Source: Fr. John O’Heyne, O.P. 

 

 

 

 

THE

IRISH DOMINICANS

OF THE

SEVENTEENTH CENTURY

BY

FATHER JOHN O’HEYNE, O.P.

FIRST PUBLISHED AT LOUVAIN IN 1706

 

REPRINTED

WITH AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION, AND AN APPENDIX CONTAINING

HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF ALL THE

ANCIENT

DOMINICAN FOUNDATIONS

IN IRELAND

BY

Rev. AMBROSE COLEMAN, O.P., M.R.I.A.

Dundalk

PRINTED BY WILLIAM TEMPEST

1902

 

The Friars of Athenry

In County Galway, there is an abbey at Athenry, the oldest town in all Connaught established by the English, who at the present-day style it a city in the state and legal documents. It was built by the English in the reign of King John of England. Tuam, on the other hand, the archiepiscopal see and the metropolis of the whole province of Connaught, though a great city in olden times, is not at present of much importance.

Athenry is now almost desolate though it still retains the name of a city; it is situated in a pleasant locality, where the air is most salubrious. I do not care to argue about the time the abbey was founded nor about the founder’s name, that I may avoid jealous criticism, although I could produce many authentic documents on this point. Accordingly the abbey, made illustrious by its history and its friars, was erected in 1241 by Lord Bermingham, more correctly Brimigiam, and called in Irish, Mac Fheorais, from a certain Horatius Lord Brimigiam who was made baron of Athenry by the king of England and was the premier of all the Irish barons created by the English. This abbey was in possession of fifteen hundred acres of land and abundant tithes. The said lord completed a fairly large church; but the cloister, chapter-house, the beautiful guest house, with two great and most commodious cellars, the novitiate, and the dormitory over the cellars, were built from the foundations by a wealthy man of that time called O’Heyne; and the southern part of the dormitory over the refectory and kitchen were built by a certain soldier, called Sir Thomas Delphin, an Englishman by birth.

Here follows a list of the possessions of this abbey: –

Within the town a piece of ground walled-in near the abbey, a large and excellent mill almost at the very gate of the abbey, and several houses; outside the town, the district of Glaimhe an Bhain which had formerly belonged to the Benedictines; another very commodious piece of land near the town to the south, called the Friar s’ Wood, in Irish Coill na mbrathair; at the north side district called David’s Village, in Irish Baile Dhaibhidh where there is a chapel belonging to the abbey; a mile from the town, to the north-east, there is another farm called Beann Dheara; another farm near Suidhfinn, is called Coill Craobhanta where there is also a chapel belonging to this abbey. The chapel of Kilcorban, with a good farm attached, belonged also to this abbey, according to Ware. Thomas Burke, bishop of Clonfert, with the consent of his chapter, granted to the friars of the Order of St. Dominic the chapel of St. Mary’s, Kilcorban, on the petition of John Fitz Reyry and his brethren of the same Order, and Eugene IV. confirmed the grant, 12th March, 1444, as Ware says, speaking of the monastic foundations of the county Galway. In the parish of Grainseagh, between Binmor and Rathglas, it had a large and fertile district called Rathchalaig tuadh Lubain an Teampuill, with a farm and chapel. This is, as far as my memory goes, what I often read in an old parchment document during the year of my novitiate, 1665. I take notice of these matters here, that some knowledge of them may be preserved among the younger members of this community, and that they may more easily explore them, if Jesus Christ take mercy on our country when our sins have been expiated. For we are visited ” with an iron rod by Him whose judgments are faithful and true, more desirable than gold and precious stones and sweeter than honey and honeycomb.” May the God of mercies grant, through the most Sacred Blood of His Son, that we may keep them and repair our transgressions by worthy penance.

Obituaries of Priests & Brothers

Father Dominic Burke, from 1638 to 1649, was twice prior of this community, to the great spiritual benefit of the house. After finishing his studies in our most important and religious convent of Bologna, in Italy, he returned home. and on being made prior after some time repaired the whole abbey and sumptuously decorated the church. During his period of office, the illustrious Edmund Burke of Kilcornan, built the chapel of the most Holy Rosary. The studies flourished under this prior with great success and splendour. This father was vicar-provincial of the entire province for a year. He was confessor to Lord Ulick Burke, marquess of Clanricarde, then vice-gerent of the lord-lieutenant of the kingdom, to whose devoted liberality it was principally owing that he was able to repair and decorate the abbey. He was a grave pious, and prudent man, beloved by all; he was faulty, however, in one respect, viz., in opposing Rinuccini, the apostolic nuncio, carried away by this zealous adherence to the aforesaid marquess and being also induced to follow some prelates of his own name.

