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Home , Archbishop of Cashel, Dominic Collins, Dublin Castle, Francis Taylor (martyr), James Archer (Jesuit), Margaret Ball

Free Copy FOREWORD

From the 7th tothe10th century, many monks and missionaries left for mainland Europe and kept the faith alive on that continent during its dark ages, when Barbarian invasions from the East resulted in the break-up of the Roman Empire. Most of these missionaries never returned to their homeland but endured a lifelong exile known as ‘white martyrdom’.

From the 1570s to the 1680s the Church in Ireland experienced periods of violent persecution that were in intensity, on a par with what the early Christians suffered at the hands of the Roman Empire. Nevertheless many priests returned to Ireland during this period from the continent where they had been formed and educated. Together with people from all social classes, clergy and laity they kept the Faith alive in Ireland by shedding their blood in what was a ‘red martyrdom’.

Tertullian said: “The blood of the is the seed of faith”. In Europe, populations tended to adopt the state religion over time. In Ireland however, the vast majority of the population did not do so but remained steadfast in their faith. The witness of the martyrs must surely have helped to sustain the Faith in Ireland during this period. What is more, in the face of terrible injustices, these martyrs are witnesses to the power of forgiveness and love, which records often show, they freely gave their persecutors.

When the early Church received the freedom to worship it promoted and remembered the martyrs, adding their names to the liturgy, celebrating their feast days and building shrines and churches where they were buried. Unfortunately commemoration of the Irish martyrs was largely neglected.

This annual novena (see leaflet) seeks to re ignite interest in those martyrs already honoured by the Church and also to promote the causeofthemany yet to be beatified. We, in the name of Our Lord and King, Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace and Divine Mercy, pray for forgiveness for all past hatreds and profound hurts scarring men, women and children resulting from any violence, abuse or apathy on this island and we offer this novena/prayer- walk for full healing and reconciliation.

“Glory be to Him, Whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine, glory be to Him, from generation to generation in the Church and in Christ Jesus forever. Amen.” Eph.3:20-21. 2 But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment will ever touch them. In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died, and their departure was thought to be an affliction, and their going from us to be their destruction; but they are at peace. Wisdom 3: 1-3

Bishop Patrick Healy and Fr. Conn O’ Rourke

Fr. Conn O’ Rourke was born in 1549 in Breifne of a noble family. He joined the Franciscan monastery in Dromahaire which his grandparents helped found and was sent to Europe for study, where he met Bishop Patrick Healy.

Bishop Healy, one of the first bishops martyred in penal times, was born c. 1543, became a Franciscan priest and was educated in Spain where he stood out as a brilliant academic. In 1562 he travelled to Rome and was appointed as Bishop of Mayo there in 1576. Following time in Spain and France, he and Fr. Conn O’ Rourke left Brittany dressed as mariners and landed secretly in Smerwick Co. Kerry.

While travelling to they were betrayed and Mayor James Goold imprisoned them. Following a secret trial by martial law with no opportunity to speak and no jury, Bishop Healy was ordered to take the Oath ofSupremacy.Despite having sharp spines driven through fingers resulting in amputations and bribes of high office, he refused and was condemned to death by hanging by Sir Lord Chief Justice of Munster. Before death he addressed bystanders exhorting them to remain faithful. He was reported to have faced death joyfully and encouraged Fr. Conn to face death likewise.WithFr.Conn O Rourke, he was publicly hanged at Kilmallock Co. Limerick on 13th August 1579, the corpses being ill- treated to intimidatethepeople. In executing them, the government broke its own laws requiring two previous convictions for maintaining papal authority and a trial by jury.

3 He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.

Matt. 10 37-39 Matthew Lambert, Robert Myler, Edward Cheevers, Patrick Cavanagh and two unidentified sailors.

1579 in Ireland saw rebellion around the country, beginning with the landing of James Fitzmaurice in Smerwick Co. Kerry on the 18th of July, to proclaim war for defence of the Faith against the State. Revolts against the Queen’s army occurred in Munster and patches of and Connaught.

In July 1580 Viscount Baltinglass of Leinster took up arms for the but despite some gains in Wicklow, the Irish were defeated and he had to flee for his life.

