The Prior of Oronsay was the
Religious Superior
In a hierarchy or tree structure of any kind, a superior is an individual or position at a higher level in the hierarchy than another (a "subordinate" or "inferior"), and thus closer to the apex. In business, superiors are people who are supervi ...
of
Oronsay Priory
Oronsay Priory was a monastery of canons regular on the island of Oronsay, Inner Hebrides, Argyll, off the coast of Scotland. It was in existence by 1353 under the patronage of John of Islay, Lord of the Isles. It was dedicated to St. Columba, an ...
, a community of
canons regular
Canons regular are priests who live in community under a rule ( and canon in greek) and are generally organised into religious orders, differing from both secular canons and other forms of religious life, such as clerics regular, designated by a ...
on the island of
Oronsay, Inner Hebrides
Oronsay ( gd, Orasaigh), also sometimes spelt and pronounced ''Oransay'' by the local community, is a small tidal island south of Colonsay in the Scottish Inner Hebrides with an area of .
The island rises to a height of at Beinn Orasaigh and ...
, off the coast of Scotland. It was in existence by 1353, perhaps founded by
John of Islay, Lord of the Isles
:''This article refers to John I, Lord of the Isles; for John II, see John of Islay, Earl of Ross''
John of Islay (or John MacDonald) ( gd, Eòin Mac Dòmhnuill or gd, Iain mac Aonghais Mac Dhòmhnuill) (died 1386) was the Lord of the Isles (1 ...
.
It is probable that most of the priors have not come down to us by name. The last known prior was Robert Lamont, elected in 1555. After the
Scottish Reformation
The Scottish Reformation was the process by which Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland broke with the Pope, Papacy and developed a predominantly Calvinist national Church of Scotland, Kirk (church), which was strongly Presbyterianism, Presbyterian in ...
in 1560, the lands and property of the priory was given ''
in commendam
In canon law, commendam (or ''in commendam'') was a form of transferring an ecclesiastical benefice ''in trust'' to the ''custody'' of a patron. The phrase ''in commendam'' was originally applied to the provisional occupation of an ecclesiastical ...
'' to Maol Choluim MacDubhthaich ("Malcolm MacDuffie"), at which time it would appear that the community ceased to exist.
The property was later given to the
Bishop of the Isles
The Bishop of the Isles or Bishop of Sodor was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of the Isles (or Sodor), one of Scotland's thirteen medieval bishoprics. The bishopric, encompassing both the Hebrides and Mann, probably traces its origins as ...
by King
James VI of Scotland
James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until hi ...
upon his ascendency to the throne in 1583.
List of priors and commendators
List of known priors
* ???, fl. 1353
* Martin, x 1362
* Maurice de Oronsay, 1362-1382 x 1396
* Domhnall MacMhuirich, 1397-1426
* Dúghall MacEain (Dugall McKane), 1426-1472
* Dúghall MacDomhnaill (Donaldi), 1472
* Domhnall "Macyroull", 1499
* Domhnall MacPháil, 1538
* Domhnall MacDubhtaich (Donald MacDuffie or MacFee), 1538-1554
* Eoin MacMhuirich, 1554-1558
* Robert Lamont, 1555
List of known commendators
* Maol Choluim MacDubhthaich (Malcolm MacDuffie or Macilfie), 1561-1583
See also
*
Oronsay Priory
Oronsay Priory was a monastery of canons regular on the island of Oronsay, Inner Hebrides, Argyll, off the coast of Scotland. It was in existence by 1353 under the patronage of John of Islay, Lord of the Isles. It was dedicated to St. Columba, an ...
References
* Cowan, Ian B. & Easson, David E., ''Medieval Religious Houses: Scotland
With an Appendix on the Houses in the Isle of Man'', Second edition, (London, 1976), p. 94
* Watt, D. E. R. & Shead, N. F. (eds.), ''The Heads of Religious Houses in Scotland from the 12th to the 16th Centuries'', The Scottish Records Society, New Series, Volume 24, (Edinburgh, 2001), pp. 165–7
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oronsay
Oronsay
This is a list of islands called Oronsay (Scottish Gaelic: '), which provides an index for islands in Scotland with this and similar names. It is one of the more common names for Scottish islands. The names come from ''Örfirisey'' which transla ...
Oronsay
This is a list of islands called Oronsay (Scottish Gaelic: '), which provides an index for islands in Scotland with this and similar names. It is one of the more common names for Scottish islands. The names come from ''Örfirisey'' which transla ...