These were Dr. John Burke, archbishop of Tuam; Dr. Hugh Burke, bishop of Kilmacduagh; Dr. Andrew Lynch, bishop of Kilfinora, and many others, even regulars, such as Father Valentine Browne and Father Peter Walsh, the Franciscan. This was very unwise conduct. Kind reader, spare me; I say nothing out of malice, but simply state historic facts. This very Father Dominic Burke was an uncle of my father and the two bishops Burke were uncles of my mother, all of whom I venerate and truly love, but I love truth itself more. Father Dominic repented afterwards of the opposition given by him to the apostolic legate; as likewise did the bishops. In 1649 he was attacked by a disease from which he died the same year a pious and resigned death, fortified by the last sacraments of the church. Of all the Dominicans of Ireland, this father alone opposed the nuncio. The latter testified that it seemed to be inborn in the Dominicans to defend the Holy See.

Father John O’Fahey, of the same community, studied very hard and with very great success in Italy. After returning home, he was made lector of philosophy in his own native convent, and afterwards master of students and lector of theology: offices which he filled with great applause, and yet preached with learning and eloquence on all festival days. He was a model of great mortification and piety at home and abroad; he always went on foot wherever he had occasion to go; from his profession he never wore linen, being ordinarily clothed in torn garments; and he strongly opposed those who did not submit to the legate of the Holy See. The Catholics had a great veneration for him. On the subjugation of the kingdom and the consequent prostration of religion, he was compelled to leave his country; and he went a second time to Italy and lived at Viterbo where he died a pious death.

The good Father William Burke, called the elder, master of sacred theology, made a brilliant course of studies in Spain and taught in our convent of Besançon in Burgundy. He was an elegant speaker in his native tongue, as well as in English, Spanish and Latin. He was provincial of Ireland from 1648 inclusive to 1654, and in 1650 was a delegate of the Catholics of Ireland to his most serene highness, the Duke of Lorraine. During his provincialship, he went from home as an exile to Louvain and finished his term of office while living there.

Returning to his convent on the restoration of the king, he was made prior; afterwards also at Rathbran in the county Mayo, where he had been born of the illustrious family of the Bourkes of Turlagh. Having attained to a great age, full of years and fortified by the sacraments of he church, he died a pious and penitent death in Rathbran convent, about 1685.

Father William Burke, otherwise Fitz Redmond, a scion of the distinguished house of the Burkes of Iserkealla studied in Spain, and after his return lived a most exemplary life in his convent until he was exiled in the course of the year 1650. On the subjugation of the kingdom by the usurper Cromwell, he came to France and remained there until his death in the convent of Vannes belonging to the religious and learned Congregation of Britanny.

Father Edmond Burke of Gortnameaccan, also of noble birth, studied at Burgos in Spain, and on his way home was captured by Algerian Moors with two other fathers. They were kept in most severe slavery for three years, when the Catholic King, Philip IV., sent a ransom for them. This father died a pious death in Andalusia.

Father Bryan O’Heyne, after almost finishing his studies in Andalusia, fell sick on the day he said his first mass and died on the eighth day of his sickness, fortified by the last sacraments, with the reputation of virtue: as Father Tully and Father Conhor O’Mahony have related in our convent.

Father John O’Dea, after finishing his studies with success, died a religious and pious death while staying in a convent where no studies are carried on, called in Spanish a pensocha.

Father Dominic Burke, a most amiable and religious youth, began his studies and almost finished them at Avila, and having been sent to the convent of the Blessed Virgin of Atocha, gave his soul to his Creator after singing his first mass in the convent of the Passion at Madrid, piously refreshed with the adorable Eucharist and extreme unction, 18th August, 1675. He was a cousin of the most illustrious prelate. Dominic Burke to whom we shall soon refer again.