He eventually found refuge with Matthew Lambert who fed him and his chaplain Fr. Rogert Rochford and tried to arrange a safe passage for them. They were betrayed however and with five sailors: Robert Myler, Edward Cheevers, Patrick Cavanagh and two unidentified others, were arrested, imprisoned and hanged, drawn and quartered in on the 5th of July 1581, following torture.

At their trial, to all questions about matters of politics and religion, aboutthePopeandtheQueen,MatthewLambertgavethesimple answer: “I am not a learned man, I am unable to debate with you, but I can tell you this, I am a Catholic and I believe whatever Our Holy Mother the believes.” The sailors too were tortured but professed their faith despite pleas from their families to retract.

4 “Remembertheword that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.” John 15:20

Bishop Dermot O’Hurley

He was born in 1530 in Co. Tipperary into a well-off family. He studied at Louvain, and then taught as professor of philosophy and law in Rheims and Rome. Although a layman, in 1581 Pope Gregory XIII made him , a position vacant for three years.

He travelled to Ireland in 1583 and landed in Holmpatrick, Skerries, but his documents sent separately had been intercepted. He sheltered with the Baron of Slane, where he was recognised. After Bishop O’ Hurley left for Carrick-On-Suir, Slane was summonsed by Lord Chief Justices Wallop and Loftus who threatened him. As a result Slane wrote to Bishop O’ Hurley urging him to return to extricate him from charges of treason which he did.

On arrival in early October 1583, he was imprisoned in Castle. His feet were placed in boots filled with oil and roasted over a fire but he never recanted. In order to secure the death penalty he underwent trial by martial law. On the 20th of June 1584, he was taken early to Hoggen Green (near St. Stephen’s Green) to be hanged in secret. However a group of archers up early to practise for a competition, came upon the execution... His final words were: “I am a priest anointed and also a bishop, although unworthy of so sacred dignities and no cause could they find against me that might in the least degree deserve the pains of death, but merely my function of priesthood, wherein they have proceeded against me in all points cruelly contrary to their own laws.” His remains were buried in St. Kevin’s Park Camden Row which became a site of pilgrimage.

5 Margaret Bermingham Ball

Born c. 1515, she married Bartholomew Ball of Balrothery at the age of 15, a leading merchant, who became Bailiff and Mayor of Dublin in 1553. She herself was well known for having established a school and for giving frequent refuge to priests. A widow in 1568, she was arrested in 1570 with a priest who had been saying Mass in her house. Through money and the influence of her son Nicholas (who later became Lord Mayor and an M.P.) she was freed.

Conflict resulted when Walter her eldest converted to Protestantism and despite her attempts to influence him by inviting him to dinner with Catholic intellectuals, remained an avid promoter of his own beliefs. During his own time as Lord Mayor, he had Margaret arrested, dragged through the streets on a hurdle and thrown into prison where she remained for three years in harsh conditions until her death around 1584 aged about 70 years.

We are not discouraged; rather, although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is seen, but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4: 16-18

6 Fr. Maurice MacKenraghty

He was born in Kilmallock living under the patronage of the . However between 1569 to 1573 and 1579 to 1583, Munster was devastated by the 1st and 2nd Desmond wars. Desmond captured and sacked Youghal in November 1579 and Fr. Maurice was his chaplain until his capture on 17 September 1583. He was sent to prison in for two years but his release was secured by a Mr. Victor White who asked the chief jailor for permission to have the priest say Mass and hear confessions on Holy Saturday night. The chief jailor however betrayed them and the house was raided as he was about to say Mass. He escaped, but upon hearing Victor White was threatened with death, he sent word to White that he would surrender. White responded that he would prefer ‘to lose liberty and life’ rather than that the priest should die. But Fr. MacKenraghty gave himself up.

He was repeatedly asked to renounce the Catholic faith, acknowledge the Queen and name names of those who had attended the sacraments. On sentence of death, he advised bystanders to be obedient to the Pope. He was executed under martial law, with no jury. On the 20th of April 1585, he was hanged, drawn and beheaded, his head exposed in a prominent place. keenness of Your justice, and

I consider everything as a loss because of the supreme advantage of knowing my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. For Him, I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him…., depending on faith to know Him and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of His sufferings by being conformed to His death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead Philippians 3: 8-9a, 9c-11 7 Br.

