Dermot O'Hurley
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Dermot O'Hurley (c. 1530 – 21 June 1584) - 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. He was one of the most celebrated of Irish Catholic Martyrs, and was beatified by Pope John Paul II
on 27 September 1992.
, around the year 1530. As the son of William, chief
of the O'Hurley
clan
and steward to the Earl of Desmond
, he was descended from the Irish nobility
. He was educated by tutors and then sent to France
to study at the University of Leuven, where he was created professor
of philosophy
and Canon law
. After four years in a high ranking post at the University
of Rheims, he departed for Rome
, probably around 1570.
by Pope Gregory XIII
. After his consecration
, he arranged for a sea captain from Drogheda
to smuggle him into Ireland
. He was deposited on Holmpatrick Strand in County Dublin
in the year 1583. His letters, which had been sent via a different ship, were intercepted by the priest hunters.
In 1570 the Papacy had excommunicated Queen Elizabeth I in the bull "Regnans in Excelsis
". This had led on to the Second Desmond Rebellion
in 1579-83 which was still in progress at the time of his voyage. O'Hurley's voyage was fraught with danger but he was prepared to take the risks involved.
O'Hurley lodged with Baron Thomas Flemyng at Slane
, and from there he spread his activities through the territory of the O'Reilly
clan
. His activities were followed by government spies, and under pain of severe penalties Flemyng was compelled to hand the archbishop into custody. On 8 October 1583 O'Hurley was imprisoned in Dublin Castle
.
. Some recent historians have suggested that he continued his work as a professor of Canon law
. However, no documents of his activities there survive.
Despite severe torture, which included having his legs boiled over a roaring fire, the Archbishop refused to embrace Protestantism
. According to surviving correspondence between Dublin and Whitehall
, the Queen
was reluctant to dispense with a fair trial under English Law
, but her mind was changed by Sir Francis Walsingham
and she approved of a trial by military tribunal
. O'Hurley was tried in a day and sentenced to death.
On the early morning of Saturday 20 June 1584 O'Hurley was taken outside the walls of Dublin and hanged. In his last speech, he proclaimed his innocence and declared that he died as a martyr
for the Roman Catholic Church
. He was buried in Saint Kevin's Churchyard. His gravesite remained a site of pilgrimage
for many years.
Following Catholic Emancipation
in the 19th century, Ireland's Roman Catholic hierarchy began an investigation into his life and death. One of the most valuable resources was found to be the documents and letters written by the men who tortured and executed him. In 1904, he was declared a Servant of God
.
On 27 September 1992, O'Hurley was beatified by Pope John Paul II
, alongside 16 other Irish martyrs
.
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
Dermot O'Hurley (c. 1530 – 21 June 1584) - in Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
Diarmaid Ó hUrthuile - was a Roman Catholic Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of Cashel during the reign of Elizabeth I who was put to death for treason. He was one of the most celebrated of Irish Catholic Martyrs, and was beatified by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
on 27 September 1992.
Early life
O'Hurley was born in Lickadoon Castle, Lickadoon, Ballyneety, County LimerickCounty Limerick
It is thought that humans had established themselves in the Lough Gur area of the county as early as 3000 BC, while megalithic remains found at Duntryleague date back further to 3500 BC...
, around the year 1530. As the son of William, chief
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
of the O'Hurley
O'Hurley
O'Hurley is a surname, and may refer to:* Dermond O'Hurley* Dermot O'Hurley* John O'Hurley* Raymond O'Hurley...
clan
Clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...
and steward to the Earl of Desmond
Earl of Desmond
The title of Earl of Desmond has been held historically by lords in Ireland, first as a title outside of the peerage system and later as part of the Peerage of Ireland....
, he was descended from the Irish nobility
Irish nobility
This article concerns the Gaelic nobility of Ireland from ancient to modern times. It only partly overlaps with Chiefs of the Name because it excludes Scotland and other discussion...
. He was educated by tutors and then sent to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to study at the University of Leuven, where he was created professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and Canon law
Canon law (Catholic Church)
The canon law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. It lacks the necessary binding force present in most modern day legal systems. The academic...
. After four years in a high ranking post at the University
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
of Rheims, he departed for Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, probably around 1570.
Fugitive Archbishop
In 1581 O'Hurley was appointed Archbishop of CashelArchbishop of Cashel
The Archbishop of Cashel is an archiepiscopal title which takes its name after the town of Cashel, County Tipperary in Ireland. The title is still in use in the Roman Catholic Church, but in the Church of Ireland it was downgraded to a bishopric in 1838....
by Pope Gregory XIII
Pope Gregory XIII
Pope Gregory XIII , born Ugo Boncompagni, was Pope from 1572 to 1585. He is best known for commissioning and being the namesake for the Gregorian calendar, which remains the internationally-accepted civil calendar to this date.-Youth:He was born the son of Cristoforo Boncompagni and wife Angela...
. After his consecration
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
, he arranged for a sea captain from Drogheda
Drogheda
Drogheda is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 56 km north of Dublin. It is the last bridging point on the River Boyne before it enters the Irish Sea....
to smuggle him into Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. He was deposited on Holmpatrick Strand in County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
in the year 1583. His letters, which had been sent via a different ship, were intercepted by the priest hunters.