Brother William Burke, just after being professed for the same convent, was sent to Spain; and being received into the noble convent of Burgos, began his studies there. He was much beloved, being of the distinguished family of the Burkes of Iserclerain, but was much more loveable by his life, for he had mortified himself so much by a hair-shirt and an iron chain bound around his tender body (as was written to me from that place) that in the year 1679, after a short illness, comforted by the sacraments of the church, he finished his life with a great reputation of virtue. The Acts of the provincial chapter of the province of Castile testify to all this, and they do not commonly give similar testimony without a strong and unshaken foundation.

Father Owen O’Heyne, a pious and upright religious, died towards the end of his studies at Plasencia in Spain, about 1685.

Brother Edmond Vale died a pious death in the convent of Holy Cross, Segovia. Brother Pierce O’Daly died at Zerez de la Frentera: he was very humble and pious.

Father Tiege Fitzpatrick, a youth of great intelligence and very pious, died in the same place before he had finished his studies, refreshed with the last sacraments.

Brother John Lynch, about to return home owing to a disease contracted in Spain, died at Bayonne: he was very upright.

Father Hubert Delphin studied in Spain with singular success. He was an upright and pious man and of a most lively intelligence and was very distinguished as a preacher. He was so well versed in Sacred Scripture that he seemed to know it entirely by heart. He was preacher-general, prior of Urlar and afterwards of Athenry, and while ruling the latter convent with great piety and prudence, died a pious death in 1653.

Father Thomas Tully, bachelor of sacred theology, while returning home with two others after finishing his studies with distinction at Vitoria in Spain, viz., Father Edmond Burke, already mentioned, and Father Conor MacMahon, to whom we shall refer immediately, was captured by the Moors, and spent three years in cruel slavery with perfect resignation. On the restoration of our king, he came home and arriving safely at his own convent, opened a school with Father Mac Mahon, by command of the provincial, Father O’Hart, in a very solitary locality which the carried on for ten years with great renown and success. In 1665, when I received the habit, there were about three hundred scholars of all ages in that school. Worn out by his constant labours in teaching, preaching, hearing confessions and catechizing, this most charming and truly religious man, after piously receiving the last sacraments, died to the great grief of all the Catholics in 1672.

Father MacMahon, his companion, was sent to Kilkenny convent to teach, and died there in the beginning of 1654. This father was for three years master of novices in the observant convent of Segovia, and Father John Martinez de Prado had such an admiration for his ability and memory, that he was heard to say he believed that this father had by heart the second section of the second part of St. Thomas’s Summa, so that the great man frequently consulted him on moral questions. He was a true Israelite. in whom there was no guile, and was given above everything to mental prayer, at which he accustomed us twelve novices placed under his care to remain so long, that often several fell to the ground from weakness and the knees of all were ulcerated.

Father Gerald Davock, master of sacred theology, on his return home after his studies in Spain, was made lector of philosophy, and them master of studies. He filled these posts satisfactorily and also preached with eloquence. On the dispersion of the religious, being captured by the Protestants, he was relegated with many other regular and secular priests to an island in the sea called Boffin, where with great patience he bore seven years of want. However, on the restoration of the king they were all liberated, except Father Bryan Cooney, who died a happy death there for the glory of God. Around the waist of this heroic man, there was found after death. a leather cincture, studded with sharp and piercing iron nails. He was still at that time the worthy provincial of the Order of the great patriarch, St. Francis. Our Father Davock lived a very pious and religious life for a long time after his liberation from this island and laboriously cultivated the vineyard of the Lord by word and example. He came from Ireland to Louvain, to make a visitation of this college of ours of Holy Cross, in 1664, and made many wise ordinations. Broken down by old age and wearied by the severity of the persecution then newly risen again, he slept piously in the Lord, in 1675, fortified by the last sacraments.

Father John Davock, a distinguished man, most acceptable not only to the Catholics, but also to the English Protestants, owing to his charming manners, died at Athenry, under the weight of years in 1686, after receiving the last sacraments, amid the prayers of his brethren standing around. He was once prior of his convent, and lived for a long time in England with the marquess of Claricarde, as his confessor and intimate companion.