Br. Dominic Collins was born in Youghal Co. in 1566. In 1586, he moved to France where he had a successful military career, notably refusing a large bribe from Henry of Navarre to return a captured chateau to the . After moving to Spain he met Fr Thomas White S.J. and in 1598 at 32 years of age, joined the novitiate of the . During a plague when many were dying he stayed to nurse colleagues putting his own life at risk though others reportedly fled. Following that he was appointed to accompany Fr. James Archer with the Spanish fleet dispatched by the Spanish King in 1601 to assist the embattled northern earls O’ Neill and O’ Donnell in their fighting against the Crown’s forces. After the disastrous defeat of , Collins accompanied the Gaelic chieftain O’ Sullivan Beare to his stronghold in Dunboy. There in June 1602 a siege resulted in all being executed except Collins who was transferred to Cork prison. It is thought that he was kept alive in the hope that his military prowess would be used against the local resistance. He was exhorted to renounce the faith and his vocation but refused despite torture and offers of high ecclesiastical office. On October 31st, he was marched through the streets and hanged at Youghal. He spoke so eloquently that the hangman refused to do his work and a poor fisherman was dragooned. His last words were that he had come to Ireland to preach the catholic faith.

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1Cor1:18

8 The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God and if children then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

Romans: 8: 16-17

Bishop Conor O’ Devany

He was born in Raphoe c. 1532. He became a Franciscan and was appointed Bishop of Down and Connor on the 27th of April 1582. By 1587, the Dublin government had extended its authority all over Ireland and was exerting increasing pressure on . In 1588 Bishop O’Devany was captured and imprisoned during the deputyship of Sir John Perrot. At the beginning of his time in prison he was in danger of death from hunger and thirst and was saved onlybythecharityoffellowprisoners. He petitioned to be released in November 1590, which petition was granted probably because Perrot was himself found guilty of treason and died in the . He was released on the 16th of November 1590 by Perrot’s arch enemy Lord Chief Justice Loftus.

The King in 1611 commanded that “there mustbeauniform order set down for the suppression of papistry”. It was then suggested that it would be well if some titular bishops could be punished in an exemplary manner, provided it could be made clear that they were not being punished for strictly religious activities.

His final capture and imprisonment came in early 1611. At his trial later in 1612, now 80 years of age, Bishop O’ Devany was accused of having assisted Hugh O’Neill in his treason which resulted in the battle of Kinsale. However there is evidence against this.

9 Fr. Patrick O’Loughran

Born c.1577. He was chaplain to Gaelic chieftain Hugh O’Neill’s household and participated in the flight of the earls following the defeat at Kinsale. He spent time studying in Rome and Douai. On his return to Ireland in 1611 he was immediately arrested and freely admitted to being a priest. He was imprisoned in Dublin and tried with Bishop O’Devany though there is no evidence that they had even met before. On the 1st of February 1612, the bishop and priest were drawn on carts to George’s Hill. A crowd of several thousand witnessed the execution of the two. The old bishop was now nearly 80 years of age. Right up to the time of execution offers of pardon and preferment were made if only the prisoners would take the Oath of Supremacy but they refused. Bishop O’Devany blessed the public and exhorted them to be constant in the Catholic faith. The purpose of the executions had been to intimidate the population. However five days after the executions, Lord Deputy Chichester reported to London: “how a titular bishop and a priest, being lately executed here for treason, are thought martyrs and adored for saints.” Ironically the executions planned to frighten the Catholic population, stiffened its resolve particularly among the old English and paradoxically united the old Irish and old English.

Into thy hands I commit my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God. Thou hatest those who pay regard to vain idols; but I trust in the LORD. I will rejoice and be glad for thy steadfast love.

Psalm 31: 5-7a

10

He was born c. 1550 in Swords Co. Dublin into an important family and married well. He was active in civic roles in Dublin for 27 years before his death. He was a well-known protector of priests. In 1595 he was elected as Mayor of Dublin. Arrested after a controversial parliamentary election, he never recanted his faith or took the Oath of Supremacy. There is no record of a trial. He died on 30th of January 1621 in prison after 7 years in harsh conditions.

Fr. Peter Higgins

He was born in Dublin about 1600. By 1627 he was living in Spain and probably returned to Ireland to become Dominican of Naas in the 1630s. During the rebellion of 1641, Fr. Higgins made efforts to restrain the violent and he sheltered the homeless. He intervened to save the Protestant rector of Donadea, William Pilsworth, who was about to be put to the gallows by Catholics and rebuked them for their unchristianbehaviour.

