The Rise and Fall of the Irish Franciscan Monasteries, And
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THE RISE AND FALL OF THE IRISH FRANCISCAN MONASTERIES, AND MEMOIRS OF THE IRISH HIERARCHY IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. BY THE REV. C: P. MEEHAN, M.R.I. A. THIRD E D I T I O j t ^ y /.,. / 2 A 7 7 « > ^ 5 ^ j ^ 7 # DUBLIN : JAMES DUFFY, 1 5 , WELLINGTON-QUAY LONDON: 2 2 , PATERNOSTER- ROW. 1 8 7 0 . ^^■, ■.? '] '■■■> i■\ i'Osti^S DUBLIN! Jrintto % g. SI. ©'Cook * Son, C AND 7, Ot. Brbhswick-st. TO SIR J, BERNARD BURKE, C.B., LL.D., JJIaier gthtg-of-^rms, THIS LITTLE VOLUME is AFFECTIONATELY AND RESPECTFULLY ]§thunteb, AS A TRIBUTE TO HIS PB1VATE VIRTUES, AND IS ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF HIS INVALUABLE HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL RESEARCHES, BY HIS OBLIGED AND GRATEFUL FRIEND, C. P. MEEHAN. PREFACE. The papers in this volume first appeared in the Hibernian Magazine, and had the good fortune to be highly praised by the press, and many friends, clerical and lay, who urged that they should be pre sented to the public in a more durable form. The opening part of the series can, as an original work, hardly be called mine ; for I have done little more than give a free version of Father Mooney's Latin Manuscript History of the Irish Franciscan houses — a copy of which I procured from the Burgundian Library, Brussels — and enrich his details by gleaning from various quarters whatever could heighten the value of the good Father's performance. I have also cast it into a dramatic shape as the surest means of imparting to it a lively and engaging cha racter. I did not aim at producing a history of all the Franciscan houses which formerly existed in Ireland ; but the reader will find an account of the most cele brated among them as they were before the Suppres VI PREFACE. sion, and as Father Mooney saw them either in their incipient decline, or in their desolation. The ruins of many of those establishments still remain. Whoso ever visits them, with this book in his hand, will have for his guide the genial old friar, who, more than two centuries ago, described them so accurately and pathetically, and certainly in such way as none of his successors could pretend to do. Archdall and others of his class furnish dry uncir- cumstantial dates ; but Father Mooney peoples his periods, enables us to assist at the very founding of those venerable houses ; nay, familiarises us with the inmates, their pursuits, and usages, and interweaves with his narrative many curious incidents, which, but for him, must have been lost for ever. The study of his manuscript often solaced me in cark and gloom — for both will be, vigorous brain and disillusionised heart, notwithstanding; and I would hope that the perusal of this version may convince the reader that, be his ills or sense of wrongs ever so great, perhaps better men have known greater, and borne them with that indomitable patience which empowers us to possess our souls. This virtue sustained Colgan during the compo sition of the Acta S.S. Hibernise ; the Donegal Annalists, in their voluminous compilations, and PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. The papers in this volume first appeared in the Hibernian Magazine, and had the good fortune to be highly praised by the press, and many friends, clerical and lay, who urged that they should be presented to the public in a more durable form. The opening part of the series can, as an original work, hardly be called mine ; for I have done little more than g've a free version of Father Mooney's Latin Manuscript istory of the Irish Franciscan houses — a copy of which L procured from the Burgundian Library, Brussels— and enrich his details by gleaning from various quarters what ever could heighten the value of the good Father's perfor mance. I have also cast it into a dramatic shape as the surest means of imparting to it a lively and engaging character. I did not aim at producing a history of all the Franciscan houses which formerly existed in Ireland ; but the reader will find an account of the most celebrated among them as they were before the Suppression, and as Father Mooney saw them either in their incipient decline, or in their desolation. The ruins of many of those establishments still remain. Whosoever visits them, with this book in his hand, will have for his guide the genial old friar, who, more than two centuries ago, described them so accurately and pathetically, and certainly in such way as none of his successors could pretend to do. Archdall and others of his class furnish dry uncircum- stantial dates ; but Father Mooney peoples his periods, enables us to assist at the very founding of those venerable houses ; nay, familiarises us with the inmates, their pur suits, and usages, and interweaves with his narrative many curious incidents, which, but for him, must have been lost for ever. The study of his manuscript often solaced