Irish Martyrs
Encyclopedia
Irish Catholic Martyrs were dozens of people who have been sanctified in varying degrees for dying for their Roman Catholic faith between 1537 and 1714 in Ireland.
(then Lord of Ireland
) after his excommunication
in 1533. The Irish Parliament adopted the Acts of Supremacy
, establishing the king’s supremacy over the Church. Some priests, bishops, and those who continued to pray for the pope were tortured and killed. Other acts
caused any act of allegiance to the pope to be considered treason. Many were imprisoned on this basis.
Relations improved after the accession of the Catholic Queen Mary
in 1553-58, and in the early years of the reign of her sister Queen Elizabeth I. However, Elizabeth did not submit herself to the church as desired, and was then excommunicated by the papal bull
"Regnans in Excelsis
" in 1570. This was a part of a new round of conflicts, in which Roman Catholics were obliged to repudiate Elizabeth's laws and the status of her officials, or to overthrow them if possible. In Ireland the First Desmond Rebellion was launched in 1569, at almost the same time as the Northern Rebellion in England.
From the Peace of Augsburg
(1555) the doctrine Cuius regio, eius religio
was adopted, whereby people had to take their ruler's religion. This was acceptable to Queen Mary and the Papacy, at the time, but not following Elizabeth's enactments.
The trial of the Wexford Martyrs
at the time of the Second Desmond Rebellion
(1579–83) was held as much for political as religious reasons, given the part played by Viscount Baltinglass in the English defeat at the Battle of Glenmalure
.
in 1829, the cause for Oliver Plunkett was re-visited. As a result, a series of publications on the whole period of persecutions was made.
The first to complete the process was Oliver Plunkett
, Archbishop of Armagh, canonized in 1975 by Pope Paul VI. Plunkett was certainly targeted by the administration and unfairly tried.
Seventeen martyrs were beatified by Pope John Paul II on September 27, 1992. They are known as Dermot O'Hurley
, Margaret Bermingham Ball
, Francis Taylor
and their fourteen companions. Among them are:
None were included subsequently on the List of saints canonised by Pope John Paul II.
Various churches have been dedicated to the martyrs, including:
Causes
Religious persecution of Catholics in Ireland began under King Henry VIIIHenry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
(then Lord of Ireland
Lordship of Ireland
The Lordship of Ireland refers to that part of Ireland that was under the rule of the king of England, styled Lord of Ireland, between 1177 and 1541. It was created in the wake of the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169–71 and was succeeded by the Kingdom of Ireland...
) after his excommunication
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
in 1533. The Irish Parliament adopted the Acts of Supremacy
Acts of Supremacy
The first Act of Supremacy was a piece of legislation that granted King Henry VIII of England Royal Supremacy, which means that he was declared the supreme head of the Church of England. It is still the legal authority of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom...
, establishing the king’s supremacy over the Church. Some priests, bishops, and those who continued to pray for the pope were tortured and killed. Other acts
Treasons Act 1534
The Treasons Act 1534 was an Act passed by the Parliament of England in 1534, during the reign of King Henry VIII.This Act was passed after the Act of Supremacy 1534, which made the king the "Only Head of the Church of England on Earth." The 1534 Act made it treason, punishable by death, to...
caused any act of allegiance to the pope to be considered treason. Many were imprisoned on this basis.
Relations improved after the accession of the Catholic Queen Mary
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
in 1553-58, and in the early years of the reign of her sister Queen Elizabeth I. However, Elizabeth did not submit herself to the church as desired, and was then excommunicated by the papal bull
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
"Regnans in Excelsis
Regnans in Excelsis
Regnans in Excelsis was a papal bull issued on 25 February 1570 by Pope Pius V declaring "Elizabeth, the pretended Queen of England and the servant of crime" to be a heretic and releasing all her subjects from any allegiance to her and excommunicating any that obeyed her orders.The bull, written in...
" in 1570. This was a part of a new round of conflicts, in which Roman Catholics were obliged to repudiate Elizabeth's laws and the status of her officials, or to overthrow them if possible. In Ireland the First Desmond Rebellion was launched in 1569, at almost the same time as the Northern Rebellion in England.
From the Peace of Augsburg
Peace of Augsburg
The Peace of Augsburg, also called the Augsburg Settlement, was a treaty between Charles V and the forces of the Schmalkaldic League, an alliance of Lutheran princes, on September 25, 1555, at the imperial city of Augsburg, now in present-day Bavaria, Germany.It officially ended the religious...
(1555) the doctrine Cuius regio, eius religio
Cuius regio, eius religio
Cuius regio, eius religio is a phrase in Latin translated as "Whose realm, his religion", meaning the religion of the ruler dictated the religion of the ruled...
was adopted, whereby people had to take their ruler's religion. This was acceptable to Queen Mary and the Papacy, at the time, but not following Elizabeth's enactments.