Father Thomas Burke, the elder, pursued his studies in the convent of St. Paul, at Palencia in Spain, and much later on lived at Rivadavia in Galicia, until in fact the return of the restored king to England. A year after his return home in 1665, he was elected prior of his convent. He received many excellent young men to the habit; a second and a third time he was prior of his convent and one of Roscommon, and although he did not preach owing to a stutter, he understood many matters very well; was a distinguished moral theologian and a man of a good and very exemplary life. He was so old and feeble that the Protestants could not banish him from his country. However they turned him out of his convent and soon after, comforted by the last sacraments, he departed from this miserable life, at the age of ninety, in 1692.

Father John Burke, professed at Zamora, in 1666, finished his studies there, and on his return was made questor and was indeed serviceable to his convent as he was also in teaching catechism and preaching to the people. He was made preacher-general and prior of  Youghal convent. Exiled with the others, he came to Nantes in Britanny, where he died after two years, fortified by the last sacraments.

Another Father John Burke likewise died an exile in the convent of Petrahita. He was a hard-working curate to his uncle, the parish priest of Athenry, for many years, and yet did not cease to beg for his convent.

Father Mark Brown also died in exile at the convent of Quimper in Brittany, in 1704. He was an upright and religious man.

Father Tiege Ua Dalaidh, in English Daly, preacher general. should not he forgotten, who in his fourteenth year received the habit at Athenry and having made his profession, went to Spain and devoted himself commendably to his studies there. He was an adept in the Gregorian chant; his voice was strong and very sweet; he preached the Word of God with energy and eloquence, and he was dear to all, being very exemplary and of mild disposition. For several years he lived in the house of Sir William Burke, earl of Claricarde, as his confessor. He was once prior in the convent of St. Peter Martyr, at Portumna, and twice in his own native convent for which he was preacher general, and he received several most respectable young men into the Order in both houses. Being at length made provincial. just before the intermediate chapter was held at Athenry, he was brought to death’s door by a three days’ sickness, and after receiving the sacraments of the Church with devotion and contrition, passed from this to a better life, in 1682.

Father Ignatius Lynch studied in Salamanca and thence returned home, and on being made prior of his convent after a little time, showed himself to be a zealous and good syndic, by the way he procured and administered the goods of the community. He was twice prior there and once at Galway; he ruled prudently and peacefully in all humility, following the counsel of the wise, which is a great virtue and part of the science of the saints. Fortified by the last sacraments and showing marks of great piety, he placed his soul in the hands of his Creator, in 1695.

Father Hubert Delphin the younger, a cousin of the important man of the same name already mentioned, after finishing his classical and philosophical studies at home and on being ordained as a secular priest, administered a parish with prudence and vigilance for twelve years. That he might escape, however, the constant dangers of a life in the world, he chose the better part, viz., the habit and profession of the Dominican Order at Athenry; sent thence to Spain, he went through the three years’ course of theology at Salamanca. On being afterwards made procurator general at Madrid for the Irish province, he looked after this business with true fatherly care for one year, but owing to sickness he was not able to attend to it any further. On getting leave from his superiors, he came back to Ireland, where he began to devote himself to preaching, and was soon made preacher-general. Then being exiled with the rest of the religious of all the orders, he came to Nantes accompanied by four simple novices. Whilst searching for a place of novitiate for these young men, who were still three months off the full year of probation, he suffered many hardships, tramping up and down Paris on foot until he had placed them in the general novitiate in the suburb of Saint Germain. He stayed with them instructing them in the way of virtue until their profession, and then came to Louvain to the college of Holy Cross, welcomed by all. He was treated with singular favour by Count Berlo, bishop of Namur, so that on obtaining faculties for the purpose from that prelate, he was fortunate in receiving many heretics into the bosom of our holy Mother the Church. At length on the twentieth of November, after making his confession and devoutly offering up the holy sacrifice of the mass, worn out with a violent cough and comforted by extreme unction on the same day, he delivered his soul into the hands of our Redeemer, in the year 1700 and the sixty-sixth of his age. He was an extremely good man and was zealous for the glory of God, the honour of the Church and the dignity of his Order.

Members of the same community, slain in testimony of the Catholic Faith, from the year 1651 :-

First of all, Father Vincent Gerald Dillon, thrown into prison at York in England, wasted away by the hardships, and the filth and stench of the prison, received. the crown of victory, after showing a great example of patience and constancy.

