n 1815, Ireland's economy "the unaccountable conduct of Fr. was in a state of recession. McEniry, the Parish Priest of Glin'. He The Napoleonic Wars, stated that the priest "brought forward which had provided a much from the altar and supported by the might needed boom to the countrv, of his authority the visions of some account of events in Glin. In the report he had come to an end. During the course bf enthusiastic devotee who prophesises that said: the war, Ireland became known as the all the South of Ireland is very shortly to "Food Larder of Europe", as it provided become the scene of devastation and I spent the last month in the neigh- much needed food supplies to the British blood". Spring Rice went on to state that bourhood of Glin, where I found the Army. In addition to supplying food, he was not sure if the priest's intentions in minds of the lower order of the people Ireland also supplied thousands of soldiers "giving currency to these absurdities, greatly disturbed, in consequence of the who joined in the fight against Napoleon. were malicious or not". The danger, he exhortation of their priests and although In the aftermath of Napoleon's defeat at said, was "that in a country remote and they may appear trivial and foolish, Waterloo, the Irish soldiers who survived unimproved, important consequences several gentlemen of that neigh- returned home to a country in the throes could result in the prophesies when they bourhood conceive they may further the of depression, as demand and prices for were supported by popular prejudicesW.(l) views of the disaffected. agricultural produce had fallen drastically. On 20 December, Spring Rice wrote The people of Glin, County Limerick, like again from Mount Trenchard with an He further reported: the rest of Ireland, had lived through a assurance that "his father had received a boom period and were now feeling formal disavowal, by the priest, before his COu ncillor O'Connell accompanied by vulnerable and fearful for their future. It is parishioners, of some of his most two other persons came in a chariot with not difficult to comprehend that, when a objectionable notions". He also stated that a coronet on it to the Inn of Glin, and people are feeling insecure and nervous, "edicts issued by the magistracy would immediately sent for McEniry, the they would cling to any leadership or only give additional importance to the Parish Priest, who was in conference spiritual guidance given to them. It was in subject". And he felt reassured by the fact with them for some time. When a these circumstances that the story of a that the priest was to receive severe cen- gentleman who also stopped at the Inn visionary at Glin began to unfold. sure from his Bishop, Rev. Dr. Tuohy.@) went by accident into the room where Mr. O'Connell and his fiends were, he saw on the table before them, several papers, many of which appeared to him 3n 12 December, 1815, Thomas Spring Despite the assurances from Mount to be maps or charts. On his entry, they Rice, the future Lord Monteagle, then 24 Trenchard, a report submitted by Francis seemed somewhat confused, bundled up rears old, wrote from Mount Trenchard to Lloyd@)on 26 December, after both of the the papers and went to. the window, :he authorities in Dublin complaining of above letters were written, gave a further where they conversed for some time.

Thomas Spring Rice. Daniel O'Connell in old age. Knight in the Roman Catholic chapel and REFERENCES helped in its repair and re-roofing.@)The State of the Country Papers, 1717/52, Francis Lloyd then went on to give an one thing that concerned Francis Lloyd in National Archives, Bishop Street, account of the visions: his report more than the visionary was the Dublin 2. fact that Daniel O'Connell was involved, as SOC, 1717/53, National Archives, On the next Sunday, the priest exhorted the authorities were deeply suspicious of Bishop Street, Dublin 2. his flock to attend to their business and his activities in the Catholic cause, and Francis Lloyd is possibly the same be prepared for Jan. 15th as he was Lloyd said that his visit to Glin "had man who served as Sheriff in informed by Catherine Healy, a something improper for its object".(g) It Limerick and who was remembered prophetess that lived in his house, that a is possible that subsequent to the public- for the severity of his treadment of the scourge was to come to this country. A ation of Bishop Tuohy's letter in 1816, 1798 rebels. He served asflayor of large lady of Orangeism was to be sent warning excommunication, the people of Limerick in the years 180Yand 1810. from England, that would cut the legs Glin desisted from getting involved in any He may have been visiting a former and arms of Roman Catholics and allow further dealings with Fr. McEniry(lO)and Mayor, Joseph Sargent, in Glin, or them to bleed to death. With warnings of Catherine Healy. Fr. McEniry died that Mrs Elizabeth Lloyd, daughter of other matters of the same nature, this year and what became of Catherine Healy Tomas Og, Knight of Glin, and widow Catherine Healy is of the most profigate nobody will probably ever know. of the Reverend Lloyd, who died in character, but she has got such 1807. ascendancy over the people that they are SOC, 1717/2, Public Records Office, daily going in crowds to her to find out Bishop Street, Dublin 2. what place their deceased friends have In order to put the story of the visions Bishop Charles Tuohy served as got in the other world. (*) in context, it should be stated that parish priest of Rathkeale between prophecies of this nature were not unusual 1808 and 1814. During his time in at this time and they were often prompted Rathkeale, he helped to rebuild the by fear and outside influences. In the early church in the town. He served as Bishop Charles Tuohy's censure of Fr. nineteenth century, the writings of an Bishop of Limerick between 1814 and McEniry(5) was not very successful so he English Roman Catholic Bishop 1825, and during his term he invited took the unusual step of publicly appealing Walmsley, under the pen name of "Signor Edmund Rice to set up schools in to his flock by means of a letter to Pastorin?'