843. 

THE  REV.  J.  MC!NERNY,  D.D. 
Dr.  Mclnerny  was  born  in  the  Diocese  of  Cork,  and  received 


COLLEGE  OF  ST.   PATRICK,   CARLOW.  231 

his   ecclesiastical  education   at   Rome.     He   Professed  Greek, 
Latin,  and  Italian  at  Carlow  in  the  year  1845-6. 

THE  REV.  JOHN  DOYLE. 

Father  Doyle,  who  was  born  in  the  parish  of  Naas,  entered 
Carlow  College  when  a  young  boy,  and  was  a  bright  and  dis 
tinguished  student.  He  volunteered  for  the  American  Mission 
where  he  served  under  Dr.  England,  Bishop  of  Charleston,  and 
shared  to  the  full  in  the  many  trials  and  privations  with  which 
the  early  career  of  that  great  Prelate  was  beset.  He  returned 
to  Ireland  about  the  year  1844,  his  health  greatly  impaired,  and 
was  appointed  Prefect  of  the  Lay  College  ;  but  his  health  con 
tinuing  to  decline,  he  had  to  relinguish  this  appointment  after 
little  more  than  a  year.  He  ended  his  days  at  the  residence  of 
a  relative  in  Monasterevan,  1st  October,  1845,  aged  51. 

THE  REV.  JAMES  NOLAN. 

Father  Nolan  was  a  subject  of  the  Diocese  of  Kildare  and 
Leighlin,  and  was  nephew  to  its  saintly  Bishop,  Dr.  Edward 
Nolan.  He  made  his  studies,  firstly,  at  Carlow  College,  and 
afterwards  at  the  Irish  College,  Paris,  on  his  return  from  which 
in  1845,  he  received  an  appointment  in  the  Lay  College.  On 
the  establishment  of  St.  Mary's  School,  Knockbeg,  in  1848, 
Father  Nolan  was  placed  in  charge  of  that  institution,  where  he 
continued  up  to  his  death. 

THE  REV.  JOHN  BARRY,  D.D. 

Dr.  Barry  came  to  Carlow  College  as  Professor  of  Rhetoric,  in 
1846,  and  left  in  1849,  returning  to  Cork,  his  native  diocese. 
He  afterwards  set  sail  for  Australia  to  assume  the  position  of 
Rector  of  St.  John's  College,  in  connexion  with  the  University 
of  Sydney.  On  landing  at  Melbourne,  Dr.  Goold  the  Bishop 
(now  Archbishop)  of  Melbourne,  prevailed  on  Dr.  Barry  to 
relinquish  his  engagement  at  Sydney,  and  remain  with  him.  He 
was  appointed  to  the  Church  of  St.  Francis,  then  the  principal 
Church  in  Melbourne,  and  afterwards  became  President  of  the 
Diocesan  College.  In  carrying  out  extensive  improvements  in 
that  institution  he  incurred  a  considerable  amount  of  debt  which 
led  to  a  misunderstanding  between  him  and  the  trustees.  He 
next  accepted  a  mission  in  the  Diocese  of  Westminster,  under 
Cardinal  Wiseman,  but  after  some  time  resigned  it  and  pro 
ceeded  to  America.  He  came  as  consulting  Theologian,  with 
his  Bishop,  to  the  Vatican  Council  in  1869  ;  he  got  seriously  ill 
at  Rome  during  the  sitting  of  the  Council,  in  consequence  of 
which  he  removed  by  slow  stages  to  his  native  city  of  Cork, 
where  he  shortly  afterwards  died. 


232         COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLOW. 

THE  MOST  REV.  T.  W.  CROKE,  ARCHBISHOP  OF  CASHEL. 

Dr.  Croke  was  Professor  of  Humanities  at  Carlow  College  in 
1847,  and  left,  early  in  1849,  for  the  Irish  College,  Paris,  having 
been  appointed  Professor  of  Dogmatic  Theology  in  that  institu 
tion.  His  Grace  is  a  native  of  County  Cork,  having  been  born 
near  Mallow,  May  19th,  1824.  He  entered  the  Irish  College, 
Paris,  in  1839,  whence  he  removed  in  1845,  to  become  Professor 
of  Rhetoric  and  the  Mathematics  in  the  College  Episcopal  de 
Merun,  near  Courtrai,  in  Belgium.  In  November,  1845,  he 
proceeded  to  the  Irish  College,  Rome,  took  his  Degree  of  D.D.  in 
the  Roman  College,  and  was  ordained  priest  on  the  28th  of  May 
1847.  On  relinquishing  his  Professorship  at  Paris,  Dr.  Croke 
returned  to  Ireland,  where  he  served  on  the  Mission  for  about 
six  years.  He  was  afterwards  President  of  the  newly-established 
College  of  St.  Colman,  Fermoy,  in  which  position  he  continued 
for  the  succeeding  eight  years,  at  the  termination  of  which  time 
he  received  the  appointment  of  P.P.  of  Doneraile.  Four  years 
later  he  was  chosen  by  the  Holy  See  as  Bishop  of  Auckland,  New 
Zealand,  and  was  consecrated  on  the  10th  of  July,  1870,  in  the 
Church  of  St.  Agatha,  Rome,  by  his  Eminence  Cardinal  Cullen, 
assisted  by  Dr.  Murphy,  Bishop  of  Hobartown,  and  Dr.  Quinn, 
Bishop  of  Brisbane.  In  June,  1875,  Dr.  Croke  was  appointed 
Archbishop  of  Cashel,  in  succession  to  the  Most  Rev.  Dr.  Leahy. 
—(BRADY'S  Episcopal  Succession,  Vol.  2,  pp.  31  and  374.) 

"Ante  mortem  ne  laudes  hominem  quemquam." — The 
remaining  Notices,  as  they  relate,  with  only  two  exceptions,  to 
those  noiv  living,  contain  no  more  than  the  briefest  record  of 
facts. 

THE  VERY  REV.  DENIS  KANE,  D.D.,  V.G. 

Dr.  Kane  was  educated,  firstly,  at  Carlow  College,  afterwards 
at  Maynooth.  Returned  to  Carlow  in  1848,  as  Dean  of  the  Lay 
College  and  Professor  of  Humanity — succeeded  Father 
Hamilton  as  Professor  of  Natural  Philosophy  in  1851, — left  the 
College  in  1857.  Was  engaged  in  missionary  duties  at  Leighlin, 
then,  as  Administrator,  at  Tullow — appointed  to  Parish  of 
Philipstown  in  1866,  from  whence  he  was  translated  to  Baltin- 
glass  on  the  death  of  the  Rev.  Daniel  Lalor.  Was  advanced  to 
the  dignity  of  Vicar -General  in  1878,  in  succession  to  the  late 
Very  Rev.  P.  Healy,  P.P.  of  Monasterevan. 

THE  VERY  REV.  JAMES  B.  KAVANAGH,  D.D. 
Dr.  Kavanagh,  who  is  a  native  of  the  Diocese  of  Ferns,  was 
educated,   firstly,   at   St.   Peter's    College,   Wexford,   then    at 
Maynooth.      Came  to  Carlow  College  as  Professor  of  Rhetoric 


COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLO W.          233 

in  January,  1850— left  in  July,  1853— returned,  September, 
1854.  Appointed  Dean  of  the  Ecclesiastical  College  and  Pro 
fessor  of  Moral  Philosophy  in  1856 — Professor  of  Natural 
Philosophy  in  1857— Vice- President  and  Professor  of  Theology 
in  1862— President  in  1864— succeeded  Rev.  John  Nolan  as 
Parish  Priest  of  Kildare,  December,  1880.  Dr.  Kavanagh  has 
published  "  A  Reply  to  Mr.  Gladstone's  Vaticanism,"  Dublin, 
Duffy,  1875,—"  Solar  Physics,"  Dublin,  Dollard,  1877,  etc. 

REV.  PATRICK  BERMINGHAM,  D.D. 

Dr.  Bermingham  studied  at  Carlow  and  Maynooth.  Was  ap 
pointed  Dean  of  Lay  College  and  Professor  of  Humanity,  1851 — 
left  for  Australia,  July,  1854— returning  some  eight  years  later, 
took  his  D.D.  degree  at  Rome — served  on  the  mission  at  Mary 
borough — returned  to  the  College  in  September,  1864,  as  Vice- 
President  and  Professor  of  Theology — left  a  second  time  for 
Australia,  July,  1871. 

REV.  RICHARD  COFFEY, 

Educated  at  Carlow  College — appointed  Dean  of  Lay  College 
November,  1851— Bursar,  1853— left,  July,  1873.  Served  as 
Chaplain  to  the  Curragh  Camp,  from  which  he  was  promoted  to 
the  Parish  of  Rosenallis  where  he  died. 

REV.  ANDREW  PHELAN, 

Educated  at  Carlow  and  Maynooth — appointed  Professor  of 
Rhetoric,  September,  1856— left  in  October,  1857— served  as 
Curate  at  Baltinglass — afterwards  on  the  Australian  mission — 
on  his  return  became  Administrator  of  the  Cathedral  Parish, 
Carlow,— appointed  P.P.  of  Philipstown,  1878— translated  to 
Mountrath,  1880. 

REV.  THOMAS  A.  TYNAN, 

Educated  at  Carlow  and  Maynooth — appointed  Dean  of  the 
Ecclesiastical  College,  and  Professor  of  Moral  Philosophy,  1857 
— Vice-President,  1871— left  same  year— served  on  mission  of 
Goresbridge  and  Rathangan — appointed  to  the  pastoral  care  of 
the  parish  of  Arless,  from  which  he  was  translated  to  Leighlin- 
Bridge  in  1880. 

REV.  PATRICK  FITZSIMONS, 

Educated  at  Carlow  and  Maynooth — appointed  Dean  of  Lay 
College  and  Professor  of  Classics,  1858— Professor  of  Natural 
Philosophy,  1862— left  July,  1871.  Was  Administrator  of  the 
Parish  of  Tullow,  where  he  died. 

REV.  THOMAS  BURKE, 

Succeeded  Father  Fitzsimons  as  Dean  of  Lay  College  and 
Professor  of  Rhetoric  in  1862— left  July,  1863. 


234  COLLEGE  OF  ST.  PATRICK,  CARLOW. 

REV.  JAMES  COLGAN, 

Appointed  Dean  of  Lay  College  and  Professor  of  Rhetoric, 
1863— Professor  of  Canon  Law  and  Hebrew,  1866— left  1872. 
Served  on  mission  in  Parish  of  Goresbridge  until  1882,  when  he 
was  promoted  to  the  Parish  of  Stradbally. 

REV.  JOSEPH  FARRELL, 

Educated  at  Carlow  and  Maynooth — appointed  Professor  of 
Modern  History  and  English  Literature,  September,  1865 — left 
December,  1868 — contributed  many  Articles  in  prose  and 
poetry  to  the  Irish  Monthly  and  the  Irish  Eccelesiastical 
Record.  His  "Lectures  by  a  certain  Professor"  have  been 
republished. 

REV.  EDWARD  LOUGHREY 

Appointed  Dean  of  Lay  College,  September,  1866— left, 
July,  1868. 

REV.  LAURENCE  WYER 

Succeeded  Father  Laughrey  as  Dean  of  Lay  College  and 
Professor  of  Rhetoric,  1868 — left  in  January,  1870,  returning  to 
Meath  his  native  Diocese. 

THE  VERY  REV.  EDWARD  WILLIAM  BURKE 
Was  educated  at  Carlow  and  Maynooth — appointed  Dean  of 
Lay  College,  1st  February,  1870 — Dean  of  Ecclesiastical  College 
and  Professor  of  Moral  Philosophy,  October,  1871 — Vice- 
President,  1st  January,  1874 — Professor  of  Sacred  Scripture, 
1st  September,  1876,  and  succeeded  Dr.  Kavanagh  as  President, 
December  16th,  1880. 

REV.  MICHAEL  J.  MURPHY, 

Educated  at  St.  Kieran's  College,  Kilkenny,  and  Maynooth — • 
appointed  Professor  of  Theology  and  Sacred  Scripture,  1st 
September,  1871— Vice-President,  December,  1880. 

REV.  JEREMIAH  NEVILLE, 

Appointed  Dean  of  Lay  College,  October,  1871— Professor  of 
Natural  Philosophy,  January,  1872— left,  July,  1874 

REV.  LAURENCE  HOSEY, 

Succeeded  the  last-named  as  Dean  of  Lay  College  in  January, 
1872— left,  September,  1873. 

REV.  HUMPHREY  O'RIORDAN, 

Dean  of  Ecclesiastical  College  and  Professor  of  Rhetoric, 
September,  1872— left,  July,  1873. 

REV.  RICHARD  BYRNE, 

Appointed  Dean  of  the  Ecclesiastical  College  and  Professor  of 
Rhetoric,  September,  1873— left,  July,  1875. 


COLLEGE  OF  ST.   PATRICK,  CARLOW.  235 

KEY.  EDWARD  KAVANAGH, 

Appointed  Dean   of  the  Lay   College,  September,  1873— left 
October,  1874. 

REV.  WILLIAM  P.  BOURKE, 

Appointed  Professor  of  Natural  Philosophy,  September,  1874— 
Rector  of  St.  Mary's,  Knockbeg,  1877. 

REV.  PATRICK  BYRNE, 

Appointed  Dean  of  the  Lay   College,  November,  1874— left, 
July,  1882. 

REV.  JAMES  Y.  COYLE, 

Appointed  Dean  of  the  Ecclesiastical  College  and  Professor  of 
Rhetoric,    September,    1875— Professor  of  Moral   Philosophy, 

1876. 

REV.  GEORGE  P.  BYRNE, 

Appointed   Professor   of  Humanity   and    Bursar,    1875— left, 

1881. 

REV.  PATRICK  FOLEY,  B.A., 

Appointed  Professor  of  Natural  Philosophy,  September,  1881— 
is  a  Graduate  of  the  London  University. 

REV.  JOHN  DONOVAN, 

Appointed  Dean  of  the  Lay  College  and  Professor  of  Classics, 
September,  1882. 

Amongst  the  Alumni  of  Carlow  College  who  have  been 
advanced  to  the  Episcopate  in  recent  times,  are 

The  RIGHT  REV.  THOMAS  JOSEPH  POWER,  D.D.,  B.A.,  Bishop 
of  St.  John's,  Newfoundland,  Consecrated  in  1870; 

And  the  RIGHT  REV.  PATRICK  J.  RYAN,  Bishop  of  Tricomia, 
in  part,  infid.,  and  Coadjutor  to  the  Archbishop  of  St.  Louis, 
U.S.A.,  Consecrated  the  14th  of  April,  1872. 


APPENDIX  TO  PART  FIRST. 

TAXATIONS  OF  THE  DIOCESE  OF  KILDARE. 

I. 

From  a  Roll  in  the  Exchequer  Office,  London,  (A.D.  1294?) 
\*  The  modern  names,  in  brackets,  have  been  added  by  the  Editor. 

£      s.  D. 

Taxatio  bonorum  Episcopi  Darensis  -  Ixxii      ix  ii 

Prebenda  Decani  -  ?)         liii  iiji 

Archidiac.  cum  Procuratione  sua  -  xviii      vi  viii 

Precentoria                                                    _  .  xxvi  viii 

Cancellariatus                      .             -             .  _  xxvi  viii 

Thesaurariatus       -             -             .             .  "      xxvi  vjii 

Prebenda  Magistri  Ade  de  Clane  -  ",      xxvi  viii 

„       Magistri  Joannis  de  Conal  -  „      xxvi  viii 

„       Domini  Willelmi  de  Clere  -  „      xxvi  viii 

Communa  Ecclesiae  Darensia  viii  marks 

Ecclesia  de  Kylros  (Kilrush)  Prebenda  Darensis  -  xls 

„      de  Rathemegan  (Rathangan)  Prebenda  -  xl  marks 

[From  COTTON'S  "Fasti."} 

TAXATION  BY  COMMISSIONERS  OF  HENRY  VIII. 
^  From  Original,  in  the  King's  Books,  Published  in  Appendix  No.  6 
reward's  Topographiajfibernica. 

DKECESIS  DARENSIS. 

EXTENTA  ET  TAXATIO  FACTA  TfiMPORE  REGIS   HEN.   VIII. 
(Transcribed  from  Original  Record  in  Chief  Remembrancer' s  Office.) 

£    s.    D. 

.Lpiscopatus  de  Kildare  -  -  -    69  11     4 

Decanatus  ibidem  -  -  _  _  -8101 

Archidiaconatus  ibidem  -  .  .  -     15     3     2 

Preb.  de  Bally sonan,  (Bally shannon)  -  -  -     20     4     0 

„      „  Donada,  (Donadea)      -  .  .  -200 

„      „  Lalyaghmore,  (Lullimore)  -  -  0  13     4 

»      „  Donmorkill,  (Dunmorchill)  -  -  0     6     0 

„      „  Rathangan       -  -  .  .  -     40     0     0 

Ecclesia  Cathed.  de  Kildare      -  .  .  -     49     6     8 

Custod.  S.  Magdalenae  ibid.      .  .  .  -       1     4     2 

V.  de  Kilcock  .  .  .  -       4     3     4 

5)    „  Balrayne,  (Balrahin)        -  -  -  8     4     4 

j)    ,,   Carne  (Carna)      -    '        -  .  .  -310 


APPENDIX  TO  PAKT  FIRST.  237 

£     S     D 

"V.  de  Eatherny,  (Ratliernan)     -  -                     nrrqjiB   388 

„    „   Kerogh,  (Carogh)  -     10     0  10 

„    „   Kill                     -            -  .            -      6  13     4 

n    „   Ley                                   -  -       4     0     0 

„    „   Cloneshamboe,  (Clonshamlo)  -                                5  19     8 

E.  de  Donmory,  (Dunmurray)  -      4174 

V.  de  Bondymgiston,  (Bodenstown)  -       615 

V.  de  Clane       -  -     10     4     0 

E.  de  Pollardstown  -  -            -  -                   0  16     4 

E.  de  Lyons                  -            -  -       6     2     0 

V.  de  Mayman,  (Mainham)       -  -                   6     9     0 

„    „   Donada,  (Donadea)  -       130 

„    „   Donys  alias  Downings,  (Downlngs)  -       900 

„    „   Deficullen,  (Feighculleh)  -       6  17     4 

E.  de  Walterstown       -  3     0     0 

V.  de  Lackagh              -  2     0     0 

E.  de  Kilbrackan          -  3     6     8 

„    „   Ballysax  -      500 

„    „   Carnalway           -  -                                4  14     1 

„    „  Callonestown       -  -       3     0     2 

„    „   Tymeghoo,  (TimaJioe)      -  1     6     8 

„    „   Naaa                               -  -            -     10     8     1 

„    „   Donnen,  (Doneany)          -  4     7     8 

„    „   Eathangan  -                          -     12     6     8 

„    Knawenstown,  (Knavenstoivri)  -      2  16     8 

„    „   Kilmage  -                                1  15     0 

„    „   Balimastolk  (probably  Scullogestowri)  -      202 

„    „  Castlecarbery-      -  -     26  13     4 

E.  de  Thomastown        -  -                                 5  12     0 

V.  de  Killosy,  (Killeshee)            -  -       7  15     4 

V.  de  Ballyfas,  (probably  Ballynafah)  -                                7     7     0 

Cantuaria  B.  Mariae  in  le  Naas  -       6  17     9J 

E.  de  Henriestown,  (Harristown)  -                               6     0     0 

V.  de  Henriestown  -  -            -                   2     6     8 

V.  de  Cloncurry            -            -  -            -                   4     0     0 

E.  de  Norny,  (Nurny)  -            -                   4     0    0 

V.  de  Norny      -  -                                1     0     0 

V.  de  Oughtrard,  (OugUerard,  Parish  of  Kill)                -      6  13     4 

E.  de  Kilclonfert           -  -            -            -     12     0    0 

E.  de  Haynestown        -  -            -                   6     0    0 

-   All  Irish, 

Taxatio  aliorum  Benefidorum,  28  Eliz. 

E.  de  Killadory,  (Killaderry)     -  -            -     18    0     0 

V.  de  Killadory  -            -       9     0     0 

E.  deCrogkan                           -  -            -            -     12     0     0 

V.  de  Castle-Peter,  alias  Dromcowley  -           -           -    10    0    0 

V.  de  Kilclonfert          -            -  -            -            -      7    0    0 


238  APPENDIX  TO  PART  FIRST. 

£     S     D 

B.  de  Rathdrome,  alias  Ratheromoyne  (Eathernon)  -       800 
Taxatiofacta  14  Jac.  I. 

Preb.  de  Geshill                                                  .  -     26  13.    4 

V.  de  Geshill,  ultra  omnes  alloc.  et  deductiones  -     14     3     0 

B.  de  Williamstown,  ultra,  etc.,  (BallymacWilllam)  -    21     9     6 

B.  de  Prymult,  ultra,  etc.          -            -            -  -    44     5     0 

„    „  Castle-Peter,  ultra,  etc.    -             -             -  -     20  16     0 

V.  de  Ballynekill,  ultra,  etc.      -         .    .        .     -  -     16  13     6 

„    Ardea,  ultra,  etc.                                        -  -     10     3     OJ 

„    Oregan,  ultra,  etc.                                     ~  -    12     3     0£ 
All  Sterling. 

TAXATIONS  OF  THE  DIOCESE  OF  LEIGHLIN. 

I. 

The  following  is  the  only  return  of  the  ancient  Taxation  of  the 

See  and  Chapter  of  Leighlin  which   appears  in  the    Exchequer 
Boll . — 

Taxadones  bonorum  Epl  Leghlin,  $  omnes  redditus  proventus  quoscunque 

Epi.  Leghlin.  liii  xviii  xi 
[Cotton's  "Fasti."] 

II. 

DIOECESIS  LEIGHLINENSIS. 
Extenta  et  Taxatio,  de  antiquo  facta  et  Taxata. 

£     S     D 

Episcopatus                                              -            .  -    50    0    0 

Decanatus            -            •            ..            „  -568 

Praecentoriatus   -                         -            -             .  -       3     0     0 

Cancellariatus      -                         .             .             .  -       5     6     8 

Thesaurariatus    -             -             -            .             „  -       2     0     0 

Archidiaconatus              -            ~            -            .  -6134 

Praeb.  de  Illand,  (Ullard)                                    -  -       1     6     8 

„       „  Tullaghmaghma,  (Tullamagyma)          -  2     0    0 

.,       „   Hahold,  (Ahold}                                   .  2   13     4 

V.  de  Carlagh,  (Carlow)               -            -  6  13     4 

B.  de  Hurclene,  (Cur done)           -            -.            -  -      5     6     8 

V.  de  Bamore,  (Bathmore)           -            -      •  -      -  -      1     6     8 

V.  de  Tullaghf  ellym,  (Tullow)      -             -             -  -       6     0     0 

B.  de  Temple-Peter                      «            -            „  -2134 

V.  de  Chaliston,  (Kellistowri)        -            -            -  -      4     0    0 

„    „  Ballyellan                           -             .            .  -400 

„    „  Thomolinge,  (St.  Mullin's)             -            -  -      5     6     8 

„   „  Kyltenan,  (Kiltennell)  ,     -      .      -            -  -      0  13     4 

„    „  Clonagne,  (probably  Claney goose)     -         -T*.,.  «       0  13     4 

,,    „  Lurnery  (probably  Lorum)  -            -      ..  "  "»i"  ".      4    0    0 


APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST.  239 

£       S     D 

V:  de  Barraghe,  (Parish  of  Clonegal)  -                                0  13     4 

E.  de  Misill,  (My shall)     -  2     0     0 

V.  ejusdem  -       168 

V.  de  Ballon       -  -       2     0     0 

E.  de  Ballyenecarge,  (Ballynacarrig)  -       200 

E.  de  Ballycaroghe,  (Ballycrogue)  -       100 

V.  de  Hacha,  (Agha)       -  2  13     4 

„   „  Dunlekeney  -      568 

„   „  Leguffye,  (Sliguff)  -       3     6     8 

„   „  Powerstown  -      2  13     4 

All  Irish. 
In  Lexia,  anglice1  Queen's  County. 

V.  de  Galyn,  (Disert  Gotten)  -       4     0     0 

„    „    Cloneheyn,  (Clonaheen)       -  1     6     8 

„    „   Clonekeynagh,  (Clonenagh)  -       368 

„    „    Ballyroyne,  (Ballyroan)      -  2  13     4 

„    „    Disertenys,  (Disert  Enos)  -  -434 

„    „    Killcolmabane,  (Kilcolmanbane)  -                                2     0     0 

„   „   Borres,  (Maryborough)  -       200 

„   „  Straboo,  (Straboe)   "  2  13     4 

„   „   Shankyll,  (Shanakill)  3     6     8 

„   „   Kiltale,  (Kilteale)  -       2     0     0 

„    „  Moyhanna,  (Moyanna)       -  2  13     4 

V.  de  Noyhwayle,  (Stradbally)    -  -       2     0     0 

„   „  Themoke,  (Timoge)  -       2     0     0 

„   „  Tymghoo,  (Timahoe)  -       4  13     4 

„    „    Ballyaquilian                       -  1     6     8 

„   „  Rathaspucke,  (Eathasplc)    -  0  10     0 

E.  de  Killabane,  (Killabban)    '     -  -                          -       4     0     0 

V.  ejusdem  -       200 

E.  de  Killossen,  (Killeshin)  -       2134 

V.  ejusden  1     6     8 

E.  deSlete,  (Sletty)                     -  -       0  13     4 

V.  de  Cloydagh    '  -       0  13     4 

Taxatio  parcellae  Dioec.  praed.  jacentis  in  praed.  Comitatu,  facta 

2Smo.  Eliz. 

E.  de  Dysarte  Ennys,  (Disert  Enos)  -    20     0     0 

„   „   Burresse,  (Maryborough)     -  -                          -     20     0    0 

„   „    Kiltelye,  (Kilteale)               -  -     15     0     0 

(R.  de)  Clonenaghe,  (Clonenagh)  -     25     0     0 

„    „     Straboe,  prope  Shyan  (near  Shaen)  -     18  10     0 

„    „    Ballyrone,  (Ballyroan)     -  -     10     2     0 

„    „     Kilcolmanbane  -     10     0     0 

„    „    Fonston  alias  Ballintobber  -                         -     10     2     0 

.,    „    Moyanra,  (Moyanna)        -  -                                 6     0     0 

„    „    Noghwall,  (Stradbally)    -  -    20     0    0 


240  APPENDIX  TO   PART  FIRST. 

£    s.  D: 

R.  de  Clonkyne,  (Clonkeeri)  -  20  0  0 

V.  ejusdem  -  10  0  0 

Praeb.  de  Teckaline  -  3  0  0 

V.  de  Ballintobber  -  5  1  0 

All  Sterling. 
[Seward's  "  Topogmpliia  Hibernica."] 

EEPORT  BY  DR.  EAM,  PROTESTANT  BISHOP  OF  FERNS  AND 
LEIGHLIN,  1612. 

[From  the  "  Liber  Eegalis  Visitationis  "  in  the  Prerogative  Office.} 

A  true  accompt  of  the  Bishop  of  Femes  and  Leighlin ;  how  he 
hath  performed  those  duties  wch  the  Right  Reverend  father  in  God 
the  Arch^p.  of  Dublin,  being  his  Metropolitane,  undertook  unto  his 
Majesty  for  him  and  the  rest  of  his  suffragans ;  made  this  first  of 
September,  1612. 

1.  Concerning  the  order  and  course  which  I  have  holden  for  the 
suppressing  of  popery  and  planting  the  truth  of  Religion  in  each  of 
my  Dioces,  it  hath  been  of  two  sorts — ffirst  being  advised  by  some  in 
authority  (unto  whom  his  Mjs.  pleasure  and  the  state  of  those  times 
were  better  known  then  unto  me)  to  carry  myself  in  all  mild  and 
gentle  manner  toward  my  diocesans  and  circuits,  I  never  (till  of  late) 
proceeded  to  the  excommunication  of  any  for  matter  of  Religion, 
but  contented  myself  only  to  confer  with  divers  of  each  dioces  both 
poore  and  rich,  and  that  in  the  most  familiar  and  kind  manner  that 
I  cold,  confirming  our  doctrines  and  confuting  ther  assertions  by  the 
touchstone  of  all  truth  the  holy  Scriptures.  And  for  the  poorer  sort, 
some  of  them  have  not  only  discovered  unto  me  privately  their  dis 
like  to  popery  and  of  the  masse,  in  regard  they  understood  not  what 
is  said  or  done  therein,  but  also  groaned  under  the  burthen  of  the 
many  priests  in  respect  of  the  double  tithes  and  offerings,  the  one 
paid  by  them  unto  us  and  the  other  unto  them.  Being  then 
demanded  of  me  why  they  did  not  forsake  tfce  masse  and  come  to  our 
church,  ther  answere  hath  bene  (wch  I  know  to  be  true  in  some)  that 
if  they  shold  be  of  our  Religion,  no  Popish  marchant  wold  employ 
them  being  sailors,  no  popish  landlord  wold  let  them  any  lands  being 
husbandmen,  nor  sett  them  houses  in  tenantry  being  Artificers.  And 
therefore  they  must  either  starve  or  doe  as  they  doe.  As  for  the 
Gentlemen  and  those  of  the  richer  sort  I  have  alwaiss  found  them 
very  obstinate,  wcfr  hath  proceeded  from  the  priests  resorting  unto 
ther  houses  and  company,  and  continuall  hammering  of  them  upon 
ther  superstitious  anvell.  Touching  the  second  course,  since  the  time 
that  his  Mty.  signified  his  expresse  pleasure  that  the  censures  of  the 
church  shold  be  by  us  practised  against  recusants  after  often  .... 

(torn)  .  . plain  and  mild  manner,  but  all  to  no  purpose,  I 

(torn)  ......  to  repair  to  ther  parish  Church  on  daies 

.  .  .  .  (remainder  of  sheet  destroyed) Sheriff,  I  caused  to  be 


APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST.  241 

brought  before  me,  hoping  then  that  my  perswasion  and  reasons, 
together  with  their  apparent  and  present  danger,  wold  make  them 
relent ;  myself  prevailing  nothing  wth  them,  I  entreated  ther  land 
lord  Sir  Henry  Wallop  to  try  what  he  could  doe  wth  them,  but  all 
in  vaine :  this  done  I  singled  them  out  one  by  one  and  offered  them 
this  favour  to  give  them  any  reasonable  time  to  bethink  themselves, 
upon  these  Conditions,  first  that  they  wold  repair  to  ther  curates 
house  twist  or  thrist  a  week,  and  heare  our  service  privately  in  his 
chamber  read  unto  them,  next,  that  they  wold  putt  me  in  good 
security  for  the  delivering  of  ther  bodies  unto  the  Sheriff,  at  the  end 
of  the  time  to  be  granted,  if  they  conformed  not  themselves ;  but 
they  jumped  all  in  one  answere  as  if  they  had  known  beforehand 
what  offer  I  wold  tender  unto  them  and  had  been  catechised  by  some 
priest,  what  answere  to  make,  viz  : — "  That  they  were  resolved  to  live 
and  dy  in  that  Religion,  and  that  they  knew  that  they  must  be  im 
prisoned  at  the  length,  and  therefore  (said  they)  as  good  now  as 
hereafter." 

2.  I  have  contenually  resided  either  in  the  Diocese  of  Femes  or 
Leighlin,  sometimes  in  the  one  sometimes  in  the  other,  And  in  wch 
soever  myself  have  been  I  have  exercised  the  ecclesiastical  jurisdic 
tion  in  person,  when  I  was  not,  mine  officiall  supplied  my  roome. 

3.  Having  been  about  VII  years  Bishop,  I  have  every  yeare  visited 
each  of  my  dioces  in  person,  and  have  called  before  me  my  clergy  in 
each  deanery,  and  two  at  the  lest  of  the  laity  out  of  each  parish  for 
sidesmen  upon  their  oaths  to  detect  all  the  offences  and  defects  of 
ecclesiasticall  cognisance  committed  wthin  their  several  parishes,  and 
have  accordingly  proceeded  therein. 

4.  If  I   be  authorized    under  the   scale   to  tender  the   oath   of 
allegiance  to  every  man  of  sort  within  my  diocesses,  I  am  most  reddy 
and  willing  to  put  it  in  execution,  to  persuade  them  in  the  best  and 
serious  manner  that  I  can  to  take  that  oath,  and  duely  and  truely  to 
certify  the  L.  Deputy  from  time  to  time  the  names  both  of  the  takers 
and  refusers  thereof. 

5.  There  was  never  any  yet  admitted  by  me  or  mine  officiall  unto 
any  spiritual  living  wthin  either  of  my  dioces,  but  he  did  distinctly 
wth  his  mouth  pronounce  and  (I  doubt  not)  but  truely  and  willingly 
wth  his  hart  embrace  and  take  the  oath  of  supremacy. 

6.  Having  as  dilligently  as  I  can  enquired  what  priests,  &c.,  resort 
each  of  my  dioces  and  who  are  the  ordinary  harbourers  of  them  I 
followeth 

[The  portion  of  this  Report  which  relates  to  the  Diocese  of  Ferns  is 
omitted.] 

IN  THE   DlOECESE  OF  LEIGHLIN. 

1.  *  Sir  Laghlin  Oge,  keeping  for  the  most  part  either  at  the  house 

Sir,  Prefixed  to  a  priest's  name  indicated  that  he  was  a  secular  priest,  as 
tct  from  father,  by  which  the  Regular  clergy  were  designated.  Oge,  means 
ner,  or  junior. 


242  APPENDIX   TO   PART  FIRST. 

of  John  Browne  in  the  towne  of  Caterlogh,  or  at  the  house  of  Marget 
Archer,  widow,  or  at  the  house  of  Walter  Butler  of  Caterlogh, 
merchant. 

2.  Sir  Murthogh  O'Dowling,  a  Vicar-General  of  the  Dioces  of 
Kildare,  coming  by  starts,  is  harboured  at  the  house  of  William  Dun 
of  Binnekerry  near  Caterlogh. 

3.  Luke  Archer,  vicar  General  for  the  dioces  of  Leighlin,  keeping 
for  the  most  part  in  Kilkenny;  at  his  coming  into  the  County  of 
Caterlogh  resotg  unto  the  house  of  Edmond  McTirielogh  of  Ravilly. 

4;  Sir  Christopher  Priest,  sometimes  keeping  at  the  house  of 
Nicholas  Caffory  of  nere  Leighlin,  but  I  heard  not  of  his  resort 
thither  of  late. 

5.  Sir  Thomas  Reugh,  priest,  keeping  about  a  XII  month  since 
at  the  house  of  Garrat  McTeg  of  Ratellick  in  the  parish  of  Killaban  : 
wher  (his  arm  being  broken)  he  lay  at  cure,  but  since  I  have  not 
heard  of  him. 

6.  Sir  Mortogh  Dun,  priest,  coming  by  starts  into  this  Dioces,  but 
residing  ordinarily  wth.  his  brother  James  Dun  at  Dunmannock*  in 
the  dioces  of  Kildare. 

7.  One  Gilloduff,  a  young  priest,  roaving  hether  and  theter. 

8.  Sir  Patrick  Oge,  keeping   hear  and   ther  in    and  about  the 
parish  of  Tulleghfelim. 

9.  Sir  Thomas  Oge  O'Hinnagan,  frequenting  the  house  of  Garrat 
McKilpatrick  in  the  Rahen  in  the  parish  of  Clonmore. 

10.  Sir  Molrony  McGrew,  priest,  keeping  in  the  parish  of  Raville 
in  no  certain  place  that  I  can  yet  lerne,  but  as  his  occasions  lead  him. 

7.  No  popish  priest   hath   ever  been   admitted  either  to  church 
living  or  cure  wthin  either  of  my  diocess  during  mine  Incumbency ; 
nether  (God  willing)  during  my  time  ever  shall. 

8.  All  the  churches  wtbin  both  my  Diocess  are  builded  accordinge 
the  country  fashion,  or  bonds  taken  for  the  building  of  those  few  that 
are  unbuilded,  except  some  few  parishes,  wherein  there  is  yet  little 
or  no  habitation,  and  except  the  Cathedral  of  Femes,  which  having 
been  burnt  by  Feagh  McHew  in  the  time  of  Rebellion,  is  so  charge 
able  to  re-edify,  that  the  Deane  and  Chapter  are  not  able  to  compasse 
that  work ;  neither  is  it  indeed  fitt  that  the  Cathedral  Church  shold 
be  at  Femes,  being  now  but  a  poor  country  village,  but  either  at 
Wexford  or   at  New   Rosse,  being  both  incorporate  townes,  very 
populous  of  themselves,  especially  Wexford,  and  of  much  resort  by 
strangers.     Yet  there  is  an  ile  of  the  Cathedral  Church  builded, 
wherein  divine  service  is  duely  celebrated. 

9.  There  is  in  each  of  my  dioces  a  free  school,  the  one  in  the  towne 
of  Mariborough  for  the  Diocess  of  Leighlin.     The  schoolmasters  are 
maintained  by  myself  and  my  clergy  accordinge  the  statute.  Neither 
have  I  ever  licenced  any  schoolmaster  to  teach  but  such  as  have  first 


Dunmannoge. 


APPENDIX   TO   PART  FIRST.  243 

entered  bonds  to  teach  none  other  books  but  such  as  are  agreeable  to 
the  King's  Injunctions.  But  these  schooles  established  by  authority 
are  to  small  purpose  if  all  the  popish  priests  in  the  Kingdome,  take 
that  course  (as  in  all  probability  they  doe)  which  a  priest  called 
Laghlin  Oge  took  not  long  since,  after  the  celebration  of  his  masse ; 
for  he  taught  the  people  first,  that  whosoever  did  send  ther  children 
or  pupils  to  be  taught  by  a  schoolemaster  of  our  Religion,  they  are 
excommunicated  ipso  facto,  and  should  certenly  be  damned  wthout 
they  did  undergoe  great  penance  for  ther  so  doing.  Next  (though 
not  appertaining  to  this  Branch)  that  the  infants  wch  were  by  us 
baptized,  if  they  were  not  brought  to  them  to  be  rebaptized,  both  the 
parents  so  doing,  and  the  children  so  baptized  were  damned. 

10.  Lastly,  though  I  have  used  my  best  endeavour  according  to  my 
simple  skill  to  reform  recusants,  yet  have  I  come  farre  short  of  what 
I  ought  to  have  done  ;  and  I  must  needs  acknowledge  myself  to  be 
an  unprofitable  servant.  But  by  the  grace  of  God  I  am  what  I  am, 
and  by  the  said  grace  assisting  me,  I  will  endeavour  myself  daily 
more  and  more  to  root  out  popery  and  to  sow  the  seed  of  true  Religion 
in  the  harts  of  all  the  people  committed  to  my  charge ;  wch  though 
I  have  no  hope  to  effect  as  I  wold,  yet,  est  aliquid  prodire  tenus  cum 
non  datur  ultra. 

The  humble  answere  of  Thomas  Bishop  of  Femes  and  Leighlin,  to 
his  Mtys  Instructions  and  Interrogations  lately  sent  unto  the  Arch 
bishops  and  Bishops  of  this  Real  me. 

Concerning  the  true  valew  of  the  Benefices  of  each  diocess  afore 
said,  and  the  names  and  qualities  of  the  present  Incumbents,  they 
are  (so  neere  as  I  can  lerne)  worth  communibus  annis  as  followeth. 

Bishopric  of  Femes. 

The  present  Incumbent  thereof  is  Thomas  Ram  who  at  his 
comynge  to  the  place  found  it  worth  by  the  year,  one  hundred  mks, 
sterlinge  penny  rent.  But  by  his  recovery  of  the  manor  of  Fithard, 
by  a  longe  and  chargeable  suit  at  lawe  (though  ended  by  composition 
at  length)  is  now  bettered  p.  annu  by  <£XL.  The  Bishoprick  hath 
bin  worth  fouer  or  five  hundred  pounds  by  the  yere,  but  by 
the  many  fee  farmes  made  thereof  by  his  predecessors,  especially 
by  Alexander  Devereux  and  John  Deverux  to  their  kindred  and 
bastards,  at  very  small  rents,  it  is  reduced  unto  this  smaU  pittance 
aforesayd.  The  Bishoprick  of  Femes  and  that  of  Leighlin  lie  both 
together,  and  the  dwelling-houses  of  them  both,  viz  :  Fethard  (seated 
in  the  remotest  part  from  Leghlin  of  the  whole  dioces  of  Femes)  and 
Old  Leighlin,  are  but  27  English  miles  asunder. 

[Here  follows  Return  of  names  of  Benefices,  names  of  incumbents, 
and  value  of  livings  in  time  of  peace  and  reduction  propter  rebellionem. 
This  not  being  thought  of  sufficient  interest  to  our  readers,  is 
omitted.] 

Bishoprick  of  Leighlin. 
The  present  Incumbent  thereof,  Thomas    Ram   holdinge  it  by 


244  APPENDIX   TO   PART    FIRST. 

unyon  with  the  Bishoprick  of  Femes,  «  durante  vita,"  by  vertue  of 
His  Maties  Lres  patent.     The  annual  rent  thereof  is  £24  ster.  besides 
the  demeasnes  w<*  are  very  large,  if  the  Bishop  might  enjoy  his  right 
But  in  respect  they  are  almost  all  mountany  grounds,  and  much  oi 
them  is  withholden  by  the  neighbours  thereof,  yeld  very  little  profit 
The  deteyners  of  the  demeasnes  of  Old  Leighlm  are,  Sir  Richard 
Butler  of  Polestone,  Knight,  Richard  Comberford  of  Ballerloghna, 
Esqr    Willyam  Fannynge  of  Ballecloghna,  Gent.,  who  taking  advan 
tage  of  Rebellion  in  theis  parts  and  of  the  often  and  long  vacancy  of 
this  poore  Bishoprick,  had  deteyned  (and  still  so  doe)  almost  three 
miles  of  land  belonginge  unto  it.     The  Incroachers  of  the  manor  of 
Shanecourt  als.  Woodstock  in  the  Queen's  County  are  Sir  Richard 
Greame  of  Ballylehan,  Knight,  and  Piers  Ovington  of  Amorstowne 
Esqr    who  have  the  one  of  the  one  side  and  the  other  ot  the  other 
side  so  encroached  upon  the  sayd  manner,  that  whereas  it  consisted 
of  eio-ht  score  acres  arable  land  in  the  fif t  yere  of  Edward  the  first  as 
by  the  Exchetor  then  beinge,  his  accompts  appeareth  in  the  King  s 
rowles    and  so  much  hath   bin  in   possession  with  the  Bishop  ot 
Leighlin  his  tennaunt  within  fiftie  years  last  past :  they  have  left  with 
the  house  but  one  acre  of  land.    If  I  hoped  that  theis  lands  could  be 
recovered  in   lawe  by   any   reasonable   charge,   [remainder  of  sheet 
destroyed.]  , 

[Here  follow,  as  before,  list  of  Benefices,  names  of  Incumbents  ana 
value  of  their  livings  tempore  pacis  and  reduction  propter  Rebel- 
lionem.  The  Benefices  range  generally  between  £10  and  £15,  some 
eight  of  them  exceed  that  amount,  the  highest  of  them  being  £20 
except  in  the  case  of  "  Rectoria  de  Roslare  cum  capella  de  Balle- 
moore,"  which  amounts  to  £30.  The  Reduction  propter  Eebellionem 
is  generally,  at  least  one  half— and  many  are  returned  as  valued  at 
Nihil,  under  that  heading.] 

3.  At  my  first  preferment  unto  these  Bishopncks  and  finding  sucl 
want  of  clergymen  within  both  my  Dioces  especially  of  Leighlm,  that 
some  of  the  parishioners  being  by  me  blamed  for  carryeing  their 
children  to  popish  priests  to  be  christened,  answered  (thoug  rather 
for  Excuse,  as  I  found  afterwards  in  that  they  reformed  not  them 
selves,  than  for  conscience  sake)  that  they  were  compelled  so  to  doe 
in  regard  they  had  no  Curate  of  our  Religion  neere  unto  them  ;  m 
imitation  of  the  Reverend  Bishops  living  in  the  beginning  of  the 
reigneof  our  late  Queene  of  happy  memory,  I  entreated  3  or  4  men 
of  English  birth  of  staid  carriage  and  good  report,  being  well  able  to 
give  an  account  of  their  faith  in  the  English  tong,  and  to  instruct  the 
people  by  reading,  to  enter  orders  of  the  Church,  and  provided  for 
them  first  Cures  amongst  the  English  parishes,  afterwards  small 
Vicarages  which  they  enjoy  at  this  time,  and  reside  upon  them.  And 
Whereas  2  or  3  of  the  natives  of  this  country  beinge  well  able  to 
speak  and  read  Irish  unto  ther  Countrymen,  sought  unto  me  for  Holy 
Orders,  I  thought  likewise  fitt  in  the  great  scarsity  of  men  of  that 
quality  to  admit  them  thereunto  (being  likewise  of  honest  life  and 


APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST.  245 

well  reported  of  amongst  their  neighbours),  and  to  provide  them  some 
small  competency  of  living  in  the  Irish  parts :  furthermore  being 
desirous,  serere  alteri  seculo,by  providing  a  lerned  Ministry  wch  shal 
be  able  to  preach  unto  the  people  hereafter,  I  have  accordinge  the 
auntient  custome  of  my  clioces  dispensed  with  3  or  4  youths  of  XV 
or  XVI  years  of  age,  to  hold  each  of  them  a  church  living  under  £X 
in  true  value,  studii  gratia,  having  taken  order  with  the  churchmen 
adjoining  to  discharge  the  cures  of  the  same,  and  having  had  a  watch 
ful  ey  over  these  young  men  that  they  did  and  doe  bone  fide  follow 
....  (rest  of  sheet  mutilated),  may  be  dealt  withall  to  authorize  one 
or  two  of  the  Bishops  choise  and  nomination  for  the  executing  of  the 
writs  de  excummunicato  capiendo.  Next  that  none  be  suffered  to  be 
goalers  or  inferiour  officers  unto  them,  but  sush  as  resort  unto  our 

church without  the  former  the  excommunicats  for  matter  of 

Religion  will  hardly  be  attached ;  without  the  latter  they    being 
attached  and  committed  will  be  encouraged  in  their  obstinacy. 
&c.,  &c.,  (Signed), 

THO.  FERNESS  &  LEIGHLIN. 

PROVINCIAL  SYNODS. 

Four  Synods  of  the  Province  of  Dublin  were  held  during  the 
Seventeenth  Century, — the  first  assembled  at  Kilkenny,  on  the  22nd 
of  June,  1614;  the  second  atTyrcogir,  in  the  Diocese  of  Kildare,  on 
the  29th  of  July,  1640  ;  the  third  at  Dublin,  on  the  24th  of  July, 
1685  •  and  the  fourth  also  at  Dublin,  on  the  1st  of  August,  1688.  A 
summary  of  the  Statutes,  etc.,  enacted  at  these  Synods,  in  which  the 
Bishops  and  other  Dignitaries  of  the  Dioceses  of  Kildare  and 
Leighlin  took  part,  is  here  given,  being  extracted  from  a  collection 
entitled  : — "  Constitutiones  Provinciales  et  Synodales  Ecdesiae  Metropoli- 
tanae  et  Primitialis,  Dublinensis,"  printed  in  1770,  the  name  of  the 
Editor  not  being  given  nor  the  place  of  publication. 

SYNOD   OF   KILKENNY. 

The  Provincial  Synod  held  at  Kilkenny,  in  1614,  under  the 
Presidency  of  the  Most  Rev.  Eugene  Mathews,  Archbishop  of  Dublin, 
commenced  its  sittings  on  the  22nd  of  June,  and  closed  on  the  27th 
of  the  same  month.  "  This,"  writes  Dr.  Moran  (Bishops  of  Ossory,  in 
Transactions  O.  A.  S.  Vol.  3),  "was  by  far  the  most  important  Synod 
that  Ireland  had  witnessed  since  the  beginning  of  the  sad  era  of 
persecution,  and  its  Statutes  mark  the  renewal  of  such  disciplinary 
observance  as  the  difficult  circumstances  of  the  times  permitted.  The 
Synod  was  probably  held  in  Mr.  Edward  Rothe's  house,  and  besides 
the  Archbishop  of  Dublin  and  Dr.  Rothe,  there  were  present  Robert 
Lalor,  Vicar- Apostolic  of  Kildare  ;  Luke  Archer,  Vicar-Apostolic  of 
Leighlin  ;  and  James  Walsh,  Vicar-General  of  Ferns." 

The  Fathers  of  this  Provincial  Council  state,  not  without  reason, 
in  their  opening  remarks,  that  their  purpose  of  assembling  was 
fraught  with  all  manner  of  difficulty,  danger,  and  obstacles,  so  much 
so,  indeed,  that  they  came  together  at  the  imminent  risk  of  their 


246  APPENDIX   TO    PART    FIRST. 

liberty  and  their  lives.  They  express  their  regret  that,  owing  to  the 
evil  state  of  the  times,  they  cannot  venture  on  the  publication  of  the 
Decrees  of  the  Council  of  Trent  in  their  fulness  ;  this  they  were  most 
desirous  of  doing  had  circumstances  rendered  it  possible.  They, 
however,  receive  the  exonerating  decrees  of  that  Council  abolishing 
various  prohibitions,  and  restricting  the  impediments  of  matrimony, 
etc.,  which  that  Council  had  so  wisely  enacted. 

Regarding  the  appointment  of  Pastors. — The  Vicars-General  were,  as 
far  as  it  was  possible,  to  appoint  to  each  parish,  suitable  pastors ; 
but  should  it  be  not  in  their  power  to  assign  a  priest  to  each  separate 
parish,  then  it  would  be  for  the  Ordinaries  to  make  such  provision  as 
should  be  possible,  at  least  by  commending  and  assigning  the  care 
of  such  unprovided  parishes  to  the  neighbouring  pastors  until  such 
time  as  priests  could  be  obtained  to  take  charge  of  them.  The  priests 
so  appointed  by  the  Vicars-General  obtained  no  title  therefrom  to 
the  parishes,  but  were  movable  at  the  will  of  those  appointing  them  ; 
but  at  the  same  time,  no  other  priest,  even  though  duly  approved, 
could  administer  Sacraments  in  such  parishes  or  exercise  any  of  the 
functions  proper  to  parish  priests,  without  the  leave  of  such  pastor. 
Any  one  infringing  this  rule  was  required  to  refund  to  the  pastor  such 
emoluments  as  might  accrue  from  such  ministrations,  and  was 
obliged,  in  addition,  to  hand  to  the  Vicar-General  an  equal  amount, 
to  be  applied  to  pious  uses. 

Besides  instructing  the  faithful  each  Sunday  and  Holyday  on  some 
point  of  the  Christian  Doctrine,  pastors  were  admonished,  when 
going  from  place  to  place  in  their  parish  or  passing  the  night  at  the 
houses  of  their  parishioners,  to  avail  themselves  of  such  opportunities 
to  instruct  those  most  in  need  of  instruction,  and  in  presence  of  the 
others,  in  the  Lord's  Prayer,  the  Apostles'  Creed,  and  such  other 
practical  and  essential  matters,  according  as  opportunity  should  per 
mit.  Priests  were  forbidden,  unless  through  urgent  necessity,  and 
even  then,  not  without  leave  from  their  Superiors,  to  be  present  at 
fairs  or  marriage  festivities,  nor  were  they  to  attend  at  funeral  or 
anniversary  offices  unless  specially  invited  or  by  reason  of  being  per 
sonal  friends,  and  with  leave  of  Superiors. 