In January 1642 the Earl of Ormond mobilised a Protestant force in Dublin to strike back at Catholics. Among those taken into custody was Fr. Higgins whom Ormond tried to save by presenting petitions from at least 20 Protestants who had known Higgins, urging that his life be spared. However Sir Charles Coote had him executed without trial.

At the gallows,Fr.Higgins was offered a chance to deny his faith, but declined saying: "I die a Catholic and a Dominican priest. I forgive from my heart all who have conspired to bring about my death. Deo gratias."

Among the crowd Reverend Pillsworth tried to intervene crying out: "This man is innocent, this man is innocent. He saved my life." His words fell on deaf ears. On the morning of 23rd March 1642, Fr. Peter Higgins was hanged from a gallows reputedly at George’s Hill in Dublin.

11 Bishop Terence Albert O'Brien, Dominican

Terence O'Brien was born into a well-off family near Cappamore, Limerick in 1601. He became a Dominican in 1621 taking the name Albert and studied in Toledo, Spain, where he was ordained in 1627. Returning to Ireland, he became the Provincial of the Irish province in 1643. He attended the general chapter of his order in Rome in 1644 where he made known the martyrdom of Father Peter Higgins mentioned above. On his way home while in Portugal, he learned of his appointment as co-adjutor to the ailing Bishop of Emly in 1648.

In 1649 the parliamentarians under Cromwell abolished the monarchy and Cromwell wreaked havoc in Ireland. During the siege of Limerick in 1651, Ireton the attacking general had made it clear that Catholicism would not be tolerated after the city fell. Bishop O'Brien, who had encouraged citizens to resist, was captured as he tended the sick in the plague house. Tried bycourt-martial, he was condemned to death. As he went to the gallows, he spoke to the people: "Do not weep for me, but pray that being firm and unbroken in this torment of death, I may happily finish my course." After his death by strangulation his body was left hanging for three hours and treated with indignity by the soldiers. They cut off his head and spiked it on the river gate. His body was buried near the old Dominican priory of Limerick in the grounds of St Mary's Convent of Mercy.

O LORD, who shall sojourn in thy tent? Who shall dwell on thy holy hill? He who walks blamelessly, and does what is right, and speaks truth from his heart; who does not slander with his tongue, and does no evil to his friend, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbour

Psalm 15: 1-3

12 Fr. John Kearney, Franciscan

John Kearney was born in Cashel in 1619 of a prominent Catholic family. Ordained a priest in 1642 after his studies in Louvain, he was captured on his return to Ireland, but managed to escape. He ministered as a priest first in Cashel and later in . In 1653 he was captured again, taken to Clonmel and charged with functioning as a priest in defiance of the law. Witnesses testified that he had celebrated and administered the sacraments. He was hanged on the 11th March 1653.

Fr. William Tirry

Fr. William Tirry was born in Cork in 1608 into a prominent merchant family. He joined the in 1627 studying in Paris and . He returned to Cork in the 1630s where he was chaplain to his uncle, the and Cloyne. He was captured in Fethard in in the house of a relative Mrs. Amy Everard where he had spent several years hiding in seclusion although he th used to receive people. He had just vested for Mass on 25 of March on Holy Saturday 1654, when the soldiers entered the house and took him under armed escort to Clonmel. From a number of accounts at the time he was noted for his saintliness before and during the trial. He was executed on the 2nd of May 1654 by hanging in Market Square Clonmel exhorting the people to faithfulness and to belief in the real presence in the Blessed Sacrament.

And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death... Revelation 12:11

13 St. ,

Born 1625 Martyred 1st July 1681

Oliver Plunkett was born 1st Nov 1625 of a noble Irish family in Oldcastle Co. Meath. He went to Rome, where he was a student of the . He stayed on in Rome as Professor of Theology from 1647- 1669 because of the oppressioninIreland, during which time his own family was dispossessed of their land. He finally returned to Ireland in 1670 where in his 10 years as Archbishop he had two periods on the run. However he still actively reformed the Irish Church in which the Episcopal presence had been practically non-existent during Cromwellian times. He was betrayed by some of his own to agents of the State who bore false witness against him but he forgave his persecutors. In his final letter, he wrote: “I am as innocent of all treason as the child born yesterday... so God forgive them and I do forgive all who had a hand directly or indirectly in my death and in my innocent blood.” On July 1st 1681 he was dragged the 2miles from Newgate prison to Tyburn. He was hanged, drawn and quartered. Some of his remains were saved and his head is now kept in St. Peter’s Church, Drogheda. He was beatified by Benedict XV in 1920. In 1975, he was canonised a saint by Pope Paul VI.

