Page images
PDF
EPUB

CHAPTER X.

1. THE VISITATION OF 1782.

1. Visitation of 1782.*

May 4. This day the Roman Catholic Bill passed into a law. 12. Rev. Mr. Laurence Reilly† was sent to the parish of

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Kildalkey.

22. Philip Mulligan, John O'Hara, Bernard O'Reilly, Michael Flood, Michael Callan, John Rickard, and

John Leonard received tonsure, the four minor orders, and sub-deaconship.

24. They received deaconship.

25. They received priesthood.

June 7. I wrote to President MacKiernan, at Douay, to call home three clergymen, thereby to make room for three students.

[ocr errors]

8. I had an interview this day with Rev. Mr. O'Beirne, Secretary to his Grace the Duke of Portland.

* It is to be regretted that the Registries of 1781, 1783, and 1784, have been lost; at least the compiler of this work has never seen them.

He succeeded Rev. Mr. Gavisk in the parish of Kildalkey.

This was afterwards the celebrated Dr. O'Beirne, Protestant Bishop of Meath. As we purpose writing a chapter on the Protestant Bishops of Meath for Vol. III., we shall confine ourselves here merely to the leading facts in the life of this unfortunate man.

Thomas Lewis O'Beirne and his brother, Denis, were the sons of an humble farmer in the County Longford, diocese of Ardagh. As the two brothers manifested a wish to embrace the ecclesiastical state, their worthy father had them instructed in the classics, and after that had them sent to the Irish College of the Lombards, at Paris. In course of time Thomas, who was a young man of prepossessing appearance, of fine abilities and nice address, fell into declining health, and was menaced with consumption, The college physician prescribed change of air, and advised him to spend some time in the South of France. Thomas, however, had no means, and one of the Superiors came to his assistance, advanced the sum necessary to defray his expenses; and this was no other than Father Plunket, afterwards Bishop of Meath. O'Beirne, during his stay in the South of France, formed very suspicious friendships, associated with very irregular young men, most of whom were medical students, took to reading bad books, then swarming, and perverting the intellect and heart of France, and returned to college at the expiration of his leave of absence, no longer the same-in fact, an altered and dissipated boy. Being attacked a second time with the same complaint, he was again ordered out by the doctor;

June 16. I wrote this day to Dr. Flood, of Paris, to request places in the Irish College, Paris, for Rev. Messrs. Mulligan, Reilly, Flood and Rickard.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

18. I wrote this day to Rev. Mr. O'Beirne, at Dublin

Castle.

20. I wrote to call home Rev. Mr. Joseph Dungan, residing at D. Duany, Warfield.

25. Rev. James Callaghan presented himself on his return to Ireland.

29. Visitation commenced this day at Coltrommer (Rev. Mr. Fagan, P.P.), 29 confirmed.

30. Dunboyne (Rev. Mr. Moore, P.P.), 6 confirmed.

but the President of the College (Dr. Kelly) consented only on condition that he would go home to Ireland, and, on his return, bring a letter from his parish priest, certifying that his conduct was correct, and that he frequented the sacraments regularly. Poor O'Beirne returned without the certificate, and, as Dr. Kelly was stern and inflexible, he refused him admittance into the college. O'Beirne pleaded for mercy in vain, and his friend, Dr. Plunket, interceded warmly for him; but the reply of the President was "Father Plunket, there is not an ounce of priest's flesh on this young man's bones: he may turn out a good layman, but he certainly would be a bad priest." O'Beirne remained a few days in Paris, calculating on Dr. Kelly's forgiveness, but Dr. Plunket told him there was no hope, and that the only chance he had of becoming a priest was to go home, to conduct himself irreproachably, and that if he minded himself and persevered in his inclination for the ecclesiastical state, in all probability his parish priest would recommend him to the bishop, and have him sent to some other college on the Continent. "As for our President," said Dr. Plunket, "you will never be a priest with his consent; so you have no hope here." O'Beirne now admitted that he was without means, and unable to make his way home; but Dr. Plunket, who had a most sincere regard for him, and who feared lest he might be lost in the city of Paris, taking compassion on him, advanced him the sum of £6. O'Beirne left Paris, met the Duke of Portland in a hotel, and this nobleman was so much taken with his appearance, manner, knowledge of French, &c., that he offered to procure a respectable situation for him. O'Beirne, fearing a cold reception at home from friends and relatives, and having no inclination for the priesthood, accepted the offer, and henceforth the Duke became his patron and friend. We next find him a tutor, and subsequently private secretary to the Duke of Portland, when that eminent statesman was appointed Governor of Canada. During the voyage the Protestant chaplain died, and O'Beirne read Protestant service for the sailors and soldiers. This was his first. formal act of apostacy. It is said that O'Beirne imposed on the Duke, having represented himself as a priest returning to take charge of a parish in his native diocese, and that in consequence of this he received no orders in the Protestant Church. It is quite certain that he received no orders in the Catholic Church; and hence, after his appointment to the Protestant See of Meath, he was called by many "the mitred layman." We