Vicars-General  and  Forane  were  directed  to  arrange,  as  far  as  it 
was  possible,  that  in  each  Deanery  and  town,  or,  at  least  in  each 
Diocese  and  city,  there  should  be  appointed  a  Preacher,  approved  as 
such  by  the  Ordinary,  who,  as  often  as  time  and  convenience  should 
permit,  was  to  preach  the  Word  of  God  to  the  people.  Arrange 
ments  were  to  be  made  with  the  Superiors  of  Religious  Orders  so 
that  fit  persons  should  be  appointed  to  this  office  ;  and  both  the 
Ordinaries  and  pastors  were  to  admonish  the  faithful  that  such  ap 
proved  preachers  were  entitled  to  a  decent  maintenance. 

Baptism. — Pastors  were  charged  to  have  provided,  in  those  places 
in  which  they  for  the  most  part  resided,  a  Baptismal  Font,  securely 
covered  and  locked,  and  in  no  other  place  or  vessel  should  they 
baptize,  unless  in  case  of  necessity.  If,  however,  through  necessity, 


APPENDIX  TO   PART   FIRST.  247 

they  had  to  make  use  of  another  vessel,  to  guard  against  irreverence, 
they  were  forbidden  to  mingle  the  Holy  Oils  with  the  Baptismal 
water.  The  following  passage  shows  that  the  form  of  Baptizing  by 
immersion  had  been  extensively  in  use  in  Ireland  up  to  this  time. 
The  Umarbaisdidh  or  Baptismal  trough,  so  frequently  met  with  in 
connection  with  ruins  of  old  churches  throughout  the  country,  is 
further  proof  of  it : — "  Various  and  just  reasons  determine  us,  and 
especially  to  guard  against  the  danger  of  suffocation  and  of  contract 
ing  infirmities  which,  in  the  opinion  of  those  qualified  to  speak  on 
such  matters,  are  liable  to  result  from  the  practice  of  immersion  in 
Baptism ;  conforming  to  the  usage  of  many  other  portions  of  the 
Christian  world,  we  decree  that  from  the  Kalends  of  October  next  of 
the  present  year,  1614,  no  priest  shall  make  use  of  the  form  of 
immersion  in  baptizing  infants,  but  shall  in  every  case, — the  Sponsor 
holding  the  child  over  the  font, — pour  water  from  the  font  on  the 
head  of  the  infant  saying,  etc."  That  the  conferring  of  private 
Baptism  by  the  laity  on  children  in  danger  of  death  might  be  the 
more  securely  provided  for,  priests  were  directed  to  instruct  lay 
persons,  and  particularly  those  females  who  usually  were  present  when 
such  necessity  arose,  to  express  the  form  in  these  words,  making  use 
of  the  mother  tongue,  either  Irish  or  English, — I  do  baptize  thee  in 
the  name,  etc.,  and  to  warn  them  against  the  use  of  the  form  /  do 
Christen  thee;  "for  though  this  latter  mode  of  expression  be  found  in 
the  ancient  Sarum  Manual,  we  do  not  consider  it  sufficiently 
approved  or  safe  to  employ."  The  Baptismal  garment  or  Pannus 
Chrismalis  must  not  be  applied  to  any  secular  use  or  given  to  the 
poor.  If  it  can  be  used  about  the  altar,  it  may  be  done,  otherwise 
it  is  to  be  burnt.  They  who  should  exact  dues  on  occasion  of 
Baptism,  from  the  really  poor,  were  to  be  mulcted  in  four  times  the 
amount,  this  sum  to  be  applied  by  the  Ordinary  to  pious  uses,  and 
should  payment  of  this  fine  be  refused,  the  delinquent  was  to  be 
suspended  until  such  time  as  he  should  comply  with  the  obligation. 

In  all  that  concerned  the  administration  of  the  Sacraments,  the 
forms  prescribed  by  the  Eoman  Ritual  were  adopted  by  this  Synod  ; 
"  and  from  the  1st  of  October  next  succeeding,  these  and  no  other 
forms  shall  henceforth  be  employed  throughout  this  Province,  nor 
shall  it  hereafter  be  lawful  to  make  use  of  the  Sarum  or  any  other 
Manual." 

The  Holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  and  the  Sacrament  of  the  Blessed 
Eucharist. — It  was  decreed  that  no  chalices  shall  bo  consecrated  hence 
forth  unless  the  patena  and  cup,  at  least,  be  of  silver,  and.  if  possible, 
gilt  inside.  The  pewter  Chalices  already  consecrated,  may  still  be 
tolerated  until  they  appear  to  the  Vicars-General  or  Forane  to  be 
unfit  for  use,  when  they  shall  be  broken  up. 

As  the  calamity  of  the  times  made  it  necessary  that  priests  should 
celebrate  Mass  in  unconsecrated  places,  it  was  desired  that  those 
places  be  preferred  where  this  could  be  done  the  more  decently;  and, 
to  provide  against  the  risk  of  dirt  falling  upon  the  altar  or  corporal, 


248  APPEKDIX   TO   PART   FIRST. 

priests  were  directed  to  have  a  cloth  or  curtain  suspended  over  the 
altar.  In  case  of  its  being  necessary  to  celebrate  Mass  in  the  open 
air  (sub  dio)  they  were  to  provide  so  that  the  table  of  the  altar 
should  be  protected  and  secured, — above,  at  the  back  and  at  each 
end, — against  wind,  rain  or  other  atmospheric  disturbance.  No 
priest  was  to  attempt  to  celebrate  Mass  without  two,  or  at  least  one, 
wax  light.  The  custom  of  giving  the  osculum  pads  at  private  Masses 
was  ordered  to  be  thenceforth  discontinued. 

"  And  as  it  is  plainly  but  little  removed  from  sordid  questing  and 
avarice  to  bring  about,  for  the  purpose  of  collecting  alms,  sacred 
Relics,  ancient  Memorials  of  the  Saints  or  their  Images,  such 
practice  tending  to  irreverence  towards  those  sacred  objects  them 
selves  and  also  to  bring  discredit  upon  the  entire  clerical  body,  and 
that,  too,  not  only  in  the  eyes  of  heretics  but  censure  also  from 
Catholics,  as  was  found  by  experience,"  it  was  consequently  decreed 
that,  for  the  future,  no  R,elic,  Image,  or  other  Memorial  of  the  Saints, 
should  be  allowed  to  be  removed  from  its  proper  place  for  such 
purposes,  unless  with  the  express  leave  of  the  Ordinary,  obtained  in 
writing,  to  be  given  only  for  a  specified  time, — any,  even  immemorial 
custom  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding.  A  desire  was  also  expressed 
that  an  objectionable  custom  be  discontinued,  as  savouring  more  of 
superstition  than  piety,  by  which  laics,  in  some  places,  used  to  bring 
about  such  ancient  Memorials  of  the  Saints ;  immersing  them  in 
water  and  repeating  on  the  occasion  certain  prayers,  then  sprinkling 
people  and  cattle  with  this  water.*  The  ecclesiastical  authorities 
were  also  charged  to  reform  certain  abuses  and  superstitious  usages 
practised  by  ignorant  persons  assembling  at  wells  and  trees.  If  it 
appeared  that  there  were  any  healing  effects  produced  by  such 
springs,  whether  proceeding  from  their  natural  properties  or  from  the 
invocation  and  patronage  of  certain  Saints,  access  to  the  water  was 
not  to  be  prohibited  but  only  abuses  and  superstitious  practices  in 
connection  with  them.f 

Holy  Communion. — Pastors  were  enjoined  to  provide  themselves 
with  a  Pyx  or  small  vessel  of  silver,  duly  blessed,  wherein  to  reserve 
and  bear  the  Blessed  Eucharist  to  the  sick;  on  no  account  were 
they  to  use  for  that  purpose  a  vessel  of  wood,  or  to  fold  the  Blessed 
Sacrament  in  a  corporal,  or  commit  it  to  a  lay  person,  unless  in  the 
case  of  those  detained  in  prison,  in  danger  of  death,  and,  not  having 
the  opportunity  of  Confession  (Contrition  being  pre-supposed)  who 
should  be  desirous  of  partaking  of  the  Most  Holy  Yaticum.  In  such 
case  it  was  declared  permissible  to  allow  a  lay  person  to  bear  it  to 

*The  ancient  Memorials  here  referred  to  were  the  Bells,  Croziers,  Books  of 
the  Gospels,  etc.,  which  had  belonged  to  the  Saints  of  Ireland,  and  which  the 
people  held  in  peculiar  reverence. 

t  The  abuses  here  censured  were  chiefly  those  that  sometimes  occurred  on 
occasions  of  patterns,  that  is  the  Festivals  of  Patron  Saints,  and  Pilgrimages 
made  to  wells  and  other  places  held  sacred  in  consequence  of  having  been 
identified  with  those  Saints. 


APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST.  249 

them  in  a  Pyx.  As  to  the  prisoners  themselves ;  if  priests,  they 
were  to  communicate  themselves,  but  if  clerics  of  a  lower  grade  or 
lay  persons,  they  were  not  to  touch  the  Blessed  Sacrament  with  the 
hand,  but  were  to  take  it  reverently  from  the  Pyx  with  the  tongue. 

Pastors  were  directed  to  instruct  their  flocks  that  the  period  ap 
pointed  by  the  General  Law  of  the  Church  within  which  the  faithful 
are  obliged  to  make  the  Paschal  Communion  is  between  Palm  Sunday 
and  the  Sunday  after  Easter.  It  having  been  represented  at  Rome, 
that,  in  consequence  of  the  persecution  then  raging  in  Ireland  and 
also  on  account  of  the  fewness  of  the  priests,  it  was  very  difficult  for 
the  faithful  to  fulfil  the  Easter  Precept  within  the  prescribed  time, 
his  Holiness  Pope  Paul  V.,  by  a  Rescript  dated  the  28th  of  March, 
1607  (quoted  at  length  in  these  statutes)  granted  an  extension  of  the 
time  from  Ash-Wednesday  to  the  Feast  of  the  Ascension,  provided, 
however,  that  such  was  found  necessary. 

The  Sacrament  of  Penance. — In  consequence  of  the  circumstances  of 
the  times,  it  was  decreed  that  no  sins  be  reserved  except  those 
reserved  by  the  Common  Law  of  the  Church,  and,  in  addition,  the 
sin  of  such  as  should  join  with  heretics  in  religious  worship. 

Regulars. — The  unhappy  state  of  the  country  rendering  the 
observance  of  the  ordinary  exercises  of  the  religious  life  impossible, 
it  was  determined  that,  during  the  great  deficiency  of  secular  priests 
that  existed,  local  Ordinaries  might  arrange  with  the  Superiors  of  the 
Religious  Orders,  so  that  Regulars  might  have  assigned  to  them  the 
pastoral  care,  so  far  as  it  could  be  discharged  without  detriment  to 
regular  observance. 

Abstinence  from  servile  work  on  Festivals  of  obligation. — Various 
opinions  having  been  held  with  regard  to  the  time  during  which,  on 
those  days,  the  faithful  were  enjoined  to  refrain  from  servile  work, — 
some  holding  that  the  obligation  commenced  after  mid-day  on  the 
day  previous,  others,  at  the  third  hour,  others,  at  the  sixth  hour,  or 
at  sunset, — to  set  the  question  at  rest  for  the  future,  the  Synod 
declared  that  the  period  within  which  to  abstain  from  labour  was 
between  midnight  and  midnight.  And  as  it  sometimes  happened 
that,  in  harvest  time,  a  necessity  arose,  of  labouring,  in  order  to  save 
the  crop  from  perishing,  priests  were  directed  to  give  leave  to  the 
faithful  to  engage  in  servile  work  under  such  circumstances,  enjoining 
that  Mass  be  first  heard  when  possible,  and  ordering  all  who  should 
make  use  of  such  permission,  to  offer  prayers  for  the  welfare  of  the 
Church  and  the  country,  or  to  perform  some  other  pious  work. 
Priests  were  exhorted,  however,  to  be  very  chary  of  allowing  such 
servile  work  to  be  done  on  Sundays  unless  under  the  most  urgent 
necessity. 

Days  of  Obligation. — The  following  were  declared  to  be  days,  on 
which,  from  Law  or  custom,  an  obligation  existed  to  abstain  from 
servile  works, — All  the  Sundays  of  the  year,  the  Circumcision, 
Epiphany,  Feast  of  St.  Brigid  Virgin,  (throughout  the  Diocese  of 
Kildare),  Purification  of  Blessed  Virgin,  Feast  of  St.  Matthias, 


250  APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST. 

Apostle,  Feast  of  St.  Patrick,  the  Annunciation  of  the  Blessed  Virgin, 
and  the  Monday  and  Tuesday  after  Easter,  the  Feasts  of  St.  Mark 
Evangelist,  SS.  Philip  and  James,  Invention  of  the  Holy  Cross, 
Ascension,  Monday  and  Tuesday  after  Pentecost,  Corpus  Christi,  St. 
Barnabas,  Nativity  of  St.  John  Baptist,  SS.  Peter  and  Paul,  St.  Mary 
Magdalen,  St.  James  Apostle,  St.  Laurence,  Martyr,  Assumption 
Blessed  Virgin  Mary.  St.  Bartholomew,  Nativity  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  St.  Matthew,  Dedication  of  St.  Michael  Archangel,  St.  Luke, 
SS.  Simon  and  Jude,  All  Saints,  St.  Martin,  Bishop,  St.  Laurence 
O'Toole,  St.  Andrew,  Conception  of  Blessed  Virgin,  St.  Thomas 
Apostle,  Nativity  of  our  Lord,  St.  Stephen,  St.  John  Apostle,  Holy 
Innocents.  To  these  were  added,  the  Feasts  of  St.  Joseph,  St. 
Anne,  and  St.  Sylvester. 

The  following  were  declared  to  be  Feasts,  not  of  obligation,  but  of 
devotion  :— The  Feast  of  St.  Brigid,  through  the  rest  of  the  Province, 
Visitation  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  Exaltation  of  the  Holy  Cross, 
Commemoration  of  the  Souls  in  Purgatory,  up  to  mid-day,  and  St. 
Catherine,  Martyr. 

The  Synod  decreed  that  the  Feast  of  St.  Patrick  should  be 
observed  in  the  city  of  Dublin  as  that  of  Patron,  and  throughout 
the  rest  of  the  Province  as  a  double  of  first  class;  that  the  Feast  of 
St.  Bridget,  general  patron  of  the  whole  Kingdom  and  special  one  of 
the  town  and  Cathedral  of  Kildare,  be  observed  according  to  the 
rite  of  Patron,  in  that  town ;  through  the  rest  of  the  Diocese  of 
Kildare,  as  a  double  of  first  class,  and  through  the  rest  of  the 
Province,  as  double  of  2nd  class  ;  that  the  Feast  of  St.  Columbkille, 
third  General  Patron  of  the  Kingdom,  be  observed  throughout  the 
Province  as  a  double  of  2nd  class ;  that  the  Feast  of  St.  Laurence, 
Archbishop  of  Dublin,  be  observed  throughout  the  Province  as  double 
of  2nd  class ;  that  the  Feast  of  the  Dedication  of  a  Church  be  cele 
brated  on  the  Sunday  following  the  feast  of  St.  Kemigius,  1st  October, 
or  on  that  feast  itself  should  it  fall  on  Sunday,  with  the  customary 
Octave. 

Observance  of  fasting  and  abstinence. — From  the  time  of  Sfc.  Patrick, 
the  Irish  were  remarkable  for  the  observance  of  rigorous  fasts  and 
acts  of  mortification.  It  had  been  the  custom  to  abstain  from  flesh 
meat  on  all  Wednesdays ;  and  on  Fridays, — and,  in  some  places,  also 
on  Saturdays — to  abstain,  not  only  from  flesh  meat,  but  even  from 
eggs  and  whitemeats.  The  unhappy  condition  of  the  country 
rendering  the  continuance  of  these  austere  observances  difficult,  if 
not  impossible,  Pope  Clement  VIII. ,  in  response  to  an  application  from 
the  Irish  Prelates,  issued  a  Bull,  on  the  13th  of  March,  1598,  grant 
ing  power  to  the  Bishops  and  their  Delegates  throughout  the  King 
dom,  to  commute  these  fasts  and  abstinences  into  other  pious  works. 
Finding  that  no  uniform  mode  had  been  observed  in  exercising  these 
delegated  powers,  and  that  doubts  and  scruples  had,  in  consequence, 
arisen,  to  settle  the  question  for  the  future,  the  following  general  rule 
was  decided  upon  : — The  Archbishop  of  Dublin  received  the  afore- 


APPENDIX  TO   PART   FIRST.  251 

said  Indult,  and,  by  virtue  of  the  Apostolic  Authority  thus  vested  in 
him,  he  delegated  to  each  and  every  ecclesiastical  dignitary  through 
out  the  Province,  to  all  Vicars-General  and  Forane,  to  all  Preachers 
approved  hy  the  Ordinaries,  and  to  all  priests  having  the  cure  of  souls, 
power  to  commute  the  abstinence,  so  as  to  allow  the  use  of  white- 
meats,  including  cheese,  on  all  the  days  in  Lent  (except  Ash- 
Wednesday,  and  Wednesday  and  Friday  in  Holy  Week),  and  also 
on  all  Fridays  and  Saturdays  throughout  the  year ;  those,  however, 
who  should  avail  themselves  of  these  relaxations  were  enjoined  to 
recite,  on  each  day  on  which  they  exercised  this  privilege,  five  Paters 
and  Aves  for  the  good  estate  of  the  universal  Church,  the  restoration 
and  free  exercise  of  the  Catholic  Faith  in  these  Kingdoms,  the  con 
version  of  sinners,  and  for  the  public  weal,  or,  should  they  prefer  it, 
they  were  to  hand  to  the  local  Ordinaries,  one  shilling  yearly,  to  be 
applied  to  pious  uses.  The  Archbishop  would  not  for  the  present 
undertake  to  commute  the  abstinence  from  flesh  meat  on  Wednesdays 
or  eggs  on  Fridays  outside  Lent,  nor  would  he  delegate  this  power 
to  any  other,  but  if  it  be  found  expedient,  he  will  do  so  later  on, 
according  to  the  tenor  of  the  aforesaid  Brief. 

[#*#  Later  on,  namely  by  a  Brief  dated  the  14th  September,  1671, 
Pope  Clement  X.  dispensed  in  the  obligation  of  abstinence  from 
flesh  meat  on  Wednesdays,  and  from  eggs  on  Fridays  and  Saturdays 
(except  in  Lent  and  on  special  days).  This  Bull  was  received  by 
Archbishops  Oliver  Plunkett  and  Peter  Talbot,  in  November,  1671. 
They  substituted  for  the  aforesaid  abstinence,  the  recitation  of  five 
Paters  and  five  Aves  and  the  Creed,  once  a  week,  for  the  exaltation 
of  the  Catholic  Faith,  or  the  giving  of  some  alms  instead.  Dr. 
Plunkett  declared  that  the  recitation  of  the  aforesaid  prayers  was 
not  obligatory  under  pain  of  sin.] 

Days  on  which  there  exists  an  obligation  to  fast  on  one  meal. — Every 
week  day  in  Lent,  the  Quatuor  Tenses,  the  Vigils  of  the  Feasts  of  St. 
Matthew  Apostle,  Pentecost,  SS.  Peter  and  Paul,  and  of  all  the 
other  Apostles,  of  St.  Laurence  Martyr,  of  St.  John  the  Baptist,  but 
should  this  fall  upon  Corpus  Christi,  then  the  fast  and  office  of  the 
Vigil  were  to  be  observed  on  the  previous  Wednesday ;  the  Vigil  of 
the  Feasts  of  the  Assumption  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary,  of  All 
Saints,  and  of  Christmas  Day.  "  And  whereas,  after  diligent  enquiry, 
there  does  not  appear  to  exist  an  established  custom  obliging  the 
faithful  to  fast  on  Fridays  throughout  the  year,  the  Prelates  declare 
and  wish  their  priests  to  make  it  known,  that  no  such  obligation 
exists." 

Fasts  of  devotion. — Days  which,  without  an  obligation,  many  are 
accustomed  to  observe  as  fast  days : — The  Vigils  of  the  Purification 
of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary,  (which,  however,  out  of  respect  for  the 
Feast  of  St.  Brigid,  is  observed  on  the  day  previous),  of  the  Annunci 
ation  (occurring"  outside  of  Easter  week),  of  the  Nativity  and  the 
Conception  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary ;  and  all  Fridays  throughout 
the  year. 


252  APPENDIX   TO   PART    FIRST. 

Days  of  obligation  to  abstain  from  flesh  meat. — Every  Friday  and 
Saturday,  except  when  Christmas  Day  falls  on  either  of  these  days, 
the  Eogation  Days,  namely  the  Monday,  Tuesday,  and  Wednesday 
preceding  the  Feast  of  the  Ascension ;  and  St.  Mark's  Day,  unless  it 
should  fall  within  Easter  week  or  on  Sunday,  in  either  of  which 
cases  the  abstinence  does  not  bind. 


SYNOD   OF  TYRCOGIR. 

A  Provincial  Synod  was  held,  on  the  29th  of  July,  1640,  at 
Tyrcogir,  a  Church  still  existing  in  ruins,  near  the  town  of  Portar- 
lington.  The  text  of  the  ACTS  of  this  Synod  has  been  inserted  with 
the  Memoir  of  Dr.  McGeoghegan,  Bishpp  of  Kildare.  The  following 
is  a  resume  of  the  enactments  of  this  venerable  Assembly  : — 

1.  That  uniformity  be  observed  by  the  Pastors  of  the  Province  in 
the  administration  of  the  Sacraments  and  in  Ecclesiastical  Discipline ; 
that  with   regard  to  Marriages,  the  publication  of  Bans  on   three 
successive  festival  days  be  observed,  in  accordance  with  the  Decision 
of  the  Council  of  Trent;  that  should  a  Dispensation   in  Bans   be 
required  by  the  subjects  of  two  different  Dioceses,  it  should  be  sought 
from  the  Ordinaries  of  both  Dioceses.     Any  Parish  Priest  omitting 
the  publication  of  Bans,  to  be  punished,  by  a  fine  of  ten  shillings  for 
the  first  time;  twenty  shillings,  for  the  second;  and  suspension  for 
the  third. 

2.  That  no  Ordinary  grant  a  dispensation  in  the  Impediments  of 
Matrimony  to  the  subjects  of  another  Diocese  without  the  approval 
and  on  the  application  of  their  own  Ordinary. 

3.  That  no  Ordinary  Communicate   Faculties  to   the  priests  of 
another  Diocese  unless  with  the   consent  of  the  Ordinary   of  the 
Diocese  in  which  the  person  seeking  faculties  resides. 

4.  That  no  priest  celebrate  the  Marriage  of  those  not  of  his  parish 
without  the  consent  of  their  own  Pastor  or  Bishop,  under  pain  of 
suspension,  ipso  facto. 

5.  That  any  Catholic   receiving   Tithes   or  other    Ecclesiastical 
Revenues,  shall   pay  to  the  Ordinary  the  twentieth  part  of  those 
already  received  and  the  tenths  of  such  as  shall  be  received  in  the 
future.     Those  who  should  act  to  the  contrary,  to  be  punished  in 
such   wise  as  the  Ordinary  shall  decide.     All  Confessors  to  make 
known  this  regulation  to  their  penitents. 

6.  That  the  deserted  Monasteries  shall  be  subject  to  the  Visitation 
and  in  all  respects  to  the  Correction  of  the  Ordinary;  and  that  any 
Dispensation  in  regard  to  the  Revenues  of  said  Monasteries  pertains 
to  the  Ordinary. 

7.  That  neither  by  Law,  Privilege,  or  Custom,  is  it  permissible  for 
Regulars  to  administer  the  Viaticum,  Extreme  Unction,  or  Baptism, 
or  to  solemnize  Marriage,  without  the  Consent  of  the  Pastor  or  of  the 
Ordinary. 

8.  That  the  Chaplains  of   the  Nobility  shall  not  administer  the 


APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST.  253 

Viaticum,  Extreme  Unction,  or  Baptism,  neither  shall  they  solemnize 
Marriage,  without  the  consent  of  the  Pastor;  any  person  acting  to 
the  contrary  shall  restore  to  the  Pastor  any  emolument  received  for 
such  ministrations,  and  shall  moreover  he  punished  at  the  will  of  the 
Ordinary. 

9.  That  Priests  in  this  Province,  having  the  Cure  of  Souls,  are 
hereby  declared  to  be  real  Pastors,  and  to  be  regarded  as  such. 

10.  That  the  Venerable   William  Devereux,  who  has  been  con 
stituted  by  his  Grace  of  Dublin,  Vicar  of  the  Church  of  Ferns,  is  the 
Ordinary  for  the  administration  of  the  Sacraments  (except  Confir 
mation  and  Orders),  according  to  the  intent  and  meaning  of  the 
Faculties  granted  to  the  Irish  Missionary  Clergy  and  approved  by 
the  Sacred  Congregation  of  Cardinals  some  18  years  since. 

11.  That  as  it  is  one  of  the  chief  duties  of  Bishops  to  provide 
parishes  with  enlightened  pastors,  it  is  incumbent  on  them  to  see  to 
the  management  and  maintenance  of  the  Colleges  established  for  the 
education  of  the  Irish  clergy;  that  as,  moreover,  those  Colleges  were 
established  for  the  good  of  the  country  at  large,  the  just  claims  of 
each  Province  should  be  duly  considered  in  the  admission  of  subjects. 
Some  irregularities  in  this  respect  having  come  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  Fathers  of  the  Synod,  it  was  decided  to  take  measures  for  their 
correction. 

12.  Confirms  anew  the  Ada,  Gonventa  et  Decreta  of  the  Provincial 
Synod  held  at  Kilkenny  in  June,  16U,  and  also  of  a  Provincial 
Synod   held   at    Dublin  under  the  present    Metropolitan  :    "  Quae 
postea    confirmata    sunt    in    Concilio   Provincial    habito   Dubinin 
sub  praesenti  Metropolitano."* 

F.  Thomas,  (Fleming)  Archiepiscopus  Dubliniensis. 
David,  (Eothe)  Ossoriensis. 
Eochus,  (McGfeoghegan)  Kildariensis. 
Gulielmus  Devereux,  Vicarius  Fernensis. 


A  Decree  of  a  Diocesan  Synod  held  at  Dublin,  23rd  of  May,  1665, 
under  the  Presidency  of  James  Dernpsy,  Vicar-Apostolic,  declare 
that,  on  account  of  the  great  extent  of  various  parishes,  it  is  lawfu 
to  celebrate  Mass,  twice,  on  Ash-Wednesday,  and  also  on  All  Soul  s 
Day. 

SYNOD   OF  DUBLIN. 

On  the  24th  of  July,  1685,  James  II.  being  on  the  throne  and 
the  public  exercise  of  the  Catholic  Religion  restored,  a  Synod  of  the 
Province  of  Dublin  was  convened  and  celebrated  with  the  due 

*  The  Acts  of  the  Provincial  .Synod  here  referred  to  as  having  been  held  at 
Dublin,  sometime  between  October,  1623,  and  July,  1640,  have  not  been  handed 
down  to  us. 


254  APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST. 

formalities  at  Dublin,  the  Archbishop,  Patrick  Russell,  presiding,  and 
all  the  Suffragan  Bishops  and  also  the  Representatives  of  the 
respective  Diocesan  Chapters  being  present.  The  following  Decrees 
were  enacted  at  this  Synod  : — 

1.  St.  Laurence  O'Toole,  Archbishop  of  Dublin  being,  not  only  the 
General  Patron  of  the  entire  Province,  but  also  the  special  Patron  of 
the  City  and  Diocese  of  Dublin,  it  was  enacted  that  his  Feast,  falling 
on  the  14th  of  November,  was  in  future  to  be  celebrated  as  one  of 
Precept,  in  the  City  and  Diocese  of  Dublin,  and  as  a  feast  of  devotion 
throughout  the  rest  of  the  Province. 

2.  It  was   similarly  enacted  that  the  Feast  of  the  Immaculate 
Conception  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary,  the  General  Patroness  of  the 
entire  Kingdom,  was  to  be  observed  as  a  Feast  of  Precept  through 
out  the  whole  Province,  and  that  consequently  all  should  on  that 
day,  abstain  from  servile  works. 

3.  In  order  to  remedy  abuses  which  had  arisen  with  regard  to  the 
celebration  of  Marriage,  it  was  ordained  that  any  priest  celebrating 
marriage  as  well  as  those  contracting  it,  unless  with  the  express  per 
mission  of  the  Ordinary  or  the  Parish  Priest,  were,  by  the  fact, 
excommunicated,  which  was  moreover  reserved  to  the  Ordinary. 

4.  The  Decrees  of  the  Council  of  Trent  were  formally  received, 
except  the  Decree  annulling  clandestine  Marriages ;  and  that  enjoin 
ing  the  conferring  of  Benefices  by  Concursus,  the  enforcement   or 
otherwise  of  this  being  left  to  the  prudence  of  the  Ordinary. 

5.  Each  Parish  Priest  was  ordered,  under  pain  of  suspension  to 
keep  Registers  of  Births,  Marriages,  and  Deaths. 

6.  For  the  future  no  chalices  were  to  be  consecrated  unless  they 
were  composed  of  gold  or  silver. 

7.  To  guard  against  irreverence  and  to  remove  abuses  arising  from 
the  celebration  of  Mass  in  the  open  air  and  in  unsuitable  places,  it 
was  ordained,  that  in  future  each  Parish  Priest  should  have  within 
his  parish  an  Oratory  for  the  decent  celebration  of  the  Holy  Sacrifice. 

8.  That  when  the  third  prayer  in  the  Mass  should  be  ad  libitum, 
it  was  desirable  that  the  celebrant  should  frequently  select  the  prayer 
Pro  liege ;  at  other  times,  that  the  prayer  Et  famulos  tuos,  etc.,  be 
added,  after  the  last  Post-Communion. 

9.  Forbade  any  Catholic  to  be  present  at  Protestant  service,  or  to 
assist  as  sponsor  for  Protestants,  or  to  contract  Marriage  before  a 
Protestant  clergyman  ;  anyone  acting  to  the  contrary  was  to  under 
stand  that  he  incurred  the  guilt  of  a  grievous  sin  which  was  reserved 
to  the  Ordinary. 

10.  Every  secular  priest,  being  in  danger  of  death,  was  directed 
to  make  his  Will,  and  to  appoint  a  secular  priest  of  his  own  Diocese 
as  Executor,  with  whom,  if  he  pleased,  he  might  associate  one  or 
more  laics. 

11.  Regulated  the  Mass  to  be  said  on  the  Festival  of  St.  Patrick. 

12.  Re-enacted   a    previous   Decree   inflicting   excommunication 
against  raptores  feminarum,  and  all  who  should  in  any  way  aid  or  abet 
the  same. 


APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST.  255 

13.  All  who  should  neglect  compliance  with  the  Paschal  Precept, 
after  three  admonitions,  were  to  be  publicly  excluded  from  the  con 
gregation  until  they  did  penance  and  publicly  acknowledged  their 
crime.     Should  they  continue  impenitent,  they  were  to  be  excom 
municated  at  the  will  of  the  Ordinary. 

14.  Any  Priest,  secular  or  regular,  even  though  acting  as  chaplain 
to  the  nobility,  presuming  to  invade  the  privilege  of  the  Pastor  by 
administering  the  Paschal  Communion,  without  having  obtained  the 
express  permission  of  said  Parish  Priest  or  of  the  Ordinary,  was  ipso 
facto  suspended,  and  also  subject  to  further  punishment  at  the  will 
of  the  Ordinary. 

15.  Any  Parish  Priest  who  had  not  obtained  formal  Institution, 
was  ordered  to  apply  for  same  within  six  months  from  the  date  of  the 
publication  of  this  Decree;  otherwise  he  was  to  be  deposed. 

16.  Declared  that  it  was  not  permissible  to  celebrate  Mass  in  the 
private  houses  of  the  nobility,  or  of  others,  without  the  express  leave 
of  the  Ordinary.     The  enforcement  of  this  Decree  was  left  to  the 
discretion  of  the  Ordinary. 

The  Acts  of  this  Synod  conclude  with  a  confirmation  of  those  also 
passed  at  the  Synods  previously  held  at  Kilkenny,  in  1614,  and  at 
Tyrcogir,  in  1640,  and  enjoin  on  those  concerned,  the  speedy  execu 
tion  of  those  Decrees. 

Patritius  Russell,  Archiepiscopus  Dubliniensis,  Hiberniae 

Primas. 

Jacobus  Felan,  Episcopus  Ossoriensis. 
Lucas  Waddingus,  Episcopus  Fernensis. 
Edvardus  Wesley,  Episcopus  Kildariensiset  Administrator 
Laghliniensis. 

Quibus  astiterunt  tanquam  Theologi  deputati  Capitulorum  :— 
D.  Edmundus  Duin,  pro  Capitulo  Dubliniensi. 
D.  Gulielmus  Daton,  Decanus  Ossoriensis,pro.  Cap.  Oss.^ 
D.  Michael  Rossiter,  pro.  Cap.  Fern  :  Vicarius  Generalis. 
D.  Jacobus  Russell,  Decanus  Dubliniensis  et  Protonotarius 

Apostolicus,  pro  Cap.  Kildariensi. 
D.  Morganus  Cavanagh,  pro  Cap  Laghliniensi. 
D.  Edvardus  Morphij,  Secretarius. 


A  Synod  of  the  Diocese  of  Dublin  was  held  on  the  10th  of  June, 
1686,  the  Archbishop,  Dr.  Eussell,  presiding,  at  which  no  less  than 
forty-one  Statutes  were  made  and  promulgated.  The  31st, — after 
enacting  that  Marriage  should,  when  convenient,  take  place  at  the 
time  of  Mass,  and  the  blessing  be  pronounced  over  the  newly- 
married  couple,  in  accordance  with  the  Rubric, — continues,  "We  will, 
moreover,  that  the  white  cloth,  symbolizing  the  Mystery  of  cohabita 
tion,  be  placed  over  the  heads  of  the  married  pair,  according  to  the 


25 G  APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST. 

ancient  custom  of  this  country.  .  .  .  Should  Mass  be  omitted, 
the  priest  is  to  recite  the  three  prayers  which  are  to  be  found  in  the 
Mass  pro  sponso  et  sponsa.  The  white  cloth  is  to  be  placed  over  the 
heads  of  the  newly-married  couple  at  the  Sanctus  of  the  Mass  and 
removed  at  the  Communion  ;  outside  of  Mass,  it  is  to  be  placed  on 
their  heads  at  the  words  :  Confirma  hoc  Deus,  etc.,  they  being  on  their 
knees ;  and  we  will  that  this  be  uniformly  observed."* 

No.  33  enacts  that  he  who  has  had  the  Cure  of  Souls  in  the 
Dioeese  of  Dublin  for  five  years,  shall  bestow  on  the  Diocese  a  silver 
Chalice  and  Pyx.  If  he  have  so  served  for  ten  years,  he  shall, 
besides  the  foregoing,  give  to  the  Diocese  a  Missal  and  a  proper  suit 
of  Vestments.  The  Bishop  shall  have  the  right  to  bestow  those 
articles  on  such  places  as  he  shall  think  proper. 

SECOND    SYNOD   OF   DUBLIN. 

A  Provincial  Synod  was  held  at  Dublin,  over  which  the  Arch' 
bishop,  Dr.  Patrick  Russell,  presided,  on  the  1st  of  August,  1688- 
Having  referred  to  the  Decree  of  the  Council  of  Trent  enjoining  the 
holding  of  Provincial  Councils  every  three  years,  and  expressed 
their  thanks  to  God  that  the  favourable  circumstances  of  the  time 
permitted  of  the  fulfilment  of  this  obligation,  the  Prelates  proceeded 
to  the  following  enactments : — 

1.  That  it  belongs  of  right  to   the  Parish  Priest  to  administer  all 
parochial  Sacraments  to  soldiers   whilst   in  garrison    unless    their 
Chaplains  shew  and  prove  a  special  privilege  to  the  contrary. 

2.  That  every  Priest  say  Mass  once  a  week  for  the  prosperity, 
health,  and  preservation  of  the   King    and    Royal  family,  and   for 
Richard,  Earl  of  Tyrconnell,  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland. 

3.  It  having  been  decreed  at  the  preceding  Provincial  Council  that 
those  who  should  neglect  the  fulfilment  of  the  Paschal  Precept  were, 
after  three  admonitions,  to  be  excommunicated ;  and  a  doubt  having 
arisen  and  having  been  submitted  for  explanation  to  this  Synod, 
namely,  when,  and  within  what  time  those  admonitions  were  to  be 
delivered.     By  the  present  Statute  it  is  determined  that  the  periods 
for  those  admonitions,  of  which  the  first  is  to  be  private,  are  the  three 
weeks  immediately  following  the  Feast  of  the  Ascension. 

4.  That   no  priest  shall  presume  to  wear  false  hair  (commonly 
called  periivigs),  without  express  leave  of  the  Ordinary,  f 

*  In  the  Or  do  ad  faciendum  sponsalla  of  the  Sarum  Manual,  the  bride  and  bride 
groom  were  directed  to  prostrate  themselves  on  the  altar-steps  after  the  Sanctus 
and  four  clerics  were  to  hold  a  cloth  over  them  by  the  four  corners,  unless  either 
of  them  had  received  the  nuptial  blessing-  before.  The  prayer  over  them  was  to 
be  said  by  the  priest  after  the  fraction  of  the  Host,  but  before  the  Pax  Domini. 
After  the  Agnus  Dei  the  cloth  was  removed,  the  married  couple  rose,  and  the 
bridegroom  received  the  Pax  from  the  priest,  and  gave  it  to  the  bride  "  kissing 
her  and  no  one  else,  neither  he  nor  she.' '  Prohibetur  et  reprobatur  usus  veli  albi 
explicandi  super  sponsos.  S.  Congr.  Rit.  7  Sept.,  1850,  in  Rupellen. 

•\  This  law  must  have  soon  fallen  into  dissuetude.     The  absurd  fashion  of  wear 


APPENDIX   TO  PART  FIRST.  257 

5.  That  each  Ordinary  is  free  to  dispense,  for  a  just  cause,  in  each 
and   every   Statute   enacted   at  this   and   all   previous  Provincial 
Councils  held  in  this  Province,  provided  it  be  done  only  in  respect  of 
their  own  subjects  and  within  the  limits  of  their  respective  Dioceses. 

6.  That  each  Parish  Priest  explain  some  one  point  of  the  Christian 
Doctrine,  or  address  a  short  exhortation,  each  Sunday  to  the  people, 
immediately  after  the  Gospel,  under  pain  of  suspension. 

7.  That  the  Statutes  of  the  previous  Provincial  Synods  of  Kilkenny, 
Tyrcogir,  and  Dublin,  are  hereby  ratified  and  confirmed. 

Patritius  Russell,  Archiepiscopus  Dull.  Hiberniae  Prim. 
Jacobus  Felan,  Episcopus  Ossoriensis. 
Quibus  adstiterunt  procuratores  a  Capitulis  deputati  :— 
Jacobus  Eussell,  Decanus  Dubliniensis. 
Gulielmus  Daton,  Decanus  Ossoriensis,  pro  Capit :  Ossor. 
Bernardus  Molloij,  Ficarius  Generalis,  pro  Capit :  Kildar. 
Conallus  Moms,  Ficarius  Generalis,  pro  Capit :  Laughlin. 
Jacobus  Prendergast,  Deputatus  a  Capit :  Fernensi. 
Edwardus  Murphy,  Sacretarius, 


EXILED   PRIESTS   OF  KILDARE  AND   LEIGHLIN. 

From  State  Papers,  Ireland,  Anno  1621. 

In  a  List  of  Irish  Ecclesiastics  exiled  for  the  Catholic  Faith' and 
maintained  by  Cardinal  de  Sourdis,  Archbishop  of  Bordeaux,  are  the 
following : — 

Father  Michael  Rothus,  Priest,  Theologian,  Kildare. 

Father  Walter  Geralderip,  Priest,  Theologian  and  Abbe,  Kildare. 

Father  Yitus  (White  ?)  Priest,  Casuist,  Kildare. 

Father  Kichard  Gerrott,  Priest,  Casuist,  Kildare. 

Father  Thomas  Eustace,  Kildare. 

Father  Thomas  Eustace,  Kildare,  (2nd  entry). 

Father  Claude  Nersui,  Leighlin. 

CHURCH  SITES  IN  DIOCESE  OF  KILDARE 

A  List  of  the  sites  of  the  ancient  Parish  Churches,  and  of  the  Chapels, 
in  the  Diocese  of  Kildare  ;  drawn  up  for  Father  Colgan,  O.S.F.,  Author 
of  the  "  Ada  Sanctorum  Hibernian"  etc.,  by  Dr.  Roche  MacGeoghegan, 
Bishop  of  Kildare,  1629-1644.  [The  modern  names,  as  farjis  they 
could  be  ascertained,  are  added  in  Italics.] 

ing  wigs  without  any  need  for  doing  so,  prevailed  up  to  the  commencement  of 
the  present  century.  Many  are  familiar  with  the  portraits,  so  frequently  met 
with  in  the  houses  of  old  Catholic  families,  of  some  of  the  distinguished  ecclesi 
astics  of  those  times,— the  Venerable  Dr.Betagh,  the  Eev.  Arthur  O'Leary,  etc., 
figuring  in  all  the  glories  of  full-bottomed  wigs.  The  author  of  Irish  Wits  and 
Worthies  tells  that  "  Dr.  Betagh  wore  a  remarkable  looking  bob-wig,  which, 
after  his  death  fell  into  the  hands  of  Dr.  MacKeever,  by  whom  a  few  years  ago 
it  was  presented  to  the  nuns  of  George' s-hill  Convent,  where  it  is  now  preserved 
as  a  sacred  relic." — p.  146. 

B 


258  APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST. 

DECANATUS   KILDARIENSIS. 

Ecclesiae  Parochiaks : — 
Ecclesia  Cathedralis  Kildariensis. 
"      de  Tully.     Parish  of  Kildare. 
„       Dunona.     Dunany,  P.  of  Monasterevan. 
„       Dunmurry.     Dunmurry,  P.  of  Kildare. 

Ballyknavin.     Knavenstown,  P.  of  Kildare. 
„       de  Loaghagh.     Lackagh,  P.  of  Monasterevan. 
„       de  Balle  Thomas.    Thomastown,  P,  of  Kildare. 
„       Rathangan. 

„       de  Balle-nowlan,     Ballynowlan,  W  of  Eathangan. 
„       Clunsast.     Clonsast,  P.  of  Cloribullogue. 

Maglyhy,  sive  de  Clun .  .  .   Moyligh,  Bar.  Cookstown,  King's 

County. 

„       de  Cluncurry.     Clonewrry,  P.  of  Kildare. 
„       de  ffithcullyn.     Feighcullen,  P.  of  Allen. 
„       de  Eathernine.     Rathernon,  P.  of  Allen. 
„       Karmaog.     Kilmaogue,  P.  of  Allen. 
„       Ballypollard.     Pollardstown,  P.  of  Allen. 
„      Ballymoristanvillar.     Morristown-Biller,  P.  of  Newbridge. 
„       Athgarvan.     P.  of  Newbridge. 
„       Bally  sax.     P.  of  Suncroft. 
„       Bally  sonan.     Bally  shannon,  P.  of  Suncroft. 
„       Kilurigh.     Perhaps  Kilrush,  P.  of  Suncroft. 
„       de  Urny:     Nurny,  P.  of  Monasterevan. 

Bolathbroakaine.     BattybracJcen,  P.  of  Monasterevan. 
,,       Bally houry.     Harristown,  P.  of  Monasterevan. 
„       Monasteriensis.     Monasterevan. 
„       de  Log.     Ley,  P.  of  Portarlington. 
„       de  Cuilbaonchoir.     Coolbanagher,  P.  of  Emo. 

Capellae : — 
Capella  S.  Brigidae,  Kildarise. 

„       de  Eathbride.     P.  of  Allen. 

„       de  Knocknagallaogh.     P.  of  Kildare. 

„       de  Killorais,  Sti.  Laurentii.     Kilrush,  P.  of  Suncroft. 

„       S.  Michaelis  de  Ballyellis.     Ellistown,  P.  of  Kildare. 

„       de  Killoshair.     Not  identified. 

„       alia    ibidem   dicta   Teampull-anure.      Bally nure.   N.W.   of 

Eathangan. 

„       de  Grainsoach-clare.     Grangeclare. 
„       de  Kilmugny.     Kilmony,  P.  of  Eathangan. 
„       Teampul-na-Sumai,  (vel  Suimai)  juxta  Eathangan.    Probably 

Kiltahane. 

„       Prope  Cuilangogaine.     Coolygagan,  N.  W.  ofRathangan. 
„       Insulae  S.  Bamchani  juxta  Dyre-na-mullyn.      Derrymullen, 

P.  of  Allen. 

„       de  Clunmore.     Clonmore,  P  of  Clonbullogue. 
„       de  Cuasan  Caoimgin.     (Kevin's  Grot.)     Not  identified. 


APPENDIX  TO  PART  FIRST.  259 

Capella  de  Clunbolge.     Clonbullogue. 
„       de  Lullymore.     P.  of  Kildare. 
„      S.  Patritii  in  alonia  de  Carrickmore.      Cross-Patrick  P.  of 

Allen. 

„       de  Ballymuillyn.     Milltown,  P.  of  Allen. 
„       de  Came.     Carna,  P.  of  Suncroft. 
„       de  Ballemanny.     Bally manny,  P  of  Newbridge. 
„       de  Ballynamona.     Perhaps  the  Yewtree,  P.  of  Monasterevan. 
„       de  Ballevalter.     Walter stoivn,  probably  in  P.  of  Allen. 
„       Stae  Brigidae  quae  dicitur  Gill  Brigidae.     Kilbride. 
„       de  Kildaigan.     KUdangan,  P.  of  Monasterevan. 
„       deTyrchogar.     Tierhogar,  P.  of  Portarlington. 
„       quae  dicitur  Teampull-mic-andamna.     Perhaps  Ballyadan  P 

of  Emo. 

„       de  Kilmolahyne.     Killmullen,  P.  of  Portarlington. 
„       Sti  Joannis  Baptisfcae  de  Imo.     Emo. 
„       Stae  Brigidae  de  Moyrgath.     Morett,  P.  of  Emo. 
„       de  Kilmoynan.     Kilmainham,  P.  of  Mountmellick 
„       de  Kilmon  .  .  . 

„       de  Portnhynsy.     PortnMnJi,  P.  of  Mm 
„       de  Dyrrenly.     Derrylea,  P.  of  Monasterevan. 
Ccemeteria,  ab  Ecclesiis  disjuncta : — 

„         de  Balle-brune.     Brownstown. 

„         de  Crockanillar.     Crochanelia,  or  rather,  Grlanmagho,  P.  of 
Monasterevan. 

„         de  Kill-balle-barruin.     Barronstown,  P.  of  Allen. 

„         de  Kilnoanloigue.     Perhaps  Kilmalogue,  P.  of  Portarlington. 

„         de  Killroabain. 

„         da  Inis.     Probably  the  Wdsh  Island. 

DECANTUS   NASSENSIS. 
Ecclesiae  Parochiales : — 
Ecclesia  Sti  Davidis  de  Nasse.     Naas. 

„       de  Fornoghts.     Forenaughts,  P.  of  Kill 

„       Sti  Joannis  Baptistae,Villae  S.  Joannis.  Johnstown,P.  o 

,.       Sti  Laurentii  de  Ballakerdiss.     Kerdiffstown,  P.  of  Kill 

„       de  Sheir-logs-town.     Sherloclcstown,  P.  of  Kill. 

„       de  Balliboudon.     Bodenstown,  P.  of  Kill. 

„       Templi  albi.     Whitechurch,  P.  of  Kill. 

„       deKilly.    Kill. 

„       Stae  Mariae  de  Lyons.     Lyons,  P.  of  Kill. 

„       de  Killysy.    Killishee,  P.  of  Newbridge. 

„       de  Carnalua.     Carnalway,  P.  of  Newbridge. 

„       de  Ballenamnamatha. 

„       de  Seanchanail.     Old  Conall,  P.  of  Newbridge. 
Capellae : — 
Capella  Stae  Trinitatis  de  Naas. 

„      de  Higginstown.     Hainestown,  P.  of  Kill. 


260  APPENDIX   TO   PART  FIRST. 

Capella  de  Ladycastle.     P.  of  Kill 
„       de  Bishopscourt.     P.  of  Kill. 
„       de  Ballevartine. 

DECANATUS  KILLIHENSIS. 
JScclesiae  Parochiales . — 
Ecclesia  Stae  Brigidae  de  Rossanollis.     Eosenallis. 

„       Sti  Finnani  de  Royramore.     Rerymore^  P.  of  Clonaslee. 

„       de  Kilmanman.     P.  of  Clonaslee. 

„       Stae  Mariae  de  Castlebroak.     Castlebrack>  P.  of  Mountmellich 

„       S*i  DanieKs*  de  Killyhy.     Killeigh. 

„      Sti  Columbani  de  Gluinyhorke.    Clonyhurke. 

}J       de  Urny,  sive  Ballycunneen.     Urny,  P.  of  Killeigh. 

„       Sti  Coualli  de  Balleantoampuill.     Ballintemple,  P.  of  Clon- 

lullogue. 

„       Stae  Mariae  de  Geshill.     Geashill: 

„       Stae  Brigidae  de  Ballycomain.     Battycomrwn,  P.  of  Philips- 
town. 

„       de  Killadurry.     Killaderry,  near  Philipstown. 
„       Sti  Colmani  de  Kilclunfoart.     Kildonfert,  P.  of  Pliilipstown. 
„       Sti  Patritii  de  Cruoghain.     Groghan. 
},       de  Ballemac William.     Ballymacwilliam,  P.  ofPJwde. 
„       Sti  Michaelis  de  Ballevirly.     Ballybwrley,  P.  of  Rlwde. 
„       de  Ballenakilly.     Battinakill,  P.  of  Edenderry. 
„       de  Monistereffiuris.    Monasteroris,  P.  of  Edenderry. 
Capellae : — 
Capella  de  Killurine.     Killurine,  P  of  Killeigh. 

„      de  Broakluain.     Bracldone,  P.  of  Portarlington. 

„      Sti  Joannis  Baptistae  de  Toberdala.     Toberdaly,  P.  of  Rhode. 

„      Sti  Colmani  de  Ballenacilly.     Ballynakill,  P.  of  Mountmellick. 

„      de  Ba%kein.     JBallylcean,  P.  of  Killeigh. 

„      quae  vocatur  Teampull  Firtu,  in  Parochia  de  Clonehorke. 

„      dicta  Teampull  Seanaide,  Parochiae  de  Nurny.  P.  of  Killeigh. 

„      dicta  Kilmalmoge  ejusdem    Parochiae.     Kilmalogue,    P.  of 

Portarlington. 

„      de  Killerane,  in  Parochia  de  Bally  commaine.     P.  of  Philips- 
town. 
„      Sanctimonialium  de  Killyhy.    Nunnery  Chapelt  Killeigh. 

DECANATUS  CLAONENSIS. 

Ecdeslae  Parochiales : — 
Ecclesia  Claonensis.     Clane. 

„      Templi  Stae  Brigidae.     Brideschurch^  near  Sallins. 
„       Stae  Mariae  de  Koarhnagh.     Caragh. 

„      Sti  Joannis  Baptistae  de  Koalla-bogga.     KUlybegst  P.    of 
Caragh. 

*  This  is  most  probably  in  mistake  for  Dasenchels,  "the  two  Senchells,"  the 
Patron  Saints  of  Killeigh. 


APPENDIX   TO  PART  FIRST.  261 

Ecclesia  Sti  Ffearanani,  vel  Fferrarrani  de  Dunings,  vel  Dunpesan. 

Downings. 

„  Stae  Mariae  de  Moyna.    Mainham,  P.  ofClane. 

„  Sti  Muchuo  de  Barryn.     Balrahin,  P:  ofClane. 