Father Stephen Petit, of the same community, whilst hearing the confession of a Catholic soldier, was killed by a distant shot from a Protestant soldier, and is piously believed to be a martyr.

Brother James O’Moran, a laybrother; Brother Dominic, or Donagh, Black; Brother Richard Hovedon; happy victims for Christ, were slain at the sacrilegious hands of the Protestants.

Father John O’Quillan, a living model of religious observance, most devoted to prayer and fasting although in infirm health, always contented with poor garments, was so talented that he learnt almost all the sciences without a master. In several conferences he refuted the Protestants with great learning; he animated the Catholics; for the authority of the Holy Apostolic See he suffered every risk. Captured at length by the Protestants and pierced with many wounds, he cheerfully gave his life for Christ, claiming the crown of virginity and fortitude. His head, cut off from the body and fixed on a spike, was exposed as a trophy. I have extracted all this from the general chapter, held in Rome in 1656.

The end crowns the work: so like a beautiful ear from the same religious stalk, we place before our readers the illustrious Dr. Dominic Burke, bishop of Elphin. He was born in Ireland about 1629, of parents distinguished for their constant profession of the orthodox faith and belonging to good old families. About 1648, when the whole kingdom was shaken with furious and raging war, drawn by a desire of spiritual perfection, he became a soldier of the gospel and was professed in the holy Order of Friars Preachers. After this he set out for Spain, but being captured by the English at sea, was brought to Kinsale and thrown into prison. He escaped, with the special aid of Jesus Christ, by jumping from the top of the prison wall into the mud left by the outgoing tide. For two days he lay hid in a neighbouring wood, covered with mud up to his neck because he did not dare to seek the river to wash himself, and during these two days he neither ate nor drank. At length he timidly approached the house of a certain Catholic gentleman of the Roche family, who received him most kindly and gave him hospitality until he had recovered his strength. Then his host sent him on his way well-clothed from head to foot and with money enough for his journey (for he had been robbed by his Protestant captors of his own clothes and money), and with this assistance he arrived safe at his mother’s house. Astounded at his adventures, she begged him earnestly not to expose himself again to the dangers of the sea; he prevailed on her, however, to let him go, and getting money from her for his journey, took ship at Galway and arrived safely in Spain; where being received into our religious convent of Holy Cross at Segovia, he spent six years at his studies. On the completion of his course, as the persecution was still raging in Ireland, he went to Italy and remained there for about sixteen years. Owing to his upright and spotless life and his fervent zeal in promoting religion, he was greatly esteemed by all, and especially by the excellent and wise Father Gentili, twice provincial of the great and observant province of Lombardy and afterwards archbishop of Genoa. So being appointed master of novices at Venice, again at Milan, in the magnificent ducal convent of Our Lady of Graces, and lastly in the general novitiate of Bosco, he filled these positions laudably and piously for ten continuous years. In the general chapter of our Order, held at Rome in 1670, he was definitor, and was an honour to his province and of great service to the college of Holy Cross, Louvain. Without solicitation on his part but called like Aaron, he was suddenly promoted by Pope Clement X., in 1671, to the see of Elphin, and was consecrated at Ghent. Returning home immediately, he exercised the ministry of a good and vigilant pastor by word, example, and the administration of the sacraments. It can hardly be related how severely he suffered in the horrid persecution, raised in 1680 against all Catholics in England and Ireland without distinction. Two hundred pounds sterling were offered by the lord-lieutenant and the Privy Council of the kingdom, as a premium for whoever would capture him; so that he ordinarily journeyed by night during this persecution. For four months he lay so closely hid in a solitary house that he did not even once take a step outside the door; but on the approach of Maunday Thursday, on which he had to consecrate the holy oils, he forthwith started on a journey of forty miles, travelling always by night. I was his sole companion all that year, until the arrest of Dr. Oliver Plunkett, the archbishop of Armagh, who from the prison in Dublin used often to send warnings to the bishop of Elphin regarding the means proposed from time to time in the Cabinet and the Privy Council for his capture. The bishop was thus greatly aided in eluding their ambuscades and bloody hands, into which if he had fallen. he would have met the same fate as befell the primate the following year; as I mention when speaking of the death of Father Thomas O’Hart of the Sligo convent. Our bishop, though poor and without any revenue (for the Protestant pseudo-bishops possess all the ecclesiastical revenues in those unfortunate kingdoms), had an immense dislike to receive gifts from anyone, and especially ecclesiastics; and that he might live respectably and yet not be a burthen to his clergy who had nothing whatever to live on except the free alms of the faithful, he rented a good large farm from his near relative, William Burke, earl of Clanricarde. He greatly improved this farm with buildings, fences and the judicious plantation of trees; and by means of it was able to live observing the laws of kind and liberal hospitality according to the primitive custom of the Church, as long as there was any cessation from the storm of persecution.

