CTbe University CLOGHER CLERGY AND PARISHES This work is a Private Print for Subscribers, and is not on sale at the Booksellers; but any person sending a Subscription 0/30/" towards the cost to the Author, REV. CANON J. B. LESLIE, Kilsaran Rectory, Castlebellingham, will receive a copy post free. 300 copies only have been printed. ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED. MAP OF- THE DIOCESE BY H. T. OTTLEY DAY, B,ft ISE OF CLOGHER \Y, B.A.I., C.E. 1 - 1- f \ . Clobber Clergy AND flbarisbes: BEING AN ACCOUNT OF THE CLERGY OF THE CHURCH OF IRELAND IN THE DIOCESE OF CLOGHER, FROM THE EARLIEST PERIOD, WITH HISTORICAL NOTICES OF THE SEVERAL PARISHES, CHURCHES, &o. BY REV. JAMES B. LESLIE, M.A., M.R.I. A., ii - TREASURER OF ARMAGH CATHEDRAL AND RECTOR OF AUTHOR or " " " THE HISTOBY or KILSABAN AND ABMAQH CLERGY AND PARISHES," Etc. WITH A MAP OB- THE DIOOBSB AND POBTBATT8 OF PoSTrDiaiBBrABMSHMBNT BlHOP8. Printed for the Author at the "Fermanagh Times" Office, Enmekillen, by R. H. Ritchie, J.P. 1920. * ; IV * :COMMENPAT0RY NOTE PROM THE LORD BISHOP OF CLOGHER, D.D. A The collection of Church Records is a most important work, and when we have added to this the names and places of persons, with the dates thereto belonging, who form the ground work of such an undertaking, the task becomes the more trying and exacting. Many persons have, in a small way written histories of parishes and of dioceses ; but few have had the perseverance, the knowledge, and the almost unique gift of the compiler of this Book, Clogher Clergy and Parishes, Canon J. B. Leslie, M.A., M.R.I.A. It may truly be said of him that he is a walking encyclopaedia, where things new and old concerning the Protestant, Reformed and Catholic Church of Ireland are concerned. No man living in Ireland to-day has anything approaching his storehouse of knowledge in things ecclesiastical Parochial and Diocesan. For many years he spent much time, energy, and in details patience collecting in the then existing Record Office in Dublin ; and since the destruction during the unfortunate troubled times in Ireland, of the invaluable documents stored there, from every diocese in Ireland, Canon Leslie is the only reliable authority on the historical records of the once available, but now, alas, destroyed documents. That the Church of Ireland owes a deep debt of gratitude to him is saying far too little. No doubt the men of to-day value and highly prize the outcome of his efforts in thus presenting them with but it past and present particulars of the dioceses he has already dealt with ; is to future generations of Churchpeople in this land that his research work will prove most interesting. The people of to-day know something of the names, for to places, and positions as in this book dealt with ; but the generations come there would be a great blank, were it not for the timely intervention of the Author of Clogher Clergy and Parishes. Already the Primatial Diocese has its storehouse of diocesan information from the pen of Canon Leslie, while in this volume, the ancient Diocese of Clogher, founded by St. Macartan, the friend and disciple of St. Patrick, has, what will prove to be to the present, and more especially to future generations, an inspiring record of Bishops, Priests and Deacons. More than one of the remaining dioceses are, we understand, receiving attention as to their ecclesiastical records from the Author of this Book. 1 J. CLOGHER. May, 1929. ' n j - THE RIGHT BEVEBEND JAMES MAcMANAWAY, D.D. Lord Bishop of Clogher from 1923. [From a Portrait by Miss Eva Hamilton.'] 883111 PREFACE. compilation of these Records of Clogher Diocese was first suggested THEto me by the late Rev. Canon Fleming, of Kilskeery, in 1911, after the It fortunate I publication of my Armagh Clergy and Parishes. was that adopted his suggestion at the time, as the Diocesan Records up to 1870, which were the main foundation of the work, have since been totally destroyed with the Public Record Office. The Visitation Books from 1661, which had been used by Bishop Reeves who had made up a Succession List, now in T.C.D. Library were not in the Record Office and their whereabouts was unknown for many years. In 1922 Archdeacon and Mrs. Hobson drew my attention to a pile of mouldy papers in the old Muniment Room of Armagh Registry, now connected with the Armagh Library. On examining them the Clogher Visitation Books were found intact, as well as many other important documents. The plan of the work, in the main, is the same as that of my Armagh Clergy, with this exception that the