„  Sti  Galli*  de  Kilcoke.     KilcocL 

„  Sti  Germanide  Cluenseanoo.     Clonshambo,  P.  of  KilcocL 

„  Sti  Petri  de  Dunagheaha.     Dunadea,  P.  ofClane. 

„  Stae  Mariae  BallynafFayhy.     Ballinafagh,  P.  of  Clane. 

„  Sti  Kynogi  de  Tymochuo.     Timahoe,  P.  of  Clane, 

„  de  BallynaScolloigy.     Scullogstown,  P.  of  KilcocL 

„  de  Clonconnery.     Cloncurry,  P.  of  KilcocL 

„  de  Carbry.     Carberry. 

„  Ballyamoyler.     Mylerstown,  P.  ofBallyna. 

„  de  Ardchoil.     Arkhill,  P.  of  Carberry. 

„  de  Dunfeart.     Dunfierth,  P.  of  Carberry. 

„  de  Bally  macadam.     Cadamstown,  P.  ofBallyna. 

„  de  Bally naDrymny.     JBallynadrimna,P.ofBallyna. 

„  de  Killycogny.     Perhaps  Coonough,  P.  of  Carberry. 

„  de  Carrisk.     Carrick,  P.  of  Carberry. 

Capellae : — 
Capella  S.  Mariae  Magdalenae  juxta  Clane. 

„      in  Koarnogh,  juxta  fluvium  Liflfei.      Yeomanstown,   P.    of 

Caragh. 

,,      de  Ballyhingerr,  alias  Gingerstowne.    P.  of  Caragh. 
„      de  Stevenstowne.     Stephenstotvn,  near  Naas. 
„      de  Ballybarry.     Harretstoivn,  P.  of  Caragh. 
„      de  Kathcoffy.     P.  of  Clane. 
„      de  Larhagh.     Laragh,  P.  of  KilcocL 
„      de  Grangamore.     Grangemore,  P.  of  KilcocL 
„      Sti  Patritii  de  Killieghterhyey.     Kill-eighter,  P.  of  KilcocL 
„      quae  vocatur  Teampull  Domnoill  agus  Snada.     Probably 

Dunamurchill,  P  of  Clane. 
„      Tiogh-Kenyodin.     Ticknevin,  P.  of  Carberry. 


EEPOKT  ON  THE  STATE  OF  POPEEY  IN  IRELAND, 
ANNO  1731. 

"His  Grace  the  Ld.  Primate  in  the  Chair.  By  the  Lords  Com 
mittees  appointed  to  enquire  into  the  present  state  of  Popery  in  this 
Kingdom,  etc.  Die  Sabbi.  6  Die  Novris.  1731. 

"  It  is  ordered  by  the  said  Lords  Committees  that  the  High  Sheriff 
of  each  county  and  the  mayor  of  every  county  of  a  city  or  town 
within  this  Kingdom  doe  returne  to  their  Lordships  on  Monday  fort 
night  an  acct.  of  wt.  reputed  Fryerys  and  Nunnerys  are  in  their 

*  St.  Coca,  V. ,  is  the  Patron  of  Kilcock ;  the  above  seems  to  be  a  Latin  play 
upon  the  name. 


262  APPENDIX  TO   PART  FIRST. 

respective  Counties  and  Counties  of  Cities  and  Townes,  and  what 
number  of  Fryers  and  Nunns  are  reputed  to  be  in  each  of  the  said 
Nunnerys  and  Fryerys  respectively. 

"Hu.  ARMAGH." 

A  similar  order  was  addressed,  at  the  same  time,  to  the  Protestant 
Archbishops  and  Bishops. 

"  1731.  6  Dec.  Report  on  the  State  of  Popery.  The  Lords 
Committees  appointed  to  enquire  into  the  present  state  of  Popery  in 
this  Kingdom  having  for  their  better  information  therein,  ordered 
the  High  Sheriffs  of  the  several  Counties  and  the  Chief  Magistrates 
of  every  county  of  a  city  and  county  of  a  towne  within  the  Kingdom 
to  make  returns  of  the  reputed  Fryerys  and  Nunnerys  in  their 
respective  counties  and  counties  of  cities  and  counties  of  townes  and 
the  number  of  Fryers  and  Nunns  which  were  reputed  to  be  in  each 
of  said  Fryerys  and  Nunnerys  respectively,  and  the  said  Lords  Com 
mittees  having  at  the  same  time  ordered  the  Lords  the  Archbishops 
and  Bishops  to  communicate  same  to  the  several  parish  ministers  in 
their  respective  dioceses,  thereby  to  be  informed  of  the  number  of 
Mass-houses,  popish  chapels  and  the  number  of  priests  in  each  of  said 
mass-houses  and  chapels,  and  also  the  number  of  reputed  Fryerys, 
Nunnerys,  and  popish  schools  that  were  in  their  respectives  parishes. 
Upon  the  Eeturns  already  made,  their  Lordships  cannot  omit 
observing,  that  the  insolence  of  the  papists  throughout  the  nation  is 
very  great.  In  defiance  of  the  laws,  several  pretended  Popish  Arch 
bishops,  Bishops,  and  their  officials,  exercise  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction; 
great  numbers  of  Popish  priests,  particularly  monks,  fryers,  and 
Jesuits,  are  everywhere  dispersed,  to  the  great  danger  of  the  peace  of 
his  majesty's  Protestant  subjects ;  and  many  public  mass-houses, 
private  chapels  and  convents  of  fryers  and  nuns  have  been  created 
and  supported." 

The  following  Keturns,  made  by  the  Protestant  ministers  through 
out  the  Diocese  of  Kildare,  in  obedience  to  the  foregoing,  have  been 
copied  from  the  originals  preserved  in  MS.,  in  the  Public  Record 
Office,  Dublin  :— 

BALLYSAX. 

State  of  the  Parishes  of  Ballyshannon,  Ballysax,  and  the  adjacent 
parish  of  Kilrush  to  which  I  am  curate.  There  is  no  Mass-house  in 
any  of  the  aforesaid  parishes,  but  the  papists  in  each  do  resort  to  a 
place  where  Mass  is  said  in  a  neighbouring  Parish.  There  is  one 
priest  only  that  I  can  hear  of  that  takes  upon  himself  the  name  of 
Parish  Priest  of  these  parishes  and  who  says  Mass,  as  I  am  told  in 
the  neighbouring  Parish  aforesaid.  There  are  no  private  Popish 
chapels  or  reputed  Nunnerys  or  Fryarys  or  Fryars  in  any  of  said 
Parishes  that  I  can  hear  of,  nor  are  there  any  Popish  schoolmasters. 

Signed,  Ed.  Lyndon. . 

DUNADA. 

I  find  that  my  parish  of  Dunada,  not  being  able  to  support  a 


APPENDIX   TO   PAET   FIRST.  263 

Priest,  has  always  been  annext  to  the  Parish  of  Clane,  where  one 
Kedagh  Molloy  lives  and  has  held  it  these  forty  years.  He  says 
Mass  in  the  Parish  of  Dunada,  sometimes  at  one  house,  sometimes  at 
another,  but  there  is  neither  Mass-house,  private  chapel,  nunnery, 
fryary  or  Popish  school  (that  I  know  of)  in  that  parish.  In  my 
parish  of  Balrahin  Francis  Dillon  lives  and  has  been  the  Parish  Priest 
these  ten  years.  There  is  a  private  Popish  chapel  at  Rathcoffy  in 
ye  said  Parish,  where  he  constantly  officiates,  and  no  other  Mass- 
house,  nunnery  or  Fryary  or  popish  school.  These  Kedagh  Molloy 
and  Francis  Dillon  are  the  only  Popish  priests  that  officiate  in  my 
parishes,  (the  parishes  are  very  small),  that  I  have  heard  of: 

Signed,        8.  Winter,  (Dean). 

CLANE. 

1st.  There  are  three  Mass-houses  in  my  parishes,  one  at  Clane,  one 
in  Menham,  and  one  in  Clonshamboe. 

2.  The  said  three  Mass-houses  were  built,  as  I  am  informed,  since 
the  first  year  of  King  George  1st. 

3.  One  priest  officiates  constantly  in  each  Mass-house,  and  some 
times  ten  or  twelve  priests  at  Menham,  upon  solemn  occasions. 

4.  There  is  no  private   Popish  chappel  in  any  of  my  parishes 
except  one  at  Castlebrown  in  Menham. 

5.  There  is  no  nunnery  nor  Fryary  in  any  of  my  parishes. 

6.  There  are  three  Popish  schools,  one  at  Clane,  one  in  Menham, 
and  one  in  Clonshamboe. 

Dated,  Clane,  27th  Nov.  1731.  John  Daniel 

BALLYSCULLOGUE. 

Ballyscullogue  hath  no  chapel  or  Mass-house,  nunnery,  or  Fryary 
or  Popish  schoolmasters,  but  public  Mass  is  said  on  Sundays  by 
Andrew  Egan,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  John  FitzGerald,  Ballynafah. 
Hath  no  nunnery,  Fryary  or  school,  nor  private  chapel,  but  they  are 
building  a  Mass-house,  and  Kedagh  Molloy  is  their  Parish  Priest. 

Nov.  15th,  1731.  Thos.  Baylie,  Vic*.,  Kilcock. 

KILCOCK. 

Kilcock  hath  a  Mass-house  built  before  the  reign  of  his  late 
Majesty,  King  George.  One  Murphy  is  lately  come  there  and 
officiates  as  Parish  Priest.  I  suppose  his  Christian  name  is  Luke, 
but  could  not  be  certainly  informed.  There  is  another  who  goes  by 
the  name  of  Father  Waldrum  Kelly,  who  lives  at  Mr.  Keddy's,  but 
whether  he  officiates  publicly  or  privately  I  cannot  tell.  No  fryary, 
Nunnery,  schoolmaster,  nor  private  chapel. 

Cloncurry  hath  a  Mass-house  as  old  as  Kilcock,  is  served  by 
Andrew  Egan,  a  Popish  Priest.  There  is  another,  called  John 
Cormick,  who  says  private  Masses  in  their  familys.  There  is  here  no 
popish  chapel,  Fryary  nor  Nunnery,  but  one  Patrick  Kyly,  a  Popish 
schoolmaster,  teacheth  young  children  English. 

Thos.  Baylie,  Vic?.,  Kilcock. 


264  APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST. 

CARBRY  AND  KILREANY. 

There  are  in  the  Parish  of  Carbry  and  Kilreany  and  the  Parishes 
thereunto  united  six  reputed  Mass-houses,  each  of  them  built  since 
the  reign  of  King  George  1st.  There  are  three  Priests,  viz.: — John 
Delahunty,  Lewis  Dempsy,  and  Robert  Cormack,  who  publicly  reside 
in  said  parishes  and  officiate  in  each  of  the  aforesaid  Mass-houses. 
'Tis  moreover  common  for  other  young  priests  and  Fryars  to  perform 
their  services  in  private  familys,  making  their  abode  for  sometime 
with  them  to  cultivate  and  improve  them  in  the  principles  ot  their 
religion.  These  are  likewise  frequently  admitted  by  the  said  Priests 
to  officiate  in  their  chapels,  where  they  appear  as  mendicants  in 
order  to  obtain  money  from  the  several  inhabitants  for  the  main 
tenance  and  support  of  themselves  and  the  Fryaries  which  they  have 
in  some  of  the  adjacent  Parishes.  There  are  in  the  aforesaid 
Parishes  five  Popish  schools  wherein  the  children  of  Popish  parents 
are  carefully  educated. 

Clonmeen,  Dec.  ye  10th,  1731.  Thos.  Heany. 

CAROGH. 

There  is  a  large  Mass-house  within  a  few  yards  of  the  church  of 
Carogh  and  another  large  one  close  upon  the  high  road  in  the  parish 
of  Downings,  within  less  than  two  miles  of  the  other.  The  former 
repaired  and  the  latter  built  since  the  1st  year  of  King  George  1st; 
both  served  by  one  Noon  or  Nooney,  the  reputed  Parish  Priest  of 
Carogh.  Many  Fryars  are  said  to  come  preach  in  them.  Besides 
this,  there  is  a  private  Popish  chapel  in  the  house  at  Yeomanstown 
in  the  Parish  of  Carogh,  within  half  a  mile  of  the  Church,  said  to  be 
constantly  served  by  another  person  whose  name  I  do  not  know.  I 
know  no  reputed  Nunnery  in  the  parish  or  Union  of  Carogh,  but 
there  is  a  house  on  Captain  Eustace's  land  of  Yeomanstown,  in  the 
Parish  of  Carogh,  and  within  less  than  half  a  mile  of  the  Church, 
which  goes  by  the  name  of  the  Fryary  of  Carogh,  and  has  usually 
been  said  to  be  inhabited  by  Fryars.  How  many  are  now  in  it  I 
cannot  certainly  tell.  There  is  a  Popish  school  constantly  kept  in 
the  Mass-house  by  the  Church  of  Carogh.  I  know  no  Mass-house, 
private  Popish  chapel,  Fryary,  nunnery,  nor  Popish  school  in  the 
Parish  of  Brideschurch.  Given  under  my  hand,  this  4th  Novr.,  1731. 

Adam  Lyndon,  Vic*1,  of  Carogh,  &c. 

CASTROPETRE. 

There  is  no  Mass-house  established  publicly  in  this  parish,  but  one 
priest  settled,  of  what  order  I  cannot  tell,  not  registered,  who  cele 
brates  Mass  after  a  private  manner.  There  are  no  private  fixed 
Popish  chappels  nor  reputed  nunnerys  or  Fryarys ;  no  Fryars,  to  the 
best  of  my  knowledge,  or  nuns.  Of  Popish  schoolmasters  but  three, 
who  only  teach  the  English  tongue.  Dated,  Wednesday,  Novr.  7th, 
1731.  Willm-  Rous,  Curate  of  Castropetre  ali  Monsteroris. 

NEWBRIDGE. 

As  it  was  doubtless  ye  intention  of  ye  Lords  to  have  their  order 


APPENDIX  TO  PART   FIRST.  265 

thoroughly  answered,  I  could  not,  till  this  week,  give  ye  return 
required,  having  been  in  search  of  a  Popish  schoolmaster  whose  name 
I  was,  but  yesterday,  informed  of.  I  am  now  able  to  answer  your 
Lordship's  commands  by  letting  you  know  that  there  are  two  Masters 
of  that  religion  in  the  Parishes  of  Great  and  Old  Connell  whose 
names  are  Bryan  Connor  and  Denis  Norton.  There  is  also  a  Mass- 
house  in  the  former  Parish,  erected  near  a  year  since,  instead  of  one 
which  I  hadpull'd  down,  it  standing  in  the  direct  road  to  my  church 
and  not  far  from  it:  This  new  one  adjoins  Newbridge,  and,  I 
believe,  hath  been  built  larger. 

Naas,  Deer,  ye  9th,  1731.  John  Spnng. 

MONASTEREVAN. 

I  have  made  a  strict  enquiry  and  cannot  find  that  there  are  any 
Popish  chapels,  reputed  Nunnerys,  Fryarys,  or  Popish  schoolmasters 
in  the  Parishes  of  Harristown,  Kelbracken  or  Monasterevan. 
Novr.  27th,  1731.  Philip  Ilerneley. 

}  Anthony  Higgins,  Priest,  Eoger  Heffer- 
In  the  Pushes  of         I  n         p     igh    Bchoolmaster  ;  no   Mass- 
Kildonfert  and  Killaderry.  j  housC)  Fryarv  Qr  Nunnery. 

Parish  of         \  Thomas  Nugent,  Priest,  one  Mass-house,  built 
Ballymackwilliam  }  about  four  years  since.    No  Fryary  or  nunnery. 
Parish  of)  Kedagh  Molloy,  Priest,  with  Andrew  Egan,  Curate  ;  no 
Timahoe  J  Mass-house,  Fryary  or  Nunnery. 
24th  Nov.,  1731.  Willm.  Preston,  Vicar  of  Killaderry. 


KILL. 

Return,  etc.,  within  the  United  Parishes  of  the  Vicarage  of  Kill 
and  Rectory  of  Lyons.  One  Mass-house  at  Painstown  in  the  Parish 
of  Kill,  erected  in  the  year  1724  ;  a  school  kept  in  said  Mass-house, 
and  another  at  Clownings  within  the  said  Parish.  One  Mass-house 
in  Lyons,  built  before  the  reign  of  King  George  I.  ;  no  Popish  school; 
one  Popish  Priest,  John  Doyle,  (the  received  Parish  Priest)  only 
officiates,  as  I  can  hear,  in  both  the  said  Chapels.  Four  other  Popish 
Priests,  whose  Christian  names  I  know  not,  have  settled  in  the  said 
parishes  this  year,  viz.  :—  Bathe,  a  reputed  Jesuit,  says  Mass  and 
teacheth  in  a  private  family  at  Oughteraard,  Mara's  Castlewarden,  m 
the  said  Parish  of  Kill,  McDonough,  Hegan,  Ellis,  lead  a  rambling 
life  and  marry  Protestants  and  Papists.  Fryarys  and  nunnerys,  none. 

Popish  Bishops  hadpublick  Confirmation  in  ye  said  Mass-house  m 
July  last.  The  number  of  Protestants  within  the  said  Parishes 
amounts  to  about  Eighty,  Papists,  to  above  Eight  hundred,  by  a 
computation  made  by  me  two  years  since  in  visiting  every  family. 

Nov.  16th,  1731.  John  Christian,  Vicr  of  Kill. 

ALLEN. 

In  the  Parish  of  Kilmaoge  there's  a  Mass-house,  built  since  the  1st 
year  of  King  George  I.,  one  officiating  Popish  Priest  m  the  Wood  of 
Allen  in  the  said  Parish,  a  Fryary  of  three  or  four  Fryars. 


266  APPENDIX  TO   PART  FIRST. 

In  the  Parishes  of  Rathernon  and  Cures  of  Fournaghts  and 
Hainstown,  neither  Popish  Priest,  Mass-house,  Nunnery,  Fryary, 
Private  Chappell,  or  Popish  school  that  I  can  hear  of. 

In  the  Revd-  Charles  Meredith's  Parish  of  Fecullin,  there  no  Popish 
service,  no  Mass-house,  &c. 

In  the  Revd-  George  Sandford's  Parishes  of  Pollardstown,  Dun- 
murry,  Thomastown;  there  is  neither  Popish  Priest,  Mass-house, 
Fryary,  Nunnery,  Private  Chappell  or  Popish  school,  that  I  can  hear 
of.  John  Harvey. 

LEA,   LACKAGH,   AND   KILDINGAN. 

In  the  Parish  of  Lea,  in  the  Queen's  County  and  Dioceses  of 
Kildare,  there  is  one  Mass-house  only,  built  above  forty  years  ago, 
supply'd  but  by  one  Priest.  In  the  said  Parish  there  is  neither  any 
private  Popish  Chappel,  reputed  Nunnery,  nor  Fryary,  and  but  one 
Popish  school. 

In  the  Parish  of  Lackagh,  in  the  County  and  Diocess  of  Kildare, 
there  is  only  one  Mass-house,  built  about  two  years  ago,  supply'd  by 
one  Priest.  No  private  Popish  Chappel  here  j  no  reputed  Nunnery, 
nor  Fryary,  nor  Popish  school. 

In  the  Parish  of  Kildingan,  in  the  County  and  Diocess  of  Kildare, 
there  is  no  Mass-house  built ;  but  the  Priest  of  Lackagh  aforesaid 
says  Mass  often  at  the  Back  of  an  old  Castle  here.  There  is  in  this 
Parish  no  Private  Popish  Chappel,  no  reputed  Nunnery,  Fryary  nor 
Popish  school.  As  witness  my  hand.  Die  Martis,  23  die  Novbris. 
1731.  Richd-  Foxcroft,  Vicar  of  the  above  Parishes. 

NAAS. 

Mass  is  constantly  celebrated  in  every  Parish  of  my  Union  except 
Bally manny,  where,  as  I  am  told,  the  people  resort  to  a  Mass-house 
lately  erected  near  Newbridge  in  the  Parish  of  Old  Connell. 

In  Naas,  Mass  is  said  within  the  ruins  of  an  old  Abbey ;  in  other 
places  in  some  cabbin  or  under  a  shed  at  the  back  of  a  ditch. 

There  is  a  reputed  Priest  who  officiates  in  each  place,  but  un 
registered  and  unlawful. 

There  has  been  no  Publick  Mass-house  built  in  my  Union  since  the 
first  year  of  the  reign  of  King  George  the  first;  Fryars  are  said 
frequently  to  assist  the  several  Priests  and  Preach  to  the  people. 

Several  Fryaries  are  said  to  be  erected  in  my  neighbourhood,  but 
none  that  I  know  of  within  my  Union.  Popish  schools  are  in  every 
Parish,  but  no  Nunnery  in  the  neighbourhood  that  I  know  of. 
Given  under  my  hand  this  Hth  day  of  Novr.  1731. 

H.  Raddiff,  Vicr.  of  Naas,  etc. 

NURNEY,  WALTERSTOWN,   DUNENY,   AND  KILDARE. 

In  the  Parishes  of  Nurney,  Walterstown,  and  Duneny  there  is 
neither  Mass-house  nor  private  Popish  Chappel,  no  Popish  school, 
no  reputed  Nunnery  or  Fryary.  The  Priest  of  these  Parishes  lives 
in  the  Parish  of  Kildingin,  where  he  has  a  Mass-house,  and  there 
ye  people  of  my  Parishes  go  to  heare  Mass. 


APPENDIX  TO  PART  FIRST.  267 

In  the  Parish  of  Kildare  there  is  a  Mass-house,  and  the  present 
Priest  being  an  old  infirm  man,  has  lately  got  a  coadjutor,  but  there 
is  no  private  Popish  Chappel,  no  Popish  school,  no  reputed  Nunnery, 
or  Fryary.  I  am  told  that  Itinerant  Fryars  often  preach  here.  In 
the  Parish  of  Tully  there  is  neither  Mass-house  nor  private  Popish 
Chappel,  no  Popish  school,  no  reputed  Nunnery  or  Fryary.  The 
people  of  this  Parish  hear  Mass  at  Kildare,  the  Priest  of  Kildare 
being  Priest  of  Tully  also. 

Kildare,  Nov.  ye  13th,  1731.  Thos.  Thornton. 

PRIMULT. 

In  the  Parish  of  Primult  there  is  but  one  reputed  Mass-house,  built 
since  ye  reign  of  King  George  ye  ffirst,  wherein  only  one  Priest 
commonly  officiates. 

There  is  no  private  Popish  Chappel,  no  reputed  Fryary,  no  re 
puted  nunnery,  no  Popish  school. 

John  Gibbin,  Kectr.  of  Primult. 

RATHANGAN  AND  CLONMORE. 

I  know  of  but  two  reputed  Mass-houses  in  my  Parishes,  one  at 
Eathangan,  wherein  ye  Priest  of  Kildare  officiates,  which  has  been 
built  (as  I  am  informed)  above  thirty  years ;  the  other  at  Clonmore 
in  ye  Parish  of  Clonsast,  wherein  one  Patrick  Gerarty  officiates, 
which  has  been  built  within  these  six  years,  but  was  utterly  destroyed 
by  the  late  storm  and  flood. 

As  to  private  Popish  Chappels,  Eeputed  Nunnerys  and  Fryarys. 
Fryers,  nuns  and  Popish  schools,  I  bless  God  I  don't  believe  thereis, 
one  of  either  in  my  Parishes,  since  the  last  Session  of  Parliament.  I 
have  heard  of  a  great  many  Fryers  of  severall  Orders  rambling  about 
ye  neighbourhood,  but  they  never  had  an  abode  in  these  parts,  and 
of  late  they  have  absconded. 

Purefoy's  Place,  Nov.  ye  18th,  1731.  Boyle  Travers. 

ROSENALLIS  AND  COOLBANAGHER. 

In  the  Parish  of  Rosenallis  there  are  four  Mass-houses,  two  of 
which  were  built  since  the  1st  year  of  King  George  1st,  all  are  sup 
plied  by  one  Lawlor  and  two  Curates,  viz.: — Dunne  and  Keenan. 
There  are  little  Irish  schoolmasters  in  many  places,  who  they  are  I 
have  not  heard.  If  there  be  any  fryars  or  nuns  they  cannot  be 
discovered. 

In  Coolbanagher  there  is  only  one  Mass-house  and  one  Priest. 
This  account  I  have  from  a  gentleman  who  is  my  agent  at  Mount- 
mellick. 

Celbridge,  Nov.  26th,  1731.  Geo.  Marlay. 


RETURN  made  on  the  same  occasion,  by  the  Protestant  Bishop  of 

Leighlin  and  Ferns. 
(From  the  Original,  preserved  in  the  Public  Record  Office,  Dublin.} 


268  APPENDIX  TO  PART  FIRST. 

AN    ACCOUNT  OF  THE  MASS-HOUSES,   POPISH   PRIESTS,   &C.,   IN    THE 
DIOCESS   OF  LEIGHLIN. 

Parish  of  Agha.  One  Mass-house,  built  1727.  No  private  Chapels, 
no  fryaries,  f ryars,  nunneries,  nuns,  1  Schoolmaster  named  Dogherty. 
1  Popish  Priest  named  Michl.  Doyle,  residing  at  Leighlin  Bridge. 

St.  Kill  and  Kill  McCahill  One  Mass-house,  no  private  chappels, 
no  fryars,  nuns  or  schoolmaster.  Priest,  Willm.  Walsh. 

Grange.  One  Mass-house,  built  1728,  no  private  chappels,  fryarys, 
nunnerys,  &c.,  no  schoolmaster.  Popish  Priest,  Eobt.  Rossiter.  The 
Friars  of  Ross  frequently  officiate  there. 

Powersto'ivn.     One  Mass-house  built  1731.     Same  Priest  (Rossiter). 
Dunleckny.     One  Mass-house. 

FennagJi.  Two  Mass-houses,  built  since  1st  year  Geo.  1st,  one 
schoolmaster,  five  Priests. 

Barragh.  One  Mass-house,  built  since  1st  year  of  Geo.  1st,  one 
Priest. 

Agliade.     One  Priest. 

Ballan.  One  Mass-house,  built  since  1st  of  Geo.  1st.,  Popish 
Priest,  FitzGerald. 

Ardristin.     One  Mass-house,  built  since  1st  of  Geo.  1st,  one  Priest. 
Gilberstown.     One  Priest. 

Lorum.  One  Mass-house,  built  since  1st  of  Geo.  1st.,  Priest, 
Charles  Rice. 

Clonegoose.  One  Mass-house,  built  long  agoe.  Priest,  Dennis 
Lyons. 

St  Molins.  One  Mass-house.  Priest,  Willm.  Jacob. 
Kiltennell.  Several  archBishops,  Bishops,  and  other  Popish  Clergy 
assembled  daily  last  Summer  for  above  a  month  together,  at  or  near 
ye  Church  of  Kiltennell,  under  pretence  of  drinking  a  spaw  water, 
where  they  convened  sevll  Persons  before  ym  and  exercised  ecclesi- 
asticall  jurisdiction. 

Clorikem.  One  Mass-house,  a  boarded  covering  in  ye  fields.  One 
schoolmaster.  P.1  Priest,  Willm  Keating. 

Clonenagh.  Two  Mass-houses,  built  since  1st  of  Geo.  1st.  3 
schoolmasters.  2  Priests. 

BallynaUll    Two  Mass-houses,  one  built  lately.    2  Schoolmasters. 
2  Priests  attending  of  ye  above  Keating. 
Ballyroane.     One  Schoolmaster. 

Burrows,  Strdbo,  Kilkenny,  (Killeny),  Kilcolmaribane.  Itinerant 
Priests  and  Fryers  frequently  officiate  in  these  parishes.  2  school 
masters,  viz.: — Tim  Dooling  and  Connor.  Priest  Willm  Lawler. 

Disertenos,  Kilted,  Kildoribrock.  One  Mass-house,  one  school 
master,  one  priest. 

Stradbally,  Fossey,  Timmoge.  One  Mass-house,  built  within  ten 
years.  1  schoolmaster ;  James  Walsh  ;  Priests,  Pat  Kelly  and  John 
Burn,  ye  sd  John  Burn  came  lately  from  France,  frequently  officiates 
in  sd  mass-houses  and  in  sevll  private  houses. 

Piathasbuck.     One  Mass-house,  1  schoolmaster,  1  Priest. 


APPENDIX  TO  PART  FIRST.  269 

Tullamoy.     Mass  in  a  Private  house.     1  schoolmaster,  1  Priest. 

Corclone,     Mass  in  ye  fields.     1  Priest. 

Killebban.  One  Mass-house,  2  Private  chappels.  4  schoolmasters, 
2  Priests.  Sevll  Itinerant  Priests  suppos'd  to  be  Kegulars,  frequently 
officiate  in  ye  sd  chappells. 

Ballyadams.  (No  Particulars). 

Painstown.     One  private  chappel. 

Carlow.     One  Mass-house.     Priest,  John  Hussey. 

Killeshin.  One  Mass-house.  Priests,  Bryan  Moore  and  Manus 
Egan. 

Tempkpeter.     Schoolmaster — Evars. 

Cloydah.    Priest — Walsh. 

Kellystown.     Priest,  Tho :  Fitzgerald. 

Tullemegymah,  JBallynecarrig,  Bally croge.  One  Mass-house,  lately 
built.  Priests,  John  Hussey  and  Eic.  Fitzpatrick. 

Tullophdim.  One  Mass-house,  lately  rebuilt  on  an  old  foundation. 
2  Fryers,  one  Priest. 

Rathmlly.  One  Mass-house.  Priests,  Tho :  Burn,  frequently  as 
sisted  by  Itinerants. 

Baltinglass  and  Ballynure.  One  schoolmaster,  James  Mcreah ; 
Priest,  Bichd  Burn. 

Hac&eUstoim,  Clonmore,  Haroldstown,  Kiltegan.  One  covering  for 
ye  alter  in  ye  fields.  Schoolmasters,  James  Straughon  at  Kilmore, 
Patrick  Krelly  teaches  Latin  at  Kilteagan.  Priests,  Phelim  Now- 
land,  Thomas  Burn  and  Father  Andrew.  Severall  Itinerant  Priests 
officiate  publickly  in  these  Parishes  and  are  recommended  to 
ye  charity  of  ye  congregation,  but  seldom  stay  above  ten  days  at  a 
time. 

Aghold.     Priest,  Felix  Nowland. 

Grangeford.  One  Mass-house,  built  1729.  One  Fryer,  James 
Murphy.  Po.  Priest,  Murtogh  Doile. 

In  the  Diocess  of  Leighlin  there  are  returned,  28  Mass-houses,  3 
moveable  altars  in  ye  fields,  3  Private  Chappels,  45  Popish  Priests,  3 
Fryers,  24  Popish  schoolmasters  and  severall  Itinerant  Priests. 

(Signed),  An.  FERNS  &  LEIGHLIN. 


KETURN,  made  in  1765,  by  Barnabas  Jackson,  Hearth-money 
Collector. — (From  Original,  in  Pub.  Eec.  Office,  Ireland)— King's 
and  Queen's  Counties: — 

Castlebrack.  132  Protestants,  790  Papists,  no  Quaker,  1  Mass- 
house  in  good  repair. 

Rosenallis.  1190  Protestants,  2712  Papists,  150  Quakers,  60 
Methodists,  2  Churches.  2  Mass-houses  in  good  repair,  1  Meeting 
house. 

Kilmanman.  51  Protestants,  1141  Papists,  1  Mass-house  in  good 
repair. 


270  APPENDIX  TO   PAKT   FIRST. 

Earymore.  83  Protestants,  1470  Papists,  19  Quakers,  60  Metho 
dists,  1  Protestant  Church,  2  Mass-houses. 

Lea.  1003  Protestants,  2899  Papists,  7  Quakers,  45  Methodists, 
3  Protestant  Churches,  1  Mass-house. 

Geashill.  1379  Protestants,  1890  Papists,  2  Protestant  Churches, 
3  Mass-houses. 


RETURN,  made  the  20th  August,  1765,  by  E.  Wallen,  Hearth- 
money  Collector. — (Pub.  Rec.  Office) : — 

Monasteroris.  689  Protestants,  2625  Papists,  159  Quakers,  22 
Presbyterians,  1  Protestant  'Church,  1  Chapel,  1  Quaker,  and  1 
Presbyterian  Meeting-house. 

Meelidc.  134  Protestants,  912  Papists,  27  Quakers,  1  Protestant 
Church,  1  Chapel. 

Clonsast.     89  Protestants,  650  Papists,  5  Quakers,  1  Chapel. 

Croghan.     32  Protestants,  462  Papists,  3  Presbyterians,  18  Baptists. 

Kill.     40  Protestants  668  Papists,  1  Chapel. 

KUladerry.  213  Protestants,  1264  Papists,  6  Quakers,  9  Presby 
terians,  Church  down,  1  Chapel. 

Ballycommon.  98  Protestants,  490  Papists,  6  Presbyterians,  1 
Protestant  Church. 

Batt&niemjole.     87  Protestants,  739  Papists,  4  Quakers,  6  Baptists. 

Sallykean.     107  Protestants,  851  Papists,  1  Chapel. 

Clonyhork.     353  Protestants,  1197  Papists,  25  Quakers. 

Ballybraken.    27  Protestants,  388  Papists. 

Harristown.     34  Protestants,  442  Papists,  2  Presbyterians. 


THE  FOLLOWING  RETURNS  WERE  MADE  IN  1766,  PURSUANT  TO  AN 
ORDER  OF  THE  IRISH  HOUSE  OF  LORDS.  (Copied  from  the 
Originals  in  Pub.  Rec.  Office  of  Ireland) : — 

An  account  of  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Parish  of  Rosenallis,  other 
wise  called  the  Union  of  Oregan,  containing  the  town  of  Mtmellick, 
the  Parish  of  Rosenallis,  Castlebrack,  Rerymore  and  Kilmanman,  in 
the  Diocese  of  Kildare  and  Queen's  County,  taken  by  Rev<l  Thomas 
Hackett,  Curate  of  the  Parish,  by  Order  of  the  House  of  Lords,  in 
the  year  1766. 

Number  of  acres  in  said  Parish,  according  to  County  Eook,  11368. 

Number  of  Protestants,  1899. 

Do.          Popish  Inhabitants,  5806. 

Popish  Priests,  5. 

The  obtaining  the  above  survey  being  difficult  and  expensive,  hath 
been  the  cause  that  this  Return  could  not  be  compleat  sooner ;  and 
though  this  Parish  contains  the  whole  Barony  of  Tinnehinch  and,  I 
believe,  more  than  three  times  the  number  of  acres  above  set  forth, 
(there  being  much  mountain  and  Bog  never  surveyed  in  the  Down 
Survey),  yet  there  is  not  one  Justice  of  Peace  in  the  whole  Parish  or 
Barony,  Quere,  whether  a  militia  quarterly  array'd  wou'd  not  be  a 


APPENDIX  TO   PART   FIRST.  271 

natural  security  to  the  Protestant  inhabitants,  and  be  a  check  upon 
their  Popish  neighbours  from  entertaining  any  levelling  schemes 
subversive  of  the  peace  of  his  majesty's  faithful  subjects. 

Thomas  Hackett. 

[Subsequent  letter  from  same]. 

My  Lord.  The  number  of  Priests  not  being  return'd  to  me  at  the 
time  I  sent  my  List  of  Inhabitants,  I  must  pray  your  Lordship  will 
excuse  me  in  giving  you  the  trouble  of  adding  the  number  of  five 
Popish  Priests  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  Union  of  Eosenallis  : — 
Kennedy  of  Mt  Mellick,  Murray  as  Chaplain  in  a  private  family, 
Dunn  as  Parish  Priest,  Brophy  as  Parish  Curate,  and  another  Dunn 
who  hath  returned  to  his  friends  from  France  since  the  banishing  of 
the  Jesuits  from  thence ;  whether  Jesuit  or  not,  I  cannot  tell.  I 
am,  etc.,  Thos.  Hackett. 

Nutgrove,  near  Mt  Mellick, 
Apl.  the  28th,  1766. 

According  to  a  special  return  of  the  number  of  Catholics  in  the 
town  and  Liberties  of  Mt  Mellick,  made  by  Peter  Westerna  (Protestant) 
Curate  of  Mt  Mellick,  the  25th  of  April,  1766,  it  appears  there  were 
508  Catholics,  including  William  Kennedy  Parish  Priest.  The 
names  of  the  heads  of  families  are  given  in  this  return. 

Naas:  Naas,  Apl.  6th,  1766.  Sir, — In  obedience  to  the  Order  of 
the  House  of  Lords  and  Command  of  the  Bishop  of  Kildare,  I  send 
a  Return  of  the  number  of  Inhabitants  who  are  housekeepers  of  the 
Parish  of  Naas  and  Diocese  of  Kildare: — 

Protestant  inhabitants,  280 ;  Popish  Inhabitants,  2570.  A  Popish 
Parish  Priest,  and  two  Friars. 

(Signed)  Wm.  Donnellan,  Vicar  of  Naas. 

Monasteroris Sir,  In  obedience,  etc.,  I  let  you  know  that  there 

are  169  Protestant  familys,  388  Popish  familys  and  one  reputed 
Popish  Priest  in  my  Parish  of  Monasteroris  and  Diocese  of  Kildare 
and  King's  Co. 

(Signed)        Arth.  Champagne',  Rector  and  Vicr  of  said  Parish. 

Apl.  14th,  1766. 

Monisterevan,  Harristown  and  Ballylracken. — The  exact  number  of 
the  Protestant  and  Popish  Familys  now  residing  in  these  Parishes, 
by  the  Rev<l  Doctor  Robt  Caulfield,  Minister  of  said  Parishes  :— 

Monasterevan  :  Protestant  familys,  79,  Popish  Do.  176. 

Harristown :  Protestant  familys,  4,  Popish  Do.  30. 

Ballybracken  :  Protestant  familys,  6,  Popish,  Do.  54. 

April  the  15th,  1766. 

Lea.  List  of  the  several  families  in  the  Parish  of  Lea  in  the 
Diocese  of  Kildare,  made  pursuant,  etc— March  14th,  1766:  [The 
names  of  145  Protestant  families  here  folloiv.] 

MONGRELS  or  mixed  families  :  P.  Kelly,  Jn.  Bracken,  Jn.  Mac- 
Dermott,  Jn.  Mossom,  Jas.  Green,  Thos.  Harvey,  Jn.  Kelly,  Jn. 


272  APPENDIX   TO  PART   FIRST. 

Neal,  Walt.  Murray,  Mark  Rochfort,  Thos.  Mannagher,  Ed.  Flynn, 
Richd.  Margo,  Pat.  MacDermott,  and  John  Redmon.  [The  List  of 
Papists,  extends  to  several  folio  pages. ~\  Reputed  Priests,  John  Phealon, 
Will.  Lawler. 

(Signed)  V*  Deveux, 

Curate  of  Lea. 

Knwuenstoim,  Co.  Kildare* — Tn  this  Parish  are  15  families  of  which 
one  only  is  Protestant,  the  other  1 4  are  Papist.  No  Priest  or  friar 
resides  in  said  Parish. 

Apl.  26th,  1766.  Ed.  Ledwich,  Treasurer  of  the 

Cathedral  of  St.  Brigid,  Kildare. 

Kilrush.  Revd.  Jno.  Codogan  Keatinge,  Minister.  [Protestant 
families,  enumerated,  6.]  Michl.  Dunne,  Popish  Priest. 

Popish  Inhabitants  : — Thos.  Fitzgerald,  Jas.  Kinshala,  Jas.  Dunne, 
David  Walsh,  Edmd.  Nowlan,  Patk.  Byrne,  Laurce.  Clery,  Jas. 
Glenan,  Thos.  Fenaughty,  Patk.  Troy,  David  Dunny.  Jas.  McCabe, 
Thos.  Corkoran,  Denis  Merydith,  Jas.  Horan,  Patk.  Byrne,  Edmd. 
Kelly,  Patk.  Minch,  Ed.  Coonan,  Jn.  Coonan,  Michl.  Ryan,  Peter 
Duff,  Wm.  Malone,  Patk.  Murray,  Peter  Clynch  and  Thos.  Merydith. 

Thomastown,  Dunmurray,  and  Pollardstown. — Apl.  10th,  1766.  Mr. 
Borrows's  Return  of  his  Parish  under  the  following  distinct  denomi 
nations,  Thomastown,  Dunmurray  and  Pollardstown  : — 

In  the  first :  4  Protestant  families,  1 4  Popish. 

In  the  second  :  1  Protestant  family,  1 1  Popish. 

In  the  third  :  1  Protestant  family,  13  Popish. 

William  Lawlor,  Parish  Priest. 

Ficullen.  Dr.  Brett's  Parish.  6  Protestant  families,  41  Popish, 
one  Popish  Priest,  to  wit,  Wm.  Lawlor.  No  Friar  in  the  above 
Parishes.  Eobt.  Dixon  Burrows,  Clk. 

Kilmaoge  and  Rathernon.  Protestant  individuals,  45,  Popish,  1159. 
No  Priest  or  Fryar  residing  in  the  parish. 

David  Hughes,  A.M.,  Curate. 
April  21st,  1766. 

Rildonfert.  King's  Co.  Diocese  of  Kildare.  8  Protestant  families 
numbering  38  individuals;  160  Papist  families  numbering  716  indi 
viduals.  7  (21?)  Priests,  Laurence  Delahunty,  Thomas  Conran. 

Eev.  Dean  Champagne". 

Kilcock.  Account  of  Protestant  and  Popish  families  and  Popish 
Priests  in  the  Union  of  Kilcock,  returned  by  the  Rev.  Shem  Thomson, 
D.D.,  Yicar  of  the  said  Union,  which  consists  of  the  Vicarages  of 
Kilcock,  Cloncurry,  Scullogstown,  and  Ballinafagh  : — 

In  the  Parish  of  Kilcock,  there  are  8  Protestant  families,  263 
Popish  do,  and  2  Popish  Priests. 

In  the  Parish  of  Cloncurry,  2  Protestant  families,  133  Popish  do. 

In  the  Parish  of  Scullogstown,  3  Protestant  families,  32  Popish  do. 


APPENDIX  TO   PART  FIRST.  273 

N.B. — The  two  Popish  Priests  who  officiate  in  Kilcock,  officiate  also 
in  Cloncurry  and  Scullogstown. 

In  the  Parish  of  Ballynafagh.  5  Protestant  families,  35  Popish 
do,  and  2  Popish  Priests. 

April  3rd,  1766.  Shem  Thomson. 

Great  Connett,  Nurney,  and  Sherlockstoivn.  In  the  Parish  of  Great 
Connell  there  are  9  Protestant  families,  190  Popish  do,  1  Popish 
Priest  and  2  Fryars. 

In  the  Parish  of  Nurney  there  are  2  Protestant  families,  35  Popish 
do,  no  priest  or  fryar  resident  there. 

In  the  Parish  of  Sherlockstown,  1  family  only — Protestant. 

10th  Apl.  1766.  John  Jackson,  Minister  of  said  Parishes. 

Geashill  and  Clonohurk.  Return  by  Benjamin  Digby,  Vicar. 
Protestant  families,  228;  Papist  do.  1055.  Total,  1283.  2  Popish 
priests. 

Dunadea  and  Balrahin.  Protestant  families,  2,  Papist  do.  88,  1 
Priest,  no  friar.  Wm.  Cramer,  Curate. 

Apl.  27th,  1766. 

Croghan.  9  Protestant  families,  95  Popish,  46  Protestant  inhabi 
tants,  413  Popish.  Laurence  Fullar,  Priest. 

Return  by  Dean  Champagnf. 

Clonsast  and  Rathangan,  April,  1766.  506  Protestants,  3348 
Papists ;  80  Protestant  families,  549  Papist  do.  No  Priest  or  Friar. 

Dan.  Letablere,  Rector. 

Bridechurch)    Carogh  and  Downings.      Return   by    Simon   Digby, 
Rector  of  Bridechurch  and  Vicar  of  the  others  : — - 
Bridechurch :  Protestant  families,  5,  Papist  do,  42. 
Carogh  :  Protestant  families,  2,  Papist,  70. 
Downings  :  Protestant  families,  4,  Papist  do,  77. 
1  Popish  Priest  by  name  Denis  Burn. 
Osberstown,  April  llth,  1766. 

Bodingstown.  April  14th,  1766.  Return  byRevd.  Dr.  Flood,  In 
cumbent.  3  Protestant  houses,  26  Popish. 

Bally macwilliam.  3  Protestant  inhabitants,  40  Papists.  Eden- 
derry,  Apl.  ye  27th,  1766.  John  Hely,  Curate  Assistant. 

Bally  common. — Barony  of  Philipstown.  Protestant  inhabitants, 
85,  Papist,  362.  Laurence  Delahunty  is  Popish  Priest  of  Ballycom- 
mon,  Killateray  (Killaderry),  and  Kilclonfert,  and  has  as  curate 
Thomas  Conran.  Return  by  Revd.  John  Holiday,  minister  of  same. 
April  4th,  1766. 

Philipstown.  207  Protestant  individuals,  926  Popish  do.  (Full 
List  of  names  given}.  Return  by  Revd.  Wm.  Mosse,  Vicar  of  Philips - 
town  alias  Killaderry.  Apl.,  1766. 

Ballysax  and  \B  ally  so  nan.     In  Parish   of    Ballysax,  8  Protestant 

s 


274  APPENDIX  TO   PART   FIRST. 

families,    40   Papist    do.     In   Parish  of  Ballysonan,    6   Protestant 
families,  24  Papist  do. 

Apl.  1766.    ~  Hen.  Tibson,  Kector  of  Ballysax  and 

Prebendary  of  Ballysonan. 

Kildangan,    Laclcagli,    Duneany,    and     Walterstown.       Protestant 
families  8,  Popish  do.  256.     Returned,  April,  1766. 

Peter  Hamon,  Eector  and  Vicar. 

Clane,  Manliam,  Clonshamboe,  and  Killibegs. 

Clane  :  20  Protestant  families,  182  Papist  do.    No  Priest. 

Manham  :  1  Protestant  family,  69  Papist  do.    1  Priest,  1  Friar. 

Clonshamboe  :  1  Protestant  family,  33  Papist  do.     No  Priest. 

Killibegs  :  5  Protestant  families,  55  Papist  do.     No  priest. 

6th  Apl.  1766.  Wm.  Digby,  Vicar  of  Clane. 

Bally  nure.     No  Priest  or  Fryar  resides  in  this  Parish,  nor  has  Mass 
been  said  in  the  memory  of  men  now  living  in  it. 

Coolbanagher  and  Ardea.     April,    1766.     John  Whelan,   Popish 
Priest, — Lavvler,  Coadjutor. 


PARISHES  OF  LEIGHLIN  DIOCESE,  1733. 

The  following  List  of  Pastors  in  the  Diocese  of  Leighlin  in  1733, 
is^  copied  from,  a  MS.  of  Dean  Walter  Skelton,  who  was  Parish 
Priest  of  St.  Audeon's,  Dublin,  and  also  Dean  of  Leighlin.  He  was 
educated  at  Paris,  and  was  distinguished  for  his  knowledge  of 
Mathematics.  He  died,  October  31st,  1737,  and  was  buried  at 
Sletty  :— 

1.  Ballyfin,  Queen's  County,  (Illegible). 

2.  Montrath,  Queen's  County,  Corkran. 

3.  Ballynakill,  Queen's  County,  Keating. 

4.  Clopoke,  Queen's  County,  Moor,  Junr., 

5.  Stradbally,  Queen's  County,  Kelly. 

6.  Maryborough,  Queen's  County,  Laughlor. 

7.  Aries,  Killeban,  Queen's  County,       Br.  Moor. 

8.  Killeshen,  Queen's  County,  JEgan. 

9.  Carlo w,  County  Carlow,  Hoassy. 

10.  Rathvilly,  County  Carlow,  Byrne. 

11.  Baltinglass,  County  Wicklow,  Dempsey. 

12.  Clonegall,  County  Wicklow  (sic),       Nolan. 

13.  Tullow,  County  Carlow,  M.  Doyle. 

14.  Ballin,  County  Carlow,  Fitzgerald. 

15.  Laughlin,  County  Carlow,  (Like,  Rice.) 

16.  Burisse,  County  Carlow,  Lyons. 

17.  Graige-managh,  County  Kilkenny,     Rossiter. 

18.  Meesshill,  County  Carlow,  Whelan. 

19.  Polestown,  County  Kilkenny,  Welshe. 

20.  (Blank.     Probably  Dunleckney),       Owen  Doyle. 


APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST.  275 

THE  MOST  KEY   RICJHARD  O'REILLY. 

Reference  has   already  been   made  in   these   pages   to  this  dis 
tinguished  Prelate.     Living  as  he  did  so  near  our  own  time,  it  is 
strange  how  very  little  information  is  obtainable  regarding  him.   His 
papers  and  correspondence   have  unfortunately   disappeared.     Dr. 
Fitzpatrick,  in  Life  of  Dr.  Doyle  (Vol.   2,  p.  47,  2nd.  Ecln.),  says  :— 
"They"  (Dr.  O'Reilly's  Papers)  "fell  into  the  hands  of  an  attorney 
whose   literary   taste   and   talent   was  confined   to  drawing   up   a 
tolerably  grammatical  bill  of  costs  and  making  some  occasional  hand 
searches.'3     Dr.  O'Reilly  was  born  in  1746  ;  he  was  a  native  of  the 
Diocese  of  Kildare,  and  received  his  education  at  the  Propaganda 
College,  Rome.     He  was  appointed  Parish  Priest  of  Kilcock  in  1776, 
and  subsequently  Vicar-General   of    the   Diocese   of   Kildare  and 
Leighlin.     In  1781,  he  was  Consecrated  Coadjutor  to  Dr.  Delany, 
and,  in  little  more  than  a  year  later,  was  appointed  Coadjutor  to  Dr! 
Blake,  Archbishop  of  Armagh,  to  whom,  on  his  death,  in  1787,  Dr. 
O'Reilly  succeeded  in  the  Pnmatial  See.     The  early  age  at  which  he 
was  ma  Je  Bishop  and  the  circumstances  under  which  he  was  trans 
lated  to  Armagh,  show  that  he  must  have  been  a  man  of  more  than 
ordinary  piety,  prudence,  and  ability.     He  had  only  attained  the 
36th  year  of  his  age  when,  in  obedience  to  orders  from  the  Holy 
See,  he  became  Coadjutor  of  Armagh,  of  which  Dr.  Troy,  then  Bishop 
of  Ossory,  had  been  for  a  short  time  Administrator.     The  Diocese  of 
Armagh,  when  Dr.  O'Reilly  became  connected  with  it,  seems  to  have 
been  in  a  very  disorganized  condition.     Dr.  Butler,  Archbishop  of 
Cashel,  in  a  letter  to  Dr.  Pluukett  of  Meath,  Jfcly  4th,  1782,  refers 
to  the  troubles  in  Armagh. — COQAN'S  Diocese  of  Meath,  Vol.  3,  p.  71. 
And  again,  in  the  same  year,  Dr.  Butler,  writing  to  Dr.  Plunkett, 
says : — "  Well,    I  hear   you   have  got  at   last  a   Coadjutor  to  the 
Primate,  and  that  he  is  my  worthy  friend,  Dr.  O'Reilly  of  Kilcock. 
Fie  is  certainly  a  young  man  of  zeal  and  talents  ;  but  zeal  and  talents, 
I  am  afraid,  will  not  suffice  in  a  diocese  so  long  divided  by  party 
spirit,  disturbed  by  intestine  broils  and  ecclesiastical  intrigues,  and 
if  they  do  not,  he  will  be  much  to  be  pitied.     As  I  have,  however, 
every  reason  to  think  that  Dr.  O'Reilly  did  not  acquiesce  to  the 
charge  but  from  obedience  to  the  orders  from  Rome,  I  trust  the 
Almighty  God  will  support  him  in  all  the  difficulties  he  must  expect 
to  meet  with  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty.     Dr.  Troy  set  out  the  day 
before  yesterday  to  introduct  him.     Whom  will  Dr.  Keeffe  now  select 
to   reinplace   Dr.   O'Reilly?      Dr.  Molloy,    whom    I    saw    lately, 
positively  and  peremptorily  declines  it." — COGAN,  ibid.,  p.  82.     Dr. 
Molloy   here  referred   to,  was  Parish   Priest  of   Old   St.    Mary's, 
Kilkenny,  which,  after  his  demise,  was  made  the  mensal  parish,  and 
the  church  which  he  built  served  as  the  Cathedral  of  Ossory  until 
the  present  Cathedral  structure  supplanted  it.     Dr.  Molloy  died  in 
1789. 

