The Irish Catholic Episcopal Corps, 1657 – 1829: a Prosopographical Analysis
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THE IRISH CATHOLIC EPISCOPAL CORPS, 1657 – 1829: A PROSOPOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS VOLUME 1 OF 2 BY ERIC A. DERR THESIS FOR THE DEGREE OF PHD DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY NATIONAL UNIVERISTY OF IRELAND MAYNOOTH SUPERVISOR OF RESEARCH: DR. THOMAS O’CONNOR NOVEMBER 2013 Abstract This study explores, reconstructs and evaluates the social, political, educational and economic worlds of the Irish Catholic episcopal corps appointed between 1657 and 1829 by creating a prosopographical profile of this episcopal cohort. The central aim of this study is to reconstruct the profile of this episcopate to serve as a context to evaluate the ‘achievements’ of the four episcopal generations that emerged: 1657-1684; 1685- 1766; 1767-1800 and 1801-1829. The first generation of Irish bishops were largely influenced by the complex political and religious situation of Ireland following the Cromwellian wars and Interregnum. This episcopal cohort sought greater engagement with the restored Stuart Court while at the same time solidified their links with continental agencies. With the accession of James II (1685), a new generation of bishops emerged characterised by their loyalty to the Stuart Court and, following his exile and the enactment of new penal legislation, their ability to endure political and economic marginalisation. Through the creation of a prosopographical database, this study has nuanced and reconstructed the historical profile of the Jacobite episcopal corps and has shown that the Irish episcopate under the penal regime was not only relatively well-organised but was well-engaged in reforming the Irish church, albeit with limited resources. By the mid-eighteenth century, the post-Jacobite generation (1767-1800) emerged and were characterised by their re-organisation of the Irish Church, most notably the establishment of a domestic seminary system and the setting up and manning of a national parochial system. Significantly, it was with the post- Jacobite generation of bishops that the Irish episcopal corps emerged as, arguably, the most independent episcopate in Europe. After the Act of Union (1801) a new generation of bishops emerged that was characterised by an episcopate largely drawn from a lower socio-economic background and who were appointed due to merit rather than family affiliation or ecclesiastical patronage. Table of Contents Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... ii Charts ........................................................................................................................................... iii Tables ........................................................................................................................................... iv Maps .............................................................................................................................................. v Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................... vi Diocesan map of Ireland ............................................................................................................ viii Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter one: Changing patterns in episcopal nomination, 1657-1829 ....................................... 17 Chapter two: The social and geographic worlds of the Irish episcopal corps, 1657-1829.......... 67 Chapter three: The educational formation of the Irish episcopal corps, 1657-1829 ................. 102 Chapter four: Professional profile of the Irish episcopate ........................................................ 137 Chapter five: Sourcing episcopal income ................................................................................. 165 Chapter six: Patterns in episcopal wealth distribution .............................................................. 207 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 232 Additional Abbreviations .......................................................................................................... 239 Appendix I: List of succession, 1657-1684 .............................................................................. 240 Appendix II: List of succession, 1685-1766 ............................................................................. 244 Appendix III: List of succession, 1767-1800 ............................................................................ 253 Appendix IV: List of succession, 1801-1829 ............................................................................ 257 Appendix V: Reply to the Bishop of Limerick ......................................................................... 260 Appendix VI: Episcopal dynasties in the eighteenth century ................................................... 266 Appendix VII: Bishops who held academic positions within the newly established seminary network in Ireland, 1795-1829 .................................................................................................. 268 Appendix VIII: List of episcopal wills, 1675-1864 .................................................................. 271 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................. 287 i Acknowledgements It is a pleasure to thank the many people who made this dissertation possible. I am greatly indebted to my thesis supervisor, Dr. Thomas O’Connor. Over the past four years he has provided me with encouragement, sound advice and constructive criticism that made me a better historian. No amount of gratitude will express how thankful I am for the guidance he has provided me over the past four years. I would also like to thank the administration of Carlow College, particularly Msgr. Caoimhín Ó Néill and Fr. Ó Maoldhomhnaigh for their support and guidance over the past four years. Without this support I would not have been able to undertake such a monumental project. I would like to thank Professor Emeritus Vincent Comerford, former head of the history department, who encouraged me to apply to the postgraduate programme at NUI-Maynooth and was instrumental in me obtaining the John and Pat Hume Research Scholarship. To Dr. Christopher Woods who has shown a keen interest in my research and who graciously shared his notes with me with in regards to the Irish episcopal corps. To Jim Keenan who created the maps for my project and for Tom Dalton who was able to replicate these maps when Jim retired. To the dedicated staff at the following research facilities: Fr. Jim Killeen at the Diocese of Cloyne, Bernie Deasy at the Delany Archives, Noelle Dowling at the Archdiocese of Dublin, Alexis Donetzkoff at the Archives départmentales du Nord (Lille), Tom Kilgarriff at the Diocese of Galway Kilmacduagh & Kilfenora, Mary Mackey at the National Archives of Ireland, Fr. Ignatius Fennessy, O.F.M. at the Franciscan Library (Killiney) and Joseph Canning at the Cardinal Tomás Ó Fiaich Memorial Library and Archives. A special word of thanks is also due to the staff at the Russell Library and John Paul II Library at NUI-Maynooth. Finally, I would like to thank my family and friends who have supported me throughout this endeavour and who have gone out of their way to show their support for me over the last year. I would especially like to thank my fellow post-graduate students in the department and colleagues at Carlow College. But the most important people who deserve my greatest gratitude are: Kieran Sludds, my brother Jeremy and two sisters Meranda and Melissa, my grandparents and my parents who truly are my greatest role- models. ii Charts Chart 2.1 Ecclesiastical and political hierarchy pyramid Chart 2.2 Changing patterns in geographic origin of Irish bishops, 1685-1800 Chart 3.1 Education centres of the Irish episcopal corps, 1669-1684 Chart 3.2 Education centres of the Irish episcopal corps, 1685-1766 Chart 3.3 Education centres of the Irish episcopal corps, 1767-1800 Chart 3.4 Education centres of the Irish episcopal corps, 1801-1829 Chart 4.1 Average age of the Irish episcopal corps, 1657-1829 Chart 4.2 Average duration of total episcopal tenure by episcopal rank, 1657- 1829 iii Tables Table 2.1 Papal appointments according to ‘ethnic’ distinctions Table 2.2 Diocese of origin for episcopal nominees by James III (1703-1766) Table 3.1 Irish Catholic episcopal corps, 1685-1766: bishops who obtained a higher degree in theology Table 3.2 Bishops who undertook a degree in law, 1685-1766 Table 3.3 Bishops who undertook a law degree, 1685-1766 Table 4.1 Pre-episcopal activities, 1657-1829 Table 4.2 Distribution of regulars receiving episcopal appointments Table 4.3 Episcopal age-groups, 1657-1829 Table 4.4 Episcopal age-groups, 1700-1800 Table 4.5 Average age of bishops in relation to pre-episcopal activities, 1657- 1829 Table 4.6 Average of episcopal tenures and their determinants Table 5.1 Bishops in receipt of a pension from the Assemblée du Clergé de France Table 5.2 Foundations created by Irish bishops, 1700-1769 Table 5.3 Provincial average of episcopal emoluments Table 6.1 Episcopal wills per decade, 1670-1840 Table 6.2 Average