(") excited much interest among Limerick City. MacDonnells Limerick Advertiser in the the general population of Ireland. The SOC, 1717/2, National Archives, issue of 13 February, 1816. He condemned book was to be found mainly in roadside Bishop Street, Dublin 2. "Satan and his agents, wicked and inns and the homes of the more educated SOC, 1717, National Archives, Bishop designing men. Extravagant and absurd people. However, it was in the form of Street, Dublin 2. predictions repugnant to the faith of the small tracts and handbills that the work The Diocese of Limerick from 1691 to Catholic Church were being avowed and penetrated the cabins and farmhouses of the present time by Rev. John Begley, defended and bringing the religion into Irish country people. Dublin, 1938. ridicule and contempt". He went on to Pastorini's writings dealt with the Book SOC, 1717/2, National Archives, name "Catherine Healy improperly known of Revelations and how the wrath of God Bishop Street, Dublin 2. as the 'Holy Woman' whose revelation that would be poured out about fifty years after 10. Fr ~illiamMcEniry a native of infants who die immediately after baptism 1771, before the Second Coming. For Ballylahane, Newcastle West, was are condemned to a punishment of 24 some people, Irish Protestantism was to appointed to Glin in 1806. He died on hours' duration, are novel, erroneous and be the victim of this wrath. The spread of 16 July, 1816, and is buried in the heretical. Any priest of the Diocese who these ideas was helped by the oral ruined church of Castlemahon. transgressed the Diocese would be tradition, especially by schoolmasters. 11. Charles Walmsley The General suspended and any lay person who While the book was first published in History of The Christian Church from gives support to the errors would be 1790, its prophecies did not seem to take Her Birth to The Final Triumphant excommunicated as an unworthy member hold until after 1816, and it was between State in Heaven, Chiefly Deduced from of the Church". He went on to say that "in 1821 and 1825 that the predictions were the Apocalypse of Saint John The the present distressed state of the lower expected to be fulfilled, beginning with the Apostle, by Signor Pastorini (Dublin, classes, it was easy to work on weak annihilation of the Protestant population. 1790). minds under the mantle of religion. Any There is little evidence that the 12. Irish Peasants' Violence and Political people holding arms should hand them up Pastorini cult penetrated County Limerick Unrest 1780-1914. Edited by Samuel and the use of spirituous liquor should be prior to 1816, but similar millenarian ideas Clark and James S. Donnelly, Jr. avoided". The letter concluded by appear to have taken root, particularly in reminding the people of their obligations Glin. It was in Limerick that the Pastorini SOURCES to their religion and not merely to avoid propheeies enjoyed the greatest vogue, History of Limerick by Maurice Lenihan, sin but occasions that led to it. the Bishop Tuohy was one of the few Limerick, 1866. It is interesting to note that despite bishops who spoke out against his "people The Knights of Glin by J.A. Gaughan, several reports on the visionary, none of being led astray". By 1822, the book (or Kingdom Books, 1978. them emanated from Glin. When Francis part of it) was in circulation in the Lloyd recommended to the local magis- Tarbert/Glin area among the lower order History of Limerick, op.cit. trates to send Catherine Healy to the of Roman Catholics, who were threatening The Diocese of Limerick from 1691 to the House of Industry in Limerick, "they the extinction of Protestants. Distress and present time, Rev. John Begley, Dublin, seemed willing but feared the animosity of the fear of famine was quoted as encour- 1938. the people who called her the 'Holy aging these prophecies, and the resultant Deel Views, Easter, 1995, 'Fr. Charles Woman'."@) Spring Rice justified his disturbances in Tarbert led William Tuohy (P.P. Rathkeale 1808-14, Bishop of involvement by the fact that Loughill was Sandes to plead for arms to save the local Limerick, 1814-25)', by Pat Coleman. part of his estate and the Parishes of Glin yeomen from being murdered. Daniel J. Begley, op.cit. and Loughill were one.c7) It would have O7Conne1lcondemned the spread of these been more appropriate for the Knight of prophecies and it is ironic that he was the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Glin to report the matter. He had, with the main political beneficiary of all the turmoil My thanks go to Pat Coleman, Rathkeale, local gentry, built up a good relationship as the peasantry believed that if he could who directed me towards the above with Fr. McEniry and his congregation. not lead them to the destruction of information, and to Bernard Stack, who This was evidenced in 1814 when the Protestantism, he would at least accomp sourced the material in the National gentry of the district gathered with the lish its abasement in Ireland.(l" Archives, Dublin.