14 BEATIFIED IRISH MARTYRS WHO DIED ABROAD

John Roche,

Blessed John Roche, a boatman, died at Tyburn on 30th of August 1588 for helping Blessed Margaret Ward, a gentle-woman, to help a priest escape. She had visited in the Bridewell prison, Fr. Richard Watson, a secular priest and had smuggled him a rope, but in making use of it to escape, he had fallen and broken an arm and a leg. He was gotten away by Margaret's young Irish serving-man, John Roche, who, to assist the priest's escape, changed clothes with him and so, was himself arrested. When charged, both Blessed Margaret and Blessed John refused to disclose his whereabouts. So they were condemned. "Their feast day is August 28.

John Carey, Patrick Salmon and Fr. John Cornelius

Blessed Fr. John Cornelius was born in Bodmin Cornwall, of Irish parents and graduated from Oxford. He was ordained a seminary priest on the Continent and became a Jesuit. He was sent as a missionary to England and laboured there for nearly ten years. He practised mortification, was devoted to meditation, and showed much zeal in the ministry. While acting as chaplain to Lady Arundell, he was arrested on 24 April, 1594, at Castle, by the sheriff of Dorsetshire. Thomas Bosgrave, a relative of the Arundell family, met them and offered Fr. John his own hat, as the priest had been dragged out bareheaded (as a sign of disrespect). Thereupon Bosgrave was also arrested. Two servants of the castle, Blesseds John (or Terence) Carey and Patrick Salmon, natives of Dublin, shared the same fate on 4th July 1594 and together the four are known as the Dorchester martyrs.

15 Fr. Ralph Corby (Corbington)

Blessed Ralph Corby (Corbington): He was born of English parents on 25th March 1598 and spent his early years in Maynooth Co. Kildare where his father was employed by the Countess of Kildare. The family moved back to his father’s native place in Durham. All members of the family took vows including his parents. After harassment, he moved to Saint Omer in France and later in Spain. He was ordained a seminary priest and then joined the Jesuits in 1631. He returned to England to minister to the covert English Catholics in Durham. He was arrested with his friend Fr. John Duckett. A reprieve was apparently won for him, however he refused it as he felt Fr. Duckett was the younger man but Fr. Duckett refused wishing him to accept. They died together in Tyburn 7th Sept 1644 in middle of English civil war when the parliamentarians put them to death, being hanged, drawn and quartered and their bodies burned to avoid relics being taken.

Fr. Charles Mihan (Meehan)

Blessed Charles Mihan (Meehan): a Franciscan left Ireland for the Continent due to persecution and spent some time there. On travelling back to Ireland, he was shipwrecked in Wales. He said: “Now God Almighty is pleased I should suffer martyrdom, his Holy Name be praised, since I die for my religion. But you have no Right to put me to death in this Country, though I confessed myselftobea priest, for you seized me as I was going to my native country Ireland, being driven at Sea on this Coast, for I never used my function in England before I was taken, however God forgive you, as I do and shall always pray for you, especially for those that were so good to me in my distress, I pray God bless our King, and defend him from his enemies, and convert him to the Holy Catholic Faith, Amen.” He was tried and hanged, drawn and quartered at Ruthin on 12th of August 1679.

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away. Rev 21:4 16 Litany to the martyred saints of Ireland: Lord, have mercy, Lord have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy, Christ have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy,. Lord have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. The refrain is: Have mercy on us. God, the Father of Heaven: have mercy on us. God the Son, Redeemer of the world: ,, ,, ,, God the Holy ghost, Sanctifier of the Elect: ,, ,, ,, Holy Trinity, one God, ,, ,, ,, The refrain is: Pray for us.