In  the  Diary  of  Dr.  Plunkett,  Bishop  of   Maath,    under   date 
February  19th,  1793,  we  find  the  following :— "  The  Most  Rev.  Dr. 


276  APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST. 

Richard  O'Reilly,  Archbishop  of  Armagh  and  Primate  of  all  Ireland, 
received  the  Pallium  ^in  the  Chapel  of  Navan,  after  Mass.  The 
Bishop  of  Meath  represented  the  Holy  See  on  the  occasion." — 
COGAN'S  Meath,  ibid.,  p.  260. 

In  "  Historical  Memoirs  of  the  City  of  Armagh,"  by  James  Stuart, 
A.B.,  at  page  408,  the  following  sketch  of  Dr.  O'Reilly  appears  ;  it  is 
from  the  pen  of  the  Most  Rev.  Edmund  Derry,  D.D.,  Bishop  of 
Dromore : — 

"  Soon  after  this  he  (Dr.  Blake)  became  so  paralized,  that  he  was 
rendered  incapable  of  performing  any  sacred  function  ;  the  Right 
Revd.  Richard  O'Reilly,  the  Coadjutor  of  Doctor  Keefe,  of  Kildare 
and  Leighlin,  was  appointed  Coadjutor  of  Armagh.     This  venerable 
prelate,  whose  death  is  now  sincerely  lamented  by  every  one  who 
knew  him,  was  a  native  of  the  diocess  of  Kildare,  and  descended,  as 
the  name  O'Reilly  imports,  from  a  respectable  parentage.     But  those 
who  believe  their  priesthood  to  be  derived  from  that  of  Melchisedeck, 
never  resort  to  a  long  line  of  illustrious  ancestors,  in  order  to  shed  a 
lustre  on  the  memory  of  their  deceased  ecclesiastics,  as  Melchisedeck 
is  described  without  father,  without  mother,  without  genealogy.     At 
the  age  of  sixteen,  Richard  O'Reilly,  was  sent  to  Rome,  in  the  year 
1762,  and  became  a  student  in  the  missionary  university,  founded  by 
Urban  the  VIII,  for  two  and  twenty   nations   or  tongues.     This 
Seminary  denominated  '  The  College  for  the  dissemination  of  the 
faith,'  possessed,  at  that  time,  several  highly   celebrated  professors. 
Here,  Doctor  O'Reilly's  intense  application  to  his  studies,  till  he 
reached  the  years  requisite  for  priesthood,  the  strict  rules  of  the 
college,  and  the  bright  examples  of  every  virtue  which  he  had  before 
him,  severely  regulated  his  morals  and  deeply  informed  his  under 
standing.     After  his  return,  he  laboured  eleven  years  as  a  missionary 
priest.     In  1781,  he  was  appointed  Coadjutor  of  Bishop  Keefe,  and 
was,  in  his  chapel  of  Kilcock,  consecrated  by  the  then  Catholic  Arch 
bishop  of  Dublin,  the  Most  Rev.  John  Carpenter,  assisted  by  the 
senior  suffragans  of  Dublin  and  Armagh,  Bishops  Troy  of  Ossory,  and 
Plunkett  of   Meath.     In   1782,   he   was    appointed    Coadjutor   of 
Armagh.     Doctor  Blake  retired  to  Connaught,  and  had  a  pension 
out  of  the  diocess,  till  he  died  in  1786.     At  this  time  the  diocess  of 
Armagh  was  disorganized  by  confessed  anarchy.     It  was  the  glory 
of  Primate  O'Reilly,  and  the  first  blessing  of  his  auspicious  entry,  to 
have  tranquillized  this  most  ancient  diocess.     At  his  presence,  the 
demon  of  discord,  with  his  horrid  train  of  attendants  disappeared. 
The  pious  and  benevolent  prelate  founded  then  a  system  of  concord 
and  practical  government,  and  was  therefore  emphatically  called  the 
'  Angel  of  Peace.'     Having  an  independent  fortune,  he  was  the  first 
Catholic  Primate,  since  the  revolution,  who  had  it  in  his  power  to  live 
in  a  manner  becoming  his  dignified  station. 

"  The  writer  of  this  article  had  often  the  honour  of  dining  with 
the  late  learned,  liberal,  and  hospitable,  the  Right  Rev.  Doctor 
Percy,  Protestant  Bishop  of  Dromore,  and  frequently  with  Doctor 


APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST.  277 

O'Reilly.  He  could  not,  except  in  the  number  of  servants,  observe 
any  difference  in  their  style  of  living.  At  their  tables,  there  was  the 
same  kind  of  rational  and  improving  conversation,  and  the  like  sober, 
modest  magnificence.  Doctor  O'Reilly  was  rendered  agreeable  to 
all,  by  the  gentleness  of  his  mind,  the  affability  of  his  manners,  the 
extent  of  his  information,  and  the  sweetness  of  his  disposition.  He 
was  the  delight  of  his  flock,  the  honour  and  protection  of  the  priest 
hood,  and  the  light  of  pastors.  Worn  out  by  a  combination  of 
diseases,  and  full  of  merit,  he  gave  up  his  precious  spirit  to  God 
January  31st,  1818.  The  good  people  of  Drogheda  would  not 
permit  a  hearse  to  carry  his  remains,  they  carried  them  themselves, 
and  the  emulation  that  existed  between  them,  to  get  under,  and 
support  what  they  considered  the  sacred  relicks,  very  much  retarded 
the  awfully  solemn  procession.  He  was  interred  in  the  chapel  of 
Drogheda  with  every  appropriate  solemnity." 

In  a  "  Catalogue  of  Papers  and  Letters  in  the  Archives  of  the 
Diocese  of  Meath,"  given  in  COGAN'S  Meath,  Vol.  3,  p.  669,  several 
Documents  are  named,  which  would  probably  throw  considerable 
light  on  Dr.  O'Reilly  and  his  times.  Unfortunately  these  papers  are 
not  now  available. 

THE  RIGHT  REV.  EDMUND  BURKE,  D.D. 

Dr.  Burke  was  born  in  the  parish  of  Maryborough,  in  the  year 
1753.  Having  made  his  ecclesiastical  studies  at  Paris,  he  returned 
to  his  native  Diocese,  where  he  served  as  a  missionary  priest,  and 
according  to  statements  received  from  more  than  one  source,  was 
Parish  Priest  and  Vicar-General.  He  was  on  terms  of  the  closest 
friendship  with  Dr.  Delany,  Coadjutor,  and  subsequently  Bishop  of 
Kildare  and  Leighlin.  In  a  letter  written  to  Dr.  Troy,  Archbishop  of 
Dublin,  from  Quebec,  in  1789,  preserved  in  the  Diocesan  Archives  of 
Halifax,  N.S.,  Dr.  Burke  gives  some  details  of  his  early  life  and  the 
circumstances  which  influenced  him  to  leave  Ireland.  Having  taken 
a  very  active  part  in  promoting  the  appointment  of  Dr.  Delany  to  the 
Episcopate,  he  considered  that  his  presence  in  the  diocese  might 
embarrass  him  in  his  administration  ;  in  consequence  of  this,  he 
resigned  his  parish,  and  proceeded  to  Quebec,  where  he  arrived  on 
the  16th  of  May,  1787.  He  remained  at  Quebec  for  four  years, 
attached  to  the  Seminary  as  Professor  of  Mathematics,  Classics,  and 
Hebrew.  In  1791,  he  was  appointed  Pastor  of  St.  Peter's  and  St. 
Laurence's,  in  the  Island  of  Orleans  ;  in  1794,  we  find  him  Mission 
ary  and  Vicar-General  in  Detroit;  in  1795,  he  was  at  Monroe, 
Michigan  State,  from  which  time  till  1799  he  was  engaged  in 
missionary  labours  about  Lake  Superior,  chiefly  amongst  the  Indian 
Tribes.  In  1800,  he  was  at  Niagara,  from  whence,  in  the  following 
year  he  was  sent  by  Dr.  Plessis,  Archbishop  of  Quebec,  to  Halifax,  as 
its  first  regular  Pastor.  In  1815,  he  visited  Rome  to  lay  before  the 
Supreme  Pontiff  an  account  of  the  state  of  religion  in  the  Province 
of  Nova  Scotia.  In  a  short  time  after,  he  was  nominated  Bishop  of 
Sion,  in  partibus  infidelium,  and  first  Vicar- Apostolic  of  Nova  Scotia. 


278  APPENDIX   TO   TAUT   FIRST. 

His  Consecration  took  place  in  the  Caihedral  of  Quebec,  on  the  5th 
of  July,  1818,  Archbishop  Plessis  being  the  consecrating  Prelate. 
Dr.  Burke  died  on  the  29th  of  November,  1820,  at  the  age  of  78.  In 
CAMPBELL'S  "  Hittcry  of  Nova  Scotia"  a  short  Memoir  of  Dr.  Burke 
is  given,  from  which  the  following  passages  are  taken  : — "  In  the 
month  of  November,  in  the  year  1820,  died  at  his  Episcopal  residence 
in  Halifax,  an  eminent  ecclesiastic  of  the  Eoman  Catholic  Church,  the 
Eight  .Reverend  Edmund  Burke,  Vicar-Apostolic  and  Bishop  of  Nova 
Scotia.  Born  in  Ireland,  he  held  before  his  arrival  in  this  country 
the  positions  of  Vicar-General  and  Parish  Priest  in  his  native  Diocese, 
Kildare.  On  his  arrival  at  Quebec  he  was  appointed  to  a  Professor 
ship  in  the  Seminary,  where  he  remained  for  some  years,  and  won 
the  esteem  and  confidence  of  the  heads  of  his  own  Church,  and  of 
the  civil  and  military  authorities.  His  superiors  must  have  formed 
a  very  high  opinion  of  his  zeal,  fidelity,  and  administrative  abilities, 
as  we  find  him  sent  shortly  after  as  a  missionary  to  Western  Canada, 

to  evangelize  the  wandering  Indians Dr.  Burke's  mission 

was  successful.  Several  of  the  letters  which  he  wrote  during  his 
missionary  labours  in  the  wilderness  to  an  eminent  Irish  ecclesiastic,*'1 
are  still  preserved  in  the  Archives  of  the  Cathedral  in  Halifax,  and 
give  graphic  details  of  his  labours  and  sufferings  among  the  children 
of  the  forest.  It  will  sound  strange  to  those  who  know  the  number 
of  bishops,  priests,  and  ecclesiastical  institutions  of  his  church,  to  be 
found  at  the  present  day  from  Montreal  to  Detroit,  to  learn  from  Dr. 
Burke's  letters  that  he  and  another  priest  were,  for  several  years,  the 
only  missionaries  in  that  vast  region.  In  1801,  he  was  sent  by  the 
Bishop  of  Quebec  to  Halifax  as  its  fiist  settled  Pastor,and  to  organize 
the  adherents  of  the  Church  of  Rcme  in  that  city.  Into  the  details  of 
his  labours  in  this  way,  and  the  successful  efforts  he  made  to  provide, 
according  to  circumstances,  for  the  spiritual  wants  of  his  flock,  we 
cannot  now  enter.  The  Glebe  House,  so  well  known  to  strangers  and 
residents  of  Halifax  as  the  home  of  the  Catholic  Prelates  and  Priests, 
and  St.  Mary's  Cathedral,  which  was  designed  and  its  foundation 
laid  by  him,  attest  his  energy  and  zeal. 

"Polemics  ran  very  high  shortly  after  the  arrival  of  Dr.  Burke, 
and  we  find  him,  in  1804,  and  for  several  yeais  afterwards,  engaged 
in  discussions  on  the  'Allegiance  of  Catholics/ and  all  the  contro 
verted  points  of  doctrine  between  the  Churches,  both  with  Dr. 
McCulloch,  and  Bishops  Stanser  and  Inglis.  The  writings  of  Dr. 
Burke,  which  are  now  nearly  out  of  print,  were  published  in  three 
large  volumes,  and  bear  ample  evidence  of  his  thorough  knowledge 
of  the  Hebrew,  Greek,  and  Latin  languages.  That  he  was  a  Prelate 
of  vast  erudition,  a  powerful  reasoner,  and  able  exponent  of  the  tenets 
of  his  own  church  will  be  admitted  by  all  who  have  examined  his 
works,  f 

*  Dr.  Troy,  Archbishop  of  Dublin. 

t  Dr.  Burke  had  his  Works  printed  in  Dublin  and  forwarded  for  circulation 
in  British  America.  At  the  time,  war  raged  between  England  and  France,  and 


APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST.  279 

"In  1816,  Dr.  Burke  went  to  visit  the  Pope,  and  to  represent  the 
state  of  religion  in  this  Province.  That  he  made  a  favourable 
impression  on  the  authorities  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  he  received, 
shortly  after,  the  Bulls  nominating  him  first  Catholic  Bishop  of  Nova 
Scotia.  The  cares  and  responsibilities  of  Episcopacy  were  too  many 
for  one  who  had  attained  his  76th  year.  He  accepted  the  mitre,  and 
immediately  sought  among  the  Irish  clergy  for  one  who  would  share 
his  labours  as  an  assistant.  Rev.  Mr.  Long,  of  the  Irish  College, 
Paris,  and  a  Rev.  Mr.  Lyons,  of  Cork,  both  declined  the  proffered 
honour.  The  Bishop  died  in  1820,  in  his  78th  year,  and  the  second 
of  his  episcopacy.  The  Dominion  of  Canada,  in  its  wide  extent,  has 
seen  few  if  any  of  its  Prelates  who  died  more  respected  and  regretted 
by  all  classes,  more  beloved  by  his  own  flock,  and  whose  memory  as 
a  great,  enlightened,  and  liberal-minded  Prelate  is  looked  up  to  with 
so  much  veneration." 

For  the  foregoing  particulars  we  are  indebted  to  the  late  MostRev. 
Dr.  Hannan,  Archbishop  of  Halifax,  and  the  Rev.  John  Carroll, 
nephew  of  Dr.  Burke,  a  venerable  priest  still  living.  Dr.  Hannan  in 
a  letter  dated  13th  April,  1882,  (the  last  letter  written  by  his  Grace) 
remarks: — "Dr.  Burke' s  works  and  writings  were  a  little  tinged 
with  Gallicanism,  having  been  published  at  a  time  when  the  Church 
had  not  censured  these  theories;  but  they  give  evidence  of  vast 
erudition,  and  a  profound  knowledge  of  Hebrew,  Greek,  and  Latin. 
His  language  was  most  chaste  and  his  arguments  most  clearly  put. 
His  controversy  was  with  a  Protestant  Bishop  and  a  Presbyterian 
Minister,  both  accomplished  scholars." 

THE  REV.  JOHN  CARROLL,  as  a  distinguished  child  of  the  Diocese 
of  Kildare  and  Leighlin,  is  also  worthy  of  notice  in  these  pages.  In 
a  letter  dated  Orphan  Asylum,  35th  Street,  Chicago,  October  30th, 
1822,  he  says: — "I  was  born  at  Hophall  in  the  parish  of  Mary 
borough,  within  half  a  mile  of  Dr.  Burke's  birthplace.  My  uncle  Dr. 
Burke  had  two  first  cousins,  Daniel  and  James  Conran,  both  of  whom 
were  parish  priests  of  the  Diocese  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin,  the 
former  was  Pastor  of  Ballinakill,  and  the  latter,  of  Ballin,  near  Caiiow. 
My  uncle  was  the  most  humble,  pious,  and  learned  priest  I  ever 
knew.  He  was  constantly  engaged  in  writing." 

The  "  Acadian  Recorder,"  published  in  the  course  of  the  last  year 
an  interesting  series  of  articles  entitled  "  Halifax  in  the  olden  time," 
containing  items  of  information  gleaned  from  its  early  numbers. 
Treating  of  the  years  1827-8,  we  meet  with  the  following  references 
to  Father  Carroll  : — 

"1827.  It  was  in  this  year  the  disabilities  were  removed  from 
the  Roman  Catholics,  by  abolishing  the  test  oath  required  to  be 

it  so  happened  that  the  English  merchant  vessel  conveying  the  entire  Edition, 
was  captured  by  a  French  cruiser,  and  the  cargo  seized.  The  books  were  treated 
as  worthless  lumber  and  put  on  shore  at  Genoa.  The  only  copies  now  extant 
are  the  few  that  happened  to  be  picked  up  at  that  place. 


280  APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST. 

taken  by  adherents  of  that  religion  against  'Popery  and  Transub- 
stantiation.'  This  was  in  accordance  with  a  petition  of  our  House 
of  Assembly  to  the  King.  The  petition  was  presented  by  Kev.  John 
Carroll,  then  Vicar-General  of  this  Diocese ;  and  it  seems  surprising 
that  to-day  this  Very  Eev.  gentleman  is  still  alive,  hale  and  hearty. 
Mr.  Carroll  was  ordained  at  Halifax  on  the  19th  of  June,  1820,  and 
on  the  death  of  his  uncle,  Bishop  Burke,  in  November,  1820,  he 
took  charge  of  this  diocese,  having  been  previously  created  Vicar- 
General.  He  remained  as  priest  at  St.  Mary's  until  1827,  when  he 
was  succeeded  by  Father  .Loughlin.  He  always  manifested  the 
greatest  zeal  and  liberality  for  the  faith,  and  about  fourteen  years 
ago  devised  to  the  Sisters  of  Charity  the  premises  at  the  corner  of 
Blowers  and  Barrington-streets.  Eev.  Mr.  Carroll  is  now  aged  about 
85,  and  is  located  at  the  Orphan  Asylum,  Chicago." 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  the  Petition  above  referred  to  : — 

"  PETITION  OF   RKV.  JOHN  CARROLL,  AND  OTHERS,  ROMAN  CATHOLICS, 
PRESENTED   TO   THE  HOUSE   OF  ASSEMBLY,    12   FEBRUARY,  1827. 

To  the  Honorable  the  House  of  Representatives,  in  General  Assembly 

convened : — 

"We,  His  Majesty's  Faithful  Subjects,  professing  the  Roman 
Catholic  religion,  beg  leave  to  approach  your  Honourable  House  with 
the  unfeigned  assurances  of  respect  and  gratitude. 

"  It  would  indicate  an  insensibility  to  the  feelings  of  our  nature, 
if  we  failed  to  express  our  heartfelt  acknowledgments  to  your  Honor 
able  House  for  its  suppression  of  those  penalties  once  imposed  by 
law  on  the  practice  of  our  faith.  The  claims  of  your  Honorable 
House  on  your  Petitioners,  derive  additional  strength  from  the 
incident,  that  they  have  arisen  out  of  the  sole  agency  of  your  own 
dispositions,  unprompted  by  any  solicitations  from  us. 
#  *  #  #  •  * 

"  The  grounds  of  our  present  complaints  are  created  by  the 
exaction  of  the  oaths  now  used  as  Tests  of  Eligibility  to  various  pre 
ferments  and  offices  in  the  Province.  These  contain  a  misrecital  of 
our  own  tenets,  and  are  (as  it  seems  to  your  Petitioners)  the  susten 
ance  of  feuds  and  controversy.  Finally  they  impute  to  us  practices 
our  souls  abhor  ;  but  as  it  would  be  too  much  to  expect  any  measure 
on  this  ground  unless  we  first  apprized  your  Honorable  House  what 
our  tenets  are,  we  beg  you  to  accept  this  summary  exposition. 
"  We  do  not  adore  the  saints ;  but  we  pray  to  them. 
"  We  know  they  possess  no  inherent  power  ;  but  that  they  feel  an 
"  interest  in  us.  Even  this  present  petition  will  illustrate  the  Tenet ; 
"in  it  we  pray  your  Honorable  House  to  INTERCEDE  with  his 
'MAJESTY,  tho'  you  have  NONE  of  his  AUTHORITY  ;  so  we  solicit  the 
'saints  to  interpose  with  Christ,  tho'  they  have  NOTHING  of  his 
'  DIVINITY,  as  then  we  can  pray  for  the  INTERCESSION  of  your  Hon. 
'  House  without  an  INSULT  to  our  SOVEREIGN,  so  we  pray  for  the 
'  INTERCESSION  of  the  saints  without  an  OFFENCE  to  OUR  GOD. 


APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST.  281 

"  The  Mass  is  the  principal  rite  of  our  Church.  In  it  we  adore 
"  none  but  God.  He  told  us  'he  gave  us  his  body.'  We  only  believe 
"  THAT  he  MEANT  what  he  said. 

"  We  forbear  from  further  details,  as  they  would  only  give  a  need 
less  prolixity  to  this  petition.  We  confide  that  we  have  shown  to 
your  Honorable  House  that  the  test  oath  misrecites  while  it  libels 
our  doctrine. 

"Thus  impressed,  we  humbly  submit  to  your  Honorable  House 
the  propriety  of  an  Address  to  his  Majesty  on  the  Premises,  and  in 
doing  so,  we  believe  we  as  much  consult  the  conscientious  scruples  of 
many  of  our  Protestant  fellow-countrymen  as  the  exculpation  of  our 
own  faith  ;  when  we  advert  to  Upper  Canada,  and  find  the  Roman 
Catholics  in  the  possession  of  the  immunity  which  we  seek,  we  feel 
inspirited  to  offer  our  present  claims  to  the  notice  of  your  Honorable 
House;  and  when  we  remind  your  Honorable  House  that  his 
Majesty's  Roman  Catholic  subjects  of  Hanover  have  been  recently 
the  objects  of  the  Royal  Bounty,  we  cannot  doubt  but  your  Honor 
able  House  will  deem  us  worthy  of  being  recommended  to  the  same. 

"  We  therefore  pray  that  your  Honorable  House  will  adopt  such  a 
mode  of  relief  in  the  Premises,  as  to  your  wisdom  shall  seem  just,  and 
be  consonant  to  the  spirit  of  this  liberal  age. 

"  And  as  in  duty  bound  we  shall  ever  pray." 

[There  is  not  one  of  the  members  of  the  Assembly  of  that  day  now 
alive  ;  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Carroll  is  the  only  survivor  of  all  whose 
names  were  mentioned  in  connection  with  it.] 

Presented  by  Rev.  Mr.  Carroll,  Mr.  T.  C.  Haliburton  (Annapolis) 
— "  Sam  Slick" — seconded  the  prayer  of  the  petition.  He  observed  : 
—"In  considering  this  question  he  should  set  out  with  stating  that 
every  man  had  a  right  to  participate  in  the  civil  government  of  that 
country  of  which  he  was  a  member,  without  the  imposition  of  any 
test  oath,  unless  such  restriction  was  necessary  to  the  safety  of  that 
government ;  and  if  that  was  conceded,  it  would  follow  they  should 
be  removed  from  the  Catholics,  unless  their  necessity  could  be  proved 
as  it  applied  to  them.  He  stated  that  the  religion  which  they  profess 
was  called  Catholic,  because  it  was  at  one  time  the  universal  religion 
of  ths  Christian  world,  and  that  the  bishop  of  Rome,  from  being  the 
spiritual  head  of  it,  was  called  Pope,  which  signified  father.  (He 
here  entered  into  a  minute  examination  of  the  origin  of  the  temporal 
power  of  the  Pope — shewed  its  connection  with  the  feudal  system, 
and  traced  it  to  the  time  of  Henry  8th,  who  severed  the  temporal  and 
spiritual  power  from  foreign  Prelates.)  He  said  that  in  subsequent 
times  it  had  been  thought  necessary  to  impose  test  oaths,  lest  the 
Catholics,  who  were  the  most  numerous  body,  might  restore  the 
ancient  order  of  things,  and  particularly  as  there  was  danger  of  a 
Catholic  succession  ;  but  when  the  Stuart  race  became  extinct,  the 
test  oaths  should  have  been  buried  with  the  last  of  that  unfortunate 
family.  Whatever  might  be  the  effect  of  emancipation  in  Great 
Britain,  here  there  was  not  the  slightest  pretension  for  continuing 


282  APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST. 

restrictions  :  for  if  the  whole  house  and  all  the  Council  were  Catholics, 
it  would  be  impossible  to  alter  the  Constitution — the  Governor  was 
appointed  by  the  King,  and  not  by  the  people,  and  no  act  could  pass 
without  his  consent.  What  was  the  reason  that  Protestants  and 
Catholics  in  this  country  mingled  in  the  same  social  circle  and  lived 
in  such  perfect  harmony  ?  How  was  it  that  the  Catholic  mourned 
his  Protestant  friend  in  death,  whom  he  had  loved  in  life — put  his 
hand  to  the  bier — followed  his  mortal  remains  to  their  last  abode, 
and  mingled  his  tears  with  the  dust  that  covered  him  1  While  in 
Great  Britain  there  was  an  evident  hostility  of  feeling,  and  the  cause 
must  be  sought  in  something  beyond  the  mere  difference  of  religion. 
The  state  of  Ireland  afforded  a  most  melancholy  spectacle:  the 
Catholic,  while  he  was  bound  in  duty — while  he  was  led  by  inclina 
tion,  to  support  his  priest,  was  compelled  by  law  to  pay  tithes  to  the 
Protestant  rector ;  there  were  churches  without  congregations — 
pastors  without  flocks,  and  bishops  with  immense  revenues,  with 
out  any  duty  to  perform  ;  they  must  be  something  more  or  less  than 
men  to  bear  all  this  unmoved — they  felt  and  they  murmured;  while 
on  the  other  hand  the  Protestants  kept  up  an  incessant  clamor 
against  them  that  they  were  a  bad  people.  The  property  of  the 
Catholic  Church  had  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Protestant  clergy 
—the  glebes — the  tithes — the  domains  of  the  monasteries — who 
could  behold  those  monasteries  still  venerable  in  their  ruins,  without 
regret?  The  abodes  of  science — of  charity  and  hospitality,  where 
the  way-worn  pilgrim  and  the  weary  traveller  reposed  their  limbs, 
and  partook  of  the  hospitable  cheer;  where  the  poor  received  their 
daily  food,  and  in  the  gratitude  of  their  hearts  implored  blessings  on 
the  good  and  pious  men  who  fed  them  ;  where  learning  held  its  court, 
and  science  waved  its  torch  amid  the  gloom  of  barbarity  and  igno 
rance.  Allow  me,  Mr.  Speaker,  to  stray,  as  I  have  often  done,  in 
years  gone  by,  for  hours  and  for  days  amidst  those  ruins,  and  tell  me 
(for  you,  too,  have  paused  to  view  the  desolate  scene),  did  you  not, 
as  you  passed  through  those  tesselated  courts  and  grass-grown  pave 
ments,  catch  the  faint  sounds  of  the  slow  and  solemn  march  of  the 
holy  procession]  Did  you  not  seem  to  hear  the  evening  chime  fling 
its  soft  and  melancholy  music  o'er  the  still  sequestered  vale,  or  hear 
the  seraph  choir  pour  its  full  tide  of  song  through  the  long  protracted 
aisle,  or  along  the  high  and  arched  roof  ?  Did  not  the  mouldering 
column— the  Gothic  arch — the  riven  wall,  and  the  ivied  turret,  while 
they  drew  the  unbidden  sigh  at  the  work  of  the  spoiler,  claim  the 
tribute  of  a  tear  to  the  memory  of  the  great  and  good  men  who 
founded  them  ?  It  was  said  that  Catholics  were  unfriendly  to  civil 
liberty ;  but  that,  like  many  other  aspersions  cast  upon  them,  was 
false  !  Who  created  magna  charta  ?  Who  established  judges,  trial 
bJ  jury,  magistrates,  sheriffs,  etc.  ?  Catholics  !  To  that  calumniated 
people  we  were  indebted  for  all  that  we  most  boasted  of.  Were  they 
not  brave  and  loyal?  Ask  the  verdant  sods  of  Chrystler's  farm,  ask 
Chateauguay,  ask  Queenston  heights,  and  they  will  tell  you  they  cover 


APPENDIX  TO   PART  FIRST.  283 

Catholic  valour  and  Catholic  loyalty— the  heroes  who  fell  in  the  cause 
of  their  country  !  Here,  where  there  was  no  cause  of  division — no 
property  in  dispute,  their  feelings  had  full  scope.  We  found  them 
good  subjects  and  good  friends.  Friendship  was  natural  to  the  heart 
of  man,  as  the  ivy  seeks  the  oak  and  clings  to  its  stalk,  and  embraces 
its  stem,  and  encircles  its  limbs  in  beautiful  festoons  and  wild 
luxuriance ;  and  aspires  to  its  top.  and  waves  its  tendrils  above  it  as 
a  banner,  in  triumph  of  having  conquered  the  king  of  the  forest. 
Look  at  the  township  of  Clare; — it  was  a  beautiful  sight  :  a  whole 
people  having  the  same  customs,  speaking  the  same  language,  and 
uniting  in  the  same  religion.  It  was  a  sight  worthy  the  admiration 
of  man  and  the  approbation  of  God.  Look  at  their  worthy  pastor* 
the  Abbe  Segogne  :  see  him  at  sunrise,  with  his  little  flock  around 
him.  returning  thanks  to  the  giver  of  all  good  things ;  follow  him  to 
the  bed  of  sickness ;  see  him  pouring  the  balm  of  consolation  into 
the  wounds  of  the  afflicted, — into  his  field,  where  he  was  setting  an 
example  of  industry  to  his  people, — into  his  closet,  where  he  was 
instructing  the  innocence  of  youth, — into  the  chapel,  and  you  would 
see  the  savage,  rushing  from  the  wilderness  with  all  his  wild  and 
ungovernable  passions  upon  him,  standing  subdued  and  awed  in  the 
presence  of  the  holy  man!  You  would  hear  him  tell  him  to  discern 
his  God  in  the  stillness  and  solitude  of  the  forest — in  the  roar  of  the 
cataract — in  the  order  and  splendour  of  the  planetary  system,  and  in 
the  diurnal  change  of  night  and  day.  That  savage  forgets  not  to 
thank  his  God  that  the  white  man  has  taught  him  the  light  of  revela 
tion  in  the  dialect  of  the  Indian." 

He  concluded  by  saying  : — "Every  man  who  lays  his  hand  on  the 
New  Testament,  and  says  that  is  his  book  of  faith,  whether  he  be 
Catholic  or  Protestant,  Churchman  or  Dissenter,  Baptist  or  Methodist, 
however  much  we  may  differ  in  doctrinal  points,  he  is  my  brother, 
and  I  embrace  him.  We  all  travel  by  different  roads  to  the  same 
God.  In  that  path  which  I  pursue,  should  I  meet  a  Catholic,  I  salute 
him — I  journey  with  him ;  and  when  we  shall  arrive  at  the 
flammantia  limina  mundi — when  that  time  shall  come,  as  come  it 
must — when  the  tongue  that  now  speaks  shall  moulder  and  decay — 
when  the  lungs  that  now  breathe  the  genial  air  of  Heaven  shall  refuse 
me  their  office — when  these  earthly  vestments  shall  sink  into  the 
bosom  of  their  mother  earth,  and  be  ready  to  mingle  with  the  clods 
of  the  valley,  I  will,  with  that  Catholic,  take  a  longing,  lingering, 
retrospective  view.  I  will  kneel  with  him ;  and  instead  of  saying, 
in  the  words  of  the  presumptive  Pharisee,  '  thank  God  I  am  not  like 
this  papist,'  I  will  pray  that,  as  kindred,  we  may  be  equally  forgiven : 
that  as  brothers,  we  may  be  both  received." 

The  resolutions  were  adopted  unanimously. 


28* 


APPENDIX    TO   PART   FIRST. 


UNITED  DIOCESE  OF  KILDARE  AND  LEIGHLIN. 
Answers  to  Queries  proposed  by  his  Majesty's  Ministers,  through 
the  medium  of  Dr.  Troy,  respecting  the  Roman  Catholic  Church   in 
Ireland.—  Memoirs  and  Correspondence  of  Viscount  Castlereaqh  Vol.  IV. 
p.  138. 

Diocese  of  Kildare. 


Parishes. 

[ncome. 

Curates. 

Extent,  Length, 
and  Breadth  . 

Population. 

No.  of 
Chapels 

£ 

| 

Kildare    - 

170 

1               9  miles  by  2i 

3000 

2 

Newbridge 

207 

1 

8  bv  4  or  5 

4000 

2 

Monasterevan  - 

150 

1                 9  by  5  or  6 

4500 

2 

Suncroft  - 

100 

Curate  wanted 

6  by  3 

2800 

2 

Allen 

140 

1 

8  or  9  by  7 

4000 

2 

Rathcoffy- 

120 

1 

10  by  8 

3000 

4 

Downings- 

85 

Curate  wanted 

7  by  3 

2500 

2 

Carbery   - 

120 

1 

9by3J 

3000 

2 

Kilcock    - 

148 

1 

4  by  4 

3200 

2 

Ballyna    - 

120 

1 

9  by  4 

3000 

3 

Naas 

111 

Curate  wanted 

3  by  1J 

2200 

1 

Kill 

75 

1 

8  by  6 

2000 

3 

King's  County 

[District  of  the 

Diocese. 

Edenderry- 

220 

land  a  Coadjutor 

10  or  11  by  5 

5000 

3 

Philipstown 

180 

1  and  a     ditto 

12by2j 

3800 

2 

Geashill   - 

1-20 

1 

10  by  3J 

4000 

3 

Clonbullogue    - 

136 

Curate  wanted 

6  by  3 

2200 

2 

Portarlington  - 

70 

Curate  wanted 

*/ 

2200 

1 

Queen's  County 

Quarter  of  the 

Diocese. 

Portarlington 

160 

1 

7  by  3 

5500 

3 

Mountmellick 

130 

Curate  wanted 

9  by  31 

2800 

2 

Kilmanman 

120 

1    occasionally 

j     z 

serving,  but 

Rossnallis 

110 

always  wanted. 
1   do.  do. 

10  by  3J 

7  by  4 

2800 
2200 

1 
1 

Number  of  Curates  in  actual  employ,  14,  Coadjutors,  2,  entire 
Population,  67,700  souls,  Chapels,  43. 

In  the  above  number  are  three  Regulars  only  :  the  reason  existing 
for  a  Coadjutor  or  second  assisting  Priest  in  Edenderry  is,  that  the 
Parish  Priest  is  very  old  and  quite  blind ;  for  one  in  Philipstown, 


APPENDIX    TO  PART   FIEST. 


285 


that  the  Parish  Priest  is,  besides  old  age,  rendered  utterly  incapable, 
by  his  infirmities,  of  officiating  in  his  chapel. 

The  Parish  Priest  of  Kill,  a  poor  lame  old  man,  turned  of  90  years, 
gives  one-half  of  the  £75,  the  income  of  his  parish,  to  his  Curate, 
and  would  certainly  need  a  second  assistant,  were  there  means  to  sup 
port  him,having  three  chapels  to  be  served  every  Sunday  in  his  parish. 

There  are  two  religious  houses  or  convents  in  the  Diocese  of 
Kildare ;  one  of  Carmelites,  consisting  of  two  members,  in  the  town 
of  Kildare,  and  another  of  Dominicans  at  Newbridge,  containing  also 
two  religious.  There  is  no  Regular  a  Parish  Priest  in  the  Diocese 
of  Kildare. 


Diocese  of  Leiglilin. 
Counties  of  Carlow,  Kilkenny,  and  Wicklow  Districts. 


Parishes. 

ncome. 

Curates. 

Extent,  length, 
and  breadth. 

Population. 

No.  of 
Chapels 

Old  Leighlin    - 

320 

1 

10  miles  by  5 

7400 

3 

Dunleckney 

320 

1 

10  by  6J 

7500 

3 

Graignamanagh 

220 

1  and  a  coadjutor 

11  by  4 

6500 

4 

Carlo  w     - 

171 

1 

Town,  and  20 

3500 

1 

cabins  in  the 

country 

Borris 

170 

1 

7  by  4  to  5 

5000 

2 

St.  Mullins 

133 

1 

8  by  4 

3800 

0 

Baltinglass 

170 

1 

6  by  3J 

4200 

£A 

4 

Rathvilly 

200 

1 

9  by  4  to  5 

4500 

3 

Hacketstown    - 

140 

1 

10  by  8 

2500 

3 

Clonmore 

150 

1 

9  by  6 

4500 

2 

Tullow     - 

111 

1 

7  J  by  3J 

4750 

2 

Rathoe     - 

90 

Curate  wanted 

6  by  2J 

2700 

2 

Clonegall  - 

170 

1 

10  by  6  to  7 

5000 

2 

Myshall    - 

120 

1 

7  by  31 

3000 

2 

Staplestown 

120 

Curate  wanted 

9  by  4^ 

3500 

2 

Queeris   County 

Quarter. 

Ballynakill 

316 

1,  a  second  much 

15,000 

5 

wanted;  occasio 

nally,  an  assistant 

Driest 

Mountrath 
Stradbally 

314 

248 

3,  &  2  coadjutors 
1 

12  by  7  to  8 
12  by  4 

12,000 
4500 

4 

9 

Maryborough 

200 

1 

9  by  7 

3000        2 

Aries 

200 

1 

11  or  12  by  8 

8800 

3 

Doonane  - 

100 

1 

7  by  4 

3000 

2 

Graiguc    - 

104 

1  and  a  coadjutoi 

5by2J 

2700 

2 

280  APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST. 

Total  number  of  Curates  in  the  Diocese  of  Leighlin,  21,  Coadjutors, 
5;  entire  Population,  117,350. 

In  the  estimate  of  the  parish  of  Naas  is  included  a  perpetual 
donation  of  Mr.  Burgh  of  Old  Town,  to  the  present  incumbent  and 
his  successors,  of  a  house  and  spot  of  ground,  with  the  chapel  rent- 
free,  to  the  value  of  £30  per  annum.  This  gentleman  has  also  not 
only  contributed  himself  amply  to  the  building  of  the  chapel,  but 
also  very  capitally,  by  his  influence  and  exertions  in  its  favour. 

In  the  income  of  Myshall,  too,  in  the  County  of  Carlow,  is  com 
prised  a  grant  of  ground  to  the  Parish  Priest,  jointly,  from  Mr. 
Cornwall  and  Mr.  Bagot,  the  landlords,  to  the  amount  of  £30  per 
annum ;  the  chapel,  rent-free,  owes  principally  its  existence  to  the 
former  gentleman's  bounty  and  liberal  exertions  in  its  behalf.  Not 
so,  may  I  be  permitted  to  remark,  in  the  Bishop's  parish  of  Tallow, 
in  the  same  County,  where  a  ground  rent  of  £10  4s.  6d.  is  paid  for 
the  town  chapel,  actually,  for  the  greater  part,  reduced  almost  to  a 
heap  of  ruin,  without  our  being  able  to  obtain,  hitherto,  a  lease  to 
rebuild  the  same.* 

"  Parishes  in  the  Dioceses  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin,  forty-three  in 
number ;  all,  except  Mountrath,  composed,  it  is  supposed,  of  from 
two  to  six  or  eight,  and  in  some  instances,  more  unions.  There  is 
only  one  religious  house  in  the  Diocese  of  Leighlin,  and  that  of  the 
Carmelite  Order,  in.  Leighlin-Bridge,  consisting  of  two  members. 
There  is  a  Franciscan  Friar  resident  in  Carlow,  bub  no  convent.  In 
the  above  number  of  Curates  and  Coadjutors  in  the  Diocese  of 
Leighlin,  there  are  several  regulars,  but  no  Parish  Priest  of  that 
order  in  Leighlin  any  more  than  Kildare. 

***** 

DANIEL  DELANY, 

Roman  Catholic  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin. 

Dublin,  December  4,  1800. 


*Dr.  Delany  in  a  letter  to  Dr.  Troy  (without  date),  thus  describes  a  visit  to 
County  Wexford  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  the  landlord  of  the  Church-plot  at 
Tullow : — "I  took  down  Leases  at  our  Landlord's  own.  instance,  and  had  no 
doubt  of  getting  a  long  time  on  the  actual  terms  agreed  on  four  years  ago,  of  our 
chapel,  in  order  to  rebuild  it,  as  it  is  in  a  very  ruinous  state.  He  received  me, 
as  to  my  own  person,  very  well,  but  most  peremptorily  told  me  that  to  give  a 
Lease  of  100  years  he  would  expect — I  know  not  what,  extraordinary  rent,  for 

he  would  not  specify  it,  only  answering  me,  '  by ,  he  would  manufacture  it, 

he  would  make  the  very  most  of  it,  as  one  would  of  a  kish  of  onions  or  plants ; 
that  it  was  not  in  reference  to  situation  or  extent  of  ground,  but  with  a  view  to 
our  wants  and  the  convenience  it  afforded,  that  he  would  estimate  the  price  of  it, 
which  he  would  have  valued  by  a  Notary  Public  in  this  very  point  of  consider 
ation  to  the  last  farthing,  and  so,  let  us  bid  accordingly.  Several  and  several,  he 
repeatedly  assured  me,  from  those  parts,  having  assured  him  he  could  get  it  if 
he  insisted,  and  that  he  ought,  were  he  not  a  fool,  to  insist  on  getting — in  short 
I  know  not  what,  for  it,  as  he  could  not,  till  he  had  it  rated  with  relation  to  our 
exigencies,  he  said,  by  a  Notary  in  Dublin."  Here  are  our  Protestant  Brethren 
for  you  ! 


APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST.  287 

EEV.  BENJAMIN  JOSEPH  BRAUGHALL. 

This  remarkable  and  saintly  Priest  was  born  in  the  town  of  Kildare 
about  the  year  1780.  He  entered  Carlo w  College  as  an  aspirant  to 
the  Priesthood  on  the  7th  of  November,  1795,  as  we  learn  from  the 
Register  of  that  institution,  and  left  on  the  7th  of  August,  1796. 
He  subsequently  pursued  his  studies  at  Salamanca  and  Rome,  passing 
some  years  in  the  Irish  College  of  the  Eternal  City,  and  was  there 
promoted  to  the  priesthood,  probably  in  the  early  part  of  the  year 
1807.  On  his  way  to  Ireland  he  sojourned  for  some  time  in  the 
Peninsula  as  appears  from  the  following,  written  from  Lisbon  by  the 
Nuncio,  to  the  Bishop  of  Kildare  and  Leighlin  : — 

"  Illme  ac  Rme  Domine. 

"  Hanc  meam  Domination!  Vrae.  Him®  acRmaetradet  Epistolam 
Sacerdos  Joseph  Braughall  Hiberniae,  qui  cum  Studia  quibus  per 
aliquot  annos  Romae  operam  dedit,  jam  expleverit,  nunc  ad  Patrios 
Lares  revertetur,  ut  suo  Sacerdotal!  Ministerio  aliquam  hisce 
Catholicis  Populis  spiritualem  utilitatem  possit  afFerre.  Hac  igitur 
de  causa  hue  advenit,  mihique  commendatitias  Litteras  attulit, 
quas  emerjentissimus  ac  Rmus.  Dnus.  Joseph  Sanctae  Romanae 
Ecclesiae  Cardinalis  ab  auria  (sub  cujus  auspiciis  Collegium 
existet,  quod  Romae,  Sanctae  Apostolicae  Sedis  beneficio,  possidet 
Hibernica  Natio)  ad  me  scripsit,  ut  ea  omnia,  donee  Oiysipone 
moraretur,  illi  Praestarem,  quarum  in  Regione  non  sua  necessario 
indigeret,  quaeque  etiam  ad  iter  perficiendum  necessaria  forent.  Dutn 
autem  praefatis  commendatitiis  Litteris  facere  satis  non  destiti,  facile 
etiam  deprehendere  potui,  dictum  Sacerdotem  optimis  esse  moribus 
imbutum,  adeout  dictis  et  exemplo  maximam  ipsi  Dicecesi  afFerre 
posse  utilitatem  existimem,  Quapropter,  sinat  quaeso  Dominatio  vra, 
lllma  ac  Rma  ut  praefatum  Sacerdotem  Josephum  Braughall  bene- 
volentiae  ac  patrocinio  vestro,  nomine  etiam  supralaudati  Emi. 
Cardinalis  ab  auria  (cujus  epistolam  Domination!  vrae,  inscriptam  in 
praesentibus  difficillimis  Terrae,  Marisque  iteneris  circumstantiis  ipse 
disperdidit)  etiam  atque  etiam  commendem,  Interim  vero  dum  me 
promptum  paratumque  exhibeo  ad  ea  omnia,  quae  Dominations  vrae. 
Illmae  ac  Rmae  commodum  quoquo  modo  respicere  possunt,  fausta 
omnia  ex  animo  adprecor,  atque-  omni  cum  veneratione  me  esse 
profiteer. 

Domination!  Vrae.  Illmae  ac  Rmre.  Olyssipone  5  Id,  Junii  an. 
1807. 

Obsequensissus  et  addictictissus  servus, 

LAURENTIUS  ARCHIEPUS,  NISIBENUS,  NUNTIUS  APUS. 
Father  Braughall  returned  to  Ireland  in  1807,  and  served  for  some 
ten  years  as  curate  at  Raheen,  in  the  Queen's  County,  which  at  that 
time  was  included  in  the  Parish  of  Clonenagh.  Whilst  there,  he 
erected  the  chapel  of  Shanahoe,  the  site  for  which,  and  also  a  generous 
donation,  he  obtained  from  a  Mr.  Bourden  then  residing  at  Spring- 
mount,  in  that  vicinity.  He  was  appointed  Parish  Priest  of  Graig-na- 
managh  in  June,  1818,  in  succession  to  Father  Lewis  Moore. 