notes on the parishes are of less extent for two reasons : First, because the history of most of the parishes has been already fully dealt with by writers, such as Shirley, in his. History of Monaghan ; Dundas, in his Enniskillen, Parish and /Town ; the late Earl of Belmore, in his books and articles in : UJ.A. ; W. F. Wakeman, Rev. J. E. M'Kenna and many others and secondly, because I lack that personal acquaintance with the topography of the diocese which I have with Armagh. But I can faithfully say that I have spent more time, labour and care on those Records than I did on those of Armagh; and they are fuller in biographical and genealogical material. The publication in 1924 of that wonderful mine of information the Alumni Dublinenses, edited by the late G. D. Burtchaell, M.R.LA. and T. U. Sadleir, has M.R.I.A,., been a great help to me, and that work has been fully used throughout the lists. those who deserve my special thanks for help are : Very Rev. Dr - H. J. Lawlor, M.R.I.A., Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin, and Professor of cc . Hist., T.C.D., who freely placed his valuable notes on the Bishops and h ter f C1 Sher at i ? ; Rev. H. B. HiR.I.A., f my disposal Swanzy, Prebendary Wlckl w, of J Canon St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, and Vicar of Newry, wno read over my MS, and made many corrections and biographical additions, vi PREFACE. " some of which are marked also only H.B.S." by me ; and Mr. T. U. Sadleir, who kindly helped me. The late Mr. George Knight, Diocesan Registrar, and his son, Mr. M. E. Knight, were most helpful in giving me full facilities for examining the Diocesan Registers since 1870, which have been exceedingly well kept. Very many of the Diocesan clergy, and the relatives of many deceased clergy replied to my queries for information and I thank them sincerely. I found it, however, easier, as a rule, to get information about the dead than about the living. The Officials of the Record Office, National Library, T.C.D. Library, R.I. A. Library, and Armagh Library have, by their courtesy and assistance, earned my gratitude. The Lord Bishop of Clogher (Dr. MacManaway) has been most en- thusiastic in his approval of the plan of the work and most anxious for its publication. In consequence of the great rise in the cost of printing it re- mained in Ms. for a long time and was likely to remain so much longer, but that the Ven. the Archdeacon of Clogher kindly enlisted the interest of Mr- R. H. Ritchie, J.P., Proprietor and Editor of the Fermanagh Times, whose public-spirited enterprise in the matter is something for which the Church people of the Diocese of Clogher owe him thanks. During the publication of these Records in the issues of the Fermanagh Times, 1925-27, I received invaluable help from Lady Dorothy Lowry-Corry, who has an intimate knowledge of the topography and history of the various in the diocese and are to her. parishes ; my grateful thanks due is articles This Volume not, however, a mere reprint of the newspaper ; many changes in arrangement, corrections and additions have been made, so that subscribers receive some compensation for the slight delay in producing it. I am indebted to Mr. H. T. Ottley Day, B.A.I., C.E., for the Map of the Diocese. As regards the biographies herein given over fifteen hundred in number I do not believe in biographical whitewash. The one Book we all revere tells the faults of good men for our instruction. The truth, though instructive, is sometimes unpalatable, but being one of the clergy I recognise that the clergy are men, not angels, and have the same human nature as the laity. But the clergy in these lists were, as a rule, splendid men, who faithfully did their duty. May I make one deduction from my researches ? It is this, that the Empire and Nation and Civilisation, as a whole, owe a vast debt to the families of the clergy of the Church of Ireland. It would be extraordinary if, considering the mass of names, dates and facts here recorded, some errors have not crept in. No one knows better than PREFACE. vii myself the imperfections of the work, but if one were to wait till a work is perfect, more than a life-time would be necessary. With all its imperfections, I am proud to have been given the opportunity of producing it and hope, if God spares me, to compile similar works for other dioceses. Finally, my sincere thanks are due to the subscribers who enabled me to produce it, a list of whom is given, and to very many kind friends for information, help in its compilation, and corrections.