Holy Mary, Queen of Ireland: Holy Mary, Queen of saints and martyrs: Holy Angels, Guardians of Ireland: Glorious St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland: St. Brigid, Muire na nGael: St. Columba, Saint of the Eucharist, pray for us: St. Oliver Plunkett: Archbishop of Armagh, primate of all Ireland: Model for Irish laity, priests and bishops: Whose heart was on fire with zeal for God: Who openly risked death by returning home: Peacemaker and reconciler in disputes: Who reformed the Irish Church: Who forgave his betrayers and persecutors: Who laid down his life for his flock: Hanged, drawn and quartered, at Tyburn: Blessed Dermot Hurley: Archbishop of Cashel: Who exchanged a brilliant academic career for a life on the run: Who sacrificed himself to save his host: Baron Flemming of Slane: Tortured by burning rather than deny his faith: Who refused all bribes or temptations of high office: Who proclaimed his innocence from the gallows: Blessed Conor O’ Devany: Bishop of Down and Connor: Who applied the reforms of Council of Trent over 30 years of oppression, Who endured starvation in prison to the point of near death: Who stayed when his protectors left in the ‘Flight of the Earls’: Who at 80 years of age, refused pardon and bribes to spare his life: Who at the gallows encouraged everyone to keep the Faith:

Bishop Patrick Healy: Bishop of Mayo and Franciscan priest: Who was betrayed, tortured and tried in secret.: Who refused enticements and bribes of high office: Who exhorted bystanders at his hanging to remain faithful. Who encouraged and supported Fr. Conn O’Rourke before death.

Bishop Albert Terence O Brien: Bishop of Emly, Provincial, Dominican priest: Who stayed with the people of Limerick during its siege: Who was captured attending to the sick: Who endured death by strangulation at Gallow’s Green in Limerick:

Fr.s MacKenraghty, Kearney and Tirry: Three martyrs of Clonmel: Imprisoned and executed for celebrating the Sacraments Where vocations surged after their deaths:

Fr. Peter Higgins, Dominican Priest: Who protected protestant settlers from catholic attacks: Who saved Rev.William Pilsworth from lynching by a Catholic mob: Who rebuked catholics who were attacking protestants, Whom Rev. Pilsworth and many protestants tried to save from hanging: Who arrested without trial, forgave his executioners and joyfully praised God at the gallows:

Fr. Patrick O’ Loughran: Chaplain to Hugh O Neill’s household: Who returned to Ireland after the Flight of the Earls, Who freely on arrest admitted to being a priest and was executed with Archbishop O’ Devaney at George’s Hill. Br. Dominic Collins: Jesuit scholastic Who exchanged success in the military for service to God, Who stayed nursing the sick when others fled the plague, Who was kept alive by the Crown to serve them militarily, Who refused to renounce his vocation under torture, Publicly hanged at Youghal Co. Cork,

Margaret Ball: (laywoman, mother, wife) Defender and protector of priests: Arrested by her son Walter, , Dragged publicly to on a hurdle and died aged 70 in prison,

Francis Taylor: Lord Mayor of Dublin: Defender and protector of priests: Imprisoned without trial, Who refused to take the Oath of Supremacy, Who died after seven years in prison,

Matthew Lambert, (baker) Robert Myler, Patrick Cavanagh, Edmund Cheevers and two unknown sailors : Martyrs of Wexford) Who attempted to arrange safe passage for a priest, Who were arrested and publicly defended their faith, Tortured hanged drawn and quartered in Wexford:

Closing Prayer:

Lord be with us as we pray for Ireland through the intercession of her saints and martyrs, who laid down their lives for You and Your people. We beg you again for the gift of peace and true reconciliation in Ireland and thank you for the courage of all peacemakers past and present.

Grant that through their merits and prayers we may be a living Church as witnessed by the way we live our lives, by restoring all things in Christ. We pray for all those hurt or abused in this country, that they may receive your profoundly healing touch. Pour out Your Spirit on your people, your clergy and laity in a new Pentecost. Lord may we never abandon You but defend the Faith of our Fathers with love, as did the martyrs before us. Amen. Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be. With special thanks to Monsignor John J. Hanly, postulator of the cause of the Irish martyrs and Fr. Steven Redmond S.J. who has written on the Dublin and Wexford martyrs in ‘So Great a Cloud’ , A record of Christian Witness.

Published by C&R Print 053 9235295