During the war of the Protestant rebels against our truly Catholic King James, this venerable bishop was obliged to transfer his domicile outside his own diocese to Galway, where the citizens treated him with all marks of affection and honour, freely shared their means with him, so that he kept open table there, no other prelate of the kingdom doing the same. He was always an energetic defender of the Mendicant Orders whom he called the right eye of the Church; and this very clearly appeared in King James’s Parliament at Dublin, where he closed the mouths of the adversaries of the regulars. He was most devout to the Holy Virgin Mother of God; so that in addition to the Canonical Office, he daily recited with fervour the entire rosary, and very often twice a day. King James as well as the Queen loved him exceedingly. On being exiled, he declined to remain in the abbey offered to him by the most Christian King, Louis the Great, but preferring the poverty of mendicants, he came over to Louvain and elected to pass his life amongst his brethren in the college of Holy Cross. Our house, however, threatened at the time to fall into ruins through old age, and the danger was so imminent to those living in it, that it was necessary to put it into repair; and so when our house was broken up he betook himself to the Irish Franciscan Fathers living in this same town, and being treated most kindly by them, lived in great content. At length after going through many labours for God and the Church, and weighed down with the burthen of about seventy-six years, he was comforted by the Blessed Eucharist and extreme unction after confessing his sins, and with full use of his faculties to the very last, he calmly gave up his soul to our Saviour, on New Year’s Day, 1704, between nine and ten o’clock at night. He lies buried in their chapel near the high altar.

Belonging to this community there are still living:

Father Redmond O’Kenny, at least ninety years of age, left by the Protestants in Ireland, owing to his weakness and senility, though evicted from his convent. He studied in Spain and has ministered with zeal and success in his convent and also among the people now for about sixty years. This father is at present the senior of all the members of his community and of the whole province, and is truly a good man.

Father John O’Heyne (the present writer], a bachelor of sacred theology, is the next in seniority of profession. He studied at Salamanca and taught philosophy in France; as master of students, second and first regent, he taught at intervals in the college of Holy Cross at Louvain, where he was vicar for a year. On his first return to Ireland, by command of Father William Burke, the provincial, he taught a large school, until he was obliged by the violence of the persecution to hide and be the companion for a year of the bishop of Elphin. Thereupon as he was specially sought after by the Protestants, he was compelled to fly from the kingdom. On finishing his term of regency at Louvain, he returned home a second time, and remained there for eight years evangelizing the people, and was prior of Urlar. Finally exiled with the rest of all the religious Orders, after the various mishaps of distressful exile, he is living in Louvain at Holy Cross, in the sixtieth year of his age and the fortieth of his profession.

Father Dominic Delphin, of the same community, studied at Pampeluna, and after returning home was very useful to his convent. He is a thoroughly religious and devoted man. Since the beginning of the exile he has been residing in the convent of Ypres.

Father Bartholomew O’Heyne studied at Palencia in Spain, and after his return became a good preacher. He was prior at Naas, Athy, Portumna and Athenry, and is an upright and religious man, He lived at Nantes for several years after the exile and is now staying, as I hear, in the convent of Saint John of the Angels, in the province of France.

Father Anthony MacHugh, of the same community, studied brilliantly at Salamanca, and was esteemed by all there as an eminent religious. When he had returned home he was made lector of philosophy at Athenry, and taught with success, together with Father John O’Heyne, until the persecution. This Father Anthony devoted himself most ardently to preaching in the district in which he quested for eighteen continuous years, and indeed his preaching produced great fruit in the large barony of Dunmore. He was also assiduous in hearing confessions, serviceable in catechizing, and active and successful in promoting the holy rosary. He remained at home after the exile of the religious, suffering for the name of Christ, and at present is prior of his convent. He is a man gifted with great piety and always most modest.