288  APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST. 

It  pleased  God  to  visit  him  with  a  long  and  dangerous  illness.  To 
afford  him  an  opportunity  of  recruiting  his  health,  the  bishop,  Dr. 
Doyle,  offered  him  leave  of  absence  from  his  parish  for  some  two  or 
three  years,  taking  care  to  make  provision  for  his  temporal  wants.  In 
his  illness,  Father  Braughall  made  a  vow  that  if  it  was  the  will  of  God 
to  restore  him  to  health,  he  would  make  a  pilgrimage  to  the  Holy 
Land.  His  own  letters  to  his  bishop  will  tell  of  how  he  fulfilled  his 
promise.  Writing  from  Paris,  on  the  26th  October,  1822,  he 
says  : — 

"  MY  LORD — I  hope  you  will  excuse  me  for  not  calling  on  you  before 
I  left  Ireland,  as  duty  required  of  me.  In  my  long  illness  I  made  a 
solemn  vow  to  Almighty  God  that,  if  in  his  goodness  He  would 
restore  me  to  health,  I  would  go  on  a  pilgrimage  to  Jerusalem, 
and  after  returning,  take  the  habit  of  the  Carthusians.  With  this 
view  I  left  home  without  acquainting  any  person  with  my  intention, 
but  on  my  arrival  here  I  got  so  ill,  occasioned  partly  from  the 
fatigues  of  the  long  walk,  that  I  was  confined  to  bed  for  five 
weeks,  and  was  not  expected  to  have  recovered.  I  find  it,  con 
sequently,  totally  impossible  to  continue  my  pilgrimage  to  Jerusalem. 
I  am,  therefore,  determined  to  take  the  habit  with  the  Carthusians, 
with  your  permission.  It  will  be  the  greatest  consolation  to  me 
to  serve  my  God  in  that  penitential  institute,  if  my  health  permits. 
May  I  therefore,  expect  you  will  have  the  goodness  to  send  letters 
giving  your  consent,  and  requesting:  of  the  Superior  to  admit  me. 
I  expected  to  have  seen  you  in  Carlo w,  to  get  your  blessing,  when 
leaving  home,  but  you  were  on  that  day  at  Ballinakill.  I  did  not 
wish  to  go  to  you  there,  as  I  was  afraid  lest  my  intentions  should 
become  known,  and  my  friends  might  be  endeavouring  to  prevent 
my  retreat  from  the  world.  Moreover,  I  relied  on  your  goodness, 
and  the  offer  you  made  that  you  would  allow  me  two  or  three  years 
for  the  recovery  of  my  health,  during  which  time  I  might  retire  to 
whatsoever  place  I  wished,  and  that  you  would  allow  me  the  thirds 
of  the  parish  for  my  support.  I  judged  it  best  to  spend  this  time 
allowed  me,  to  make  trial  if  my  health  would  allow  me  to  make 
my  solemn  vows  with  the  Carthusians.  I  brought  no  money  with 
me  from  home  but  £5,  which  I  received  for  an  article  of  furniture, 
which  I  sold  a  few  days  before  I  left,  as  I  intended  to  travel  in 
the  character  of  an  humble  pilgrim,  and  which  I  would  have  per 
severed  in  did  my  health  permit.  I  had  many  difficulties  to  meet 
with  here,  confined  to  my  bed,  without  money  or  friends,  but 
Almighty  God  in  His  goodness  assisted  me  in  a  wonderful  manner. 
I  had  three  doctors  attending  me  during  my  illness ;  they  would 
not  accept  of  anything  for  their  attendance,  nor  had  I  it  to  give 
to  them.  One  of  these  doctors,  an  English  gentleman,  and  a 
Spanish  lady,  who  is  married  to  an  English  officer  here,  were  my 
support  since. I  arrived  in  Paris.  May  Almighty  God  bless  them! 
They  took  care  of  me  in  my  illness,  and  supplied  me  with  the  neces 
saries  of  life.  There  is  no  monastery  of  the  Carthusians  in  this 


APPENDIX  TO   PART  FIRST.  289 

country.     I  must  go  to  Italy  to  take  the  habit,  which  I  shall  find  very 
difficult  in  my  present  weakly  state. " 

Father  Braughall  was  enabled  to  accomplish  his  ardent  and  abiding 
desire  to  visit  the  Holy  Land.  Another  letter,  addressed  also  to  Dr. 
Doyle,  gives  the  interesting  details  of  his  journey.  It  is  written 
from  Alexandria  in  the  year  1824  : — 

"  MY  LORD — Some  years  have  elapsed  since  I  had  the  houour  of 
seeing  j^our  lordship.  In  the  year  1822,  to  comply  with  a  vow  I 
had  made  to  Almighty  God,  I  undertook  a  pilgrimage  to  the  Holy 
Land,  which  I  performed  on  foot,  with  the  exception  of  what  I  was 
necessarily  obliged  to  pass  by  sea.  The  late  Holy  Father,  Pius 
VII. ,  blessed  the  pilgrim's  habit,  invested  me  himself  with  it,  and 
gave  me  the  necessary  documents,  with  the  Seal  of  the  Holy  See, 
for  visiting  the  Holy  Places  of  Jerusalem,  Syria,  Judea,  and  Pa 
lestine.  Had  I  not  obtained  the  permission  and  blessing  of  the  Holy 
Father,  I  would  not  have  obtained  the  Indulgence  which  pilgrims 
obtain  by  visiting  the  Sacred  Places.  The  reason  is,  because  the 
Irish  priests  are  ordained  under  the  title  of  Missionaries ;  we  cannot, 
therefore,  leave  the  mission  to  undertake  a  pilgrimage  without  special 
licence  from  the  Holy  Father.  His  Holiness  was  very  kind  to  me, 
explained  the  many  difficulties  and  dangers  I  had  to  encounter,  and 
offered  me  a  dispensation  of  my  vow;  but  resigning  myself  into 
the  holy  hands  of  Almighty  God,  through  the  intercession  of  the 
ever  Immaculate  Blessed  Virgin  Mary,  I  determined  on  complying 
with  my  vow.  I  left  Rome,  possessing  no  riches,  merely  my  breviary 
and  pilgrim's  staff.  I  was  obliged  to  traverse  every  port  in  Italy 
before  I  could  procure  a  passage  to  the  East.  There  is  such  a  decay 
of  religion  on  the  Continent,  that  the  generality  of  the  captains  to 
whom  I  applied,  refused  to  take  me,  many  of  them  insulted  me ; 
however,  after  a  long  perseverance  and  many  difficulties,  Almighty 
God,  in  His  goodness,  provided  me  with  a  ship  at  Leghorn  for  the 
island  of  Cyprus,  where  I  embarked  a  second  time  for  Beyrout, 
a  seaport  in  Syria.  From  thence  I  proceeded,  on  foot,  to  Nazareth, 
the  river  Jordan,  Mount  Thabor,  Tiberias,  Bethlehem,  and  Jerusalem, 
and  to  all  the  Sacred  places  sanctified  by  the  miracles  and  holy  life 
of  our  Redeemer.  I  arrived  in  Jerusalem  very  much  fatigued,  but, 
on  entering  Mount  Calvary,  forgot  all  my  difficulties.  The  many 
Stations  representing  the  sufferings  and  Passion  of  our  Blessed 
Redeemer,  the  view  of  that  awful  place  on  which  He  purchased 
our  Redemption,  the  sight  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre,  filled  me  with 
gratitude  for  His  unparalleled  mercy  to  us,  and  His  extraordinary 
favour  to  me  in  bringing  me  to  the  places  of  my  Redemption. 
Mount  Calvary  is  at  present  walled  in ;  it  forms  a  great  church. 
There  is  no  door  to  this  extensive  church  but  one,  which  is  constantly 
locked,  day  and  night.  The  Governor  of  Jerusalem,  who  is  a  Turk, 
keeps  the  key.  When  a  Christian  or  pilgrim  arrives,  it  is  necessary 
to  pay  him  a  considerable  fine  for  entering,  unless  a  free  passport 
can  be  obtained  from  the  Bashaw  of  St.  Jean  D'Acre,  who  is  also 

T 


290  APPENDIX  TO  PART   FIRST. 

Bashaw  of  Jerusalem.  This  passport  I  had  the  good  fortune  to 
obtain.  In  Mount  Calvary,  prayer  and  the  Divine  Office  are  never 
interrupted  day  or  night.  There  are  clergymen  of  the  Latin  Church, 
Greeks,  Armenians,  and  Coptics,  who  remain  continually  within ;  at 
the  end  of  every  three  months  they  are  changed.  They  could  not 
remain  longer  with  safety  to  their  health,  as,  from  the  structure 
of  the  church,  very  little  air  can  enter.  The  time  generally  allowed 
pilgrims  to  remain  in  is  twenty-four  or  forty-eight  hours.  The 
reason  for  so  short  a  time  is,  the  first  visit  being  a  visit  of  penance, 
they  use  but  bread  and  water  \  it  is  not  every  constitution  that 
could  endure  this  for  many  days.  If  a  pilgrim  or  Christian  died 
within  Mount  Calvary,  the  Turkish  Government  would  exact  an 
enormous  fine ;  to  obviate  this  difficulty,  the  superiors  of  the  Holy 
Land  consider  it  prudent  to  limit  the  first  visit  to  so  short  a  time. 
However,  during  their  stay  in  Jerusalem  afterwards,  they  may  enter 
when  there  is  an  opening  of  the  door,  which  continues  open  for  half  an 
hour  or  an  hour  :  the  longest  period  is  two  hours.  I  obtained  a  par 
ticular  permission  to  remain  within  nine  days  and  .nights,  that  I 
might  have  an  opportunity  of  celebrating  the  Holy  Sacrifice  of  the 
Mass  at  the  different  stages  of  the  Passion  of  our  Divine  Redeemer, 
which  are — 1.  The  Pillar  to  which  He  was  tied  at  his  cruel  scourging ; 
it  is  tinged  with  His  sacred  Blood ;  a  small  portion  of  this  Pillar  is 
at  Rome.  2.  The  Pedestal  on  which  He  sat  when  being  crowned 
with  thorns.  3.  The  spot  where  the  soldiers  stripped  Him  and 
cast  lots  for  his  garments.  4.  The  spot  where  He  was  nailed  to  the 
Cross — about  fourteen  feet  to  the  left,  the  executioners  had  a  hole 
prepared,  to  which  they  drew  the  Cross ;  this  is  the  5th  Station  : 
here  He  hung  for  three  hours  on  the  Cross.  6.  The  Anointing 
stone ;  this  is  a  large  rock  to  which  St.  Joseph  and  Nicodemus 
brought  the  Sacred  Body,  washed  it  of  the  blood  and  wrapped  it  in 
white  cloths ;  here  it  was  that  the  ever  Immaculate  and  Blessed 
Virgin  Mary  received  the  Holy  Body.  7.  The  Holy  Sepulchre ;  it 
is  about  400  yards  distant  from  the  anointing  stone,  and  is  large 
enough  to  admit  about  ten  persons.  Mass  is  sung  every  morning  in 
the  Holy  Sepulchre  except  on  Fridays,  when  it  is  sung  on  the  top 
of  Mount  Calvary,  on  the  spot  where  our  Divine  Redeemer  pur 
chased  our  Redemption.  8.  Is  the  Garden  in  which  He  appeared  to 
St.  Mary  Magdalene,  and  to  His  ever  Immaculate  and  Blessed  Virgin 
Mother.  9.  Is  the  place  where  the  Cross  was  discovered  ;  it  is  a  well 
of  immense  depth,  into  which  the  Jews  were  accustomed  to  throw  the 
bodies  of  such  malefactors  as  were  executed  for  heinous  crimes. 
Into  this  well  the  three  Crosses  were  thrown,  which  was  then  filled 
with  huge  stones.  The  Greeks,  Armenians,  and  Coptics,  who 
attend  Mount  Calvary,  are,  unfortunately,  schismatics ;  for  this  reason 
they  are  not  allowed  to  celebrate  Mass  in  the  Holy  Sepulchre,  or  on 
that  part  of  Mount  Calvary  where  our  Divine  Redeemer  expired, 
but  whenever  a  Greek  or  Armenian  priest  arrives  who  is  in  com 
munion  with  the  See  of  Rome,  he  is  allowed  to  celebrate  Mass  in  these 
sacred  places. 


APPENDIX  TO   PART  FIRST.  291 

"  I  visited  Mount  Olivet ;  here  our  Blessed  Redeemer  left  the  im 
pression  of  His  Sacred  Feet  on  the  stone  on  which  He  stood  on  His 
Ascension  into  heaven.  I  also  celebrated  Mass  in  the  Garden  of 
Gethsemane  ;  there  are  still  nine  of  the  olive  trees  remaining 
which  were  there  on  the  night  of  His  Sacred  Passion.  The  Garden 
is  very  extensive,  with  a  most  delightful  verdure,  with  the  exception 
of  the  part  on  which  Judas  with  the  armed  ruffians  walked  to  seize 
our  Blessed  Redeemer ;  here  there  has  been  no  vegetation  since ; 
notwithstanding  that  the  Jews  and  Turks  frequently  cultivate  it, 
nothing  ever  grows  on  it,  it  remains  burnt  and  barren.  The  valley 
of  Josaphat  is  situated  between  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane  and 
Mount  Calvary.  The  torrent  Cedron  passes  through  the  south-east 
of  the  valley.  In  Bethlehem  I  remained  four  months  ;  the  city  is  small, 
and  principally  inhabited  by  Christians;  there  is,  however,  amongst 
them  a  number  of  Greek  and  Armenian  schismatics.  The  Grotto 
or  Stable  in  which  our  Blessed  Redeemer  was  born  is  in  the  same 
condition  as  at  the  sacred  birth.  There  is  a  very  sumptuous  Church 
erected  over  the  stable." 

"Lisbon,  November  llth,  1827. 

"  MY  LORD, — In  the  last  letter  I  had  the  honour  of  writing  your 
Lordship  from  Alexandria  in  Egypt,  in  the  year  1824, 1  informed  you 
of  my  having  made  the  Pilgrimage   of  the  Holy   Land,  and  my 
intention  of  returning  again  to  my  native  country ;  however,  Almighty 
God  in  his  all- wise  Providence  has  disposed  of  me  otherwise.  I  sailed 
from  Alexandria,  and  after  a  passage  of  forty-nine  days,  landed  in 
Leghorn,  in  the  year  1824,  where  I  was  obliged  to  pass  a  quarantine 
of  forty-five  days  in  consequence  of  coming  from  the  country  where 
the  plague  raged  with  great  violence.     After  performing  quarantine, 
I  went  to  Rome  to  consign  to  the  Holy  Father,  the  many  letters  I 
brought  from  Jerusalem,  and  from  the  Missioners  of  the  other  parts 
of  the  Holy  Land.     His  Holiness  received  note  in  a  most  friendly 
manner,  and  treated  me  with  every  mark  of  kindness.     In  Rome  I 
was  visited  with  a  fever  and  dysentery  which  continued  two  months. 
The  dysentery  I  brought  with  me  from  Grand  Cairo;  it  is  one  of  the 
plagues  peculiar  to  that  country,  and  raged  there  with  great  violence 
during  my  stay.      I  believe  the  fatigue,  and  many  inconveniences  I 
suffered  was  the  cause  of  my  getting  that  complaint.     In  Cairo  I 
lodged  in  the  Convent.  There  were  six  Religious,  four  Clergymen  and 
two  lay  Brothers,  who  were  the  only  Missioners  in  that  country ;  all 
of  whom,  though  in  perfect  health  on  my  arrival,  were  in  a  few  days 
after  seized  with  that  fatal  distemper.   I  attended  them,  administered 
to  them  the  last  Sacraments,  each  of  whom  died  in  my  arms.     Being 
then  left  alone,  no  other  clergyman  in  the  city,  but  your  humble 
servant,  I  considered  I  was  called   on   by  Almighty  God,  in   this 
general  distress  and  calamity,  to  attend  His  servants  in  their  last 
moments,  at  the  risk  of  my  own  life.     I  accordingly  undertook  to 
discharge  the  duty  of  these  venerable,  holy,  deceased  Missioners.     I 
attended  all  the  sick  indiscriminately,  both  in  the  hospital  and  private 


292  -  APPENDIX  TO   PAKT  FIRST. 

houses,  such  as  spoke  the  Spanish  and  Italian,  supporting  them  with 
the  comforts  which  our  Holy  Religion  holds  out  in  those  awful 
moments,  and  administered  to  them  the  Sacraments  of  the  Church. 
The  greater  part  of  whom  were  removed  from  life,  particularly  the 
Europeans  who  got  the  distemper,  all  died  with  the  exception  of  a 
very  few ;  during  my  stay  in  Grand  Cairo  there  died  in  the  city  forty 
thousand  persons  with  that  distemper.  I  attended  the  lady  of  Mr. 
Scott,  the  English  Consul,  she  was  a  Roman  Catholic,  an  excellent 
good  Christian.  She  died  with  only  three  days  sickness,  her  infant  on 
her  breast,  in  like  manner,  and  five  of  her  domestics.  The  Consul, 
to  compensate  me  for  my  trouble  in  attending  his  lady,  procured  me 
a  passage  gratis  from  Alexandria  to  Leghorn.  After  recovering  (as 
I  considered)  in  Rome,  I  resumed  my  journey  for  Ireland,  but  my 
complaints  returned  in  Genoa.  There  I  was  obliged  to  enter  the 
hospital,  where  I  remained  eight  months  confined  to  my  bed.  On 
getting  something  better,  I  left  Genoa,  but  it  pleased  God  to  visit  me 
again  on  the  road  with  the  same  complaints,  so  that  I  was  under  the 
necessity  of  entering  the  hospital  in  Barcelona;  there  I  was  confined 
to  my  bed  twelve  months  with  continual  fever,  dysentery,  and 
inflammation  in  my  bowels.  I  suffered  most  violent  pain.  The 
faculty  of  physicians  who  held  a  consultation  on  me,  were  of  opinion 
I  could  not  possibly  recover.  I  received  the  last  Sacraments.  Judg 
ing  me  arrived  to  my  last  moments  they  recited  the  prayers  for  a 
departing  soul,  and  brought  into  my  room  a  soutane  and  vestments 
to  dress  me  in  when  dead  ;  but  Almighty  God  who  wishes  not  the 
death  of  the  sinner,  has  in  His  tender  goodness  spared  me.  My 
recovery  astonished  the  physicians,  as  well  as  such  as  saw  me  during 
my  illness;  however,  as  I  was  reduced  to  such  a  languid  and 
debilitated  state,  the  Rector  of  the  hospital  called  a  second  consulta 
tion  of  physicians.  They  gave  their  opinion  thus  :  that  my  recovery 
was  astonishing,  and  not  occasioned  by  medical  aid,  that  my  com 
plaints  were  brought  on  by  excessive  fatigue,  and  privation  of  that 
animal  sustenance  which  I  should  have  taken  during  my  Pilgrimage 
to  the  Holy  Land.  They  did  not  consider  I  could  retrieve  my  former 
strength  ;  the  only  means,  they  considered,  of  reinstating  me,  would 
be  to  go  to  a  temperate  climate,  as  Italy  or  Lisbon,  and  guard  against 
fatigue  or  cold.  They  said  I  could  not  return  to  Ireland,  at  least  for 
twelve  months;  even  at  that  period,  I  would  expose  myself  to 
imminent  danger,  as  the  cold  and  damp  of  the  climate,  so  prejudicial 
to  my  complaint,  might  prove  fatal.  I  left  Barcelona  in  a  most 
emaciated  state ;  on  my  arrival  in  Madrid  I  was  necessitated  to  enter 
the  hospital  again,  where  I  was  confined  to  bed  four  months.  Rev. 
Mr.  Mangan,  Rector  of  the  Irish  College  in  Salamanca,  hearing  of 
my  long  illness,  wrote  me  a  most  polite  letter,  inviting  me  to  the 
College  ;  I  accordingly  went  to  Salamanca.  Mr.  Mangan  treated  me 
as  a  father,  every  thing  in  his  power  he  did  to  serve  me,  and  wished 
to  keep  me  to  assist  him  in  the  government  of  the  College,  but  as  I 
was  in  so  delicate*  a  state,  I  considered  it  better,  according  to  the 


APPENDIX  TO   PART   FIRST.  293 

advice  of  the  physicians,  to  make  trial  of  this  climate.  I  accordingly 
came  here,  but  arrived  with  great  difficulty,  and  was  very  ill,  for  some 
time  after  my  arrival,  but,  praise  be  to  God  for  His  extraordinary 
favours  to  me,  I'm  wonderfully  recovered,  my  complaints  much 
abated,  and  every  day  acquiring  fresh  strength.  I  was  two  years 
and  a  half  without  saying  Mass,  with  the  exception  of  three  times 
during  my  stay  in  Salamanca ;  however,  I  am  now  able  to  say  Mass 
every  day,  and  I  hope  will  shortly  recover.  I  do  not,  however,  expect 
to  arrive  to  that  state  of  health  and  strength,  which  would  allow  me 
to  discharge  missionary  duties.  I  must  endeavour  to  procure  some 
situation  in  which  I  will  not  be  exposed  to  cold  or  fatigue,  should  it 
please  God  to  provide  me  with  such.  At  present  I  am  with  a  Rev. 
Mr.  MacDermud  who  keeps  an  Academy,  he  was  so  kind  as  to  give 
me  an  invitation  to  his  house  until  I  recover  and  be  able  to  procure 
some  situation. 

"  As  my  state  of  health  does  not  allow  me  the  great  pleasure  of 
seeing  your  Lordship,  I  send  you  two  Crucifixes,  one  for  your  breast, 
the  other  for  your  study,  which  I  brought  from  Jerusalem.  These 
Crucifixes  were  nine  days  in  the  Holy  Sepulchre  of  our  Lord  on 
Mount  Calvary,  and  were  blessed  by  the  Eeverendissimo  of  the  Holy 
Land ;  they  have  attached  a  plenary  Indulgence  in  the  article  of 
Death.  The  present,  though  small,  yet  I  flatter  myself,  will  be 
esteemed  by  your  Lordship  as  coming  from  so  sacred  a  place  which 
was  sanctified  by  the  most  adorable  body  of  our  Divine  Redeemer. 
I  bought  them  in  Bethlehem,  brought  them  with  me  to  Jerusalem, 
and,  on  entering  Mount  Calvary  where  I  remained  nine  days  and 
nights,  left  them  during  that  time  in  the  Holy  Sepulchre ;  it  may  also 
give  you  to  understand  that  neither  length  of  time,  nor  distance  of 
place  nor  the  many  difficulties  I  have  had  to  encounter,  could  occasion 
me  to  forget  the  high  esteem,  respect  and  regard  which  I  have,  and 
always  have  had  for  your  Lordship.  In  Mount  Calvary  and  other  parts 
of  the  Holy  Land  consecrated  by  the  Divine  Presence  of  our  Blessed 
Redeemer  which  I  visited  I  remembered  you  in  my  poor  and 
ineffectual  prayers. 

"  In  Lisbon  I  had  the  pleasure  of  being  present  at  the  ordination 
of  Mr.  Delany,  and  assisted  at  his  first  Mass ;  he  is  a  most  amiable 
good  young  man,  permit  me  to  tell  you,  he  really  does  honour  to 
your  Diocese,  he  is  the  best  student  in  the  College.  His  excellent  good 
abilities  united  with  his  close  application  to  study,  and  punctual 
observance  of  College  duties,  promise  that  he  will  be  at  a  future  day 
a  most  useful  labourer  in  the  vineyard  of  our  Lord. 

"  If  your  Lordship  correspond  with  Mr.  Mangan,  Rector  of  the 
College  in  Salamanca,  if  you  return  him  thanks  for  his  kind  attention 
to  me,  I  should  consider  it  as  a  particular  favour ;  under  God  he 
preserved  my  life.  On  my  leaving  the  hospital  in  Madrid  I  was  not 
possessed  of  so  much  as  one  shilling,  and  in  a  most  debilitated  state. 
He  assisted  me  in  every  respect,  he  is  a  most  charitable  man,  and  has 
done  a  deal  for  the  College.  In  place  of  the  old  house  we  lost,  Mr. 


294  APPENDIX  TO   PART  FIRST. 

Mangan,by  his  exertions,  has  obtained  from  the  King  a  most  excellent 
house,  one  of  the  former  noble  Colleges,  situated  in  good  air,  and  in 
every  way  better  calculated  for  the  health  of  the  students  than  our 
former  College.  It  wonld  afford  me  singular  pleasure  to  be  honoured 
with  a  letter  from  your  Lordship,  and  let  me  know  your  state  of 
health.  Be  so  good  as  to  present  my  compliments  to  the  Curates  who 
lived  with  me,  to  Rev.  Mr.  Dunn,  Mr.  Haly,  and  Mr.  Tyrrell,  and  to 
the  clergy  at  large  of  the  Diocese;  to  my  old  friends  and  parishioners 
of  Graiguenamanna  and  Raheen,  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kelly,  Mr.  Clooney, 
Miss  Rossetors,  Mr.  Maher  and  family  of  Killeany,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Lalor  of  Raheen,  and  Mrs.  Moffit,  also  of  Raheen,  and  all  inquiring 
friends. 

"I  remain  my  Lord,  with  the  highest  respect  and  esteem, 
"Yours  sincerely,  &c.,  &c.,  &c., 

"JOSEPH  BRAUGHALL." 

"Mr.  Delany  is  well  and  presents  his  dutiful  respects  to  your 
Lordship." 

Father  Braughall  was  again  in  Ireland  in  1838-9  ;  his  venerable 
appearance — gaunt,  bent  figure,  sharp  features,  and  flowing  iron- 
grey  hair — is  still  well  remembered.  During  his  stay  he  resided  at 
Carlow  College,  which  place  the  then  President,  Dr.  FitzGerald, 
invited  him  to  make  his  permanent  abode.  The  man  of  God,  how 
ever,  declined  this  kind  offer,  feeling  himself  called  to  a  life  of  greater 
seclusion  and  mortification.  In  1839,  he  again  set  out  for  Italy 
purposing  to  spend  the  rest  of  his  life  as  a  Hermit  in  that  favoured 
land.  In  the  following  letters  written  to  one  of  the  Sisters  at  the 
Presentation  Convent,  Carlow,  he  gives  an  interesting  account  of  his 
travels  and  the  many  difficulties  which  he  had  to  battle  with  before 
he  reached  that  haven  of  rest  which  his  soul  so  earnestly  longed 
for : — 

"Napoli,  alias  Naples,  November  16th,  1839. 

"  MY  DEAR  MRS.   M'GRATH  AND   SlSTER  IN  JESUS  CHRIST, — 

"I  should  have  written  to  you  long  before  this  were  it  not  for  my 
delicate  state  of  health  and  a  variety  of  other  crosses  it  has  pleased 
my  Lord  to  visit  me  with.  You  have  heard  from  Mr.  James  Leyne 
to  whom  I  have  written  from  Florence  of  my  long  confinement  in 
that  city.  I  was  ten  days  in  bed  in  a  locanda,  from  whence  I  was- 
removed  to  the  hospital,  where  I  remained  seven  weeks,  reduced  to 
the  lowest  state  of  bodily  weakness.  On  leaving  the  hospital,  the 
lady  in  whose  locanda  I  had  been  confined,  brought  me  to  her  house, 
kept  me  three  weeks,  attended  me  with  all  possible  care,  attention, 
and  fraternal  charity.  On  leaving  her  she  also  gave  me  two  Roman 
crowns,  and  the  Clergyman  by  whose  interest  I  was  received  into  the 
hospital,  paid  my  passage  in  the  coach  to  Siena,  forty  miles  from 
Florence.  I  was  so  weak  he  would  not  allow  me  to  walk ;  from 
thence  I  proceeded  on  foot  to  this  city,  where  I  arrived  safe  (praise  to 
God)  but  suffered  a  deal  along  the  way  from  distress,  and  harsh 
treatment  from  others.  However,  I  always  consoled  myself  by  keep- 


APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST.  295 

ing  before  my  eyes  the  sufferings  of  my  Divine  Lord  and  Master,  and 
expecting,  that  on  my  arrival  in  Naples  my  difficulties  and  trials  would 
be  in  a  great  measure  removed  on  being  received  into  the  Hermitage, 
the  long-wished-for  place  of  my  retreat  from  the  world.  On  present 
ing  myself  at  the  Hermitage  I  met  a  sad  disappointment,  the  Hermit 
would  nob  receive  me.  By  orders  from  Government,  there  is  no 
hermit  allowed  in  Mount  Vesuvius  but  one,  and  this  hermit  is 
appointed  by  the  King  himself  and  allowed  twenty  ducats  a  month 
for  his  support  and  that  of  the  Church.  I  endeavoured  to  be  received 
into  other  Hermitages,  but  found  it  equally  impossible,  as  the 
Government  does  not  wish  any  Foreigner  to  be  received  as  a  hermit. 
In  these  degenerate  days  Foreigners  aspiring  to  that  state  of  life  are 
suspected  of  having  been  incorrect  in  their  own  country.  I  have 
been  introduced  to  the  Rev.  Don  Andrew  Eichholser,  Confessor  to 
the  Queen  of  Germany ;  he  told  me  he  would  most  willingly  serve 
me  as  far  as  was  in  his  power,  but  to  procure  my  admittance  into  a 
Hermitage  he  considered  impossible,  therefore  he  could  not  hold  out 
to  me  the  smallest  hopes  whatever  of  my  being  received;  I  have 
made  a  memorial  to  the  Queen  supplicating  her  Majesty  to  grant  me 
this  request.  This  good  Rev.  Gentleman  has  been  so  kind  as  to 
deliver  the  Memorial  himself,  in  person.  As  yet  I  have  not  received 
the  final  answer,  but  it  has  been  given  me  to  understand  my  request 
cannot  be  granted.  I  have  been  also  introduced  to  the  Rev.  Don 
Giuseppe  de  Bianchi,  one  of  the  most  respectable  and  religious 
Priests  in  Naples,  and  for  whom  the  Cardinal  Archbishop  has  a 
great  regard ;  he  demanded  to  see  my  Bishop's  letter,  but  on  my 
journey  in  my  sickness  I  lost  the  letter  of  Dr.  Haly.  He  mentioned 
the  affair  to  the  Archbishop,  who  has  it  in  his  power  to  appoint  a 
hermit  to  two  or  three  Hermitages  in  his  Diocese,  but  his  Lordship 
said  the  hermits  in  his  Diocese  lived  either  on  a  patrimony  from 
their  family  or  on  begging,  and  as  I  had  no  patrimony  I  could  not 
be  admitted.  To  leave  the  Hermitage  to  go  out,  in  order  to  beg  for 
my  support,  I  might  be  insulted,  on  account  of  being  a  Foreigner, 
and  as  I  am  a  Priest,  it  would  not  be  prudent  to  expose  me  to  that 
danger ;  also  I  should  require  the  permission  of  the  Government  and 
the  Police,  which  could  not  be  obtained.  Not  having  my  Bishop's 
letter  renders  me  somewhat  suspicious.  This  clergyman  desired  me 
to  write  to  Doctor  Haly  for  his  letter  to  the  following  purport,  first, 
that  I  am  a  Priest  regularly  ordained;  secondly,  that  I  have'  been 
also  a  Parish  Priest,  I  told  them  I  was ;  thirdly,  that  I  have  made  the 
Pilgrimage  of  the  Holy  Land  and  that  my  Bishop  gave  me  his  per 
mission  and  blessing  to  become  a  hermit.  This  letter  must  be 
written  in  Latin,  signed  by  his  Secretary,  and  must  bear  the  Seal  of 
the  Diocess.  I  have  not  written  to  Doctor  Haly,  as  I  considered 
this  letter  to  you  will  be  sufficient.  I  hope  then,  you  will  endeavour 
to  see  the  Bishop  as  soon  as  possible.  Remember  me  most  affec 
tionately  to  his  Lordship.  I  am  sure  he  will  be  sorry  to  hear  of  my 
sad  and  unexpected  disappointment,  and  will  have  nj  difficulty  in 


296  APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIEST. 

sending  me  the  letter  they  require  here,  otherwise  I  will  be  con 
sidered  an  impostor,  for  there  are  various  opinions  passed  on  me,  and 
some  very  unfavourable  ones.  On  my  arrival  in  this  city  T  was  not 
possessed,  nor  am  I  at  present,  of  any  worldly  riches  whatsoever ; 
how  I  have  subsisted  seems  rather  a  miracle  from  God.  I  am  here  a 
month,  my  apprehensions  of  the  want  of  a  bed  and  a  place  to  protect 
me  at  night  seemed  to  prey  on  me  more  than  the  want  of  animal 
food,  but  my  merciful  God  has  not  as  yet  left  me  without  a  bed,  and 
the  longest  time  I  do  be  fasting  is  twenty-four  hours,  without  taking 
bread  and  water,  which  is  my  general  support,  with  a  little  wine 
occasionally.  The  night  I  arrived,  I  met,  in  the  locanda  where  I  went 
to  look  for  a  lodging,  a  gentleman  of  the  name  of  Don  Giorgio 
Drasenovich  a  German,  who  brought  me  to  his  room,  and  had  a 
bed  made  forme  convenient  to1  himself,  for  which  he  has  paid  forme 
about  eightpence,  English,  to  the  owner  of  the  locanda  every  night. 
It  is  very  difficult  for  a  poor  person  to  get  a  bed  in  this  city,  the 
population  is  so  great.  This  gentleman  is  one  of  the  best  informed 
men  I  ever  met  with  for  a  layman,  and  what  is  above  all  to  be  admired 
he  makes  use  of  his  information  to  his  arriving  at  perfection.  He  is 
truly  religious,  humble,  and  charitable  ;  he  has  treated  me  more  like 
a  brother  than  a  Foreigner.  I  may  say  he  has  been  my  principal 
support  this  past  month  that  I  have  been  in  Naples.  If  circumstances 
permitted  him,  he  would  not  let  me  want  for  anything,  but  he  is  very 
much  limited  as  to  his  means.  He  has  had  a  deal  of  expense  with 
me  since  my  arrival ;  he  paid  the  Police  office  for  my  letter  of  security, 
which  all  Foreigners  must  have,  and  has  got  me  shoes  and  other 
things  he  saw  I  was  in  want  of.  I  know  not  how  long  I  can  remain 
with  him,  as  his  narrow  circumstances  would  not  allow  him  to  pay 
much  longer  for  my  bed,  but  my  confidence  is  centered  in  my  merci 
ful  Jesus  who  has  always  provided  for  me,  that  in  His  infinite  mercies 
He  will  still  continue  to  do  so.  I  remained  but  three  days  in  Home. 
I  did  not  call  at  the  Irish  College  nor  Convents,  being  anxious  to 
enter  my  retreat  from  the  world  as  soon  as  possible.  Pray  for  me 
in  union  with  your  good  community  that  Almighty  God  in  His 
boundless  mercies  and  love  may  remove  the  many  obstacles  and  im 
pediments  which  prevent  my  reception  into  that  Holy  Eetreat  I  am 
so  long  sighing  after,  but  above  all  things,  that  He  may  accomplish 
His  Divine  Will  in  me.  Remember  me  most  affectionately  to  Mrs. 
Cosslett,  your  Rev.  Mother,  and  to  your  good  Community  at  large, 
also  Mrs.  Ward  and  Mrs.  Maher,  and  their  respectable  Community. 
Let  Mrs.  Ward  know  I  shall  write  to  her  when  I  receive  the  Queen's 
final  answer,  if  it  pleases  God  to  give  me  what  will  pay  the  foreign 
postage  of  the  letter.  It  is  the  gentleman  who  pays  for  my  bed  that 
also  pays  the  foreign  postage  of  this  letter  to  you.  Remember  me 
also  most  affectionately  to  Doctor  Fitzgerald  and  to  all  the  gentle 
men  of  the  College,  and  to  Mr.  James  Leyne.  Present  my  dutiful  and 
affectionate  love  to  Dr.  Haly,  let  his  Lordship  know  I  expect  he  will 
send  me  as  soon  as  possible  the  letter  I  require.  I  will  also  expect  a 


APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST.  297 

letter  from  you,  and  direct  as  follows : — Don  Giuseppe  Braughall 
Prete  Irlandese,  residente  in  Napoli.  Naples. 

"  The  body  of  Saint  Filomena,  Virgin  and  Martyr,  is  in  Mugnano, 
a  town  twenty  miles  distant  from  Naples;  the  miracles  and 
graces  received  through  her  holy  intercession  are  innumerable, 
and  daily  continue.  I  am  sorry  the  limits  of  this  short  sheet  do  not 
allow  me  to  give  an  account  of,  as  also  to  relate  to  you  the  many 
scenes  through  which  I  have  passed  since  I  left  Ireland,  I  shall 
relate  to  you  one  circumstance.  Four  days'  journey  from  Naples,  in 
a  locanda  where  I  slept,  I  was  taken  next  morning  for  a  robber  ;  the 
doors  were  shut  not  to  let  me  out,  I  was  then  closely  examined,  and 
the  few  things  I  had  in  my  little  bag  thrown  on  the  ground ;  but 
finding  nothing  with  me,  and  seeing  my  passport  correct,  they  were 
afraid  to  detain  me  and  allowed  me  to  continue  my  journey ;  they 
treated  me  very  harsh.  Within  five  days'  journey  of  Florence,  very 
ill,  and  almost  unable  to  walk,  as  I  ascended  one  of  the  Appenine 
mountains,  a  woman  met  me,  with  the  most  beautiful  countenance 
and  smile  I  ever  witnessed  in  man  or  woman.  She  had  a  cake  in  her 
hand,  she  stopped  me,  and  smiling  at  me  she  said  : — *  Dove  andate 
cosi  presto  V  Where  are  you  going  in  such  a  hurry  1  She  broke  the  cake, 
and  keeping  a  very  small  bit  herself,  gave  the  remainder  to  me, 
saying,  '  prendete  ed  mangiate  lo,'  take,  and  eat  it.  I  was  so  sick  I  put 
the  cake  in  my  pocket.  She  continued  a  length  of  time  looking  at 
me  and  smiling  at  me,  at  length  she  disappeared  from  me  without  my 
asking  her  name,  or  where  she  was  from.  I  really  believe  I  had  not 
the  power  of  speaking.  I  went  on  for  about  two  minutes,  I  reflected 
on  my  ingratitude  in  not  speaking  to  the  woman,  I  returned  back 
to  the  place  she  met  me  but  could  not  see  her.  The  beauty  and 
appearance  of  her  heavenly  countenance,  and  sweet  smile  has  never 
left  my  thoughts  since,  and  think  never  will  until  my  death.  On 
that  day  I  was  so  ill,  I  was  not  able  to  take  any  nourishment ;  in  the 
evening  I  ate  the  cake,  went  to  bed,  and  slept  soundly  till  the 
morning,  when  I  arose  perfectly  well,  and  continued  so  nearly  three 
days,  which  were  the  only  three  days  free  from  sickness  and  pain  I 
enjoyed  from  Paris  to  Florence. 

"I  remain,  my  dear  Mrs.  M'Grath, 

"Your  most  sincere   and  affecate.  Friend   and  Brother  in 
"  Jesus  Christ, 

"BENIAMINO  GIUSEPPE  BRAUGHALL." 

"  When  you  write  to  Mrs.  Brennan  salute  her  affectionately  in  my 
name." 

"  Napoli,  alias  Naples,  March  10th,  1840. 

"  MY  DEAR  MRS.  M'GRATH  AND  SISTER  IN  JESUS  CHRIST, — 

"  Your  esteemed,  kind,  and  truly  affectionate  letter  of  the  19th 
of  December,  I  received  on  the  24th  of  January.  This  is  the  only 
letter  or  account  I  had  from  Ireland  since  my  departure ;  it  afforded 
me  a  deal  of  pleasure  to  hear  you,  your  Rev.  Mother  Mrs.  Cosslett, 
and  respectable  Community,  with  my  dear  Bishop  and  Friends  in  the 


298  APPENDIX  TO  PART   FIRST. 

College,  were  well.  I  regret  your  dear  sister  Mrs.  Agnes  Nolan.  I 
regret  the  loss  you  and  your  Community  sustain  in  the  loss  of  her 
sweet  conversation  and  edifying  life.  Almighty  God,  who  holds  out 
a  merciful  hand  of  protection  to  all  His  servants  on  earth,  engaged  in 
His  spiritual  warfare,  watches  over  His  virgins  in  a  special  and 
particular  manner.  How  dear  the  virgins  are  to  His  Divine  Majesty 
our  Divine  Lord  and  Master  gave  us  a  convincing  proof.  When 
leaving  us  the  pledge  of  His  immortal  love  in  the  Most  Adorable 
Sacrament  of  the  Holy  Altar,  His  Divine  Majesty  allowed  His  virginal 
Disciple  to  repose  his  head  lovingly  on  His  Sacred  Heart,  and  in  His 
convulsive  Agony  on  the  Cross  recommended  His  afflicted  and 
virginal  Mother  to  the  care  of  His  virginal  Disciple,  and  why?  one 
of  His  principal  motives  certainly  was,  to  let  us  see  how  precious  in 
His  holy  Eyes  the  state  of  virginity  is,  and  we  are  assured  from  His 
Sacred  writings  that  the  virgins  in  Heaven  follow  the  Spotless  Lamb 
wheresoever  He  goeth,  approaching  nearest  His  Divine  Person, 
singing  hymns  and  canticles  of  gratitude,  love,  and  adoration,  which 
no  other  Saint  in  the  Heavenly  Jerusalem  can  sing  but  the  virgins 
alone.  In  this  happy  and  blissful  society  is  now  dear  Miss  Nolan 
receiving  the  recompense  promised  to  virginity.  I  am  grateful  to 
you  and  my  dear  Bishop,  for  his  letter  which  you  sent  me,  but  you 
will  be  surprised  to  hear  that  the  authenticity  of  the  letter  was  called 
in  question.  What  motives  they  had  for  doubting  the  veracity  of 
the  letter  I  could  not  understand,  but  they  alleged  that  the  Bishop's 
seal  should  have  been  within  the  letter,  under  his  name  and  not  outside, 
and  I  suppose  as  I  came  here  for  such  an  humble  state,  their 
suspicions  were  increased.  It  cannot  be  imagined  by  many,  that  a 
man  of  my  advanced  years  would  have  left  my  native  country  to  em 
brace  an  Eremetical  state,  if  I  had  not  committed  some  error,  and 
different  are  the  opinions  entertained  of  me.  I  gave  the  letter  to  my 
friend  Don  Giuseppe  Bianchi,  who  presented  it  to  the  Vicar-General 
Bishop,  who  acts  under  the  Cardinal  Archbishop  of  this  City,  but  his 
Lordship  did  not  give  implicit  credit  to  it,  and  ordered  the  letter  to 
be  taken  to  the  Apostolical  Nuncio  residing  here,  for  his  approbation, 
but  his  Eminence  declined  authenticating  the  letter  to  be  genuine, 
and  as  coming  from  the  hands  of  my  Bishop,  and  sent  the  letter  to 
be  approved  of  by  the  Holy  Father,  and  Propaganda  Fide  in  Rome, 
where  the  letter  remained  for  some  time.  At  length  Propaganda 
Fide  sent  back  the  letter  to  Naples,  to  the  Apostolical  Nuncio,  saying 
they  had  approved  of  the  letter,  and  that  his  Eminence  might  con 
sider  the  letter  as  genuine  and  coming  immediately  from  my  Bishop. 
The  Apostolical  Nuncio  approved  then  of  the  letter,  and  annexed  his 
Apostolical  Seal  to  it  in  confirmation  of  its  being  genuine,  and  also 
of  his  approbation.  The  letter  was  then  sent  to  the  Vicar-General 
Bishop  who  acts  under  the  Cardinal  Archbishop  of  this  city,  who  also 
admitted  the  letter  to  be  genuine,  and  also  annexed  his  seal  to  it ;  his 
Lordship  then  gave  me  permission  to  say  Mass  for  two  months,  with 
the  obligation  of  returning,  if  I  remained  in  the  city  on  the  expiration 


APPENDIX  TO   PAKT  FIRST.  299 

of  said  time,  to  have  the  •  license  renewed.  As  yet  I  have  not  been 
able  to  say  Mass,  nor  is  there  the  least  probability  I  ever  shall.  My 
state  of  health  is  the  same  as  when  I  left  Ireland,  nothing  better,  but 
rather  on  the  decline ;  my  voice  is  extremely  feeble.  As  yet  I  have 
not  been  able  to  find  admittance  into  any  Hermitage  or  solitary 
retreat,  nor  is  there  any  likelihood  I  can  in  this  Kingdom.  My 
friend  Don  Giuseppe  Bianchi  procured  for  me  a  Hermitage  in 
Marano,  about  six  miles  distant  from  this  city,  but  the  conditions 
required  of  me  were  such,  that  I  could  not  enter ;  they  required  as 
an  indispensable  obligation  that  I  should  say  Mass  every  day  in  the 
week  for  the  benefit  of  one  hermit  who  resides  in  the  Hermitage,  as 
also  for  the  convenience  of  a  few  families  who  are  near  the  Hermitage 
who  come  daily  to  the  Church  to  Mass,  in  consequence  of  being 
remote  from  any  other  Church.  My  state  of.  health  does  not  allow 
me  to  say  Mass,  consequently  they  would  not  admit  me.  Applica 
tion  has  been  made  for  me  in  other  Hermitages,  but  as  a  Foreigner 
I  could  not  be  admitted  without  saying  Mass  daily,  or  otherwise 
having  a  patrimony  for  my  support.  As  I  see  it  is  impossible  to  be 
admitted  into  any  Hermitage  here,  in  consequence  of  my  being  a 
Foreigner,  and  various  other  difficulties,  I  intend  going  into  the 
Roman  States  about  the  latter  end  of  May,  if  my  health  permits, 
and  that  it  pleases  Almighty  God  to  give  me  any  means  of  travelling. 
In  the  Roman  States  there  are  many  Hermitages,  and  Foreigners  are 
received  with  less  difficulty  than  here,  and  perhaps  my  God  in  His 
tender  mercies  may  open  a  door  into  some  solitary  retreat.  I  wrote 
to  Mrs.  Ward  a  few  days  after  writing  to  you,  I  hope  she  received 
the  letter.  In  that  letter  I  gave  a  short  account  of  the  birth  and 
sufferings  of  the  glorious  virgin  and  martyr  Saint  Filomena,  whose 
relics  were  translated  from  Rome  to  Mugnano  del  Cardinale,  a  town 
about  twenty  miles  distant  from  this  city,  on  the  2nd  of  July  in  the 
year  1805,  being  first  brought  to  Naples.  Her  sepulchre  was  dis 
covered  in  the  Catacombs  of  Santa  Priscillia  in  Rome  on  the  25th 
May,  1802,  under  the  Pontificate  of  Pius  Seventh.  She  was  born  on 
the  10th  January,  in  Greece,  of  Royal  Parents,  she  was  beheaded  on 
the  10th  of  August,  under  the  cruel  Dioclesian,  and  God  has  dis 
tinguished  in  a  particular  manner  with  many  miracles  the  anniversary 
solemnity  of  her  birth  and  glorious  martyrdom ;  the  graces  obtained 
through  the  intercession  of  this  illustrious  martyr  are  innumerable. 
Madame  Jaricot  from  Lyons,  in  France,  came  to  Mugnano  on  the  9th 
August,  1835,  accompanied  with  her  Chaplain,  a  servant  maid,  and 
servant  man;  this  respectable  lady  had  suffered  for  some  years  a 
tedious  and  painful  sickness,  she  could  neither  move  nor  stir  in  her 
bed ;  at  length  she  was  declared  incurable  by  her  Physicians,  and  her 
distemper  was  of  such  a  nature,  it  was  disgustful  for  her  attendants 
to  approach  her.  On  hearing  of  the  many  graces  obtained  through 
the  intercession  of  Saint  Filomena  she  was  brought  to  the  Shrine  of 
the  Saint  in  Mugnano,  and  on  the  3rd  day  of  the  Novena  she  was 
perfectly  cured,  in  the  presence  of  an  immense  concourse  of  people, 


300  APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST. 

both  of  Foreigners  and  natives,  in  the  Church, — stood  up  by  herself, 
walked  through  the  Church  home  to  her  lodgings,  and  stayed  many 
days  in  Mugnano  returning  Almighty  God  and  the  Saint  thanks.  In 
a  consent  of  a  numerous  Community  of  Saint  Francis  of  Sales  in  the 
Kingdom  of  Naples,  this  Community  was  reduced  to  the  utmost  state 
of  distress  and  want,  in  so  much  that  they  had  not  the  common 
necessaries  of  life.  The  Kev.  Mother  and  Nuns  undertook  a  Novena 
in  honour  of  Saint  Filomena,  and,  praise  be  to  Almighty  God,  on  the 
fourth  morning  of  the  Novena  a  young  man  knocked  at  the  door  and 
gave  the  Portress  two  hundred  Crowns  to  bring  to  the  Rev.  Mother, 
who  came  down  stairs  accompanied  with  the  Community  to  return 
the  young  man  thanks,  but  he  had  disappeared,  and  it  could  not  be 
discovered  who  had  given  the  money.  A  Lady  of  respectability  in 
this  Kingdom,  two  years  back,  who  had  been  accustomed  to  have,  at 
her  own  expense  in  the  Church,  an  anniversary  Feast,  Solemn 
High  Mass,  &c.,  in  honour  of  Saint  Filomena,  wasremoved  f  romlife,  and 
her  soul  brought  before  the  Divine  Tribunal,  where  the  Devils  were 
accusing  her  of  sloth  and  tepidity  in  the  service  of  God  during  life ; 
she  saw  Saint  Filomena  interceding  for  her  most  powerfully,  and 
alleging  many  excuses  to  our  Lord  in  her  behalf,  to  all  of  which  our 
sweet  Lord  held  down  His  Head,  and  gave  no  attention ;  at  length 
Saint  Filomena  said:— 'But,  0  Lord,  remember  with  what  love  I 
suffered  so  many  cruel  martyrdoms  and  torments  for  your  Divine 
love.'  To  this  our  Divine  Lord  replied,  'Filomena,  my  dear 
Daughter,  your  request  shall  be  granted;  do  as  you  wish.'  The  soul 
of  this  lady  was  then  united  to  her  body,  within  a  few  hours  of  her 
being  brought  to  her  grave,  she  sat  up  in  her  coffin,  and  related  to  her 
family  and  all  the  people  collected  to  attend  her  Funeral,  and  the 
parochial  Clergy,  this  account  I  now  give  you.  She  came  in  a  few 
days  after  to  Mugnano  to  the  Shrine  of  the  Saint,  to  return  Almighty 
God  thanks  for  this  extraordinary  favour  and  grace  she  received 
through  the  intercession  of  the  Saint,  and  related  in  the  Church  in 
the  presence  of  an  immense  concourse  of  people  this  wonderful 
miracle.  This  lady  is  still  living  in  a  most  edifying  manner  and  has 
a  numerous  family.  Almighty  God  has  also  punished  severely,  in 
many  instances,  such  as  have  called  in  question  the  miracles  wrought, 
and  graces  obtained  through  the  intercession  of  this  glorious  virgin 
and  martyr.  The  devotion  to  St.  Filomena  is  great,  not  only  in  this 
Kingdom,  but,  has  also  extended  through  the  different  parts  of 
Europe,  India,  and  America;  but  yet,  melancholy  to  say,  some 
nominal  Catholics  as  well  as  Heretics  call  in  question  the  veracity  of 
the  miracles  of  Santa  Filomena.  Praises  be  to  God,  the  conversions 
of  tepid  and  lukewarm  Catholics,  Protestants,  and  other  Heretics,  at 
the  Shrine  of  Santa  Filomena,  have  been  innumerable,  and  extra 
ordinary  graces  continue  daily  to  be  received  through  the  intercession 
of  this  glorious  servant  of  God  and  favourite  of  Heaven.  I  send  you 
a  small  painting  of  Santa  Filomena  as  she  is  in  her  Shrine  in  Mugnano, 
yet  I  fear  it  will  increase  the  postage  of  the  letter.  Place  yourself 


APPENDIX   TO  PART  FIRST.  301 

and  your  Community  in  a  special  manner,  after  the  Blessed  Virgin, 
under  the  patronage  and  intercession  of  Santa  Filomena,  and  be 
assured  you  shall  always  find  relief  in  your  spiritual  and  temporal 
necessities.  In  this  country  it  is  usual  to  keep  a  light  before  the 
Image  of  Santa  Filomena,  as  well  as  before  the  image  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  and  it  appears  from  many  instances  the  Saint  is  pleased  with 
this.  You  will  be  so  kind  as  to  present  my  affectionate  compliments 
to  your  Rev.  Mother,  and  respectable  Community,  to  Mrs.  Ward  and 
Community,  to  my  dear  Bishop,  Dr.  Haly,  Doctor  Fitzgerald,  Rev. 
Mr.  Taylor,  Mr.  O'Beirne,  Mr.  Mullhall,  and  in  a  word  to  all  my 
Friends  in  the  College.  When  you  write  to  Mrs.  Brennan  present 
my  affectionate  compliments,  as  also  to  Mrs.  Murphy  and  Mrs. 
Kinsella.  I  shall  write  to  them  shortly,  when  it  pleases  God  to  give 
me  the  means  of  paying  the  Foreign  postage  of  the  letter ;  present 
my  affectionate  compliments  in  a  particular  manner  to  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Maher,  let  him  know  I  took  the  liberty  of  directing  this  letter  to  his 
care  in  order  you  may  receive  it  with  security.  Also  remember  me 
affectionately  to  my  dear  Friend  Mr.  James  Leyne  in  the  College, 
let  him  and  Rev.  Mr.  James  O'Beirne  know  that  I  remember  with 
gratitude,  and  ever  shall,  the  many  favours  they  have  conferred  on 
me.  I  remain,  my  dear  Mrs.  M'Grath, 

"Your  sincere  and  affectionate  Friend  and  Brother  in  Jesus  Christ, 

"B.  JOSEPH  BRAUGHALL." 

"  I  recommend  myself  most  sincerely,  and  my  dear  Friend  Don 
Georgio  Drasenovich,  with  whom  I  still  remain,  to  your  good  prayers, 
and  that  of  your  Community.  Write  to  me  as  soon  as  convenient. 

«p.S. — Remember  me  to  Sisters  Veronica,  Catherine,  and  Mrs. 
Maguire.  I  rejoice  to  find  they  are  persevering  in  the  happy  state  to 
which  God  has  called  them." 

Father  Braughall  spent  the  latter  years  of  his  life  as  a  monk 
at  the  celebrated  Benedictine  Monastery  of  Monte  Cassino,  where 
he  edified  everyone  by  his  extraordinary  piety,  and  where  his 
memory  is  revered  as  that  of  a  saint.  The  late  Dr.  Russell,  of 
Maynooth  College,  who  visited  Monte  Cassino  during  the  lifetime 
of  Father  Braughall,  heard  the  following  anecdote  from  his  own 
lips.  On  the  morning  of  the  day  on  which  Father  Braughall  set 
sail  from  Leghorn  for  the  Holy  Land,  he  was  engaged  in  making 
his  thanksgiving  after  the  celebration  of  Mass,  when  he  felt  him 
self  tapped  on  the  shoulder ;  on  looking  round,  he  saw  a  handsome 
youth,  who  said  to  him :  "You  wish  to  go  to  the  Holy  Land;  go 
immediately  to  the  harbour,  and  you  will  find  a  vessel  ready  to 
sail."  Father  Braughall  stooped  to  take  up  his  breviary  when,  on 
looking  up,  the  person  had  disappeared.  He  went  at  once  to  the 
harbour,  and  found  the  ship  on  the  point  of  sailing.  The 
captain  received  him  kindly,  and  gave  him  a  free  passage  to  the 
East.  Father  Braughall  always  regarded  his  visitor  on  that  occasion 
to  have  been  his  Guardian  Angel.  His  special  devotions  were 


302  APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST. 

towards  our  Lord,  present  in  the  M.  H.  Sacrament  of  the  Eucharist, 
and  towards  the  Blessed  Virgin  whom  he  delighted  to  style  ever 
Immaculate. 

Apropos  of  the  former  trait,  the  following  incident  will  be  interest 
ing.  In  1848  the  King  of  Naples  and  his  family  visited  Monte 
Cassino.  On  going  to  the  Church  to  make  their  devotions  the 
royal  visitors  found  Father  Braughall  in  adoration  before  the  Taber 
nacle.  They  came  and  knelt  behind  him,  and,  on  leaving,  each  of 
the  royal  party  reverentially  took  up  and  kissed  the  hem  of  the 
habit  of  the  holy  Eeligious,  who  was  so  absorbed  in  his  devotion 
as  to  be,  all  the  while,  wholly  unconscious  of  their  presence. 

The  following  particulars  relative  to  the  closing  years  in  the  life 
of  this  saintly  Priest  have  been  obtained  in  reply  to  an  application 
kindly  made  to  the  Rev.  Anselm  Caplet,  now  Master  of  Novices  in 
the  Abbey  of  Monte  Cassino,  by  the  Very  Eev.  Adam  Hamilton, 
O.S.B.  :- 

Father  Hamilton  observes  :— "The  letter  F.  Caplet  inserts  in  his 
own  is  from  the  Right  Rev.  Abbot  d'Orgemont  de  la  Fontaine,  the 
actual  Abbot  and  Ordinary  of  the  Diocese  of  Monte  Cassino.  As  he 
(the  Abbot)  was  born  in  1826,  he  must  have  been  aged  14,  and  was 
amongst  the  boys  in  the  Monastic  College  when  Father  Braughall 
came  to  Monte  Cassino,  in  1840.  The  Abbot  is  a  man  of  no  ordinary 
reputation  for  piety  himself,  and  is  evidently  interested  in  the  history 
of  the  holy  servant  of  God  with  whom  he  lived  at  Monte  Cassino  for 
eight  or  ten  years.  His  testimony  is  not  without  value,  besides  the 
additional  witness  borne  by  Father  Perez,  as  you  will  see  from 
enclosed.  A  copy  of  the  letters  of  the  servant  of  God,  MS.  or 
printed,  would  be  a  welcome  present  to  Monte  Cassino." 