In 1570 the Papacy had excommunicated Queen Elizabeth I in the bull "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...
". This had led on to 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...
in 1579-83 which was still in progress at the time of his voyage. O'Hurley's voyage was fraught with danger but he was prepared to take the risks involved.
O'Hurley lodged with Baron Thomas Flemyng at Slane
Slane
Slane is a village in County Meath, in Ireland. The village stands on a steep hillside on the left bank of the River Boyne at the intersection of the N2 and the N51 . In 2006 Slane's population was 1,099, having grown from 823 in 2002. The population of the village and the surrounding rural area...
, and from there he spread his activities through the territory of the O'Reilly
O'Reilly
O'Reilly is the Anglicised form of the Gaelic Ó Raghallaigh. It is also the patronymic form of the Irish name Reilly . It is commonly found throughout Ireland, with the greatest concentration of the surname found in County Cavan followed by Longford, Meath, Westmeath, Fermanagh and Monaghan, and...
clan
Clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...
. His activities were followed by government spies, and under pain of severe penalties Flemyng was compelled to hand the archbishop into custody. On 8 October 1583 O'Hurley was imprisoned in Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle off Dame Street, Dublin, Ireland, was until 1922 the fortified seat of British rule in Ireland, and is now a major Irish government complex. Most of it dates from the 18th century, though a castle has stood on the site since the days of King John, the first Lord of Ireland...
.
Martyrdom
Upon his arrest, his interogators claimed that he had been a member of the Roman InquisitionRoman Inquisition
The Roman Inquisition was a system of tribunals developed by the Holy See during the second half of the 16th century, responsible for prosecuting individuals accused of a wide array of crimes related to heresy, including Protestantism, sorcery, immorality, blasphemy, Judaizing and witchcraft, as...
. Some recent historians have suggested that he continued his work as a professor of Canon law
Canon law (Catholic Church)
The canon law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. It lacks the necessary binding force present in most modern day legal systems. The academic...
. However, no documents of his activities there survive.
Despite severe torture, which included having his legs boiled over a roaring fire, the Archbishop refused to embrace Protestantism
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
. According to surviving correspondence between Dublin and Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
, the Queen
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
was reluctant to dispense with a fair trial under English Law
English law
English law is the legal system of England and Wales, and is the basis of common law legal systems used in most Commonwealth countries and the United States except Louisiana...
, but her mind was changed by Sir Francis Walsingham
Francis Walsingham
Sir Francis Walsingham was Principal Secretary to Elizabeth I of England from 1573 until 1590, and is popularly remembered as her "spymaster". Walsingham is frequently cited as one of the earliest practitioners of modern intelligence methods both for espionage and for domestic security...
and she approved of a trial by military tribunal
Military tribunal
A military tribunal is a kind of military court designed to try members of enemy forces during wartime, operating outside the scope of conventional criminal and civil proceedings. The judges are military officers and fulfill the role of jurors...
. O'Hurley was tried in a day and sentenced to death.
On the early morning of Saturday 20 June 1584 O'Hurley was taken outside the walls of Dublin and hanged. In his last speech, he proclaimed his innocence and declared that he died as a martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
for the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He was buried in Saint Kevin's Churchyard. His gravesite remained a site of pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
for many years.
Legacy
As word of his execution spread, O'Hurley was immediately revered as a martyr by Catholics throughout Europe. Several accounts of his life and death were subsequently printed and reached a wide audience.Following Catholic Emancipation
Catholic 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 the 19th century, Ireland's Roman Catholic hierarchy began an investigation into his life and death. One of the most valuable resources was found to be the documents and letters written by the men who tortured and executed him. In 1904, he was declared a Servant of God
Servant of God
Servant of God is a title given to individuals by various religions, but in general the phrase is used to describe a person believed to be pious in his or her faith tradition. In the Catholic Church, it designates someone who is being investigated by the Church for possibly being recognized as a...
.
On 27 September 1992, O'Hurley was beatified by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
, alongside 16 other Irish martyrs
Irish Martyrs
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.-Causes:...
.
Quote
"Be it therefore known unto you...that I am a priest anointed and also a Bishop--Addressing the crowd which had gathered to watch his execution.BishopA bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
, although unworthy of soe sacred dignitites, and noe cause could they find against me that might in the least deserve the paines of death, but merely for my funcon of priesthood wherein they have proceeded against me in all pointes cruelly contrarie to their own lawes..and I doe injoin you (Deere Christian Brethren) to manifest the same to the world and also to beare witness on the Day of Judgment of my Innocent death, which I indure for my function and profession of the most holy Catholick Faith."
Sources
- Patrick J. Corish and Benignus Millet, "The Irish Martyrs," pages 66–80, Four Courts Press, 2005.
External links
- http://www.ucc.ie/celt/online/T100060/text020.htmlAccount by Philip O'Sullivan BearePhilip O'Sullivan BearePhilip O'Sullivan Beare was an Irish soldier who became more famous as a writer.He was son of Dermot O'Sullivan and nephew of Donal O'Sullivan Beare, Prince of Beare. He was sent to Spain in 1602, and was educated at Compostela by Vendamma, a Spaniard, and John Synnott, an Irish Jesuit.He served...
of Archbishop O'Hurley]