Father Thomas Burke, bachelor of sacred theology began his studies at Louvain, continued them in the convent of Saint Jacques, Paris, and finished them in Rome, at Saint Sixtus’s, where he taught philosophy and for some months, theology. He was also prior there and on his return home after some years, was prior of his convent. On being exiled, he set out for Rome where for a second term he was made prior of Sain Sixtus’s. He is now living in the convent of Saint Mary’s of the Minerva: he is an upright and good religious.

Father John Mac Gilla-Cellaigh, in English Kilkelly, studied at Avila in Spain and after his return was a constant and agreeable preacher. For six years he was the socius of the provincial and also prior of his convent. He repaired the dormitory and mill of the convent; he made a fine enlargement of the church porch. As far back as eighteen years ago he was proposed as preacher-general for his convent by the provincial chapter, and indeed with reason. He is good and pious, active and expert in affairs, and a ready and a clever writer. He is staying at present in the refuge of the Dominicans in the town of Bilbao in Spain.

Father Pierce Kenna studied with success in the magnificent convent of Valladolid.. After returning home he perseveringly pursued the distinguished calling of a preacher for twenty-four years, so that his preaching became celebrated. He was prior of Tralee and twice prior of Kilmallock. He clothed at least eighteen novices in the habit, who made their profession at his hands. The gentry and the common people held him in great esteem. On being exiled he lived for a long time in the convent of Blois, but he is now residing in the hospital of Chateau-Thierry in France.

Father Redmond Burke, of the same community, studied in Andalusia and on his return preached satisfactory, as I have heard from many; was prior of Ballindune and of Sligo and governed with prudence. He is an upright man and a great observer of silence. Since the time of the exile he has been living somewhere in Britanny.

Father Augustine Burke studied with success at Pampeluna and after his return preached well and with unction. This mature and modest religious was prior of Roscommon and is living in exile in Bayonne in France.

Father Thomas Bodkin studied in France and after his return lived piously in his convent. He is living in exile in the convent of Saint John of the Angels.

Father Matthew Tully studied in Spain. Being exiled he is living in the convent of Quimper in Britanny: he is a model religious.

Father Thomas Tully, after finishing his studies in Spain, was assigned to San Sebastian in Vizcaya, where he is spending his time piously, as I am informed.

Father Teige O’Daly, having now finished his studies, is residing in the convent of the Incarnation, Bilbao: he is an upright and prudent man, as I am informed.

Father Francis Davock, also an exile, is living in the convent of Corunna in Galicia.

Father James Davock studied in Spain, and was a very provident procurator for our refuge at Bilbao. He left that place to return home and is still remaining in France.

Father Edmond Burke, bachelor of sacred theology, studied at Pampeluna, Salamanca, and in the convent of Atocha near Madrid, with success. He was made lector for the college at Louvain and taught philosophy there. He was master of students, second regent, and now is first regent as well as prior of the college of Holy Cross.

Father Martin Delphin studied in Rome and is lector of philosophy here at present.

Father Thomas MacNevin studied in Spain and at Louvain, and is now chaplain of a regiment of the Spanish army in Belgium.

Father Anthony MacHugh, the younger, is a student at Grenoble.

Father Colman O’Shaughnessy is studying at Louvain.

Father Anthony Burke studied in Italy; and after the late exile, went there a second time and is ministering in the hospital at Modena.

Father Augustine Bermingham, as I hear, is a lector at Ferrara in Italy.

Father Clement Bodkin is living in the convent of Saint John of the Angels in France.

Father John Burke of Clocheroke is in Spain.

Father Hubert Burke gave two courses of philosophy at Saint Sixtus’s, after spending four years at his studies at Avila, Pampeluna and Granada. He is now second regent at Saint Sixtus’s.

Father Oliver O’Davoran made good studies in Spain, and is confessor to the nuns of our Order at Dijon in France.

Father James MacEgan is in Spain.

Father Rickard Burke is in Italy.

Father Pierce Furlong has been in prison for the last three years in England.

Father John O’Moran is staying at Estella in Navarre.

There are therefore thirty-two alive belonging to this community of Athenry.