The  letter  of  Father  Caplet,  above  referred  to,  is  dated,  Rome, 
26th  September,  1882;  the  following  is  a  translation  : — "Reverend 
Father, — I  wrote  at  once  to  our  venerated  Abbot  for  the  information 
you  required.  He  answers  me  as  follows  : — 

"  The  Irish  Priest,  concerning  whom  you  have  been  written  to, 
came  to  Monte  Cassino  when  I  was  a  student  here,  and  died  in  the 
Abbey  in  great  reputation  of  sanctity.  He  used  to  pass  literally  the 
whole  day  on  his  knees,  either  at  the  railings  before  the  altar  of  the 
Blessed  Sacrament,  or  at  the  prie-dieu  before  the  Lady  Altar  (the 
altar  of  our  Lady  Assumed  into  Heaven).  He  used  to  converse  with 
no  one,  but  was  most  courteous  towards  any  one  that  addressed  him. 
He  never  said  Mass,  nor  would  he  put  on  a  stole,  although  he 
received  Holy  Communion  every  day  with  great  devotion.  Others 
have  likewise  made  enquiries  about  him,  but  as  they  wish  for  details, 
these  have  not  yet  been  collected,  and  there  are  only  a  few 
individuals  among  us  now  who  were  then  living  in  the  Monastery. 
Dom  Peter  Perez  was  then  in  the  Abbey;  you  will  be  able  to  get  from 
him  an  account  of  his  death,  because  he  assisted  him,  if  I  remember 
aright,  and  had  a  great  veneration  for  him. 

"  ^  NICHOLAS  D'ORGEMONT." 


APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST.  303 

"  As  you  see,  I  sent  on  your  letter  to  Monte  Cassino.  I  have 
questioned  Father  Perez  who  is  with  me  here  (at  S.Callisto  in  Rome), 
and  he  confirms  the  Bight  Rev.  Abbot  d'Orgemont's  account,  adding, 
that  the  saintly  clergyman  died  in  1850,  on  the  Feast  of  the  Ascension, 
after  solemn  Vespers,  assisted  by  the  Right  Rev.  Abbot  Dom  Pietro 
Candida.  A  band  of  musicians  from  Capua,  which  had  come  to  Monte 
Cassino,  was  playing  in  the  Basilica,  and  Father  Perez  was  at  the 
organ  (after  Vespers).  When  the  Community  learned  the  death  of 
their  pious  guest,  they  said  he  had  gone  straight  to  heaven  on  such 

a  day  of  gladness 

"  Your  devoted  brother  in  S.  Benedict, 

"  DOM  ANSELM  CAPLET,  O.S.B." 


SYNODICAL  RESOLUTIONS 

Of  the  Irish  Bishops,  assembled  at  Tullow,  June  6th,  1809. 
From  Dr.   Milner's  "Supplement  to   a  Pastoral  Letter,"  London, 

1809,  p.  17. 

"  Whereas,  We  the  underwritten  Archbishops  and  Bishops  of  the 
"  Roman  Catholic  Church  of  Ireland,  have  been  called  upon  to  declare 
"  our  judgment  concerning  certain  opinions  lately  published  in 
"  England,  and  there  condemned  by  our  Right  Rev.  Brothers,  the 
"  Bishops  of  Centuriae  and  Castabala,  Yicars- Apostolical ;  from  which 
"  condemnation  a  pretended  appeal  has  been  conveyed  to  us,  in  a 
"  book  entitled,  Abus  sans  Example  de  VAutorite  EccUsiastique,  pour 
"  fl&trir  et  opprimer  V Innocence,  &c.,  &c.  By  Pierre  Louis  Blanchard, 
"  styling  himself  Cure  de  St.  Hyppolite,  Dioctse  de  Lisieux,  Normandie. 
"  A  Londres,  de  rimprimerie  de  R.  Inigne,  17  Margaret  Street, 
"  Cavendish  Square.  Se  vend  chez  M.  De  la  Roche,  5  King  Street, 
"Portman  Square;  et  chez  1'Auteur,  81  High  Street,  Mary-le-bone, 
"  1808. 

"  And,  whereas,  the  said  Pierre  Louis  Blanchard  has  signified  in 
"  his  said  book,  that  he  will  consider  our  silence  as  an  approbation  of 
"  the  opinions  therein  asserted,  and  already  mentioned  to  have  been 
11  condemned  : 

"  For  these  reasons,  we  have  thought  it  expedient,  without  enter- 
"  taining  the  said  pretended  appeal,  which  we  declare  to  be  irregular, 
"  nugatory,  and  invalid,  to  take  into  consideration  the  reasons  alleged 
"  by  the  said  pretended  appellant ;  and  having  examined  the  pro- 
"  positions  hereafter  set  down,  as  well  separately  taken,  as  compared 
"  with  the  context  of  the  abovementioned  work  of  the  said  Pierre 
"  Louis  Blanchard,  We  have  unanimously  agreed  to  the  following 
"  resolutions : — 

"  First,  We  profess  and  teach  that  Pius  VII.  the  now  Bishop  of 
"  Rome,  is  the  true  and  supreme  Pastor  of  the  Catholic  Church,  that 
"  We  adhere  to  him  as  the  undoubted  Successor  of  Peter,  and  that 


304  APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST. 

"  he  is  fully  and  justly  in  possession  of  all  spiritual  powers,  which, 
"by  reason  of  the  Primacy  divinely  established  in  the  Church  of 
"  Christ,  of  right  belong  to  the  Chief  Bishop  of  Christians,  and  to  the 
"  Teacher  of  all  Christians. 

"  Secondly,  We  declare,  that  adhering,  as  We  have  done  from  the 
"beginning,  to  the  dogmatical  decisions  of  Pius  VI.  of  holy  remem- 
"  brance,  concerning  the  so-called  Civil  Constitution  of  the  Clergy  of 
"  France,  and  judging,  after  those  decisions,  that  the  said  Constitution 
"  was  impious  in  its  suggestions,  heretical  in  its  pretensions, 
"  schismatical  in  several  of  its  provisions,  and  on  the  whole 
"  to  be  rejected ;  We  judge  at  the  same  time,  that  our  holy 
"  Father  Pius  VII.,  has  not  meant  to  approve,  and  by  no  colour  or 
"  inference  has  he  approved  of  the  errors,  heresies,  or  impious 
"  principles  contained  in  the  said  Civil  Constitution  of  the  Clergy,  or  of 
"  any  of  them  :  but  that,  especially  in  his  measures  for  the  restoration 
"  of  Catholic  Unity,  and  the  peaceful  exercise  of  true  religion  in 
"France,  he  has  adhered  to  that  which  was  dogmatical  in  the  said 
"  decisions  of  his  predecessor,  and  that  he  has  only  yielded  what  the 
"  dreadful  exigencies  of  the  times  demanded  from  a  true  Shepherd  of 
"  the  Christian  Flock,  in  commiseration  of  such  days  as  had  never 
"appeared  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  and  if  they  had  not  been 
"shortened  on  account  of  the  elect,  all  flesh  would  not  have  been  saved. 

"  Thirdly,  We  declare,  that  in  the  Pontifical  Acts  already  mentioned 
"  of  Pius  VII.  he  has  validly,  and  agreeably  to  the  spirit  of  the 
"  Sacred  Canons,  exerted  the  powers  belonging  to  the  Apostolical 
"  See ;  that  he  has  effectually  restored  the  Catholic  Christians  of 
"  France  to  the  visible  body  of  the  Church,  and  that  he  has  thereby 
"  imparted  to  them  a  true  Communion  with  the  Universal  Church, 
"  that  being  restored  to  God  thro'  Christ,  they  may  have  remission  of 
"  their  sins  in  the  Holy  Spirit :  And  we  accept,  approve,  and  concur 
"  with  the  said  acts  of  Pius  VII.  as  good,  rightful,  authentic,  and 
"  necessary,  inspired  by  charity,  and  done  in  the  faith  of  his  pre- 
"  decessor. 

"As  we  are  willing  and  prompt  to  make  this  declaration  in 
"  testimony  of  the  One  Catholic  Church,  and  in  defence  of  its  visible 
"  Head,  Pius  VII.  for  whose  deliverance,  as  formerly  for  that  of  Peter, 
"  the  prayer  of  the  Church  is  unceasingly  offered  up  to  God,  so  it  is  with 
"  unfeigned  grief  we  find  ourselves  compelled  to  reprehend  the  works 
"  or  assertions  of  a  man,  who  appears  to  have  belonged  to  that 
"  glorious  Church  of  France,  which  in  these  last  days  has  crowned  its 
"  Faith  by  Confession,  and  its  Confession  by  Martyrdom ;  in  the 
"  sufferings  of  which  We  sorrowed,  and  for  the  deliverance  of  which 
"  We  prayed  :  but  being  reduced  to  the  necessity  of  either  acting  with 
"  pastoral  authority  and  animadversion,  or  surrendering  the  sacred 
"  trust  confided  to  us,  We  follow  the  example  of  him  who  has  said  : 
"  If  thy  right  eye  scandalize  thee,  pluck  it  out  and  cast  it  forth  from  thee  ; 
"  and  again,  unless  a  man  hate  his  very  soul,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple. 

"  Wherefore,  having  seen  the  following  propositions  asserted  by 


APPENDIX  TO   PART  FIRST.  305 

"  said  Pierre  Louis  Blanchard,  and  having  examined  them,  we  declare 
"  them  respectively  FALSE,  CALUMNIOUS,  and  SCANDALOUS,  inasmuch 
"  as  they  regard  the  acts  of  Pius  VII.  in  his  Restoration  and  Settle- 
"  ment  of  the  Churches  of  France,  and  manifestly  tending  to  schism, 
"  most  dangerous  at  this  time  to  the  peace  and  unity  of  the  Catholic 
"  Church,  exciting  and  inviting  to  schism,  not  alone  schismatical,  but 
"  dogmatizing  schism,  usurping  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction,  and  sub- 
"  versive  of  Church  authority. 

"  The  propositions  are  these  following  : — 
Page  38.     "L'Eglise  du  Concordat  n'est  pas  Catholique. 
Page  60.     "  L'Heresie  vient  d'obtenir  en  France  un  triomphe  complet, 
"  et  Pie  VII.  en  est  la  premiere  et  la  principale  cause. 
P.  95.     "  Une  Eglise   aussi   cornpletement  asservie  ne   peut  etre 

"  1'Eglise  de  Jesus  Christ. 
P.  99.     "  Les  Eveques  Concordataires  doivent  etre  evite~s  par  les 

"  fideles  jaloux  d'operer  leur  salut. 

Ibid.  "  Ils  n'ont  pas  re£U  de  Jesus  Christ  les  pauvoirs  essentielle- 
"  ment  libres  dans  leur  principe  et  dans  leur  exercise. 
P.109.  "  Un  des  sujets  de  leur  justes  plaintes  (des  Eveques  de 
"  France),  c'est  que  Pie  VII.  par  sa  foiblesse,  ait 
"  introduit  le  schisme  meme  et  I'heresie  dans  le  sein  de 
"  1'Eglise. 

P.  134.  "Quant  a  ce  Pape  (Pius  VII.)  Je  dis  seulement  qu'il  faut 
"  le  denoncer  a  1'Eglise  Catholique,  encore  sans  specifier 
"si  c'est  comme  heretique  et  schismatique  on  unique- 
"  ment  pour  avoir  viole  les  regies  saintes. 

P.  137.  "Pie  VII.  seroit  heretique  et  schismatique  par  1'abandon 
"  et  meme  par  le  mepris  d'une  decision  solennelle  de 
"  1'Eglise  : 

"  This  proposition  separately  taken  is  equivocal ;  but  it  is  to  be 
"  considered  along  with  the  three  following  : — 

P.  62.  "  Nous  avons  done  dans  la  decision  de  Pie  VI.  contre  la 
"Constitution  civile  du  Clerge,  celle  de  1'Eglise 
"  universelle  meme. 

P.  117.  "  Pie  VII.  par  la  formation  de  1'Eglise  Concordataire  a  en 
"  effet,  r6voque  les  brefs  de  son  predecesseur,  et  admis 
"  les  principes  f ondamentaux  de  la  Constitution  civile 
"du  Clerge. 

Ibid.  "  Comment  Pie  VII.  a-t-il  forme"  ca  fantome  d'Eglise  1  II 
"  la  forme  sur  les  bases  menies  que  Pie  VI.  avoit 
"  condamnees  comme  impies,  heretiques  et  schisma- 
"  tiques. 

"  These  Propositions  we  reject  and  condemn,  without  approving  or 
"  intending  to  approve  many  other  propositions  maintained  by  the 
"  said  P.  L.  Blanchard  as  connected  with  the  foregoing,  and  without 
"  entertaining,  as  We  have  already  declared,  the  said  pretended 
"  appeal,  or  approving  of  it  in  form  or  substance. 

U 


306 


APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST. 


"  In  testimony  of  all  which  We,  the  aforesaid  Archbishops  and 
"  Bishops  have  signed  our  names  to  this  our  Solemn  Declaration 
"  and  Decision. 

"Dublin,  3rd  July,  1809." 


Richard  O'Reilly,  D.D.,  Armagh.' 
Thomas  Bray,  D.D.,  Cashel. 
Francis  Moylan,  D.D.,  Cork. 
P.  J.  Plunket,  D.D.,  Meath. 
John  Cruise,  D.D.,  Ardagh. 
John  Power,  D.D.,  Waterford 

and  Lismore. 
Flor.  McCarthy,  D.D.,  Antione, 

Goad.,  Cork. 
E.  Dillon,  D.D.,  Tuam. 
J.  Caulrield,  D.D.,  Ferns. 


"  J.  T.  Troy,  D.D.,  Dublin. 
"Daniel  Delaney,  D.D.,    Kildare 

and  Leighlin. 

"James  Lanigan,  D.D.,  Ossory. 
"  F.  French,  D.D.,  Elphin. 
"  T.  Costello,  D,D.,  Clonfert. 
"  John  Flyn,  D. D. ,  Elect,  Achonry. 
"  Patrick  Ryan,  D.D.,  Gerrnanicia, 

Coad.,  Ferns. 
"Daniel   Murray,    D.D.,    Coad., 

Elect,  Dublin." 


"  I  hereby  certify  that  the  underwritten  Prelates,  not  present  at 
the  assembly  of  their  brethren  on  the  3rd  of  July,  have  approved 
the  foregoing  solemn  Declaration  and  Decision ;  and  authorized  me 
by  their  respective  letters,  to  affix  their  signatures  thereto." 

"J.  T.  TROY,  D.D.,  Dublin." 

"August  21,1809." 


Wm.   Coppinger,  D.D.,   Cloyne 

and  Ross. 
P.  MacMullen,  D.D.,  Down  and 

Connor. 

E.  Deny,  D.D.,  Dromore. 
Chas.  O'Donnell,  D.D.,  Derry. 
N.  J.  Archdeacon,  D.D.,  Kilmac- 

duagh  and  Kilfenora. 


"Dominick  Bellew,  D.D.,  Kilalla. 
<C.  Sughrue,D.D.,  Kerry. 
•'  James  Murphy,  D.D.,  Clogher. 
'  J.  O'Shaughnessy,  D.D,  Kilalloe. 
'P.  McLoughlin,  D.D.,  Raphoe. 
'F.  Reilly,D.D.,Kilmore. 
<Val.  Bodkin,  D.D.,  Ward.,  Gal- 
way." 


This  formal  condemnation  appears  to  have  had  no  effect  for  good 
upon  this  turbulent  and  self-willed  Abbe".  The  following  letters  from 
Dr.  Baines  to  Dr.  Doyle,  written  fifteen  years  later,  shew  him  still  as 
intent  as  before  on  fomenting  strife  and  schism  : — 

"Lansdown  Crescent,  Bath,  June  1st.,  1824. 
"  MY  DEAR  LORD, — Excuse  the  liberty  I  take  in  troubling  you 
with  this.  The  Abb6  Blanchard  has  lately  come  to  Bath,  and, 
yesterday,  sent  me  a  long  manuscript  in  justification  of  himself  against 
the  charges  of  schism,  &c.,  that  have  been  made  against  him.  He 
maintains  that  it  is  not  he  who  is,  but  Pius  VII.  who  was,  the 
schismatic.  He  maintains  that  the  Church  of  France  is  also  schis- 
matical,  and  as  such,  he  refuses  to  communicate  with  it.  In  a  con 
versation  I  had  a  few  days  ago  with  a  female  friend  of  the  Abb6 
Blanchard,  who  applied  to  me  for  the  Sacraments,  I  stated  that  the 
Bishops  of  Ireland,  amongst  others,  never  separated  themselves  from 
the  Communion  of  Pius  the  VII.,  nor  of  the  Church  of  France  as 
established  by  him.  In  reply  to  this  the  Abbe"  says : — '  Vous  avea 


APPENDIX   TO   PART  FIRST.  307 

dit,  Mgr.,  que  le  corps  des  Eveques  d'Irlande  m'avoit  condamne ;  et 
il  est  inutile,  il  seroit  trop  long  d'exposer  comment  et  par  quelles 
intrigues ;  rnais  il  etoit  de  votre  justice  d'ajouter  que  le  corps  des 
Eveques  d'Irlande  a  revoque  ses  censures  par  son  addresse  de  1810. 
Je  publi^  cette  revocation  par  un  ouvrage  imprime  sous  ce  titre  : 
La  veritt  prodame  par  ses  aggresseurs.  Les  prelats  ne  reclamerent 
point,  et  M.  Milner,  dans  le  Journal  Orthodox,  reconnat  mon  dclatant 
triomphe,  qui  est  celui  de  la  verite.  Depuis  ce  terns  nous  les  citons 
avec  confiance  en  notre  faveur.' 

"I  am  not  entering  into  controversy  with  the  Abbe.  I  have 
refused  to  do  so  ;  but  as  he  requested  my  opinion  of  his  doctrines 
and  sentiments,  and  as  I  judged  this  declaration  of  my  opinion 
necessary  for  the  good  of  some  well-meaning  persons  misled  by  him, 
I  declared  his  doctrines  and  sentiments  as  expressed  in  his  letter, 
injurious  to  the  late  venerable  Head  of  the  Catholic  Church,  sckismatical, 
and  leading  directly  to  heresy;  and  I  forbad  him,  of  course,  to  exercise 
any  ecclesiastical  functions  here.  It  is  not,  therefore,  for  my  own 
satisfaction  that  I  trouble  your  Lordship,  but  chiefly  for  the  benefit 
of  some  respectable  persons,  over  whose  minds  this  positive  old  man 
has  exerted  much  influence,  chiefly  by  persuading  them  that  he  has 
numerous  episcopal  defenders.  Your  Lordship  would  therefore 
confer  a  great  favour  upon  me  and  benefit  on  others,  by  stating  your 
own  sentiments,  and,  as  far  as  you  are  able,  those  of  your  Episcopal 
brethren  on  these  heads." 

That  the  reply  of  Dr.  Doyle  was  both  prompt  and  satisfying  is 
shown  from  another  letter  of  Dr.  Baines,  dated  June  24th,  1824  : — 

"  MY  DEAR  LORD, — Your  prompt  and  satisfactory  answer  on  the 
subject  of  Abbe  Blanchard  arrived  opportunely  and  afforded  me  an 
argument  for  confirming  the  faith  and  settling  the  mind  of  one  young 
person  who  had  been  misled  by  that  wrong-headed  and  obstinate 
old  man.  This,  I  know,  will  be  considered  by  your  Lordship  as  a 
sufficient  compensation  for  your  trouble.  However,  I  must  beg  leave 
to  add  my  best  thanks." 

[The  remaining  portion  of  Dr.  Baines's  letter,  though  not  referring 
to  this  subject,  will  be  found  interesting,  and  not  out  of  place  in 
these  pages.] 

"  Your  Lordship's  pathetic  description  of  the  sufferings  of  your 
poor  countrymen  has  also  been  productive  of  some  good.  It  has 
enabled  me  to  have  the  pleasure  of  enclosing  a  ten  Pound  Bank  of 
England  note  for  their  relief.  It  is  the  contribution  of  an  English 
Protestant  lady  who  has  placed  it  at  my  disposal  from  the  descrip 
tion  I,  or  rather  you,  gave  her  of  Ireland's  wretchedness,  and  who 
approved  of  my  sending  it  to  be  distributed  by  your  Lordship's  hands 
as  you  deem  most  proper.  I  need  not  beg  that  you  would  recom 
mend  her  to  the  prayers  of  the  poor  who  are  benefited  by  her  charity, 
that  God  would  make  her  faith  equal  to  her  benevolence.  If  you 
think  me  entitled  to  a  passing  memento,  it  will  be  well  disposed  and 
most  gratefully  acknowledged. 


308  APPENDIX   TO   PAET   FIRST. 

"  The  very  day  I  received  your  Lordship's  letter,  I  met,  by  ap 
pointment,  the  Poet  Moore,  to  thank  him  for  his  admirable  Memoirs 
of  Captain  Rock.  I  showed  him  part  of  your  letter  which  he  was 
anxious  to  see,  and  he  spoke  of  it  and  its  writer  in  a  way  that  pleased 
me.  He  told  me  that  the  Orangemen  in  Dublin  are  circulating  a 
cheap  edition  of  his  work,  in  Ireland,  to  injure  the  sale  of  his  more 
expensive  impression  !  May  God  inspire  all  their  councils  with  equal 
wisdom ! 

"I  have  just  seen  your  letter  of  the  18th  inst.,  to  Mr.  A.  Brown, 
I  am  delighted  with  the  concluding  clause  containing  your  principles 
of  allegiance.  They  are  the  principles  of  common  sense,  and  I  shall 
henceforward  maintain  them  with  the  same  firmness  I  always  have, 
and  with  more  confidence,  having  such  an  authority  to  back  me. 

"I  had  a  letter  not  many  days  ago  from  our  amiable  and  worthy 
old  friend  the  Bishop  of  Norwich,  who  says  : — '  Every  fair,  unpre 
judiced  man  must  allow  that  the  harsh  imputations,  the  insulting 
language  of  Lord  Colchester  and  Lord  Redesdale  are  sufficient  to  try 
the  patience  of  a  primitive  martyr.  The  unjustifiable  attack  of  the 
first  on  your  very  able  and  (I  am  told)  very  amiable  friend  Bishop 
Doyle,  and  the  injudicious  and  unproved  assertions  of  the  other  could 
not  but  irritate  every  Catholic  who  has  the  common  feelings  of  our 
nature  about  him."  As  I  look  upon  the  Bishop  of  Norwich  to  be  the 
only  honest  man  upon  the  English  bench,  it  may  gratify  your  Lord 
ship  to  have  his  approbation.  A  line  in  reply  to  say  that  the 
enclosed  has  not  fallen  into  Orange  hands  will  oblige  me,  and  any 
thing  else  you  may  add  will  be  properly  valued  and  confer  great 
pleasure  on,  my  dear  Lord,  your  Lordship's  most  obt.  sevt.  and 
brother  in  J.  C., 

"P.  A.  BAINES." 


SEEMON 

Preached  at  the  Consecration  of  the  Cathedral  of  the  Immaculate  Concep 
tion,  Marlborough  Street,  Dublin,  November  14th,  1825, 
BY  THE  EIGHT  REV.  DR.  DOYLE,  BISHOP  OF  KILDARE  AND 

LEIGHLIN. 

"  And  they  arose  before  the  morning,  and  offered  Sacrifice  on  the  new  Altar 
which  they  had  made,  and  all  the  people  fell  prostrate,  and  adored,  and  blessed 
up  to  Heaven  Him  who  had  prospered  them." 

"  These  words,  my  brethren,  are  taken  from  the  52nd  and  following 
verses  in  the  4th  Chapter  of  the  first  Book  of  the  Machabees.  They 
represent  to  us  the  chosen  people  of  God,  emerging  from  a  state  of  trial, 
and  devoting  the  first  fruits  of  their  labours  and  possessions,  in  thanks 
giving,  to  Almighty  God.  They  exhibit  to  us  the  Dispersed  of  Israel, 
collected,  together  with  their  Princes  and  their  High  Priest  at  their  head, 
renewing  in  the  second  Temple  and  at  the  foot  of  its  newly-raised  altar, 
that  Covenant  which  their  fathers  had  stricken  with  Jehovah. 
m  "This,  beloved  brethren,  is  an  interesting  spectacle;  and  as  the  descrip 
tion  of  it  has  been  written  for  our  instruction,  it  is  difficult  to  withhold 


APPENDIX  TO   PART  FIRST.  309 

from  it  our  special  attention.  To  point  out  the  resemblance  between 
what  then  occurred,  and  the  scene  which  is  now  passing,  would  indeed 
be  superfluous  ;  it  is  painted  in  the  language  of  my  text  : — 'They  arose,' 
says  the  inspired  writer,  '  before  the  morning,  and  offered  sacrifice  on  the 
new  Altar  which  they  had  made,  and  all  the  people  fell  prostrate,  and 
adored,  and  blessed  up  to  Heaven  Him  who  had  prospered  them.'  This 
people  were,  as  I  hope  we  are,  satisfied  that  God  is  a  spirit,  and  that  in 
spirit  and  truth  He  should  be  adored ;  but  they  also  knew  that  man, 
consisting  as  he  does,  of  body  and  soul,  required  a  worship  which, 
through  his  senses,  would  operate  upon  his  mind  •  and,  in  order  to  facili 
tate  the  exercise  of  this  worship,  they  rebuilt  their  Temple  and  repaired 
its  Altars.  This  people  had  received  a  Law  from  the  Almighty,  a  law, 
imperfect,  it  is  true,  and  one  that  brought  nothing  to  perfection,  but  yet 
a  law,  holy  and  blameless,  if  any  one  used  it  well.  But,  in  order  to  render 
this  law  efficient,  to  impart  its  blessings  to  the  ignorant  and  to  the  wise, 
they  thought,  and  they  thought  rightly,  that  it  was  necessary  to  have  a 
Temple  wherein  its  ordinances  might  be  administered,  and  a  Chair  within 
that  Temple  from  which  its  precepts  could  be  constantly  announced.  To 
offer  Sacrifice,  then,  to  God,  to  publish  and  expound  the  Law,  to  minister 
the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  the  established  Covenant  with  due  order  and 
solemnity,  these  were  the  ends  and  objects  for  which  the  Jewish  people, 
with  their  Princes  and  High  Priest,  rebuilt  their  Temple  and  restored  its 
Altars.  These,  beloved  brethren,  are  also  the  ends  and  objects  for  which 
you  have  laboured,  for  these  purposes  you  have  built  this  temple  and 
have  raised  that  altar,  arid  it  is  because  they  are  now  accomplished, 
under  the  Divine  Blessing,  that  you  have  assembled  to  adore  and  bless 
up  to  heaven  Him  who  has  prospered  you. 

"  Already,  beloved  brethren,  the  end  of  my  conversation  amongst  you 
seems  to  be  attained  by  the  assent  you  appear  to  give  to  the  truth  and 
justice  of  these  remarks.  If  I  detain  you,  therefore,  it  will  be,  only  that 
I  may  point  out  the  harmony  which  exists  between  the  law  of  nature,  the 
law  of  Moses,  and  the  law  of  Christ,  in  all  that  relates  to  the  building  of 
temples  and  the  worship  in  them  of  Almighty  God.  If  I  endeavour  to 
direct  your  attention  to  the  supereminent  truth  and  sanctity  of  the 
Gospel  dispensation  which  henceforth  will  be  preached  in  this  house,  or 
at  all  exhort  you  to  holiness  of  life,  my  observations  will  be  short, — such 
as  become  the  modesty  of  one  addressing  a  people  who  are  not  ignorant 
of — but  who  are  well  acquainted  with  the  truth. 

"  As  soon  as  men  were  established  on  the  earth  and  took  possession  of 
those  things  which,  in  the  earliest  times,  constituted  property,  such  as 
fruits,  and  wells,  and  flocks,  and  pastures,  they  who  continued  just 
through  faith,  looked  to  God  as  to  their  only  hope  in  a  future  state  when 
the  few  and  evil  days  of  their  pilgrimage  here  below  be  ended,  and, 
endeavouring  to  secure  that  happy  life  which,  to  use  the  language  of 
Tobias,  God  does  not  fail  to  give  to  those  who  never  change  their  faith 
from  Him,  they  consecrated  in  Sacrifice  to  the  honour  of  His  name  a 
portion  of  His  own  gifts,  the  first  fruits  from  their  fields,  or  the  finest 
younglings  from  amongst  their  flocks.  The  shaded  vale  was  then  their 
temple,  and  a  rude  stone,  consecrated  by  oil  poured  out  in  prayer,  was 
the  altar  whereon  the  first  believers  presented  their  offerings  and  paid 
their  homage  to  Almighty  God.  Such  was  the  ritual  of  the  law  of  nature 
as  it  was  obligatory  upon  all,  and  observed  by  the  just  of  old.  Witness 
Abel,  Seth,  Noe,  Melchisedech,  Abraham,  and  Job.  When  Moses  con 
ducted  the  children  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt,  the  Lord,  as  it  is  recorded  in 
the  25th  Chapter  of  Exodus,  spoke  to  him  saying,  '  Speak  unto  the 


310  APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST. 

children  of  Israel  that  they  may  bring  me  an  offering  of  every  man  that 
giveth  it  willingly  with  his  heart,  take  thou  my  offering,  and  let  them 
make  me  a  Sanctuary,  that  I  may  dwell  in  the  midst  of  them.'  In  con 
formity  with  this  command,  they  constructed  a  Tabernacle,— that  is,  a 
large  wooden  building,  elegantly  carved,  highly  embellished,  decorated 
with  silks,  and  gold,  and  silver,  haying  tables  and  candlesticks  belonging 
to  it,  the  whole  enclosed  in  curtains,  and  covered  on  the  outside  with 
skins  to  protect  it  against  the  weather  or  to  secure  it  from  injury  when 
carried  by  the  Levites  from  one  station  to  another.  The  Ark,  my  brethren, 
contained  the  tables  of  the  law,  the  rod  of  Aaron,  a  vase  of  the  manna, 
and,  afterwards,  the  books  of  Moses  ;  and  before  it,  on  an  altar  erected 
for  the  purpose,  the  Israelites  offered  up  prayers  and  sacrifices  to  their 
Deliverer  and  their  God.  When  the  people,  after  sojourning  in  a  dry 
and  pathless  desert  for  upwards  of  forty  years,  were  at  length  introduced 
to  that  land  which  the  Lord  with  an  oath  had  promised  to  their  fathers, 
they  deposited  the  ark  in  some  town  or  city,  and  thither  they  all,  in  their 
tribes  and  families,  resorted  for  the  purpose  of  performing  their  religious 
worship.  After  the  events  recorded  in  the  books  of  Judges  and  the  first 
of  Kings  had  occurred,  David  removed  it  from  the  house  of  Obededom  to 
the  holy  Mount  of  Sion,  outside  of  Jerusalem,  that  he  might  pay  his 
homage  to  God  before  it,  and  thereby  secure  to  himself  and  to  his  rising 
city  those  blessings  which  always  accompanied  it.  This  Prince  wished 
to  build  a  temple  to  the  Lord,  a  temple  worthy  of  the  shepherd  who  for 
his  faith  and  piety  had  been  exalted  to  a  throne,  and  of  that  mighty  Lord 
who,  with  a  strong  hand  and  an  outstretched  arm,  had  delivered  this 
people  from  Egyptian  bondage.  But  though  David  was  a  man  after  God's 
own  heart,  this  privilege  was  denied  him,  because  he  had  spent  his  life 
in  battles  and  stained  his  hands  with  blood.  It  was  reserved  to  the 
peaceful  Solomon  to  build  a  temple  to  the  God  of  Peace,  and  thereby  to 
fix  a  precedent  worthy  of  His  wisdom  for  all  the  Kings  and  Princes  of 
all  future  ages.  Thus,  my  brethren,  the  law  of  Moses  which,  as  Tertullian 
observes,  was  an  exposition  of  the  law  of  nature,  and  a  preparation  for 
the  law  of  the  Gospel,  sanctioned  after  the  former  a  moving  Sanctuary 
or  altar,  and  then  closed  all  its  observances  in  that  Temple  from  whose 
ruins  Christianity  sprung.  We  have,  then,  the  sanction  of  the  law  of 
.Nature  and  of  the  law  of  Moses,  for  the  erecting  of  places  of  worship, 
and,  whether  the  law  prescribing  this  duty  to  man  be  carved  by  the  finger 
of  God  on  tables  of  stone  or  on  the  fleshy  tablets  of  the  heart,  its  purport 
and  its  meaning  are  the  same.  These  observations  have  conducted  us  to 
the  establishment  of  Christianity. 

"This  religion,  like  its  Founder,  at  first  appeared  humble  ;  but  after 
wards,  like  Him,  was  crowned  on  account  of  its  suffering  with  glory  and 
with  honour  !  The  first  Christians  had  been  told  by  the  Apostle  Paul 
that  it  was  by  many  tribulations  they  should  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of 
J*od,  and  for  more  than  three  centuries  the  prediction  had  been  literally 
mlnlled.  During  that  period  whosoever  wished  to  live  piously  in  Christ 
Jesus  had  to  suffer  persecution.  In  those  times  the  chief  temples  which 
the  Almighty  had  upon  the  earth  were  the  hearts  of  His  well-beloved. 
There  were,  'tis  true,  even  then,  such  places  of  worship  as  the  faithful 
could  procure,— the  private  houses  of  many  Saints  were  converted  into 
Churches,  and  the  vaults  where  the  bodies  of  the  Martyrs  reposed  became 
the  temples  of  the  God  of  martyrs,— yea,  the  remains  of  the  martyrs 
themselves  became  the  altars  on  which  the  precious  gifts  of  the  pious 
Christian  were  presented  to  his  God.  There  he  commemorated  the  death 
of  his  Lord  and  prepared  for  his  own  approaching  trial  and  dissolution. 


APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST.  311 

In  those  days,  says  St.  Justin— himself  a  martyr — in  his  Apology  for  the 
Christians,  'In  those  days,  we  assembled  before  the  rising  of  the  sun,  in 
the  country,  in  the  suburbs  of  the  towns,  and  in  the  villages.'     Yes,  my 
brethren,  the  primitive  Christians  assembled  before  the  rising  of  the  sun, 
in  the  country,  where  some  lonely  vale  afforded  them  protection  against 
the  inclemency  of  the  weather,  the  pelting  of  the  storm,  or  the  more  bitter 
blast  of  persecution— in  the  country,  where  the  heavens  were  their  canopy, 
and  the  surrounding  waste  reminded  them  of. that  wilderness  of  life 
through  which  they  journeyed,  whilst  the  rude  altar  which  their  own  hands 
had  raised,  supplied  them  with  the  Bread  of  Heaven  !     Well,  but  better 
times  arrived,  the  persecution  ceased,  the  Roman  Emperors  became  con 
verts  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Cross;  and  now  Christianity  comes  forth 
arrayed  in  all  the  glories  and  splendour  of  a  converted  world.    The 
great   Palace  of  the  Lateran,  the  residence  of  so   many  Caesars,  was 
changed  by  Constantine  into  a  Christian  Church.      All  the  trophies  of 
an  Augustus,  all  the  riches  of  a  Tiberius,  all  the  splendour  of  a  Vespasian 
—but why  do  I  enumerate  the  grandeurs  of  these  masters  of  the  world? 
—all  the  riches  of  the  temples  of  their  gods,  all  the  antiquities  of  Egypt, 
all  the  arts  of  Greece,  all  the  taste  of  Italy,  all  are  accumulated  and 
arrayed  to  erect  and  adorn  the  Churches  of  the  Christians.     The  lofty 
arch,   the  stately  dome,  the  fluted  column,  the  carved  capital,   which 
hitherto  used  to  support  and  beautify  the  temple  of  some  idol,  now  serve 
to  build  or  to  embellish  the  temples  of  that  true  God  who  was  hitherto 
unknown.     The  figures  and  the  statues  of  the  false  deities  disappear,  but 
the  chisel  of  the  artist  shall  not  be  idle;  it  is  now  employed  in  preparing 
busts  and  statues  of  those  sainted  heroes  who  had  signalized  their  courage 
in  the  warfare  of  Christ.     The  painter,  hitherto  engaged  in  presenting  to 
the  curious  eye  cruelty,  obscenity,  or  impiety,  veiled  with  the  cloaks  of 
religion  and  arranged  in  temples  amongst  the  gods,  is  now  employed  in 
decorating  the  Christian  Churches  with  paintings  which  tell  the  history 
of  God's  mercies  to  His  creatures,  instruct  the  ignorant  through  their 
sight  in  the  great  truths  of  religion,  and  impress  their  hearts  with  the 
strongest  sentiments  of  piety.     Thus  the  Religion  which  springs  from 
the  Author  of  our  being,  abides  in  temples,  and  puts  every  talent  of  the 
mind  and  every  feeling  of  the  heart  in  requisition,  and  employs  them  all 
for  God's  honour  and  our  sanctification.     Nay,  it  not  only  draws  closer 
the  intercourse  between  earth  and  heaven,  but  it  sheds  a  kind  of  bene 
diction  over  those  hne  arts  which  are  most  creditable  to  our  nature.  The 
spirit  of  our  holy  Religion,  in  this  respect,  was  not  confined  to  the  Rulers 
of  the  earth,  to  those  Emperors  who  swayed  the  destinies  of  the  world. 
No,  it  extended  itself  to  every  class,  to  each  sex,  to  every  nation,  and  to 
every  clime.     Helen,  the  pious  mother  of  Constantine,  discovered  at 
Calvary  the  Cross  upon  which  our  Redeemer  died,  arid  she  built  there  a 
Church  in  which  it  was  preserved  and  occasionally  exposed  to  the  vene 
ration  of    the  faithful.      The    Consuls  imitated  the   example  of  the 
Emperors  ;  all  the  great  ones  of  the  State,  all  the  cities  and  towns  vied 
with  each  other  in  erecting  churches  in  honour  of  that  God  who  had 
called  them  out  of  darkness  to  His  admirable  light.     This  zeal  amongst 
true  believers  has  never  been  extinguished,  it  has  scarcely  abated.    Even 
the  Goths  and  Vandals— barbarians  who,  in  their  rage,  destroyed  almost 
every  monument  of  piety— had  no  sooner  embraced  the  Christian  I  aith. 
than  they  built  up  those  massive  and  irregular  piles  which  we  call  Gothic, 
models  indeed  of  the  genius  of  that  savage  people,  but  lasting  as  the 
records  of  the  ravages  which  they  committed. 


312  APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST. 

"  In  our  own  country,  a  country  which  for  centuries  was  unequalled 
in  the  world  for  piety  and  civilization,  we  find  that  the  erection  of 
churches  was  coeval  with  the  introduction  of  Christianity  itself.  Some 
of  those  churches  were  of  an  extraordinary  size  and  beauty.  They, 
indeed,  have  all  disappeared,  for,  like  most  of  the  other  public  buildings 
of  that  period,  they  were  composed  of  timber,  a  material  which,  like  man 
himself,  soon  withers  and  decays.  The  English  settlers,  too,  from  whom 
many  of  us  are  descended  and  with  whom  most  of  us  are  allied  by  blood, 
they  were  also  most  pious  and  zealous  in  this  regard;  so  that  nearly  all  those 
venerable  remains  which  are  still  partly  preserved  as  Cathedral  Churches, 
or  which  were  destroyed  by  the  phrensy  of  the  Puritans,  had  been  built 
by  English  settlers  in  the  13th,  14th,  and  15th  centuries. 

"  Thus,  then,  my  brethren,  the  most  perfect  harmony,  in  what  regards 
the  setting  apart  or  building  of  places  of  worship,  is  found  to  prevail 
between  all  true  believers,  under  whatever  Dispensation,  from  the  day 
when  God  first  created  man  even  to  the  present  hour. 

"  But  leaving  this  subject,  beloved  brethren,  permit  me  to  direct  your 
attention  to  the  dignity  and  sanctity  of  that  Gospel  dispensation  which 
henceforth  will  be  preached  and  ad  ministered  in  this  house.  And  what 
is  there,  my  brethren,  upon  the  earth  or  under  Heaven,  so  great,  so  noble, 
so  dignified,  as  to  establish  the  sovereignty  of  truth,  to  fix  an  unerring 
rule  of  right  conduct,  to  display  and  to  impart  to  the  poor  and  broken 
hearted  the  remission  of  sin,  with  all  the  other  mercies  of  the  Lord  1  But 
this  interesting  subject  requires  to  be  somewhat  more  unfolded.  The 
Religion  of  Christ,  my  brethren,  which  will  be  announced  here,  comes, 
not  resting  on  human  aid  or  human  eloquence,  on  the  frail  support  of 
worldly  wisdom  or  of  worldly  power.  No,  secure  in  her  own  strength, 
in  the  Divinity  of  her  origin,  she  speaks  and  wills  that  she  be  heard ;  she 
announces  the  decrees  of  her  wisdom,  and  exacts  submission  from  all 
those  who  prefer  the  possession  of  truth  to  the  seeking  after  a  lie.  She 
preaches  a  Trinity  of  Persons  in  the  ineffable  nature  of  the  Godhead ;  a 
nature  one  and  indivisible.  She  announces  a  God  made  man,  a  God 
annihilated,  a  God  humbled  even  to  the  death  of  the  Cross  ;  arid  her  only 
proofs  of  these  mysterious  truths  is  '  So  saith  the  Lord  ;'  and  again,  as  it 
is  in  Jeremias,  34th  Chapt.  5  v.,  '  because  I  have  spoken  the  word  saith 
the  Lord.'  It  is  worthy,  my  brethren,  of  the  grandeur,  of  the  dignity,  of 
the  majesty  of  the  Supreme  Being,  to  possess  thus  an  absolute  dominion 
over  the  spirits  of  all  flesh — whether  by  captivating  their  understanding 
to  the  obedience  of  faith,  or  by  keeping  them  in  subjection  through  the 
force,  through  the  evidence  of  truth  !  He  who  can,  by  His  infinite  light, 
reveal  to  us  when  it  pleaseth  Him,  truths,  truths  the  most  incomprehen 
sible,  can  also,  by  His  supreme  authority,  oblige  us  to  submit  our  under 
standings  to  Him  without  permitting  us  to  search  into  the  abyss  of  His 
Wisdom.  Thus,  then, it  is  not  upon  worldly  wisdom,  but  on  Eaith  and 
Obedience,  that  the  foundation  of  Christianity  is  laid.  Nor,  again,  does 
it  rest  upon  human  eloquence.  No,  the  ministers  of  this  Religion  who 
will  stand  here,  are  the  successors  of  those  humble  fishermen  who  sub 
jected  the  Roman  fasces  to  the  feet  of  Jesus  Christ.  When  Paul  caused 
Felix  to  tremble  on  the  judgment-seat,  when  the  judge,  not  the  accused, 
was  compelled  to  seek  a  respite,  it  was  a  disputation  on  justice,  and 
chastity,  and  judgment  to  come,  with  the  virtue  that  went  out  of  the 
Apostle,  which  produced  those  astonishing  effects.  By  such  means  as 
these,  and  not  by  the  sublimity  of  human  speech,  he  and  his  companions 
upturned  idols,  converted  nations,  and  left  to  us,  as  Augustine  observes 
in  his  book  on  True  Religion,  the  earth  illuminated  with  the  rays  of 


APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST.  313 

Divine  Truth.  This  doctrine,  continued  to  our  time,  will  go  forth  from 
this  Temple  to  persuade  by  its  own  innate  virtue,  or  rather  by  that  virtue 
which  descends  from  Christ ;  it  cannot  return  empty,  for  it  is  the  Word 
of  God,  and  must  prosper  in  those  to  whom  it  will  be  sent.  Divine  in 
its  source,  modest  and  simple  in  its  language,  familiar  in  its  expressions 
like  the  words  of  the  Apostle,  it  will  nevertheless  move  strongly  and 
rapidly  along,  like  the  flood  upon  the  plain,  which  retains  the  impetuosity 
of  the  mountain  torrent  which  supplies  its  waters  and  impels  its  course. 
This  doctrine,  my  brethren,  thus  independent  andsupreme,is  alone  fitted 
to  our  wants  ;  we  require,  in  the  midst  of  our  errors,  not  a  Philosopher 
who  disputes,  but  a  God  who  directs.  Our  reasoning  faculty  is  too  slow 
and  too  unsettled,  the  objects  of  our  investigation  are  too  mysterious  and 
too  far  removed  ;  we  are  utterly  incapable  of  deciding,  though  we  may 
argue  interminably  and  dispute  ;  we  want  to  fix  a  principle  upon  which 
to  rest  our  judgment,  we  want  to  settle  definitively,  not  only  that,  but 
also  the  rule  of  our  conduct.  For  this,  no  reasoning  is  sufficient.  The 
authority  of  God,  or  of  His  Son,  or  of  those  whom  His  Son  hath  sent, 
can  alone  decide  our  judgment  and  regulate  our  actions.  Therefore  it  is 
that,  standing  here,  we  do  not  deem  ourselves  sufficient  to  think  any 
thing  of  ourselves  as  if  from  ourselves,  but  all  our  sufficiency  is  from  God. 
We  rely  on  the  authority  of  the  Church,  holding  the  Gospel  in  her  hand, 
that  we  may  not  be  tossed  about  by  every  wind  of  doctrine ;  and,  resting 
on  this  pillar,  on  this  ground  of  truth,  we  discharge  an  embassy  from 
Christ  as  if  God  exhorted  through  us. 

"Nor  does  this  Religion  which  we  preach  require  for  its  diffusion  or 
support  the  aid  or  protection  of  Parliaments  or  Kings  no  more  than  that 
of  worldly  wisdom  or  of  worldly  eloquence.  No,  in  the  very  establishing 
of  our  Religion  upon  the  earth  the  design  of  God  was  to  show  its  entire 
self-sufficiency,  its  absolute  independence  of  all  human  power.  It  was 
only  when  He  had  founded  immovably  and  raised  to  the  very  summit 
the  divine  edifice  of  Christianity,  that  He  allowed  Kings  and  Princes  to 
enter  it,  as  it  is  written  in  the  Second  Psalm : — 'And  now,  O  ye  Kings, 
understand,  be  instructed  ye  who  judge  the  earth.7  Yes,  it  was  by  special 
grace,  not  through  want  or  necessity,  they  were  admitted,  for  the  religion 
of  Jesus  Christ  may  confer  favours  but,  like  its  Founder,  it  has  no  need 
of  high  protection.  The  world  has  threatened  this  religion,  but  she 
remained  unmoved  ;  the  world  resorted  to  seduction  and  flattery,  but  she 
could  not  be  seduced.  Heretics  have  troubled  and  afflicted  her,  but  she 
continued  pure  ;  Schisms  have  torn  her,  but  she  preserved  herself  entire. 
Many  have  been  led  astray,— the  weak  have  been  troubled,  the  strong 
have  been  shaken  ;  an  Arms,  an  Origen,  a  Tertullian,  who  seemed  to  be 
her  best  support,  fell  with  a  mighty  fall — but  the  Religion  of  Christ 
remained  immovable  and  unchanged.  So,  brethren,  she  will  continue. 
Some,  through  ignorance,  will  blaspheme  her  ;  others,  like  mute  animals, 
corrupted  by  their  own  passions,  will  reject  her  ;  but  she  will  live,  and 
live  independent  of  all  earthly  power.  Yea  !  she  will  live  and  bring  forth 
the  children  of  God  to  a  saving  Faith,  to  an  incorruptible  inheritance, 
prepared  to  be  manifested  in  them  in  the  last  time,  according  to  St.  Peter, 
when  all  will  be  accomplished. 

"  But  this  Religion,  brethren,  does  not  consist  of  those  truths  alone 
which  captivate  whilst  they  enlighten  the  understanding  of  man.  No, 
it  presents  to  us  also  a  code  of  morals  sufficient  to  conduct  us  through 
that  endless  labyrinth  of  error  and  passion  and  habit  in  which  we  stray. 
This  code  was  not  less  necessary  for  us  than  a  rule  of  faith  ;  without  it 
mankind  would  have  been  but  half  reformed.  An  improved  Philosophy, 


314  APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST. 

'tis  true,  had  attempted  to  prescribe  rules  for  human  action,  but  she  had 
attempted  it  in  vain;  she  had  presented,  'tis  true,  some  wise,  some  salutary 
maxims,  some  disjointed  portions  collected,  as  it  were,  from  the  wreck  of 
human  knowledge,  but  who  could  detail  the  infinite  variety  of  her 
irremediable  errors  1  Not,  my  friends,  to  Philosophv,  but  to  the  Gospel 
as  here  preached,  we  must  look  for  immutable  rules  of  equity,  for  all 
those  virtues  which  constitute  and  secure  the  temporal  and  eternal  happi 
ness  of  man. 

The  Gospel,  in  regulating  morals,  begins  at  the  only  right  beginning; 
it  lays  its  foundation  in  God.  To  Him  it  refers  all  things  with  Him  it 
unites  us,  whole  and  entire,  by  a  bond  of  the  purest  Charity,  teaching  us 
to  love  Him  as  a  Father,  to  fear  Him  as  a  Lord,  to  confide  in  His  Provi 
dence,  to  believe  His  word,  to  trust  in  His  mercy,  to  hope  for  His 
rewards.  This  Gospel  announces  to  us  that,  as  One  died  for  all,  so  all 
were  dead,  that  we  who  now  live,  may  riot  live  for  ourselves,  but  Jive  for 
God.  Thus,  victims  with  Christ,  the  Charity  of  God  urges  us,  with  the 
Apostle,  to  subdue  our  passions,  to  mortify  our  senses,  to  watch  over  and 
correct  every  irregular  movement  of  our  heart ;  nay,  it  places  a  guard 
upon  the  eyes,  lest  death,  through  them,  should  enter  into  the  soul ;  it 
enters  into  the  very  recesses  of  the  heart,  and  extinguishes  within  it  the 
spark  of  hatred  which,  if  lighted,  might  burn  into  a  flame.  In  a  word,  it 
omits  nothing  necessary  to  subject  the  body  to  the  spirit,  and  the  spirit, 
whole  and  entire,  to  God.  And  it  is  this  entire  devotion  to  our  Maker, 
and  total  sacrifice  of  self,  which  constitute  the  very  essence  of  our  moral 
code. 

"  But,  as  we  live  for  God,  so  we  live  amongst  men  ;  and  as  He  died  for 
them  all,  so,  for  His  sake  and  because  He  so  loved  them,  we  are  also  bound 
to  love  them  as  ourselves.  If  we  can  find  a  man  for  whom  Christ  has 
not  died,  let  us,  if  you  will,  hate  such  a  man  ;  but  if  He  has  died  for  all 
—tor  the  Jew,  for  the  Greek,  for  the  freeman  and  the  slave— oh  !  then, 
it  is  clear  that,  however  estranged  we  may  be  from  one  another  by  evils 
inherent  in  our  kind,  we  are  yet  brethren,  and  that  no  creed  nor  clan,  no 
boundary  or  ocean,  can  place  any  child  of  Adam  outside  the  pale  of  the 
Charity  of  Christ.  Thus,  then,  the  bond  of  social  union  is,  or  at  least 
should  be,  protected  by  our  union  with  God  ;  thus  it  is  rendered  inde 
pendent  of  the  infirmities  of  human  nature,  inviolable  amidst  injuries 
and  insults.  From  this  source  proceed  alms-deeds,  works  of  mercy, 
reconciliation  with  enemies  ;  in  this  originate  respect,  obedience,  protec 
tion,  patience,  affability,  meekness,  fidelity,  justice,  and  all  those  other 
virtues  which  protect  States,  enrich  Kingdoms,  bless  families,  sanctify 
individuals  ;  in  a  word,  all  those  virtues  which  render  the  religion  which 
prescribes  them,  the  very  image  of  God  upon  the  earth. 