July 2. Kilcloon (Rev. Mr. Ferrall), 7 confirmed.

[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]

3. Radenstown (Rev. Mr. Cregan), 13 confirmed.
4. Kilmore (Rev. Mr. Meighan), 1 confirmed.
7. Summerhill (Rev. Mr. MacEver), 12 confirmed.
9. Kill (Rev. Mr. Harte) 56 confirmed.

10. Donore (Rev. Mr. Fleming) 103 confirmed.
11. Clonard (Rev. Mr. Grehan) 30 confirmed.

12. Killucan (Rev. Mr. Sherlock) 32 confirmed.
13. Kildalkey (Rev. Laurence Reilly), 38 confirmed.
14. Trim, (Rev. Mr. Allen) 27 confirmed.

16. Moymet, 4 confirmed.

17. Ardbraccan, 36 confirmed.

[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]

18. Kilbarry, 24 confirmed.

next find him Protestant chaplain, attached to the flag-ship, the "Eagle," during the American War, preaching occasionally to Protestant audiences in New York, and an active political character, writing pamphlets for his party after his return to London. In March, 1782, the Duke of Portland was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and O'Beirne accompanied him as private secretary and chaplain. When the Duke returned to England, O'Beirne returned with him; and in April, 1783, when his patron was appointed First Lord of the Treasury, O'Beirne was again appointed private secretary, and was put into possession of two livings in Northumberland and Cumberland. When Earl Fitzwilliam was appointed Lord Lieutenant in 1795, O'Beirne accompanied him as first chaplain; and it is a singular circumstance that, when O'Beirne, through the influence of the Duke of Portland, was appointed to a rectory in his native diocese, he found his brother the parish priest. One promotion succeeded another in rapid succession. He was made Bishop of Ossory, and, on the death of Dr. Maxwell, in 1798, he was translated to the See of Meath, the temporalities of which were then valued at £8,000 per annum. He married a Lady Stuart, grand-daughter to Francis, the sixth Earl of Moray, and by her had one son and two daughters. Dr. O'Beirne was an accomplished scholar, and, both as a speaker and writer, ranked amongst the foremost of his day. When he came to Ardbraccan, he lost no time in visiting Dr. Plunket, and, during the remainder of his life, he called regularly to see his old friend and benefactor. On one occasion that he visited Navan, Dr. Plunket was in the chapel superintending some repairs. Dr. O'Beirne went in to see him, and, when they were coming out, after Dr. Plunket had blessed himself with the holy water, he remarked to Dr. O'Beirne, “I suppose, my lord, you have forgotten the old way." Dr. O'Beirne looked round to see if the workmen were in sight, and, finding they were not, he blessed himself likewise with the holy water, saying, "No, my lord, I do not forget the old way." To the very last moment Dr. Plunket had hopes of Dr. O'Beirne's return to the Catholic Church. In this, however, he was disappointed, for, as far as can be ascertained, he died as he had lived. He departed this life on the 17th of February, 1823, aged 76 years, and was buried in the church-yard of Ardbraccan. We may, perhaps, allude to additional facts in Volume III.

July 20. Knightstown, 37 confirmed.

21. Nobber, 11 confirmed.

25. Ballinevoran (Rev. Mr. Maglew), 8 confirmed.
26. Footstown (Rev. Mr. Reilly), none.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors][merged small]
[ocr errors][ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

27. Rathkenny, 55 confirmed.

28. Drogheda, 5 confirmed.

29. Mount Newtown, 11 confirmed.

Aug. 2. Rossnaree, 19 confirmed.

4. Duleek, 4 confirmed.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small]
[ocr errors]

Rev. Mr. MacConnin, O.P., obtained this day

a renewal of his faculties.