me in cark and gloom — for both will be, vigorous brain and disillusioned heart, notwithstanding ; and I would hope that the perusal of this version may convince the reader that, be his ills or sense of wrongs ever so great, perhaps better men have known greater, and borne them with that indomitable patience which empowers us to possess our souls. V1U PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. This virtue sustained Colgan during the composition of the Acta S. S. Hiberniae ; the Donegal Annalists, in their voluminous compilations, and Father Mooney, while util ising monastic retirement in hoarding those precious reminiscences, which have been destined to secure the pre eminent reputation of the Irish Franciscans. Neither ■warmed by the sunshine of patronage, nor encouraged by the smiles of fortune, but persecuted and depauperised, many a son of this illustrious order, must have frequently remembered the hopeful passage — " Tentandn via est, qua me quoque possim Tollere humo !" The papers on the Irish Hierarchy are derived from quarters not accessible to the general reader — the State Paper Office, London, the Bodleian, Oxford ; Trinity College, Dublin ; Rinuccini's Despatches ; rare books, and manuscript compilations. I do not profess to give biogra phies of all the Irish prelates of the Seventeenth Century, but of those who figured most conspicuously in that interval. Need I say that such memoirs reflect strong light on our ecclesiastical and civil annals during the eventful period with which those personages are associated ? Indeed, the fact was so palpable, that my labours in this special de partment have been largely used by many writers ; some acknowledging the sources from which they borrowed their information ; while others, heedless of the cost and trouble in discovering and accumulating them, disregarded such courteous honesty. Holy writ, however hath, " it is better to give rather than to receive." I will, therefore, console myself with the conviction that the ingrates are debtors to my unaided industry in those long-unfrequented and weed-hidden by-ways of our story. Seneca has said that large loans make enemies ; but though the aphorism should prove true in my instance, I am more than com pensated by being allowed to inscribe this volume with the name of a distinguished gentleman and author, whose affability and elegant erudition are the admiration of every one who has the happiness of being acquainted with him, either personally, or through his numerous charming works. C. P. M. S. S. Michael and John, Dublin, Jan. 27, 1869. CONTENTS. %\t ttntmn Dtonasimts. CHAPTER I. Monastery of Donegal, .... 1 CHAPTER II. O'Neill's letter to James I. — Carr, earl of Somerset — Camden's Annals — The Spanish Armada— Lord deputy Fitzwilliams — Archbishop Loftus— Exe cution of Hugh Gaveloc — Monastery of Adare, . 19 CHAPTER III. Tyrone and the Bagnalls — His marriage to Mabel — The Monasteries of Drogheda and Dundalk, . 28 CHAPTER IV. The Monastery at Multifeman— Origin of the Name — Foundation of the Monastery — The Dela- mers — The Nugentsof Delvin and Donore— The b Monastery plundered and burnt by the EngliFh — The Friars imprisoned in the Castle of Balli- more — Escape of Father Mooney — Cruelties perpetrated on the Prisoners — Richard Brady, bishop of Kilmore — Re-establishment of the Friars in Multifernan — Notice of distinguished Members of the Community, . .40 CHAPTER V. Church and Monastery of Kilcrea — Its beautiful Site and Architecture — The Tomb of MacCarthy of Muskerry — The Church and Monastery plun dered in 1584 — Again in 1599— Fathers Mac Carthy and O'Sullivan — Church and Monastery of Timoleague — Plundered and damaged by Eng- lish Soldiers, who are cut to pieces by O'Sullivan, Prince of Bear — Lyons, Protestant Bishop of Cork — Dilapidates Timoleague — Persecutes the Catholics, . .52 CHAPTER VI. Convents of Moyne, Rosserick, and Kilconnell, . 59 CHAPTER VIL Monasteries of Galway, Rosserilly, Kenalehan, and Creevalea, . .73 CHAPTER VIII. Monastery of Clonmel, . .87 %\t grist ftaKtfci. CHAPTER I. PAGE Rinuccini chased by a Parliament frigate — Lands in Ireland — His reception in Limerick — Cornelius O'Dea — Legend of the mitre — O'Dwyer, bishop of Limerick— O'Queely, archbishop of Tuam — His death, obsequies, epitaph, . .94 CHAPTER II. Einnccini's reception in Kilkenny — T. Walsh, arch bishop of Cashel — Shearman, the schoolmaster's letter — Archbishop Walsh's epitaph, . i 107 , CHAPTER III. Fleming, archbishop of Dublin— M. de Oviedo— O'Deveny, bishop of Down and Connor— His execution — Eugene MacMahon, archbishop of Dublin— Patrick Cahill, P.P., SS. Michael and John, . .120 CHAPTER IV. John de Burgo, archbishop of Tuam— His contest with "Rinuccini — Is compelled to quit Ireland — Returns, and dies — His epitaph, by O'Flaherty and O'Meara, ..... 137 CHAPTER V. MacCaghwell, archbishop of Armagh — Hugh O'Reilly — Malmorra, The Slasher — Dease, bishop of Meath — His epitaph, .