But  what  shall  I  say  of  those  divine  ordinances,  those  heavenly 
bacrarnents  with  which  Religion  in  this  Temple  will  always  have  her 
hands  filled  'l  Here,  by  Baptism,  she  brings  forth  children  to  a  new  life, 
enacmg  the  mark  of  wrath  from  their  souls  and  renewing  within  them 
the  linage  of  their  God,  from  sons  of  perdition  constituting  them  heirs  to 
the  Kingdom  of  Heaven.  Here  she  confirms  the  growing  Christian  in 
his  Faith,  presenting  him  before  the  altar  to  renew  his  compact  with  his 
God,  invoking  the  Eternal  Father,  through  His  Son,  to  sign  the  tender 
victim  with  the  sign  of  Redemption  and  to  strengthen  him  by  the  unction 
of  His  Holy  Spirit  against  the  assaults  of  the  devil,  the  world,  and  the 
lesh.  Here  she  prays  to  this  Spirit  to  descend  upon  him,  to  replenish 
aim  with  wisdom,  with  understanding,  with  counsel,  with  knowledge, 
with  fortitude,  with  piety,  and  the  fear  of  the  Lord  :  above  all,  to  diffuse 


APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST. 

into  his  soul  Charity,  and  to  fix  its  seal  upon  his  heart.  Here  she  pre 
pares  a  table  against  all  who  afflict  her  children,  crying  aloud  to  them  in 
the  language  of  the  Scriptures  : — '  Approach,  eat  the  Bread  and  drink  the 
Wine  which  I  have  mixed  for  you/  that  wine  which  produceth  virgins, 
as  is  said  in  Malachy  ;  that  Bread,  *  of  which  he  that  eats,  says  Christ, 
shall  live  for  ever.'  Here,  above  all,  she  proclaims  aloud  the  re 
mission  of  sin,  that  mercy  which  surpasses  all  the  works  of  the 
Lord,  crying  out  with  one  Prophet  '  that  He  is  patient  and  of  much 
compassion,  and  easy  to  forgive  evil,'  or  with  another,  *  that  if  our  sins  be 
as  red  as  scarlet,  He  will  make  them  as  white  as  snow,  if  as  red  as 
crimson,  He  will  make  them  as  white  as  wool.'  From  this  Sanctuary 
she  sends  forth  her  Ministers  to  console  and  fortify  the  departing  spirit 
of  the  Christian,  commanding  them  to  despise  danger,  to  forget  fatigue, 
to  disregard  contagion,  if  they  can  only  minister  consolation  to  the 
afflicted  soul  or  to  free  the  conscience  from  that  remorse  which  troubles, 
ah,  too  deeply !  and  weighs  upon  the  heart.  Here,  again,  Religion  selects 
the  servants  of  the  altar,  here  she  enriches  them  with  the  grace  of  the 
Priesthood,  here,  by  the  imposition  of  hands  and  prayer,  she  imparts  to 
them  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  clothes  them  with  the  power  of  remitting  sin. 
But  the  heavenly  character  of  her  dispensations  is  perhaps  nowhere  more 
conspicuous  than  when  she  employs  them  to  regulate  and  sanctify  that 
institution  by  which  the  human  race  is  preserved  and  multiplied  upon 
the  earth.  Marriage  had  degenerated  from  that  state  of  simplicity  and 
perfection  in  which  it  was  first  instituted.  It  had  been  written,  '  Man 
shall  leave  father  and  mother,  and  cleave  to  his  wife,  and  they  shall  be 
two  in  one  flesh/  but  what  God  had  thus  joined,  man  had  attempted  to 
separate.  Polygamy  and  divorce  had  combined  to  debase  and  to  degrade 
this  sacred  union.  The  Religion  which  was  destined  to  reform  man 
could  not  attain  her  end  unless  she  restored  Marriage  to  its  primeval 
state  ;  hence  she  has  done  so  by  consecrating  this  contract  as  a  great 
Sacrament  and  presenting  the  union  of  man  and  wife  as  a  grace-giving 
symbol  of  the  union  of  Christ  with  His  Church.  From  this  exalted 
model  she  draws,  in  the  language  of  St.  Paul  to  the  Ephesians,  an  affect 
ing  picture  of  its  character,  its  privileges  and  duties,  putting  an  end  for 
ever  to  that  polygamy,  which  was  once  permitted  in  order  to  multiply 
quickly  the  people  of  God,  and  to  that  divorce,  which  at  all  times  is  at 
once  an  inlet  to  immorality  and  an  incentive  to  crime.  She  no  longer 
permits  conjugal  affection  to  be  divided.  She  employs  it  to  cement  the 
union  of  two  hearts,  that  from  this  union,  as  from  a  common  source,  may 
flow  the  concord  and  peace  of  families,  the  endearing  ties  which  unite 
the  children  of  the  same  womb;  the  undivided  interest,  the  sacred  har 
mony  with  which  parents,  never  to  be  separated,  watch  over  the  educa 
tion,  maintenance,  and  establishment  of  their  common  offspring. 

"  Such,  beloved  brethren,  are  the  dignity,  the  truth,  and  sanctity  of  this 
heavenly  Religion,  for  whose  honour  and  maintenance  you  have  built 
this  house.  Here,  God  will  be  adored  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  not  in 
silence  and  in  solitude  alone— though  it  is  in  solitude  and  silence  He 
oftenest  speaks  to  the  heart, — but  also  in  splendour  and  magnificence,  in 
a  splendour  which  bespeaks  His  might,  in  a  magnificence  which  befits 
His  glory.  Here,  the  Law  of  God  will  be  incessantly  proclaimed,  here 
His  voice  will  be  upon  the  multitude,  His  voice  will  be  in  power  ;  here 
He  will  make  the  perverse,  docile,  and  the  proud  of  heart,  humble,  that 
all  together  may  proclaim  His  glory.  In  this  Temple  the  fountain, 
foreseen  by  the  Prophet  Zachary,  will  always  be  open  to  the  House  of 
David,  and  to  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  that  is,  to  all  who  resort  to 


316  APPENDIX   TO   PART  FIRST. 

it,  to  cleanse  them  from  their  sins  and  iniquities,  that  their  sins  and 
iniquities  the  Lord  may  remember  no  more.  Here,  in  fine.  Religion  will 
present  you  with  her  laws  and  ordinances,  her  rites  and  Sacraments,  in 
order  to  strengthen  and  support  you  through  all  the  trials  and  tempta 
tions  of  this  mortal  life,  thus  lightening  or  rendering  bearable  the  heavy 
yoke  which  is  placed  on  the  shoulders  of  all  Adam's  children,  from  their 
coming  into  the  world  to  their  going  out  therefrom.  And,  O  my  God  ! 
when  Thou  wilt  call  the  heavens  from  above,  and  the  earth,  to  judge  Thy 
people,  on  that  day  when  it  will  not  avail  us  to  have  added  house  to 
house,  as  if  we  alone  were  to  inhabit  the  earth,  when  it  will  be  of  no  use 
to  have  numbered  a  long  line  of  respectable  ancestors,|to  have  been  clothed 
in  purple  or  gazed  at  by  the  capricious  crowd,  to  be  admired  for  our 
riches,  our  talents,  or  our  beauty  ;  on  that  day,  when  it  will  more  avail 
us  to  have  wiped  the  tear  from  the  cheek  of  the  widow,  or  broken  the 
bread  to  the  orphan  than  to  have  numbered  all  the  hosts  of  heaven  and 
called  every  star  by  its  proper  name,  on  that  day,  my  God  !  when  the 
heavens  will  be  folded  up  as  a  garment,  and  this  earth  and  this  temple 
will  be  consumed  together,  grant  that  we  who  are  now  here  assembled, 
and  all  those  who,  in  a  spirit  of  piety  will  invoke  Thee  in  this  house,  may 
through  the  multitude  of  Thy  tender  mercies,  through  the  merits  of  our 
Lord,  Thy  only  Son,  and  the  intercession  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  and  of 
all  the  Angels  and  Saints,  be  admitted  into  Thy  temple  which  is  above, 
that  we  may  see  Thee  face  to  face,  that  we  may  sing  for  ever,  the  riches 
of  the  glory  of  Thy  grace,  and  drink  of  the  torrent  of  that  pleasure  which 
flows  from  beneath  Thy  Throne.  Amen,  Jesus,  Amen  ! 


FESTIVAL  OF  ST.  BRIGID,  IN  THE  DIOCESES  OF  KILDARE  AND 

LEIGHLIN. 

The  following  Memorandum,  in  the  handwriting  of  Dr.  Doyle,  is 
found  in  the  "  DIOCESAN  BOOK,"  written  by  his  Lordship  "  for  the 
use  of  the  Bishops  of  the  Diocese."  The  Decrees  referring  to  the 
Feast  of  St.  Brigid,  have  not,  as  yet,  been  found,  but  that  relating  to 
the  Church  of  Killeshin  is  in  existence,  and  is  in  the  possession  of 
the  Parish  Priest : — 

"In  1821,  I  obtained  two  Decrees;  one,  raising  the  Festival  of 
St.  Bridget  to  a  double  of  the  first  class  in  both  Dioceses,  and  the 
other,  granting  a  Plenary  Indulgence  to  all  the  faithful,  &c.,  &c.,  on 
visiting  any  of  our  Parish  Churches  on  any  day  within  the  Octave. 
The  condition  annexed  is  "  to  pray  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith." 

"I  also  obtained  a  similar  Indulgence  for  the  Church  of  Killeshin, 
for  and  after  the  Feast  of  the  Invention  of  the  Holy  Cross." 
CHURCH  OF  THE  HOLY  CROSS,  KILLESHIN. 

Copy  of  Decree  of  Pope  Pius  VII.,  dated  18th  of  May,  1821, 
granting  a  Plenary  Indulgence  to  all  the  faithful  who,  being  truly 
penitent  and  having  received  the  Sacraments  of  Penance  and  the 
Blessed  Eucharist,  shall  visit,  between  sunrise  and  sunset,  the 
Parochial  Church  of  Killeshin  dedicated  under  the  Invocation  of  the 
Most  Holy  Cross,  on  the  Festival  of  the  Invocation  of  the  Holy  Cross 
or  any  day  during  the  Octave,  and  there  pray  for  the  Propagation  of 
the  Faith.  This  Indulgence  is  made  applicable,  by  way  of  suffrage, 
to  the  relief  of  the  souls  in  Purgatory  : — 


APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST.  317 

"  Ex  audientia  SSmi.  D.N.  Dni.  Pii,  Divina  Providentia,  PP.  VII, 
habita  die  18  Maii,  1821. 

"Sanctitas  sua  referente  me  infrascripto  S.  Congnis.  de  Propaganda 
Fide  Secretario,  Omnibus  et  singulis  utriusque  sexus  Christi  fidelibus, 
qui  vere  poenitentes,  Confessi,  et  Sacra  Communione  refecti,  Ecclesiam 
Parochialem  recenter  extructam  in  Dicecesi  Kildariensi,  sub  Invoc- 
atione  SSmae.  Crucis,  loci  de  Killeshin,  devote  visitaverint,  in  die 
festo  Inventionis  SSmae.  Crucis  et  diebus  infra  Octavam,  ibique  a 
solis  ortu  ad  occasum  per  aliquod  temporis  spatium  pias  ad  Deum 
preces  effuderint  pro  Sanctae  Fidei  Propagatione,  Plenariam  Indul- 
gentiam,  perpetuis  temporibus  valituram,  et  applicabilem  quoque 
per  modum  sufFragii  (accidente  tamen  consensu  Ordinarii),  beriigne 
concedit,  atque  in  Domino  misericorditer  impertitur. 

"  Datum  Romae,  ex  .ZEdibus  dictae  Sacrae  Congregationis,  Die  et 
Anno  quibus  supra. 

"  Gratis  absque  ulla  omnino  solutione  quocumque  titulo. 
(Seal) 

"  C.  M.  PEDICINI,  Secretarius.'} 

"  Visis  supra  relatis,  omnino  volumus  ut  prsefata  Indulgentia 
Plenaria  a  Sanctissimo  Domino  Pio  Papa  VII.  concessa,  publicari 
possit  et  obtineri  ab  omnibus  Christi  fidelibus.  ut  supra.  In  cujus 
fidem,  etc. 

"  Carloviae,  hac  die  lla  Januarii,  A. D.  1822. 
(Seal) 

"  FT.  Jacobus  Doyle,  Epus.  Kild.  et  Leigh." 


"  The  following  account  of  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  rural 
deans  in  this  Diocese,  and  those  of  the  several  parish  priests  in  the 
district  of  each,  with    the  Catholic  population  in   round  numbers 
subject  to  each  pastor,  was  written  by  Dr.  Doyle,  May  4th,  1827."- 
From  Short  "Life  ofJ.K.L.,"  p.  25. 

DEANERY  OF  CARLOW. 

Name.  Parish.  Catholics. 

Right  Eev.  Dr.  Doyle,  Carlo  w,  6500 

Rev,  Thomas  Tyrrell,  Tinryland,  4500 

„     William  Kinsella,  Ballon,  4000 

„     William  dowry,  Tullow,  6000 

„     JohnGahan,    '  Rathvilly,  7500 

„     John  Kelly,  Clonmore,  6000 

„     John  Shea,  Baltinglass,  7000 

„     Mr.  Dolan,  Hacketstovvn,  6000 

„     Michael  Rafter,  Killeshin,  4500 

„     Patrick  Hickey,  Aries,  5500 

„     Mr.  Dowling,  Doonane,  4500 


318 


APPENDIX  TO   PART   FIRST. 


DEANERY 

Name. 

Very  Rev.  Michael  Prendergast, 
D.D.,  V.G., 

Rev.  James  Maher, 
„     Daniel  Nolan, 
„     John  Walsh, 
„     Patrick  Keogh, 
„     Thomas  Dowling, 
„     Mr.  Cummins, 
„     Mr.  Doyle, 

DEANERY  OF 
Very  Rev.  Nicholas  O'Connor, 

R.D., 

Rev.  Maurice  Hart, 
„     Mr.  Fitzpatrick, 
,,     Mr.  Delany, 
„     Mr.  Keogh, 
„     Mr.  Malone, 
„     Mr.  Doyle, 

DEANERY  OF 

Very  Rev.  John  Dunne,  R.D., 
Very  Rev.  A.  Duane,  D.D.,  V.G 
Rev.  A.  Dunne, 

„     John  Dunne, 

„     James  Kinsella, 

„     Mr.  Rigney, 

„     Mr.  Murphy, 

DEANERY 

Very  Rev.  M.  Flanigan,  R.D., 
Rev.  Mr.  Earl, 

„     James  Colgan. 

„     1<\  Haly, 

„     M.  Kearney, 

„     Mr.  Nolan, 

„     Mr.  Doyle, 

„     Mr.  Nolan, 

„     T.  Nolan, 

„     John  Lalor, 

,,     P.  Brennan, 

„     Mr.  McMahon, 


OF  BORRIS. 

Parish.  Catholics. 

Bagenalstown,  10,000 

Leighlin  Bridge,  6500 

Gore's-bridge,  6000 

Borris,  8000 

Graignamanagh,  7500 

St.  Mullin's,  4500 

Myshall,  4000 

Clonegal,  6500 

MARYBOROUGH. 


Maryborough, 

7500 

Ballyadams, 

6000 

Stradbally, 

6500 

Ballinakill, 

5000 

Abbeyleix, 

5000 

Mountrath, 

10,000 

Ballyfin, 

2500 

PORTARLINGTON. 

Portarlington, 

9000 

.,  Mountmellick, 

6500 

Rosenallis, 

8000 

Clonbullogue, 

4500 

Killeigh, 

7500 

Philipstown, 

6500 

Monasterevan, 

7500 

OF  KlLCOCK. 

Ballina, 

4500 

Carbery, 

3500 

Edenderry, 

8000 

Kilcock, 

3500 

Clane, 

4500 

Kill, 

2500 

Naas, 

4000 

Caragh, 

4500 

Newbridge, 

3000 

Allen, 

3000 

Kildare, 

5000 

Suncroft, 

2500 

APPENDIX   TO    PART    FIRST.  319 

FATHER  SERENUS  CRESSY,  O.S.B. 

Hugh  Cressy,  M.A.,  was  born  at  Wakefield  in  Yorkshire,  and 
educated  at  Oxford,  of  which  he  was  elected  a  Fellow  of  Morton 
College.  He  came  to  Ireland  with  the  Earl  of  Strafford,  to  whom  he 
was  chaplain,  as  also  to  Lord  Falkland.  He  was  appointed  a 
Prebendary  of  Christ's  Church  and  of  St.  Patrick's,  Dublin,  and  was 
installed  Protestant  Dean  of  Leighlin.  In  1644,  he  travelled  as 
Tutor,  with  Charles  Berkley,  afterwards  Earl  of  Falmouth,  and  in 
1646  he  made  a  recantation  of  Protestantism,  at  Rome,  from  whence, 
returning  to  Paris,  he  published  the  motives  that  induced  him  to  take 
that  step.  From  the  period  of  his  conversion  he  was  almost 
incessantly  engaged  in  controversy.  Amongst  his  antagonists  were 
Bishop  Stillingneet,  and  Hyde,  Earl  of  Clarendon.  Some  years 
before  his  death  he  became  a  Benedictine  monk  in  the  English 
College  of  that  Order  at  Douay,  and  thenceforth  was  known  as  Brother 
Serenus.  Alter  a  residence  of  seven  years  at  Douay,  he  returned  to 
England,  and  died  on  the  10th  of  August,  1674,  "respected  by  both 
Catholics  and  Protestants  for  his  talents  and  the  moderation  of  his 
sentiments." — COTTON'S  Fasti.  Ecd.  Hib.  The  following  is  the  list 
of  his  Works,  as  given  in  HARRIS'S  WARE,  Writers  of  Ireland,  Book 
II.,  p.  356:- 

Exomologesis :  Or  a  faithful  narration  of  the  Occasion  and  Motives 
of  his  Conversion  to  the  Catholic  Unity.     Paris,  1647,  1653.  8vo. 

Sanda   Sophia:  Or   directions  for  the  Prayer  of  Contemplation. 
Douay,  1657,  2  vols.,  8vo. 

Certain   Patterns  of  Devout  Exercises    of  immediate   Acts  and 
Affections  of  the  Will. 

R.  Catholic  Doctrines  no  novelties ;  Or  an    Answer  to  Dr.  Pierce's 

Court  Sermon  miscalled  The  Primitive  Ride  of  Reformation.    1663.  8vo. 

A  Non  est  Inventus,  returned  to  Mr.  Ed.  Bagshaw's  Inquiry,  and 

vainly  boasted  discovery  of  weakness  in  the  grounds  of  the  Church's 

Infallibility.     1662.  8vo. 

Letter  written  to  an  English  Gentleman,  16  July,  1662,  wherein 
Bishop  Morley  is  concerned.  London,  1683,  4to. 

The  Church  History  of  Brittany,  from  the  beginning  of  Christianity 
to  the  Norman  Conquest.  1668.  Folio. 

An  answer  to  part  of  Dr.  Stillingfleet's  book  entitled  :  Idolatry 
practised  in  the  Church  of  Rome.  1672.  8vo. 

Fanaticism   fanatically  imputed  to  the  Catholic  Church  by  Dr. 
Stillingneet,  and  the  Imputation  refuted  and  retorted.     1672.    8vo. 
Question,  Why  are  you  a  Catholic  1     Question,  Why  are  you  a 
Protestant?     1673.  8vo. 

Epistle  Apologetical  to  a  Person  of  Honour,  touching  his  Vindica 
tion  of  Dr.  Stillingfleet.     1674.  8vo. 
Reflections  on  the  Oath  of  Supremacy. 

He  also  published,  Sixteen  Revelations  of  Divine  Love,  shown  to 
a  devout  Servant  of  our  Lord,  called  Mother  Juliana,  an  Anchoret 
of  Norwich,  who  lived  in  the  days  of  King  Edwd.  IV;  1670.  8vo. 


320  APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST. 

And  he  changed  from  old  into  modern  English,  more  compendiously, 
a  book  written  before  the  Reformation,  entitled  :  The  Divine  Cloud 
of  unknowing,  and  of  the  Council  referring  unto  the  same.  But  this 
is  still  in  MS. 


POPISH  RECUSANTS,  COUNTY  OF  KILDARE,  A.D.  1658. 

The  subjoined  "  List  of  Popish  Recusants  in  the  County  of  Kildare, 
convicted  at  a  sessions  held  in  Naas,  1658,"  has  been  copied  from  the 
original  parchment  scroll  preserved  in  the  Public  Record  Office, 
Dublin.  Reference  in  Catalogue — Miscellaneous  Piolls,  Bermingham 
Tower,  N.,  Press  and  Shelf,  4.)  We  give,  in  connexion  with  it,  the 
form  of  the  oath  of  abjuration  refused  for  conscience  sake  by  those 
whose  names  are  here  set  down,  and  the  severe  penalties  attaching 
to  this  refusal. 

CROMWELLIAN    OATH   OF  ABJURATION. 

"I.  A.  B.,  abhor,  detest  and  abjure  the  authority  of  the  Pope,  as 
well  in  regard  of  the  church  in  general  as  in  regard  of  myself  in 
particular.  1  condemn  and  anathematize  the  tenet  that  any  reward 
is  due  to  good  works.  I  firmly  believe  and  avow  that  no  reverence 
is  due  to  the  Virgin  Mary,  or  to  any  other  saint  in  heaven ;  and  that 
no  petition  or  adoration  can  be  addressed  to  them  without  idolatry. 
I  assert,  that  no  worship  or  reverence  is  due  to  the  sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,  or  to  the  elements  of  bread  and  wine  after  consecration, 
by  whomsoever  that  consecration  may  be  made.  I  believe  there  is 
no  Purgatory,  but  that  it  is  a  popish  invention;  as  is  also  the  tenet 
that  the  Pope  can  grant  indulgences.  I  also  firmly  believe  that 
neither  the  Pope  nor  any  other  priest,  can  remit  sins,  as  the  papists 
rave.  And  all  this  I  swear,"  etc. — Morison's  Threnodia,  p.  31. 

"  The  penalty  enacted  against  all  who  should  refuse  to  take  this  oath 
was  the  confiscation  of  two-thirds  of  all  their  goods,  which  penalty 
was  to  be  repeated  each  time  that  they  should  prove  refractory.  It 
was  expected  that  the  Catholic  gentry,  already  reduced  to  poverty 
by  continued  exactions,  would  be  terrified  into  compliance,  by  the 
dread  of  absolute  penury  and  utter  ruin  that  now  impended  over 
them.  Another  sort  of  penalty  was  enacted  against  those  of  the 
poorer  classes,  namely — that  of  transportation  as  bond-slaves  to  the 
Barbadoes.  In  every  town  commissaries  and  officers  were  specially 
deputed,  as  in  the  present  instance,  to  receive  this  oath,  and  these 
received  instructions  from  Government  to  commence  with  such 
persons  as  would  probably  assent  to  the  oath,  and  to  proceed  in  the 
matter  with  the  greatest  energy.  At  this  moment  of  peril  for  the 
faith  of  our  people,  the  Catholic  clergy  were  everywhere  to  be  seen 
abandoning  their  hiding-places  to  encourage  their  flocks ;  nor  were 
their  exhortations  made  in  vain.  The  innate  constancy  of  the  whole 
nation  to  the  Catholic  faith  shone  forth  with  such  splendour,  that  a 
like  instance  of  national  constancy  can  nowhere  be  found  in  history. 
All,  animated  with  the  spirit  of  faith,  declared  that  they  were  ready 


APPENDIX  TO  PART  FIRST.  321 

to  endure  extreme  torture,  rather  than  obey  the  impious  edict.  Even 
the  most  wealthy  betrayed  no  apprehensions,  and  they  avowed  that 
of  all  the  penal  enactments,  this  was  the  most  grateful  to  them ;  for 
in  the  others  some  secondary  motive  was  often  assigned,  but  here,  the 
only  and  express  motive  was  hatred  to  the  Catholic  faith,  for  which 
it  would  be  a  matter  of  joy  to  sacrifice  whatsoever  they  possessed. 
See  the  Bishop  of  Ossory's  Life  of  Archbishop  Plunkett,  Introduction 
p.  hi.  His  Lordship  amongsb  his  authorities,  quotes  an  interesting 
contemporaneous  MS.  preserved  in  the  Archives  of  the  Irish  College 
in  Rome : — Relatio  quorumdam  qucB  in  Hibernia  acciderunt  circa 
jur amentum  quod  aljurationis  vacant,  a  Cromwello  Catholicis  injunctum 
emitti. 

Although  those  returned  as  of  the  Barony  of  Kilkea  and  Moone, 
were  not  subjects  of  the  Diocese  of  Kildare,  yet  it  is  thought  best  to 
reproduce  the  List  in  full.  The  descendants  of  those  who  thus  con 
fessed  the  Faith  at  such  sacrifice,  will,  no  doubt,  be  gratified  in 
having  this  Roll  of  Honour  brought  under  their  notice. 

COUNTY  OF  KILDARE. 

At  a  sessions  of  the  peace  held  for  the  said  county  att  Naas,  in  the 
county  aforesaid,  on  Tuesday,  the  12th  day  of  October,  in  the  year 
of  our  Lord,  1658,  before  Sir  Robert  Meredith,  Knt.,  Sir  John  Hay, 
Knt.,  Danniell  Hutchinson,  Esq.,  Eichard  Tighe,  Esq.,  and  William 
Sandes,  Esq.,  Justices  assigned  to  keep  his  Highness's  peace  in  the 
county  aforesaid,  by  virtue  of  his  Highness's  Commission,  under  the 
great  seale  of  Ireland,  bearing  date  the  30th  day  of  September,  in 
the  year  of  our  Lord  1658,  to  said  and  other,  their  fellow  justices  of 
the  peace  and  keepers  of  the  publick  peace  in  and  throughout  the 
said  county  as  aforesaid,  to  heare  and  determine  severall  tresspasses, 
offences  and  misdemeanours,  in  the  said  county,  whose  names  ensue, 
viz. : — Peeter  Holmes  of  Donore,  Gent.,  John  Shorter  of  Turnings, 
Gent.,  Bartholomew  Turner  of  Naas,  Gent.,  George  Clarke  of  New- 
land,  Gent.,  Thomas  Cooley  of  Mullaghcash,  Gent.,  Thomas  Grorock 
of  Killishin  (Killeshee),  Gent.,  Robert  Thornton  of  Cappock,  Gent., 
John  Warren  of  Clane,  Gent.,  Thomas  Samon  of  Dunore,  Gent.,  John 
Devenish  of  Longtowne,  Gent.,  William  Wright  of  Castle  Dirmott, 
Gent.,  William  Leitshfeild  of  Rath  Coffy,  Gent.,  John  Yorke  of 
Kilcock,  Gent.,  Richard  Nicholls  of  Kilcullen,  Inkeeper,  and  George 
Carter  of  Killbegs,  Gent., 

That 
Barony  of  Kilkea} 

and  Moone.     ) 


Walter  Raughter  of  Little  Birton, 

yeoman, 

John  Me  William  of  the  same,  yeoman, 
Walter  Nagle  of  same,  yeoman, 
William  Lanagan  of  Kilkea,  yeoman, 
Garratt  Tallon  of  same,  yeoman, 
Danniell  Kelly  of  same,  yeoman, 


Dermott  Hanlon  of  same,  yeoman, 
Garratt  Eaden  of  same,  yeoman, 
Darby  Curren  of  same,  yeoman, 
Edmond  Nowland  of  same,  yeoman, 
John  Kensallagh  of  same,  yeoman 
Thomas  Power  of  same,  yeoman, 
Darby  Cottner  of  same,  yeoman, 
X 


322 


APPENDIX  TO   PART  FIRST. 


Nicholas  Dwyer  of  same,  yeoman, 
Michall  Stayne  of  Brigh,  yeoman, 
John  Byrne  of  same,  yeoman, 
Loughlin  Boge  of  Nicholastown,  yeo 
man, 
Hugh   McLouglin  of    Grangemellan, 

yeoman, 
Edward    Tallan    of    Balloghmooney, 

yeoman, 
Nicholas  Crossan  of  same,  yeoman, 

Patrick  Archbould  of •,  yeoman, 

Matthew  Archbould  of ,  yeoman 

Hugh  Doyle  of  Ballyburne,  yeoman, 
William  Duffe  of  same,  yeoman, 
Edmond    Prendergast    of    Bromples- 

towne,  yeoman, 
James    McDonogh  of    Crookestown, 

yeoman, 

Donogh  Ffollior  of  same,  yeoman, 
Marews  Rafter  of  Castledermott,  yeo 
man, 

Joseph  Ash  of  same,  yeoman, 
Danniell  McWilliam  of  same,  yeoman, 
Hugh  Hadon  of  same,  yeoman, 
James  Sheridan  of  same,  yeoman, 
Morris  Carudy  of  same,  yeoman, 
Patrick  Mottley  of  same,  yeoman, 
Darby  Morphy  of  same,  yeoman, 
Owen  McConnell  of  same,  yeoman, 
Owen  Phealan  of  same,  yeoman, 
Teig  Ffealan  of  same,  yeoman, 
William  Murphy  of  same,  yeoman, 
Daniel  Mcffienny  of  same,  yeoman, 
Donogh  Divy  of  same,  yeoman, 
Edmond  Lawler  of  same,  yeoman, 
John  Cloore  of  same,  yeoman, 
Thomas  Fitzgerald  of  St.  John's,  yeo 

man, 

John  Mottley  of  same,  yeoman, 
Walter  Fallen  of  same,  yeoman, 
Teig  Kealy  of  same,  yeoman, 
Morgan  Murphy  of  same,  yeoman, 
Patricke  MoWilliam  of  same,  yeoman 
Conly  Brine  of  same,  yeoman, 
Keagher  Roe  of  same,  yeoman, 
OwenMcShane,  Sherriffe's  Bailiffe, 
James  Fallen, 
Peter  Wall, 
Edmond  Nash, 
Morgan  Byrne, 
Patrick  Headon, 
William  Brine, 
Edmond  Duller, 
James  Nolan, 
William  Nashe, 
Barony  oj  Clane : — 
Hugh  Brennan  of  Clane,  yeoman, 
Turlogh  Ffarrall  of  same,  yeoman, 
Denis  Beaghan  of  same,  yeoman, 
Morgan  Curran  of  same,  yeoman, 


)anniell  Tagan  of  same,  yeoman, 
ames  Kelly  of  same,  yeoman, 
Connor  Donnello  of  Maudlins,  yeoman, 
Mmond  Donnello  of  same,  yeoman, 
ohn  Brinan  of  Clane,  yeoman, 
•arby  Delany  of  same,  yeoman, 
"hady  Nowland  of  same,  yeoman, 
•turthogh  Brinan  of  same,  yeoman, 
)arby  Duffe  Costello  of  Newtowne, 

yeoman, 
William  Enos  of  same,  yeoman, 
joughlin  Kena  of  same,  yeoman, 
ohn  Ash  of  same,  yeoman, 
Cdmond  Doyne  of  same,  yeoman, 
3ollo  McDonnell  of  same,  yeoman, 
Cornelius  Sheih  of  same,  yeoman, 
Thomas  Beahan  of  same,  yeoman, 
Fames     Savadge  of    Beatoghstowne, 

yeoman, 

Nicholas  Walsh  of  Stickines,  yeoman, 
Vlurogh  Enges  of  Curryhills,  yeoman, 
[)anniell  Rourke  of  same,  yeoman, 
John  Clonee  of  Killbegs,  yeoman, 
James  Donniell  of  same,  yeoman, 
Daniel  Corinuck  of  same,  yeoman, 
Edmund  Cormuck  of  same,  yeoman, 
William  Dullen  of  Longtowne,  yeoman, 
Morris  Quiggin  of  Barrettstowne,  yeo 
man, 

Dermott  Banan  of  Landanstowne,  yeo 
man, 

John  Banan  of  same,  yeoman, 
Edmond  Dullen  of  same,  yeoman, 
Teig  O'Bryan  of  Clane,  yeoman, 
Thomas  Whelan  of  Grigges,  yeoman, 
James  Diggin  of  same,  yeoman, 
Hugh  Sand  of  Blackwood,  yeoman. 
George  Bermingham  of  same,  yeoman, 
William  Fforan  of  same,  yeoman, 
Phillip  Birne  of  Downing,  yeoman, 
John  Grais  of  same,  yeoman, 
Thomas  Greame  of  same,  yeoman, 
John  Whogan  of  same,  yeoman, 
John  Boine  of  same,  yeoman, 
James  Headon  of  Hodgestown,  yeoman, 
Shane  Murraghan  of  same,  yeoman, 
Charles  Mannering  of  Carrogh,  yeoman, 
Nicholas  Wolverstowne  of   Garboth, 

yeoman, 

Patrick  Moran  of  same,  yeoman, 
Teig  Brislan  of  Donore,  yeoman, 
Teig  Herin  of  same,  yeoman, 
John  Lawlor,  of  same,  yeoman, 
Donogh  Connor  of  same,  yeoman, 
William  Lawlor  of  same,  yeoman, 
William  Healy  of  Barrettstown,  yeo 
man, 

Edmond  Lawlor  of  Donore,  yeoman, 
Teig  Doyne  of  same,  yeoman, 
Edmond  Flannagan  of  same,  yeoman, 


APPENDIX  TO  PART   FIRST.  323 

Darby  Heres  of  Oldtowne,  and  every  of  those  the  said  persons  soe 
respectively  presented,  are  of  the  age  of  sixteen  years  and  more,  and 
are  Papists,  and  every  of  them  is  a  Papist,  upon  whom  the  said 
Justices  of  the  Peace  in  the  said  open  sessions,  according  to  an  Act 
of  Parliament,  Intituled  an  Act  for  Discovering,  Convicting,  and 
Repressing  of  Popish  Recusants,  made  att  the  Parliament  begun  att 
Westminster,  in  England,  the  seventeenth  day  of  September,  in  the 
yeare  of  our  Lord,  1656,  Did  make  Proclamation  by  which  it  was 
commanded  that  every  person  soe  presented  as  aforesaid,  should  per 
sonally  appeare  att  the  next  generall  sessions  of  the  peace  to  be 
holden  for  the  county  aforesaid,  and  there  to  take  and  subscribe  the 
oath  of  abjuration  mentioned  in  the  said  Act  of  Parliament. 

And  now  att  a  general  session  of  the  peace  held  for  the  said  county 
att  Naas,  on  Tuesday,  the  eighteenth  day  of  January,  1659,  before 
Sir  John  Hoy,  Knt.,  Danniell  Hutshinson,  Esq.,  Richard  Tighe,  Esq., 
John  Hewetson,  Esq.,  William  Hoy,  Esq.,  and  William  Sandes, 
Esq.,  Justices  assigned  to  keep  His  Highness'  peace  in  the  county 
aforesaid, by  virtue  of  His  His  Highness'  Conins.,  under  the  great  scale 
of  Ireland,  bearing  date  the  Thirtieth  day  of  September,  in  the  yeare 
of  our  Lord,  1658,  to  them  and  other,  their  fellowes  Justices  of  the 
peace  and  keepers  of  the  peace  in  and  throughout  the  said  county, 
and  to  hear  and  determine  severall,  tresspasses,  offences,  and  mis 
demeanours  in  the  said  county,  directed,  the  said  Walter  Raughter, 
&c.,  (here  all  the  above  names  are  repeated),  being  solemnly  called, 
did  not  appear,  nor  any  of  them  Did  appeare,  nor  take,  nor  subscribe 
the  said  oath  of  abjuration  mentioned  in  the  said  Act,  but  made 
Default,  and  every  one  of  them  Did  make  Default  and  Did  not  enter 
his  or  their  appearance  upon  Records,  according  to  the  forms  and 
effects  of  the  said  Act  of  Parliament. 

ROB.  MEREDITH. 
RD.  TIGHE. 


Number  of  Regular  and  Secular  Clergy,  in  1698. 
From  an  Account  of  the  Catholic  Clergy  in  Ireland,  in  1698,  by 
Captain  South,  it  appears  that  there  were,  in  the  County  of  Kildare, 
9  Regulars  and  16  Seculars;  in  the  County  Carlo w,  8  Regulars  and  8 
Seculars ;  and  in  the  King's  County,  13  Regulars  and  19  Seculars. 


In  a  RETURN  to  a  Eegal  Visitation,  A.D.  1622,  by  Bishop  Pilsworth, 
it  is  stated  that,  by  the  ancient  Rolls  of  the  Bishopric,  it  appeared 
that  there  were  70  parishes  in  the  Diocese  of  Kildare,  and  in  every 
parish  a  church  excepting  Killadory,  Dinn-murichill,  Grange,  and 
Ballyinany,  and  that  the  roof  of  the  Cathedral  had  been  pulled  down 
in  the  last  war. 


324 


APPENDIX  TO  PART  FIRST. 

KlLDARE  AND  LEIOHLIN  IN   1829, 


No.,  and  Names  of  Chapels. 

Monthly 
Communi 
cants. 

No.  in  Confra 
ternities. 

Chapels  buil 
or  improved 

Suits  of  Vestments, 

Leighlin,  St.  Patrick's,) 

Improved 

Two, 

Ballinabranna,  St. 
Bridget's,                   ) 

109 

109 

Built, 

Two, 

Tullow,  Nativity 

B.V.M., 

Ardattin,  St.  Patrick,  j 

450 

A  good  number 

Improved, 
Do. 

15,  4  Copea, 

2  Suits, 

Grange,  Chapel  of  Ease  J 
Baltinglass,                     1 

Built, 
Built, 

2  Suits, 
5  suits,  1  cope, 
Ceosor 

Bumba  Hall, 
Stratford,                       j 

454 

454 

Improved, 
Enlarged, 

Two, 
Two, 

Ballinakill,  B.V.M.,     ) 
Mountain,                        \ 

435 

435 

Improved, 
Enlarged, 

Eight, 
Three, 

Borris, 

Built, 

2,  and  2  of  Mr. 

/ 

Xtian.  Doct.  123 

Walsh,  1  cope, 

01  Q        7 

2  censors, 

Ballymurphy,                 j 

olo    < 

B.Sacrmt.etc,190 

Improved, 

One, 

Rahanna,                        * 

( 

One, 

Mountmellick,  St.         J 

Peter's, 

300 

150 

[mproved, 

7,  and  Cope, 

Clonoughado,  St.           ) 

Mary's, 

Built, 

Clonaslee, 

87 

Nearly  same 

Completed, 

Two,  censor, 

Rathvilly,  St.               ~| 

Patrick's, 

Built, 

Kiltegan,  Assumption  f 

11,2  Sets  Da 

B.V.M., 

600 

196 

[mproved, 

matics,  1  cope,. 

Englishtown,  St. 

1  censor, 

Bridget,                     J 

Do. 

Glinn,  St.  Mullin's,       j 

Built, 

2 

Drummond,  St. 

130 

Nearly  same 

Mullin's,                      J 

Improved, 

3 

Paulstown,Assump-      \ 

• 

tion  B.V.M.,               ( 
Goresbridge,  Holy        ( 

360 

A  good  number 

Improved, 

3 

Trinity,                        J 

Built, 

1 

Mountrath,  St.  Fintan  \ 
Clonard,  Chapel  of 

400 

200 

improved, 

•flO,  1  cope, 

Ease,                           j 

Do., 

Raheen,  St.  Fintan,      \ 

fkAA 

100 

,  1  Remonst., 

Shanahoe,                        j 

200 

100 

improved, 

2 

Abbeyleix,                     ) 
Bally  roan,                     j 

310 

same 

Built, 
improved, 

3 
3 

Killeshin,  Holy  Cross,  \ 
Graigue,  B.V.M.,         / 

350 

84 
97 

mproved, 
Enlarged, 

1 
5 

Rathoe,                         ) 

990 

36 

improved, 

2 

Ballon,                          } 

£&& 

52 

Do., 

3  and  censor, 

Six   suits    in 

Lyons,  St.  Anne,           ) 

C\f\[\ 

70 

Parish  and  & 

KiU,  St.  Bridget,          j 

220 

78 

Built, 

Chalices, 

Aries,                             ) 



200 

Enlarged 

Four, 

Ballylinan, 



150 

Do., 

Three, 

Killeen,                           ) 

— 

80 

i"o  be  built, 

Three, 

*  Copied  from  a  Manuscript  in  the  hand- writing  of  Dr.  Doyle. 


APPENDIX  TO  PART  FIRST. 

STATE  OF,  SINCE  1820.* 


325 


Chalices,  &c. 

No.  of  Vols.  in 
Library. 

School  houses,  when  built. 

No  of 
Comrauni. 
cants. 

No.  of 
Scho 
lars. 

1  Chalice,  1  Ciborium, 

72  Vols. 

Old  chapel,          ( 

1 

3398  j 

932 

1  old  Chalice, 

6  Vols. 

No  school-house,      ( 

3  Chalices,  2  Cib.,  1  Re 

( 

monstrance, 

200 

School-house  built, 

1826,                           1 

1000 

2  Chalices,  1  Remonst., 

110     . 

V 

Built  lately,        / 

. 

1 

56 

School-ho.  built,  1818,  j 

4064  -| 

909 

1 

80 

No  school-house,     \ 

/ 

2 

2 

118 
103 

Built  lately,        / 
Do.,               \ 

4000  5 

670 

1,  and  1  of  Mr.  Walsh, 

309 

To  be  built  immediately, 

/ 

5400  j 

920 

1 

157 

Built  lately, 

( 

1 

200 

Do.,                ( 

( 

2,  one  Ciborium, 

200 

Built  lately,        j 

3500-^ 

700 

80 

Do., 

\ 

2,  Remonstrance, 

28 

Building, 

2636 

280 

2,  1  Cib.,  2  Remonst., 

200 

To  be  built,         |- 

f 

1 

150 

Built  lately, 

4100^ 

1000 

1 
( 

130 
60 

No  school-house,  j 
Built  lately,        [_ 

I 

I3 

— 

To  be  built,        J 

3050  j 

500 

113 

Built  lately,        / 

( 

3 

) 

2623) 

342 



No  school-house,    ] 

/  3  Chalices,  2Remonst. 

(200 

Built  lately,        \ 

I 

\     &c, 

1 

| 

2500  | 

350 

2 

1 

39 
36 

Building,            ( 
No  school,          \ 

2500  { 

500 

2,  and  1  Cibor., 
1 

80 
80 

No  school-house,    ( 
Built  lately,       \ 

2500  { 

640 

1 

2,  and  Remonst., 

107 
73 

No  school,          ( 
Built,             \ 

3200  { 

600 

1,  1  Remonst., 

134 
95 

School,             f 
Do.               \ 

2197  | 

263 

1 

1 

22 
40 

School,            j 
No  school, 

1000  j 

300 

1 

110 

Built,              ( 



1 

104 

No  school,          1 

3000 

_ 

1 

80 

2  Built,               ( 

— 

326 


APPENDIX   TO  PART  FIRST. 


Ho.,  and  Names  of  Chapels. 

Monthly 
Communi 
cants' 

No.  in  Confra 
ternities. 

Chapels  built 
or  improved. 

uits  of  Vestments. 

Tinryland,                    ) 
Bennekerry,                  j 
Ballyadams,                  \ 
Luggacurrin, 

400 
400 

200 
400 

Enlarged, 
Do., 

Three, 

Three, 
One, 

Wolf-hill,                       ) 

mproved, 

One, 

Rosenallis, 

80 

55 

Do., 

Two, 

Portarlington,                \ 
Emo, 

250 

246  and  56 
258 

Improved, 

Six  and  1  cope, 
Three 

Killenard, 

285 

Built, 

Two, 

Clonbullogue,                 ^ 
Brackna, 

130 

45 

52 

Enlarged, 
Do., 

Four, 
Three, 

Walsh  Island,              ) 

10 

Built, 

No  Vestments, 

Stradbally,  St.  James  \ 

the  G., 

200 



— 

Two, 

Baker,  St.  Edanus,       ) 



— 

Two, 

Monasterevan,                \ 

improved, 

Four, 

Kildangan, 

270 

— 

Two, 

Nurney,                          ) 

Built, 

Two, 

Philipstown, 

200 

Greatly  en 

larged. 

Seven, 

Kilclonfert,                    \ 
Ballycommon, 

230 

170 

improved, 
Not  yet 

Two, 

— 

built, 

One, 

Carbery,  B.  Trinity,    \ 
Dunfort,                         ) 

— 

Few 

improved, 
Enlarged, 

-jSeven, 

Newbridge,                    I 

Two-mile-house,           ) 

250 

30 

Enlarged, 
[mproved, 

Two, 
Two, 

Hacketstown,                \ 

Built, 

Five, 

Kilanmote,                     f 

fiOO 

1  A 

Enlarged, 

Two, 

Knockanana,                 4 

Owv 

ID 

Do., 

One, 

Mountain  Chapel, 

Built, 

One, 

Naas,  St.  David, 

50 

No  Confraternity 

Built, 

Three, 

Kilcock,                         ] 

[mproved, 

Newtown,                       J 
Prosperous,                   V 

Improved, 
Do., 

Caragh,                          i 
Mayo,  B.V.M.,             > 
Dunane,  St.  Abban,      J 

80 

67 

Do., 
Built, 
Improved, 

One, 
One, 

Clonegal,                        ) 
Barragh,]                       j 
Allen, 

374 
200 

48 
100 

Built, 
Improved, 
Enlarged, 

Two, 
Two, 
Two, 

Milltown, 

Improved, 

Two, 

Edenderry,  B.V.M.,      ) 

Do., 

Eight,  1  cope,  I 

Ehode,  SS.  Peter  and  J 

500 

250 

censor, 

Paul,                          ) 

5  Missals, 

Myshall,  S.  Crucis,      > 
Drumfea,                       ) 

350 

305 

Do,, 
Do., 

Six,  and  cope, 
Two, 

Clonmore,                      \ 

Do., 

Two, 

Eolquiggan,                   ( 

600 

225 

Do., 

Two,  1  cope,   1 

( 

Enlarged, 

censor, 

Knockballestein,           / 

Two, 

Kildare,  St.  Bridget,  V 
Rathangan,  St.  Patrick) 

400 

147 
150 

Improved, 
Do., 

Two,  1  cope, 
Two,  etc.,  etc., 

APPENDIX  TO  PAET  FIRST. 


327 


Chalices,  &c. 

No.  of  Vols.  in 
Library. 

School-housef,  when  built. 

No.  of 
Communi 
cants. 

No.  of 
scho 
lars. 

1 

30 
30 

No  school, 
Built, 

\ 

ISOOor  J 
2000  1 

400 

1 

113 

Built, 

( 

1 

96 

Do., 

930 

1 

94 

To  be  built, 

\ 

2 

90 

To  be  built, 

1800 

250 

2  and  a  Remonst, 

121 

Built, 

t 

/ 

2 

84 

2  Built, 

J 

14164 

350 

2 

76 

2  Built, 

| 

^ 

1 

100 

No  school, 

( 

( 

1 

171 

Built, 

2500  4 

350 

No  Chalice, 

No  Library 

Do, 

( 

( 

1 

42 

No  school, 

i 

i 

1 

8 

Do., 

) 

3000  ] 

450 

2  and  a  censor, 

298 

2  Built, 

( 

( 

1 

186 

— 

( 

3200  ( 

800 

1 

182 

Built, 

| 

\ 

3  Chalices,  Gib,  &  Re 

150 

School, 

( 

( 

monst. 

J 

3500  ) 

700 

1 

50 

Built, 

1 

1 
1 

30 

7 

Building, 

\ 

\ 
1600  | 

240 

1 
2 

0 

tfo,  unknown 

Built, 

\ 

2000  { 

300 

1 



Do., 

/ 

2 

1 

10 

74 

Sacristy  built, 
No  school, 

3620 

610 

1 

14 

Do, 

( 

1 

— 

Do, 

3  and  Ciborium, 

350 

Built, 

1756 

473 

1 
1 

— 

No  school-house, 
Do., 

{ 

2623  { 

342 

1 
1 

36 

62 

Building, 
Do, 

J 

3994  j 

500 

2 

66 

Built  lately, 

j 

i 

979 

2 

— 

Do., 

"J 

\ 

mfm 

3    Chalices,   1    Cib,   1 

140 

Schools,  but  not  at- 

f 

Remonst, 

— 

tachedto  chapels. 

•< 

500 

1 

1 

68 
40 

No  school-house, 
Do., 

{ 

2639  | 

690 

1 

70 

Built  lately, 

( 

1 

75 

Do, 

500 

1,  and  1  Remonst,, 

'    58 

( 

2,  1  Ciborium,  etc., 
2 

231 
336 

2  schools,  built  lately, 
2    Do,          Do, 

1 

3600  | 

400 

328 


APPENDIX  TO  PART  FIRST. 


No.,  and  names  of  Chapels. 

Monthly 
Communi 
cants. 

No.  in  Confra 
ternities. 

Chapels  built 
or  improved 

Suits  of  Vestments. 

Suncroft, 

100 

10 

Seven, 

Ballyfin,  St.  Fintan, 

300 

30 

Built, 

Two,  1  cope,  etc. 

Bagnalstown, 
Newtown, 

400 

76 
90 

Enlarged, 
Improved, 

Three, 
Two, 

Ballinkillen, 

95 

Do., 

Two, 

Killeigh,  St.  Bridget, 

Do., 

Three, 

Ballinagar, 

300 

195 

Enlarged, 

Three, 

Eaheen, 

Do., 

Three, 

Graig,  St.  Bernard, 
Scraughvasteen, 

450 

Nearly  same, 

Improved, 
Built, 

Ten,  cope,  etc., 
Two, 

Clane, 

Improved, 

Rathcoffy, 

Enlarged, 

Staplestown, 

Do., 

Johnstown,                      ) 

Built, 

Two, 

Garrisker, 

150 

Enlarged, 

Three, 

Kilreny,                           ) 

Improved, 

__ 

Maryborough,                 } 

Built, 

Heath,                             j 

Improved, 

Carlo  w,   B.  V.  M.,        ) 
Title  of  Assumption,) 

500 

Building, 

20  good,  7  bad,2 
sets  Dalmatics, 

2    copes,    cen 

sor,  cruets,  2  pr. 

plated  candle 

sticks,  4  small 

do.,  3  Missals, 

2  grand  Ante- 

pend.,    1   Ben- 

edn.  Veil. 

APPENDIX  TO  PAET  FIKST. 


329 


Chalices,  &C. 

No.  of  Vols.  in 
Library. 

School-houses,  when  built. 

No.  of 
Communi 
cants. 

No.  of 
scho 
lars. 