The trial of the Wexford Martyrs
Wexford Martyrs
The Wexford Martyrs were Matthew Lambert, Robert Tyler, Edward Cheevers, Patrick Cavanagh and two unknown individuals. In 1581, they were found guilty of treason for aiding in the escape of James Eustace, 3rd Viscount Baltinglass and refusing to take the Oath of Supremacy and declare Elizabeth I of...
at the time of the Second Desmond Rebellion
Second Desmond Rebellion
The Second Desmond rebellion was the more widespread and bloody of the two Desmond Rebellions launched by the FitzGerald dynasty of Desmond in Munster, Ireland, against English rule in Ireland...
(1579–83) was held as much for political as religious reasons, given the part played by Viscount Baltinglass in the English defeat at the Battle of Glenmalure
Battle of Glenmalure
The Battle of Glenmalure took place in Ireland in 1580 during the Desmond Rebellions. An Irish Catholic force made up of the Gaelic clans from the Wicklow Mountains led by Fiach MacHugh O'Byrne and James Eustace, Viscount Baltinglas of the Pale, defeated an English army under Arthur Grey, 14th...
.
Investigations
There was a long delay in starting the investigation into their causes. Further complicating the investigation is that the records of these martyrs were destroyed, or not compiled, due to the danger of keeping such evidence. After Catholic EmancipationCatholic Emancipation
Catholic emancipation or Catholic relief was a process in Great Britain and Ireland in the late 18th century and early 19th century which involved reducing and removing many of the restrictions on Roman Catholics which had been introduced by the Act of Uniformity, the Test Acts and the penal laws...
in 1829, the cause for Oliver Plunkett was re-visited. As a result, a series of publications on the whole period of persecutions was made.
The first to complete the process was Oliver Plunkett
Oliver Plunkett
Saint Oliver Plunkett was the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland....
, Archbishop of Armagh, canonized in 1975 by Pope Paul VI. Plunkett was certainly targeted by the administration and unfairly tried.
Seventeen martyrs were beatified by Pope John Paul II on September 27, 1992. They are known as Dermot O'Hurley
Dermot O'Hurley
Blessed Dermot O'Hurley - in Irish Diarmaid Ó hUrthuile - was a Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cashel during the reign of Elizabeth I who was put to death for treason...
, Margaret Bermingham Ball
Margaret Ball
Blessed Margaret Ball was born Margaret Birmingham near Skryne in County Meath, and died of deprivation in the dungeons of Dublin Castle. She was the wife of the Mayor of Dublin in 1553. She was beatified in 1992.-Early life:...
, Francis Taylor
Francis Taylor (martyr)
Blessed Francis Taylor was a Mayor of Dublin, Ireland, incarcerated because of his Catholicism....
and their fourteen companions. Among them are:
- Patrick O'HelyPatrick O'HelyPatrick O'Hely was an Irish Roman Catholic bishop of Mayo, Ireland, who was executed by the English secular authorities.-Biography:...
, bishop (d. August 31, 1579) - Wexford MartyrsWexford MartyrsThe Wexford Martyrs were Matthew Lambert, Robert Tyler, Edward Cheevers, Patrick Cavanagh and two unknown individuals. In 1581, they were found guilty of treason for aiding in the escape of James Eustace, 3rd Viscount Baltinglass and refusing to take the Oath of Supremacy and declare Elizabeth I of...
(d. July 5, 1581) – Patrick CavanaghPatrick CavanaghPatrick Cavanagh is an Irish Catholic Martyr beatified by Pope John Paul II on 27 September 1992.-Martyrdom:Cavanagh was a layperson of the diocese of Ferns during the reign of Elizabeth I...
, Matthew Lambert, and fellow sailors found guilty of aiding in the escape of Viscount Baltinglass - Conor O'DevanyConor O'DevanyConchobhar O'Duibheannaigh, aka The Blessed Conor O'Devany was an Irish Catholic bishop, being the Lord Bishop of Down and Connor...
, bishop (d. February 11, 1612) with Patrick O'LoughranPatrick O'LoughranPatrick O'Loughran was a priest of the archdiocese of Armagh and an Irish Catholic Martyr....
, priest - Terence Albert O'BrienTerence Albert O'BrienTerence Albert O'Brien was an Irish Roman Catholic bishop of Emly. He was beatified among the Seventeen Irish Martyrs by Pope John Paul II on September 27, 1992.-Biography:...
, bishop (d. October 31, 1651) - William TirryWilliam TirryWilliam Tirry was a martyred Irish Roman Catholic priest who was beatified by Pope John Paul II for his loyalty to the church....
, priest (d. May 12, 1654)
None were included subsequently on the List of saints canonised by Pope John Paul II.
Various churches have been dedicated to the martyrs, including:
- Church of the Irish MartyrsChurch of the Irish MartyrsThe Church of the Irish Martyrs is a Roman Catholic church located in the parish of Aughaninshin in the Ballyraine area of Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland.- History :...
, Ballyraine, LetterkennyLetterkennyLetterkenny , with a population of 17,568, is the largest town in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. The town is located on the River Swilly... - Church of the Irish Martyrs, Ballycane, NaasNaasNaas is the county town of County Kildare in Ireland. With a population of just over twenty thousand, it is also the largest town in the county. Naas is a major commuter suburb, with many people residing there and working in Dublin...
- Church of the Irish Martyrs, Cromwell, Otago, New Zealand.