6. Stamullen, 7 confirmed.

8. Ardeath, 7 confirmed.

11. Ratoath, none.

13. Greenoge and Kilbride, 18 confirmed.

[ocr errors]

15. Trevet, 13 confirmed.

[ocr errors]

16. This day I wrote to President MacKiernan by Rev. Mr. Fleming.

18. Skreen, 7 confirmed.

22. Walterstown, 5 confirmed.

[ocr errors][ocr errors]

20. Blacklion, 9 confirmed,

[ocr errors][ocr errors]

25. Dunsany, 12 confirmed.

[ocr errors]

26. I returned to Navan this day.

Sept. 12. Killallon, 26 confirmed.

[ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]

15. Castletowndelvin (Rev. Mr. Ferrall, P.P.), 36 con-
firmed.

17, Turin (Rev. Mr. Stafford, P.P.), 9 confirmed.
19. Tyrrelspass (Rev. Mr. Coffy), 22 confirmed.
22. Kilbeggan (Rev. Mr. Dunne), 45 confirmed

24. Ballinagore or Castletown (Rev. Mr. Commons), 18

confirmed.

26. Tubber (Rev. Mr. Macnamee), 28 confirmed.
29. Tullamore (Rev. Mr. Geoghegan), 34 confirmed.

Oct. 2. Cullee (Rev. Mr. Dogherty), 81 confirmed.

[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]

3. Eglish (Rev. Mr. Egan) 60 confirmed.

6. Frankford (Rev. Mr. Wilson), 47 confirmed.
9. Rahan (Rev. Mr. Murry), 70 confirmed.

10. Clara (Rev. Mr. Travers), 65 confirmed.
13. Drumrany (Rev. Mr. Mulledy), 50 confirmed.
15. Ballimore (Rev. Mr. Malcom), 32 confirmed.

Oct. 17. Moyvour (Rev. Mr. Cormick), 15 confirmed. 18. Emper (Rev. Mr. Wyer), 26 confirmed.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

20. Mullingar (Rev. Mr. Fitzgerald), 139 confirmed.
22. Dysart (Rev. Mr. Duffy), 17 confirmed.

24. Ballinacarrig (Rev. Mr. Reilly), 154 confirmed.
25. Multifernam (Rev. Mr. Moran), 92 confirmed.
27. Castlepollard (Rev. Mr. Connell), 180 confirmed.
29. Maine (Rev. Mr. Fanning), 27 confirmed.
Nov. 1. Fore (Rev. Mr. Dease), 84 confirmed,

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]

3. Oldcastle (Rev. Mr. H. Brady), 34 confirmed.
5. Killiegh (Rev. Mr. P. Brady), 19 confirmed.
7. Ballinlogh (Rev. Mr. Ferrall), 86 confirmed.
10. Kells (Rev. Mr. Flood), 24 confirmed.
12. Moynalty (Rev. Mr. Carolan), 63.

14. Loghan (Rev. Mr. Chevers), 25 confirmed.
17. Athboy (Rev. Mr. Martin), 36 confirmed.
18. I wrote this day to Dr. Flood.

24. Navan, 86.

28. I wrote to Drs. Marky and Flood, and to Abbè Chevreuil, Chancellor of the University of Paris. 29. Rev. Mr. MacDonogh's faculties were renewed.

NOTE. We have seen in Vol. I. (pp. 416-21), that the commission appointed by Dr. Plunket to investigate the relative claims of Lord Fingall and the O'Reillys of Ballinlough, as to the right of presentation to the parish of Kilskyre, was decided in favour of the former, on the 15th of March, 1782. We felt bound honestly to express our dissent, because the arguments appeared to us very unsatisfactory; and in this we have been since fortified by the decision of one of the greatest authorities in the Irish Church. The Jus Patronatus is acquired by the union of three titles-viz., Fundatio, Edificatio, and Dotatio. The first is the giving over of the site; the second is the building of the church; and the third is the endowment, which must be sufficient for the "congrua sustentatio" of the priest, and sufficient also for providing the church with all the requisites for religious worship. As the site must be given in perpetuum, so also must the endlowment. Furthermore, these three must concur, in order that any one can claim the right of advowson. It is not necessary that the three be found united in the same person; one may give the site, another may build, and a third may found the endowment-in which case each of the three shall have the right of presentation conjointly, or in succession, as they please. The application of the three conditions-viz., the site, the erection, and the endowment to any case disputed, or which may be disputed, shall satisfactorily establish that the parties concerned, however deserving and entitled to respect on other grounds, have, as to the right of presentation, no claims whatever.

« PreviousContinue »