3 

100 

School-house, 

1300 

200 

2 

25 

Built  lately, 

2000 

200 

1 
1 
1 

120 
150 
120 

School-house,         ( 
No  school-house,    «j 
2  schools,            ( 

5000 

900 

2 
2 

90 
90 

Built  lately,        ( 
Do., 

4000  I 

500 

2 

95 

Do.,               ( 

t 

2,  &  1  Pyxis, 

77 
60 

2,  built  lately,         V 
2,         do.,               1 

4400  | 

600 

2 
2 

Small  No. 
40 

Building,           ( 
Built, 

2400  j 

360 

43 

Do.,                ( 

I 

5  Chalices,   Ciborium, 
Remonstrance. 

360 

Built  for  many  years, 

2600; 
absent 

916 

habitu- 

ally,450 

330  APPENDIX   TO   PART   FIRST. 

THE  VERY  REV.  DENIS  KANE,  D.D.,  V.G., 

Whilst  this  work  was  passing  through  the  Press,  Dr.  Kane,  whose 
interest  in  its  compilation  was  manifested  by  the  very  effective  aid  he 
rendered  in  the  collection  of  materials  for  it,  has  been  summoned  to 
his  eternal  reward.  The  melancholy  intelligence  was  received  with 
sincerest  grief,  especially  by  those  to  whom  his  friendship  was  one  of 
the  dearest  treasures  of  their  lives.  There  never  was  a  truer,  more 
faithful  friend,  never  a  man  more  single-minded  and  unselfish.  He 
was  a  model  of  ecclesiastical  virtue.  Entirely  devoted  to  the  spiritual 
interests  of  his  people,  he  lived  within  the  sanctuary,  and  shrank 
from  the  demonstration  of  esteem  and  regard  which  the  beauty  and 
nobleness  of  his  character  could  not  fail  to  win.  Everywhere  he 
laboured  he  has  left  behind  him  monuments  of  his  disinterestedness 
and  zeal.  In  Baltinglass,  of  which  he  was  Parish  Priest  for  thirteen 
years,  he  has  made  the  Parish  Church  a  very  attraction  to  the  faith 
ful.  The  Convent,  which  he  built  for  the  Sisters  of  the  Presentation 
whom  he  introduced  some  ten  years  since,  is  in  itself  an  abiding 
monument  of  his  judgment  and  taste.  This  and  every  other  work 
and  improvement  that  he  effected  in  the  parish  were  carried  out  with 
out  making  a  single  demand  on  his  people.  He  could  say  with  the 
Apostle,  '  I  seek  not  yours  but  you ;'  and  we  confidently  believe  that 
he  never  received  a  shilling  that  he  had  not  already  devoted  to  some 
purpose  of  charity  or  religion. 

Dr.  Kane's  parents  resided  at  Ardnahue,  in  the  County  of  Carlow ; 
he  was  born  on  the  3rd  of  March,  1822.  Having  received  his 
primary  education  partly  at  the  Monastery  of  Tullow,  and  partly  at 
the  Diocesan  School,  Carlow,  he  entered  upon  his  ecclesiastical 
studies  at  Carlow  College,  where  he  was  ordained  sub-deacon  on  the 
30th  of  May,  1845.  He  completed  his  theological  course  at  Maynooth, 
where  he  had  the  advantage  of  reading,  as  a  Dunboyne  student, 
under  the  distinguished  Dr.  O'Hanlon.  Dr.  Kane  received  Deacon- 
ship  at  Maynooth,  June  5th,  1846,  and  Priesthood,  June  17th,  1848. 
He  was  a  man  of  unquestionable  talents  and  ability,  and  won  the 
highest  honours  and  distinctions  at  every  stage  of  his  College  course. 
On  the  termination  of  his  studies  he  was  appointed,  first,  Dean  of  the 
Lay  House,  and  subsequently,  Professor  of  Natural  Philosophy,  in 
Carlow  College.  At  this  period  his  ability  and  fame  as  a  preacher 
attracted  the  attention  of  the  present  Cardinal  Newman,  then  Rector 
of  the  recently-established  Catholic  University  in  Dublin.  At  the 
request  of  Dr.  Newman,  Dr.  Kane  delivered  a  course  of  lectures  in 
the  Church  of  the  Catholic  University,  which  are  declared  by  those 
who  heard  them,  to  have  been  conceived  and  delivered  in  a  very  high 
and  effective  style  of  Christian  Oratory.  At  this  time,  too,  his 
services  were  secured  to  conduct  Retreats  in  various  Colleges  and 
Convents  throughout  the  country;  some  will  still  remember  the 
impressive  and  edifying  Retreat  which,  while  yet  a  young  man,  nearly 
30  years  ago,  he  gave  to  the  clergy  of  his  native  Diocese.  Failing 
health  obliging  him  to  relinquish  his  Professorial  duties,  he  was 


APPENDIX  TO  PART  FIRST.  331 

appointed  to  the  Mission,  first,  in  1857,  as  Curate  in  Leighlin-Bridge, 
and  then,  on  the  3rd  of  March,  1860,  as  Administrator  at  Tullow. 
He  was  promoted  to  the  pastoral  charge  of  Philipstown  on  the  4th 
of  January,  1867,  and,  finally,  was  transferred  to  Baltinglass  in  June, 
1871,  He  was  appointed  Vicar-General  of  the  Diocese  in  succession 
to  the  late  Dr.  Healy  of  Monasterevan,  in  1878.  It  is  not  for  us  to 
tell  the  ability,  the  tenderness,  and  the  prudence  with  which  the 
duties  of.  his  exalted  and  onerous  office  were  discharged. 

Dr.  Kane  had  a  most  tender  devotion  to  St.  Philip  Neri,  after 
whom,  indeed,  his  character  seems  to  have  been  specially  formed. 
On  his  appointment  to  Philipstown  he  wrote  that  he  gloried  to  be 
under  the  shadow  of  St.  Philip ;  and  on  his  death-bed  he  prayed  most 
fervently  to  "  dear  St.  Philip,"  to  whom  he  acknowledged  he  was 
so  much  indebted.  No  wonder  that  a  warm  and  lasting  friendship 
sprang  up  between  him  and  that  other  still  greater  child  and  client 
of  St.  Philip,  Cardinal  Newman.  The  following  touching  letter  was 
received  from  this  great  Oratorian  in  reply  to  one  announcing  the 
death  of  Dr.  Kane : — 

"The  Oratory,  Birmingham,  July  20th,  1883. 
if  DEAR  PROFESSOR  MURPHY, — I  am  much  pained  to  hear  of  Dr. 
Kane's  death.      It  recalls  to  my   mind  the  friendly   and   familiar 
intercourse  I  had  with  him  so  many  years  ago.     At  that  time  Cardinal 
Cullen  sanctioned  the  prospect  of  the  establishment  of  a  house  of  the 
Oratory  at  Dublin,  and  Dr.  Kane  was  one  of  those  who   showed 
special  interest  in  the  undertaking.     And  now  I  hear  of  his  death, 
I  have  the  most  pleasant  and  affectionate  recollections  of  him.     God 
rest  his  soul,  or  rather,  may  he  pray  for  us. 
"  Your  faithful  servant, 

"JOHN  H.  CARD.  NEWMAN." 

"  P.S. — I  am  much  touched  to  be  told  of  his  people's  intended 
altar  to  our  great  Saint,*  in  his  parish  church.  May  I  offer  £5  for 
that  object  V 

The  priests  who  laboured  with  Dr.  Kane  and  who  knew  his  sterling 
worth,  the  people  to  whose  welfare  he  devoted  every  thought  of  his 
mind  and  every  moment  of  his  life,  will  mourn  long  the  saintly  and 
unselfish  man  of  God  who  went  about  doing  good,  inflamed  indeed 
always  with  energy  and  zeal,  but  of  whom,  after  his  Divine  Master, 
it  may  be  written  as  truly  as  of  any  man  who  ever  lived,  l  That  the 
bruised  reed  he  would  not  break,  and  the  smoking  flax  he  would  not 
extinguish.  Dr.  Kane  died  on  Monday,  the  2nd  of  July,  1883  ;  his 
Month's  Memory  Office  took  place  on  Wednesday,  the  1st  of  August, 
on  which  occasion  the  Very  Rev.  M.  J.  Murphy,  V.P.,  and  Professor 
of  Theology,  Carlow  College,  pronounced  his  Panegyric,  from  which 
the  foregoing  brief  memoir  has  been  in  chief  part  extracted. 


*  It  lias  been  decided  that  the  Memorial  to  Dr.  Kane  is  to  take  the  shape  of 
an  Altar  dedicated  to  St.  Philip  Neri. 


INDEX. 


BISHOPS    OF    KILDAKE. 


Page 

ST.  CONLAETH,  first  Bishop  of  Kil 
dare,       1 

IVOR  and  LONY,  stated  by  some  to 

have  preceded  St.  Conlaeth,  .      note,  1 
ST.  CONLAETH,  before  his    appoint 
ment  as  Bishop,  a  Recluse  at  Old 
Connall,.  ,        .        .         .      2 

,,  visit    to    Rome;    a 

skilled  Artificer  in  gold  and  silver,      ,, 

„  death;  Description  of 

Church  of  Kildare  and  Shrines  of 
St.   Brigid  and  St.   Conlaeth,    by 

Cogitosus, 3 

ST.  AED,  or  HUGH,    ....      4 
Those  styled  Abbots,  probably   Bis 
hops  of  Kildare,      ....      5 
Loichene  Meann,  Abbot  of  Kil 
dare,         „ 

Forannan,  Abbot  of  Kildare,  .  ,, 
MAELDOBORCON,  Bishop  of  Kildare,  .  „ 
ST.  TOLA,  Bishop  of  Clonard  and  of 

Kildare, 6 

Dodimog,  Abbot  of  Clonard  and 

Kildare, ,, 

Cathal,  Abbot  of  Kildare,   .        .      „ 
ENTIGERN,  Bishop,  killed  at  Kildare,      ,, 
LOMTTJILE,  Bishop  of  Kildare,  SNED- 
HBRAN,  Bishop  of  Kildare, 
Endus,  Abbot  of  Kildare, 
Faelan,  Abbot  of  Kildare, 
Airbheartach,  of  Kildare, 
Laisren,  of  Kildare,   . 
Muireadach,  Abbot  of  Kildare,  .      7 
Siadhal,   or  Sedulius,  Abbot  of 

Kildare,  .,..,„ 
TUATHCHAR,  Bishop  of  Kildare,        .      „ 
OHTHANACH,  Bishop  of  Kildare,        .      „ 
AEDHGENBRIT,  Bishop  of  Kildare,     .      „ 
COBHTHACH,  Abbot  and  Bishop  of 
Kildare,         .        .        .        .        .     „ 
Chariot  Races  at  Curragh,       note,  ,, 
MAENGAL,  Bishop  of  Kildare,  .        .      8 
ROBHARTACH  MAC-UA-CEARTA,  Bishop 

of  Kildare,      .         .         .        .        ,      ff 
LACHTAN,  Bishop  of  Kildare,    .        .      „ 
SUIBNE   UA  FINNACHTA,   Bishop   of 
Kildare, 


SCANNAL,  Bishop  of  Kildare,     . 

LARGIS,  or  LARGISIUS  MAC  CRONIN, 
Bishop  of  Kildare,  . 

Sinbne,  Abbot  of  Kildare,  . 
Flanaghan  Ua  Riagain,  Abbot  of 
Kildare 

CRUNMOEL,  Bishop  of  Kildare,  . 

MAELITNAN,  Bishop  of  Kildare, 
Cuilan,  Abbot  of  Kildare,  . 
Mured    Mac  Faelan,    Abbot  of 
Kildare, 

ANMEHADH,  or  ANIMOSUS,  Bishop  of 
Kildare  ;  Author  of  Fourth  Life  of 
St.  Brigid,  Published  by  Colgan  j 
extracts  from  Preface,  . 

MURCHAD  MAC  FLAN,  Bishop  of  Kil 
dare,  , 

MAEL  MARTIN,  Bishop  of  Kildare,     . 

MAEL  BRIGID  or  BRIGIDIAN,  Bishop 
of  Kildare, 

KELIUS,  Bishop  of  Leinster,      . 

FINN  MAC  GCTSSAN  MAC  GORMAN, 
Bishop  of  Kildare, .... 

FERDOMNACH,  Bishop  of  Kildare,      . 

MAELBRIGIDA  MAC  ANTIRE  O'BROL- 
CHAN,  Bishop  of  Kildare,  and  of  all 
Leinster,  ..... 

AEDH  O'HEREMON,  Bishop  of  Kil 
dare,  .  ... 

FEA.RDOMNACH,  Bishop  of  Kildare,   . 

MAC-MIC-DONNGHAIL,  Bishop  of  Kil 
dare,  

CORMAC     O'CATHSUIGH,     Bishop     of 

Leinster 

FINN  MAC  GORMIAN,  Bishop  of  Kil 
dare  ;  previously  Abbot  of  Newry; 
assisted  at  Synod  of  Kells  or  Melli- 
font ;  Author  of  Book  of  Leinster t 

MALACHIAS  O'BiRN,  or  O'BRIN,  Bis 
hop  of  Kildare ;  Siege  of  Carrick, 
Co.  Wexford,  . 

NEHEMIAS,  Bishop  of  Kildare,  . 

CORNELIUS  MAC  GELAN,  Rector  of 
Cloncurry,  Archdeacon,  and  after 
wards  Bishop  of  Kildare, 

RALPH  DE  BRISTOL,  Treasurer  of  St. 
Patrick's,  Dublin,  Bishop  of  Kil- 


Papre 
8 


10 


12 
13 


INDEX. 


333 


dare ;  grants  certain  Indulgences  ; 

wrote  Life  of  St.  Laurence  O'Toole, 

JOHN  DE    TAUNTON,   Canon  of    St. 

Patrick's,  Bishop  of  Kildare, 
SIMON  DE  KILKENNY,  Bishop  of  Kil 
dare,       

On  death  of  Simon,  part  of  Chap 
ter  elected  Stephen,  Dean  of 
Kildare,  another   part  elected 
William,  Treasurer  of  Kildare; 
Pope   Nicholas   III.   annulled 
both  elections  and  appointed, 
NICHOLAS  CUSACK,  Bishop  of  Kil 
dare,       ...... 

Pope  Nicholas's  Taxation,  . 
WALTER  DE  VEELE,  sometimes  called 
WALTER  CALF,  Chancellor  of  Kil 
dare,  appointed  Bishop  of  Kildare; 
Parliament  held  in  Kildare,    . 
RICHARD  HULOT,  or  HOWLOT,  Canon, 
and  Archdeacon,  afterwards  Bis 
hop  of  Kildare,       .         .         .        . 

THOMAS  GIFFARD,   Chancellor,  Bis 
hop  of  Kildare,       .... 

ROBERT  DE  AKETON,  O.S.A.,  Bishop 

of  Kildare, 

GEORGE,  said  to  have  been  Bishop 

of  Kildare, 

HENRY  DE  WESSENBERCH,    O.S.F., 
Bishop  of  Kildare, .... 
THOMAS,  Bishop  of  Kildare, 
DONALD  ORICI,  Bishop  of  Kildare,    . 
JOHN     MADOCK,    Archdeacon,     ap 
pointed  Bishop  of  Kildare,     . 
Bale    mentions    one     Quaplod, 
O.C.C.,  as  Bishop  of  Kildare, 
but  is  probably  mistaken,       . 
WILLIAM,  Archdeacon,  appointed  to 
See  of  Kildare,        .... 
GEOFFRY  HEREFORD,  O.S.D.,  Bishop 

of  Kildare, 

RICHARD  LANG,  Bishop  of  Kildare,  . 
DAVID,  appointed  Bishop,  but  died 

before  Consecration, 
JAMES  WALE,  O.S.F.,  Bishop  of  Kil 
dare,      .                         » 
WILLIAM  BARRETT,  Bishop  of  Kil 
dare,      

EDMUND  LANE,  Bishop  of  Kildare ; 
founded    College  at    Kildare  for 
Dean    and  Chapter ;    assisted  at 
Coronation  of    Lambert    Simnel ; 
assisted  at  Provincial  Synod  held 
at  Christ's  Church,  Dublin,    . 
Suit  at  law  between  Archbishop 
of  Dublin  and  Chapter  of  Kil 
dare,  regarding  right  of  Visita 
tion  during  Vacancy  of  See.    . 
Letter  of    Earl  of    Kildare  to 


Page 
14 

»» 

15 


10 


17 


18 


19 


20 


Cardinal  Wolsey,  asking  for 
the  appointment  to  See  of 
Edward  Dillon,  Dean  of  Chap 
ter,  

THOMAS  DILLON,  Bishop  of  Kildare,  . 
PETER  STOLL,  O.S.D.,  Bishop  of  Kil 
dare  ;   reference  to  him   in  State 

Papers, 

WALTER  WELLESLEY,  Prior  of  Conall, 

appointed  Bishop  of  Kildare, . 
DONALD  O'BEACHAN,  O.S.F.,  Bishop 
of  Kildare ;  died  shortly  after  ap 
pointment,      

THADY  REYNOLDS,  Rector  of  Olmar, 
in  Meath,  appointed  Bishop  of  Kil 
dare,  

THOMAS  LEVEROS,  Dean  of  St.  Pa 
trick's,  Bishop  of  Kildare;  pre 
viously  Consecrated  for  Leighlin ; 
had  been  tutor  to  Gerald,  after 
wards  Earl  of  Kildare,  whom  he 
aided  in  escaping ;  deposed  by 
Elizabeth  for  refusing  oath  of  Su 
premacy  ;  supports  himself  by 
teaching  school  at  Ad  are  ;  death  at 
Naas;  esteem  in  which  he  was 

held, 

From  1577,  to  1629,  See  of  Kildare 
governed  by  Vicars-Apostolic. 

Rev  Robert  Lalor,  V.G.,  1594,  to 
1606 ;  arrested  ;  condemned 
and  executed, 

Dr.  James  Talbot,  V.G.,  assisted 
at   Provincial  Synod  held  at 
Kilkenny,  in  1614,   as  repre 
sentative  of  Kildare, 
Donatus  Dowling,   Vicar-Apos 
tolic,  1629        .         •        .      •  . 
Dr.  Talbot  again  Vicar- Apostolic 

of  Kildare,  1623  to  1629, 
Roccus  DE  CRUCE,  alias  ROCHE  MAC 
GEOGHEGAN,  O.S.D.,  Bishop  of 
Kildare  ;  appointment,  parentage, 
education,  literary  attainments, 
Consecration  at  Brussels,  suffer 
ings,  death,  assisted  at  Synod  of 

Tyrcogir, 

Acts  of  Synod  of  Tyrcogir, 
Ornaments,  Books,  and  Chapter- 
chest  of  Cathedral,  Kildare, 
said  to  have  been  taken  away, 
in  1641,  by  Bishop  McGeoghe- 
gan  and  others, 

From  1644  to  1678,  Diocese  of 

Kildare      Administered       by 

Vicars,    ..... 

James  Dempsy,  Vicar-General, 

1644,        

The  Abb  6  Geraldine  appointed 


Page 


20 
21 


28 


30 


35 


334 


INDEX. 


Page 

by  Primate  to  superintend  the 
Diocese,  .        .        .  .     36 

James  Dempsy,  Vicar- Capitular 
of  Kildare,  one  of  those  at 
National  Conference  of  Bish 
ops  and  Clergy,  1666,  .  .  „ 
Fr.  Nicholas  Netterville,  S.J., 
proposed  for  See  of  Kildare,  in 

1670, „ 

Patrick    Dempsy,    Vicar-Apos 
tolic  of  Kildare,  1671,     .        .    37 
MARK  FORSTALL,  O.S.A.,  appointed 
Bishop  of  Kildare,  1676  ;  education 
and  life,  previous  to  Consecration ; 
the  Primate,  Dr.Plunkett,  proposes 
that  Dr.    Forstall   should  receive 
Administration  of  Leighlin  j  repre- 


Page 

sentations  by  him  and  other  Pre 
lates  in  favour  of  this  proposal,       .   37 

Brief  to  Dr.  Forstall,  5  Sept., 
1678,  for  Kildare  with  Leigh 
lin  in  commendamt  .  .  .39 

Dr.  Forstall  thrown  into  prison,      „ 

Letter  from  Dr.  Forstall  describ 
ing  his  own  sufferings  and 
those  of  other  Irish  Prelates  ; 
purposes  to  withdraw  for  a 
time  from  Ireland,  .  .  .40 

Last  years  of  life  of  Dr.  Forstall; 
his  death  in  Diocese  of  Cashel,  41 

Ordinations  performed  by  Dr. 
Forstall,  at  Dublin,  Ballyna, 
and  Dunadea,  .  „ 


BISHOPS    OF    LEIGHLIN. 


ST.  LASERIAN,  first  Bishop  of  Leigh 
lin. — Birth,  parentage,  education, 
visits  Rome  and  receives  instruc 
tion  from  St.  Gregory  who  ordains 
him  priest  and  sends  him  to  Ireland, 
visits  Leighlin,  St.  Gobban  resigns 
his  Monastery  to  Laserian ;  Paschal 
controversy,       Laserian       revisits 
Rome,     consecrated     Bishop     by 
Honorius  I.  and  constituted  Papal 
Legate  ;  on  return  establishes  See 
of  Leighlin,  death,         .         . 
Office  of  Laserian, 
Episcopal  Succession  of  Leighlin 
uncertain  from  638  to    863; 
reasons  for  supposing  Abbots 
and   Bishops  of   that    period 
synonymous,   .... 
St.  Manchen  of  Leighlin,    . 
Feardachrich,  Abbot  of  Imleagh 
and  Leighlin,  .... 
Ernagh    MacEhyn,    Abbot    of 
Leighlin,          .         .         .         . 
Muiredach,  Abbot  of  Leighlin,  . 
Uarghus,  Abbot  of  Leighlin, 
MAINCHEINE,  Bishop  of  Leighlin,     . 

Dungall,  Abbot  of  Leighlin, 
CONNLA,  Bishop  and  Abbot  of  Leigh 
lin 

DANIEL,  Bishop  of  Leighlin, 
CLEIRCHEN   O'MuiNEO,    Bishop     of 

Leighlin, 

CONNLA  O'FLOINN,  Bishop  of  Leigh 
lin, 


Page 


43 

44 


45 


46 


Page 

SLTJAIGHEDACH  O'CATHAIN,  Bishop 
of  Leighlin, 46 

DUNGAL  O'KEELT,  Bishop  of  Leigh 
lin  ;  assisted  at  Synod  of  Kells,  .  „ 

DONATUS,  Bishop  of  Leighliu,  rebuilds 
Cathedral  destroyed  by  fire,  .  .  „ 

JOHN,  Abbot  of  Monasterevan,  ap 
pointed  Bishop  of  Leighlin,  ap 
pointment  opposed  by  Deputy 
Hano  de  Valoniis  who  seizes  tem 
poralities  of  See,  John  proceeds  to 
Rome,  consecrated  by  Pope  Inno 
cent  III. ,  Hano  compelled  to  re 
store  temporalities,  .  .  .47 

HARLEWIN,  Bishop  of  Leighlin,  be 
stows  Burgages  on  Burgesses  of 
Leighlin  and  franchises  same  as  of 
Bristol ;  buried  at  Dunbrody,  Co. 
Wexford,  .  .  .  .  .  M 

RICHARD  FLEMING,  Bishop  of  Leigh 
lin  ;  dispute  with  Prior  of  Conall 
about  lands  and  tithes  in  Leix,  .  ,f 

WILLIAM,  Archdeacon  of  Leighlin, 
elected  Bishop,  opposition  of  King 
who  finally  yields,  .  .  48 

THOMAS,  O.S.A.,  Prior  of  Conall, 
Bishop  of  Leighlin,  was  first  who 
conferred  Prebends  on  Canons,  .  „ 

NICHOLAS  CHEEVERS,  O.S.F.,  Arch 
deacon  of  Leighlin,  appointed  Bish 
op  of  Leighlin,  ruled  32  years,  .  49 
MAURICE  DE  BLANKVILL  or  BLANCH- 
FIELD,  Canon  of  Leighlin  and  Trea 
surer  of  Ossory,  Bishop  of  Leighlin,  „ 


INDEX. 


335 


Page 

MILEB  LB  POER,  Chanter  of  Leighlin, 
Bishop  of  Leighlin,  .  .  49 

WILLIAM  ST.  LEGER,  Bishop  of 
Leighlin,  died  at  Avignon,  .  .  „ 

THOMAS  DE  BRACKENBERG,  O.S.F., 
Bishop  of  Leighlin,  .  .  ,, 

JOHN  YOUNG,  Treasurer  of  Leighlin, 
appointed  Bishop  of  Leighlin,  .  „ 

JOHN  GRIFFIN,  Chancellor  of  Lim 
erick,  appointed  Bishop  of  Leighlin, 
after  13  years,  translated  to  Ossory; 
King  Richard  II.  granted  him 
village  of  Galroestown,  part  of  tem 
poralities  of  Killaloe,  .  .50 

THOMAS  PEVERELL,  or  PIEREVILL, 
Carmelite,  translated  from  Ossory 
to  Leighlin,  afterwards  translated 
to  Llandaff, ,, 

RICHARD  ROCOMB,  or  BOKUM,  O.S.D., 
Bishop  of  Leighlin,  .  .  ,, 

JOHN  MULGAN,  Rector  of  Lin,  in 
Diocese  of  Meatb,  Bishop  of  Leigh 
lin,  instituted  four  petty  Canons  in 
his  Church,  .  ...  .  ,, 

THOMAS  FLEMING,  O.S.F.,  Bishop  of 
Leighlin  ;  ancient  Monastery  of  St. 
Stephen,  at  Old  Leighlin  dissolved; 
fined  for  non-attendance  at  Parlia 
ment  held  at  Dublin  by  Richard, 
Duke  of  York,  1450,  .  ^  .  .51 

DERMITIUS,  or  DERMOD,  Bishop  of 
Leighlin, ,, 

MILO  ROCHE,  a  native  of  Munster, 
appointed  Bishop  of  Leighlin,  re 
ceived  also  the  Monastery  of 
Tracton,  Co.  Cork  ;  given  to  Music 
and  Poetry  ;  disputes  between  him 
and  his  clergy,  .  .  .  ,, 

Various  Taxes  paid  by  clergy  to 

Papal  Court,        .        .        .  note,  ,, 
Wadding  records  appointment  of 
Calcerand  de  Andres,  O.S.F., 
to  See  of  Leighlin ;  probably  a 
mistake, 52 

NICHOLAS  MAGUIRE,  Bishop  of  Leigh 
lin,  native  of  Tullamaguina  in 
Idrone,  educated  at  Oxford,  Pre 
bendary  of  Ullard,  composed  Chron 
icle,  made  Annotations  in  Yellow 
Book  of  Leighlin,  unfortunately 
lost  ;  Thady  Dowling  on  Dr. 
Maguire, „ 

THOMAS  HALSAY,  Bishop  of  Leighlin; 
attended  Lateran  Council  1515-16, 
was  an  Englishman,  LL.D.  of  Ox 
ford;  never  came  to  Ireland,  Charles 
Kavanagh,  Abbot  of  Duisk,  V,G., 
ruled  Diocese ;  Halsay  died  at 
Westminster,  buried  in  Church  of 


Page 

Hospital  of  the  Savoy ;  inscription ; 
acquainted  with  Erasmus,      .         .     54 
MAURICE  DORAN,  O.S.D.,  Bishop  of 
Leighlin  ;  a&sassinated  by  Maurice 
Kavanagh   his  Archdeacon ;  Four 
Masters    and  Thady  Downing  on 
same,       .        .        .        .        .        .55 

MATTHEW  SANDERS,  Bishop  of  Leigh 
lin  ;  native  of  Drogheda,  built  choir 
of  Cathedral,  Leighlin,    .  .50 

Dr.  Leverous  appointed  Bishop 
of  Leighlin  on  unfounded  Re 
port  of  death  of  Dr.  Sanders,  .      „ 
Robert    Travers    intruded    into 
See  of  Leighlin  on  death  of  Dr. 
Sanders,  his  character  as  given 
by  Dowling ;  deposed  on  acces 
sion  of  Mary,  .         ...    57 

THOMAS  O'FIHELY,  or  FIELD,  O.S.A., 
translated  from  Achonry  to  Leigh 
lin  ;    native  of    Cork,    Rector    of 
Delgany  and  Abbot  of  Mageo;  his 
orthodoxy  questioned,  but  appar 
ently  without  cause,         .         .         .      ,, 
WILLIAM  OPHILY,  Bishop  of  Leighlin,    59 
FRANCIS  DE  RIBERA,  O.S.F.,  native  of 
Spain  ;  no  proof  that  he  ever  came 

to  Ireland, }| 

Diocese  of  Leighlin  governed  by 
Vicars  for  37  years  from  death 
of  Dr.  De  Ribera. 
Luke  Archer,  Custos  of  See,  after. 

wards  Vicar- Apostolic;     note,     60 
Matthew  Roche,  Vicar- Apostolic 
of  Leighlin  ;  complaints  of  him 
by    Religious  Orders;    state 
ment  regarding  his  death,        .    61 
EDMUND  DEMPSY,  O.S.D.,  Bishop  of 
Leighlin,  son  of  Terence  Viscount 
Clanmalyre ;  distinguished    career 
before  being  advanced  to  the  Epis 
copate  ;  was  one  of  the  most  active 
Prelates  amongst  Catholic  confeder 
ates  ;  Bellings  on  Dr.  Dempsy  ;  pro 
motes   Protectorate    of    Duke    of 
Lorrain ;  retired  to  Spain ;   letter 
written    at    Portivieda;   died    at 
Finisterre,  Epitaph,        .        .        .    62 
Diocese  of  Leighlin  from  1661  to 

1678,  under  Vicars. 
Charles  Nolan  Vicar-General  in 

1662,  referred  to,     .        .        .     67 
John  Deoran,  Vic. -Genl.  1666,   .      „ 
DR.   FORSTALL,   Bishop  of  Kildare, 
receives  Administration  of  Leigh 
lin,          68 

Petition  of  Clergy  of  Leighlin,  on 
death  of  Dr.  ForstalL,  to  be 
united  to  Ossory,  .  „ 


336 


INDEX. 


BISHOPS  OF  KILDARE  AND   LEIGHLIN. 


Page 

EDWARD  WESLEY,  Bishop  of  Kildare 
and  Admin  strator  of  Leighlin ; 
Rev.  Charles  Dempsey,  Superior  of 
Irish  College  at  Lisle,  bearer  of 
Bulls ;  letter  of  same  in  vindication 
of  Dr.  Wesley ;  Provincial  Synod 
at  Dublin,  1685,  another  in  same 

place,  1688, 70 

Rev.  Morgan  Kavanagh  and  Rev. 
Conal  More,     .        .         .    note,  72 

JOHN  DEMPSY,  Bishop  of  Kildare,  and 
Administrator  of  Leighlin  ;  qualifi 
cations  for  Episcopal  office;  descrip 
tion  of  Kildare,  „  .  .  ,, 

EDWARD  MURPHY,  Vicar-General, 
appointed  Bishop  on  recommenda 
tion  of  "King  James;"  translated 
to  Dublin  in  1724,  .  .  .  .73 

BERNARD  DUNNE,  Bishop  of  Kildare 
and  Leighlin,          .         .         .         .74 
Dr.Cornelius  Nary,  recommended 
for  See,  account  of  same,       note,  ,, 

STEPHEN  DOWDALL,  Bishop  of  Kil 
dare  and  Leighlin,  .  .  .  ,, 

JAMES  GALLAGHER,  Bishop  of  Raphoe, 
translated  to  Kildare  ;  studied  at 
Irish  College,  Paris,  afterwards  at 
Propaganda,  Rome ;  anecdote  re 
garding  Dr.  Gallagher  when  Bishop 
of  Raphoe;  his  life  in  danger, 
escape  to  island  in  Loch  Erne, 
where  he  wrote  his  Irish  Sermons  ; 
Dr.  Doyle  on  Dr.  Gallagher ;  Laws 
and  Constitutions  adopted  by 
Clergy  of  Diocese  of  Leighlin,  1748,  75 
Mullala  on  Clandestine  Marri 
ages,  ....  note,  80 

JAMES  KEEFFE,  Bishop  of  Kildare  and 
Leighlin  ;  Dr.  Doyle  on  Dr.  Keeffe; 
Dr.  Keeffe's  death,  obsequies,  epi 
taph,  writings,  .  .  .  .82 

RICHARD  O'REILLY,  appointed  Co 
adjutor  to  Dr.  Keeffe,  removed  to 
Armagh, 87 

DANIEL  DELANY,  Coadjutor  in  suc 
cession  to  Dr.  0'  Reilly  ;  succeeded 
Dr.  Keeffe  in  1787  ;  Dr.  Doyle  on 
Dr.  Delany  ;  particulars  of  life  of 
Dr.  Delany,  from  Annals  of  Sisters 
of  St.  Brigid;  death,  epitaph,          .      ,, 
Rev.    Arthur    Murphy,       P.P., 
Kilcock,  Vic.-Cap.,  appointed 
Bishop,  but  declined,      .         .91 


MICHAEL  CORCORAN,  P.P.,  Kildare, 
appointed  Bishop ;  Dr.  Doyle  on 
same;  death,  epitaph,  .  .  .91 

JAMES  DOYLE,  appointed  Bishop  of 
Kildare  and  Leighlin,  92 ;  birth, 
education,  joins  Order  of  St. 
Augustine,  studies  at  Coimbra, 
ordination,  appointment  as  Pro 
fessor  at  Carlow  College,  93  ;  Con- 
secration,  reforms,  94  ;  Lenten  pas 
toral,  regulations  for  Lent  in  1820, 
95;  introduction  of  Spiritual  Re 
treats  for  Clergy,  96 ;  Catholic 
education,  commencement  of  public 
career*  97;  reply  to  Dr.  Magee, 
98  ;  vindication  of  Religion  and 
civil  principles  of  Catholics,  Pas 
toral  on  miraculous  cure  by  Prince 
Hohenloe,  O'Connell  to  Dr.  Doyle, 
99;  gives  evidence  before  Parlia 
ment,  return  to  Ireland,  address  of 
congratulation,  100;  address  from 
clergy  of  Diocese,  purchase,  and 
presentation  of  Braganza  as  resi 
dence  of  Bishops,  101 ;  preaches  at 
Consecration  of  Cathedral,  Marl- 
borough  Street,  Dublin,  letter  from 
O'Connell  requesting  of  Dr.  Doyle 
to  preach  charity  sermon,  103; 
letters  on  Transubstantiation,  Es 
say  on  Catholic  claims,  sets  about 
building  Carlow  Cathedral,  104 ; 
letters  on  various  subjects,  letter  to 
O'Connell  before  Clare  election, 
106;  letter  on  Poor  Laws,  Dr.  Kin- 
sella  on  this  subject,  107;  Diocesan 
Statutes,  Dr.  Doyle  again  sum 
moned  to  give  evidence  before  Par 
liament,  edits  Butler's  Lives  of 
Saints,  and  Gahan's  Sermons,  health 
declines,  election  of  coadjutor,  108; 
details  of  last  illness,  death,  and 
obsequies,  109;  epitaph,  110; 
Month's  Memory,  Dr.  Kinsella's 
sermon,  111  ;  Anniversary  Office, 
sermon  by  late  Dean  Meagher, 
115;  Hogan's  Monument  to  Dr. 
Doyle,  121. 

EDWARD  NOLAN,  appointed  Bishop, 
121 ;  Dr.  Nolan's  family,  Dr.  Keeffe 
predicts  his  future  career,  122 ; 
Professor  of  Theology  Carlow  Col 
lege,  controversial  address,  123; 


INDEX. 


337 


letter  to  clergy  in  reference  to 
general  Election,  1835,  133;  last 
illness,  death,  epitaph,  136 ;  tablet 
to  his  memory  in  chapel  of  Presen 
tation  Convent,  Carlow,  contem 
porary  notice,  137. 

FRANCIS  HALY,  Bishop  of  Kildare 
and  Leighlin,  birth-place,  educa 
tion,  labours  in  Diocese,  appointed 
P.P.  of  Kilcock,  offered  parish  of 
Maryborough,  140;  letter  to  Dr. 
Nolan,  141;  visits  Rome,  attends 
National  Synod  at  Thurles,  145; 
Panegyric  by  Dr.  Dunne  at  Month's 
Memory,  146  ;  epitaph,  159- 

JAMES  WALSHE,  nominated  Bishop 
of  Kildare  and  Leighlin,  consecra 
tion,  150;  birth,  education,  Pro 
fessor  and  President,  Carlow  Col- 


Page 


lege,  extracts  from  Pastoral  on 
Education,  151 ;  from  Pastoral  on 
Intemperance,  156;  Silver  Jubilee, 
address  and  Presentation  from 
clergy,  the  Bishop's  Reply,  159; 
sends  offering  of  clergy  to  Pope, 
letter  of  Dr.  Kirby  in  reply,  160 ; 
his  Holiness  sends  congratulations 
and  gold  medal,  161. 
JAMES  LYNCH,  Coadjutor  Bishop  of 
Kildare  and  Leighlin,  birth,  educa 
tion  and  ordination,  161  ;  joins 
Vincentian  Order,  appointed  Rec 
tor  of  Irish  College,  Paris,  nomi 
nated  Vicar- Apostolic  of  W.  dis 
trict  of  Scotland,  consecration,  162; 
appointed  Coadjutor  of  Kildare  and 
Leighlin,  164. 


Page 


ST.  PATRICK'S  COLLEGE,  CARLOW. 


Circumstances  under  which  founded, 
described  by  Dr.  Doyle  and  Dr. 

Delany, 165 

Dean  Lalor,  P.P.,  Allen,  defrays  cost 
of  enclosing  grounds  and  erecting 

Infirmary, 166 

Date  of  foundation,  in  1787,  fixed       .  167 
VERY  REV.   DEAN   STATJNTON,  first 
President  and  co-founder,       .                ,, 
College  opened  for  reception  of 
Students,  1st  Oct.,  1793  ;  first 
batch,      ...                 .169 
REV.  DR.  KELLY,  Professor  of  Theo 
logy,        , 

French  Emigrant  Priests,  Professors 
at  Carlow,  REV.  MESSRS.  NOGIER, 
LA  BRUNE,  AND  CHABAUX,     .  ,, 
REV.  PATRICK  KEATING,  Professor,  .  170 
VERY  REV.  ANDREW  FITZGERALD, 
O.S.D.,  Professor,  afterwards  Pre 
sident,     „ 

RIGHT  REV.   KYRAN  MARUM,   Pro 
fessor,     .        .        .        .        .        .171 

REV.  JOHN  BARRETT,  Professor,  .  172 
PLIGHT  REV.  JOHN  ENGLAND,  student  ,, 
MASTER  ROBERT  HOLMES,  student, 

drowned  in  Barrow,         .         .         .  175  j 
VERY    REV.    NICHOLAS    O'CONNOR, 

Professor 176  | 

REV.  JOSEPH  D'RAFTERY,  Professor,      ,,   \ 
MOST  REV.  MICHAEL  SLATTERY,  Arch 
bishop  of  Cashel,  student  and  Pro- 
lessor,     „  | 


Page 
REV.  JAMES  MAHER,  D.D.,  student 

and  Professor,        .         .         •        .177 
VERY  REV.  JOHN  THERRY,  student,  .  179 
DR.  POYNTER  TO  DR.  DOYLE,  asking 
for    Priests    for  Australian    Mis 
sion,         ....         note,  181 
VERY  REV.  PATRICK  BRENNAN,  Su 
perior,    185 

RIGHT    REV.    JAMES  DOYLE,  D.D., 

Professor,  .  .  .  .  .  „ 
REV.  DAVIDO'CALLAGHAN,  Professor,  186 
REV.  JAMES  KINSELLA,  Professor,  .  „ 
REV.  JOHN  GAHAN,  Professor,  .  .  „ 
REV.  JEREMIAH  DONOVAN,  D.D., 

Professor, „ 

His    EMINENCE  CARDINAL  CULLEN, 

student, 188 

CHIEF  JUSTICE  SAUSSE,  student,  .  191 
RIGHT  REV.  WILLIAM  KINSELLA, 

D.D.,  student  and  Professor,  .  ,, 
REV.  WILLIAM  CLOWRY,  Professor,  .  192 
REV.  JAMES  MCDONNELL,  Professor,  „ 
RIGHT  REV.  EDWARD  NOLAN,  D.D., 

student  and  Professor,  .  .  .  193 
VERY  REV.  P.  M 'SWEENY,  D.D., 

Professor, ,, 

REV.  DENIS  RYAN,  Procurator, .  .196 
REV.  MICHAEL  RAFTER,  Procurator,  „ 
REV.  MR.  O'BRIEN,  Dean,  .  .  197 
VERY  REV.  MONSIGNOR  DUNNE,  V.G. 

Archdeacon,  student,  ,      ,, 

REV.  DANIEL  WILLIAM  CAHILL,  D.D., 

Professor, 198 

Y 


338 


INDEX. 


REV.  MR.  McLEOD,  Professor,  . 
RIGHT  REV.  WILLIAM  CLANCY,  D.D., 

Professor, 

REV.    DANIEL    MCCARTHY,    student 

and  Professor,         . 
REV.   PATRICK  BYRNE,  student  and 

Dean, 

VERY  REV.  THOMAS  CANON  POPE,' 

student,  Dean,  and  Professor, 
RIGHT    REV.    ABBOT    FITZPATRICK, 

Dean  and  Professor, 
REV.  EDWARD  MULHALL,  student  and 

Professor, 

RICHARD  DALTON  WILLIAMS,  student 

Poet, 

Extracts  from  writings, 
REV.  JAMES  HAMILTON,  student  and 

Professor,        .'.... 

Extracts  from  writings, 
REV.    M.  F.  CUMMINS,   D.D.,    Pro- 


Page 
200 


203 


204 


205 


210 

214 
219 

.  224 

OOLLEGE  ACADEMY  FOUNDED;  origi 
nal  Members,  etc., 

REV.   JAMES   O'BEIRNE,   B.  A.,"  Pro 
fessor,     ......  226 

VERY  REV.  JAMES  IGNATIUS  TAYLOR,' 
D.D.,  student,  Professor,  President,      „ 
Extracts   from    Dr.    Molyneux's 
"Journey in  1809,"        .  note,  227 

REV.  JOHN  MAGEE,  D.D.,  Professor, .  228 

REV.  JAMES  HUGHES,  student,  Pro 
fessor,  Dean, 229 

RIGHT  REV.  JAMES  WALSHE,  D.D., 
student,  Professor,  President,        .      ,, 

VERY  REV.  JOHN  DUNNE,  D.D.,  Pro 
fessor,  President,    ....  230 

REV.  TIMOTHY  CONNELL,  D.D.,  Pro 
fessor,     . 

REV.  J.  MCINERNY,  D.D.,  Professor, '. 

REV.   JOHN    DOYLE,    student,    Pro 
fessor,      231 

REV.  JAMES  NOLAN,  Prefect  of  St. 
Mary's,  ...... 

REV.  JOHN  BARRY,  D.D.,  Professor, . 

VERY  REV.  DENIS  KANE,  D.D..  V.G., 
Professor,        ...  .  232 


VERY  REV.  JAMES  B.  KAVANAGH, 
D.D.,  Professor,  President,  . 

REV.  PATRICK  BERMINGHAM,  D.D., 
Professor, 

REV.  RICHARD  COFFEY,  Dean,  Bursar, 

REV.  ANDREW  PHELAN,  Professor,    . 

REV.  THOMAS  A.  TYNAN,  Professor, 
Dean, 

REV.  PATRICK  FITZSIMONS,  Pro 
fessor,  

REV.  THOMAS  BURKE,  Professor, 

REV.  JAMES  COLGAN,  Professor, 

REV.  JOSEPH  FARRELL,  Professor,     . 

REV.  EDWARD  LOUGHREY,  Dean,  Pro 
fessor,  

RET.  LAURENCE  WYER,  Do.,  Do.,     . 

VERY  REV.  EDWARD  WILLIAM 
BURKE,  Dean,  Professor,  President, 

VERY  REV.  MICHAEL  J.  MURPHY, 
Professor,  ..... 

REV.  JEREMIAH  NEVILLE,  Professor, 

REV.  LAURENCE  HOSEY,  Dean  of  Lay 
College,  Professor, 

REV.  HUMPHREY  RIORDAN,  Dean, 
Professor, 

REV.  RICHARD  BYRNE,  Do.,  Do., 

REV.  EDWARD  KAVANAGH,  Dean  of 
Lay  College,  Professor,  . 

REV.  WILLIAM  P.  BOURKE,  Professor, 
Rector  of  St.  Mary's, 

REV.  PATRICK  BYRNE,  Dean  of  Lay 
College,  Professor, 

REV.  JAMES  V.  COYLE,  Dean,  Pro 
fessor,  ...... 

REV.  GEORGE  P.  BYRNE,  Professor, 
Bursar, 

REV.  PATRICK  FOLEY,  B.A.,  Profes 
sor,  

REV.  JOHN  DONOVAN,  Dean  of  Lay 
College,  Professor, 

RIGHT  REV.  THOMAS  JOSEPH  POWER, 
D.D.,  student,  . 

RIGHT  REV.  PATRICK  J.  RYAN,  D.D., 
student, 


Page 
232 
233 


234 
234 


235 


APPENDIX. 


Page 

TAXATIONS  OF  DIOCESE  OF  KILDARE,  236 
TAXATIONS  OF  DIOCESE  OF  LEIGHLIN,  238 
EXTRACT  FROM  REPORT  OF  DR.  RAM, 

1612, 240 

SUMMARY  OF  ACTS  OF  PROVINCIAL 
SYNODS;  SYNOD  OF  KILKENNY, 
1614,  ....  .  245 1 


Page 

SUMMARY   OF  ACTS  OF  PROVINCIAL 
SYNODS  ;     SYNOD    OF    TYREOGIR, 

1640, 252 

„         ,,          SYNOD  OF  DUBLIN, 

1685,  .        .        .253 
,,  SYNOD  OF  DUBLIN, 

1688,  .        .        .256 


INDEX. 


339 


EXILED  PRIESTS  OF  KILDARE    AND 

LEIGHLIN,  1621,      .... 

LIST  or  CHURCH  SITES  IN  DIOCESE  OF 

KILDARE,  ABOUT  A.D.  1640,    . 
REPORT  ON  STATE  OF  POPERY  IN  IRE 
LAND,    ANNO,    1731 ;  DIOCESE  OF 

KILDARE, 

,,         Parish  of  Bally  sax,    . 
Dunada,    . 
„  „  Clone, 

„  Ballyscullogue,  . 

„  „  Kilcock,     . 

Carbery  and  Kil- 

reany, 
,,  ,,  Carogh. 

,,  Castropetre, 

„  Newbridge, 

9t  „  Monasterevan,   . 

Kill,.        .        . 
,,  Allen, 

Lea,     Lackagh, 
and  Kildingan, 
,,  „  Naas, 

„  Nurney,       Wal- 

terstown,  Dun- 
eny,  and  Kil- 
dare, 

Primult,    .         . 
„  Rathangan    cmd 

Clonmore, 

j}  ,,  Rosenallis.    and 

Coolbanagher, . 

ACCOUNT  OF  MASS  HOUSES,  POPISH 
PRIESTS,  ETC.,  IN  DIOECSE  OF 
LEIGHLIN;  SAME  DATE  : — 

Parishes  of   Agha,  St.  Kilt  and 
Kill  McCahill,  Graige,  Powers- 
town,  Dunleckny,  Fennagh,  Bar- 
ragh,  Aghade,   Ballan,  Ardri- 
stan,      Gilbertstown,      Lorum, 
Ctoneygoose,  St.  Molin's,  Kitten- 
nell,  Clonkeen,Clonenagh,  Bally - 
nakill,    Ballyroane,     Burrows, 
Strabo,  Killeny,  Kilcolmanbane, 
Disertenos,  Eilteal.  KilclonbrocTc, 
Stradbally,    lossey,     Timmoge, 
Bathasbuck,      .... 
Tullamoy,      Corclone,      Killeban, 
Ballyadams,  Painstown,  Garlow, 
Killeshin,  Templepeter,  Cloydah, 
Kellystown,          Tullemegymah, 
Ballynecarrig,  Ballycroge,  Tul- 
lophelim,  Rathvilly,  Baltinglass 
and     Ballynure,    Jlacketstown, 
Clonmore,   Haroldstown,     Kilte- 
gan,  Aghold,  Grangeford,  . 
RETURN  Anno  1765,  by  Barnabas  Jack 
son,  Hearth-money  Collector : — 
Castlebrack,  Hosenallis,    Kilman- 


Page 

257 


261 
262 

263 


264 


265 


266 


267 


Page 

RETURN,  same   date,   by    E.    Wallen, 
Hearth-money  Collector : — 

Monasteroris,  Meelick,  Clonsast, 
Croghan,  Kill,  KiUaderry, 
Ballycommon,  Ballentemple, 
Ballykean,  Clonyhork,  Bally- 
braken,  Harristown,  .  .  .  270 
RETURNS,  Anno,  1766 : — 

Parish  of  Eotenallis,  otherwise  called 
Union  of  Or  eg  an,  .         .        .  ,, 

,,         Naas, ,, 

,,        Montsterorit,      .        .  ,, 

Monasterevan,    Harristown, 
and  Ballybracken,       .  ,, 

,,         Lea, >» 

,,        Knavenstown,     .        .        -272 
,,         Kilrush,      ....,, 
Thomastown,   Dunmurray, 

and  foliar dstown,  .  ,; 
,,  Ficullen,  ...•>: 
,,  Kimaoge  and  Rathtrnon,  .  „ 
„  Kilclonfert,  .  .  , 

,,         Kilcock,      ... 
„         Great  Connell,  Nurney  and 

Sherlockstown, 
„  Geashill  and  Clonohurk,  .  ,, 
Dunadea  and  Balrahin,  ,  „ 
,,  Croghan,  ...•>> 
„  Clonsast  and  Rathangan,  .  ,, 
„  Brideschurch,  Carogh  and 

Downings,     ,         .  »» 

„  Bodingstown,  .  .  •  » 
,,  Ballymacwilliam,  .  .  »> 
,,  Ballycommon,  .  .  ,> 

„         Philipstown,  •      »» 

Batty  sax  and  Bally sonan,  .      „ 
Kildangan,  Lackagh, 

Duneany  and    Walters- 
town,     .        .        .         -274 
Clane,  Madham,  Clonsham- 

boe  and  Killebegs,  .         •      »» 
,,        Ballynure,  >» 

„         Coolbanagher  and  Ardea,    .      ,, 
PARISHES  OF  LEIGHLIN  DIOCESE,  AND 

PARISH  PRIESTS,  ANNO  1733, . 
THE  MOST  REV.  RICHARD  O'REILLY, 


268 


.  269 


273 


Rarymore,  Lea,  Geashill, 


270 


275 


THE  RIGHT  REV.  EDMUND  BURKE, 
D.D.,      ......  277 

REV.  JOHN  CARROLL,         .        .        -279 
ANSWERS  TO  QUERIES,  by  Dr.  Delany, 

from  Memoirs  of  Visct.  Castlereagh,  284 

REV.  BENJAMIN  JOSEPH  BRAUGHALL,  287 

RESOLUTIONS  OF  BISHOPS  AT  SYNOD  OF 

TULLOW,  June  6th,  1809,        .        . 

Letters    from    Right  Rev.    Dr. 

Baines    to  Right    Rev.     Dr. 

Doyle,      ...  - 

SERMON  preached  by  Dr.  Doyle 

at  Consecration  of  the  Cathe 

dral,      Marlborough      Street, 

Dublin, 


303 


306 


308 


340 


INDEX. 


Page 

Privileges  attached  to  Feast  of 

St.  Brigid  in  Diocese  of  Kil- 

dare  and  Leighlin,  .         .         .  316 

Plenary  Indulgence  attached  to 

Church  of  Holy  Cross,  Killes- 

hin, „ 

List  of  Parish  Priests  and  Digni 
taries  in  Diocese,  A.D.,  1827,  .  317 
Father  Serenus  Cressy,  O.S.B.,   .  319 
Popish  Recusants  in  Co.  Kildare, 
A.D.,  1658,       .         .  .320 


d>££ 

Number  of  Eegular  and  Secular 
Clergy  in  Carlow,  Kildare,  and 
King's  Counties,  A.D.,  1698,  .  323 

Bishop  Pilsworth's  Eeturn  to 
Regal  Visitation,  A.D.,  1622,  .  „ 

Diocesan  Return,  1829.  Progress 
of  Religion  since  1820,  .  .  324 

Very  Rev.  Dr.  Kane,  V.G.,         .  330 


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