Dermot O'Hurley
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Dermot O'Hurley (c. 1530 – 19 or 20 June 1584)—also ''Dermod or Dermond O'Hurley'', () (
Elizabethan English Early Modern English (sometimes abbreviated EModEFor example, or EMnE) or Early New English (ENE) is the stage of the English language from the beginning of the Tudor period to the English Interregnum (England), Interregnum and Stuart Restor ...
: ''Darby Hurley'' or ''Dr. Hurley'')McNeil 1930, p. 125.—was the Roman Catholic
Archbishop of Cashel The Archbishop of Cashel () was an archiepiscopal title which took its name after the town of Cashel, County Tipperary in Ireland. Following the Reformation, there had been parallel apostolic successions to the title: one in the Catholic Church ...
during the
Elizabethan era The Elizabethan era is the epoch in the Tudor period of the history of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history. The Roman symbol of Britannia (a female ...
religious persecution Religious persecution is the systematic oppression of an individual or a group of individuals as a response to their religion, religious beliefs or affiliations or their irreligion, lack thereof. The tendency of societies or groups within socie ...
of the
Catholic Church in Ireland The Catholic Church in Ireland, or Irish Catholic Church, is part of the worldwide Catholic Church in communion with the Holy See. With 3.5 million members (in the Republic of Ireland), it is the largest Christian church in Ireland. In ...
and who remains one of the most celebrated of the
Irish Catholic Martyrs Irish Catholic Martyrs () were 24 Irish men and women who have been beatified or canonized for both a life of heroic virtue and for dying for their Catholic faith between the reign of King Henry VIII and Catholic Emancipation in 1829. The more ...
. Born in the Earldom of Desmond as a member of the local
Gaelic nobility of Ireland 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. It is one of three groups of Irish nobility, the others bei ...
, O'Hurley was sent to
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to continue his education, where he eventually became a professor of the
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,
philosophy Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...
, theology, and the law at the University of Rheims during the
Counter-Reformation The Counter-Reformation (), also sometimes called the Catholic Revival, was the period of Catholic resurgence that was initiated in response to, and as an alternative to or from similar insights as, the Protestant Reformations at the time. It w ...
. Despite still being a layman, he was appointed by
Pope Gregory XIII Pope Gregory XIII (, , born Ugo Boncompagni; 7 January 1502 – 10 April 1585) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 May 1572 to his death in April 1585. He is best known for commissioning and being the namesake ...
as
Archbishop of Cashel The Archbishop of Cashel () was an archiepiscopal title which took its name after the town of Cashel, County Tipperary in Ireland. Following the Reformation, there had been parallel apostolic successions to the title: one in the Catholic Church ...
during the ongoing
Tudor conquest of Ireland Ireland was conquered by the Tudor monarchs of England in the 16th century. The Anglo-Normans had Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland, conquered swathes of Ireland in the late 12th century, bringing it under Lordship of Ireland, English rule. In t ...
. After being ordained as a
Roman Catholic priest The priesthood is the office of the ministers of religion, who have been commissioned ("ordained") with the holy orders of the Catholic Church. Technically, bishops are a priestly order as well; however, in common English usage ''priest'' re ...
and consecrated to the Episcopate by
Thomas Goldwell Thomas Goldwell C. R. (15013 April 1585) was an English Catholic clergyman, Bishop of Saint Asaph, the last of those Catholic bishops who had refused to accept the English Reformation. Life Thomas Goldwell was the son of William Goldwell of Gr ...
, a Welsh Catholic refugee Bishop living in Rome, Archbishop O'Hurley was smuggled back into Ireland by a
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sea captain from
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and deposited upon Holmpatrick Strand in what is now
Skerries, County Dublin Skerries () is a coastal town in Fingal, in the north of County Dublin, Ireland. Skerries was historically a fishing port and later a centre of hand embroidery. These industries declined in the early 20th century, however, and it became both a ...
. After a secret and underground religious ministry to both his fellow
Gaels The Gaels ( ; ; ; ) are an Insular Celts, Insular Celtic ethnolinguistic group native to Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. They are associated with the Goidelic languages, Gaelic languages: a branch of the Celtic languages comprising ...
and the
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population of
The Pale The Pale ( Irish: ''An Pháil'') or the English Pale (' or ') was the part of Ireland directly under the control of the English government in the Late Middle Ages. It had been reduced by the late 15th century to an area along the east coast s ...
, O'Hurley voluntarily surrendered himself in order to save one of his lay protectors, the Baron of Slane, from being imprisoned and executed in his place. After he was first imprisoned and tortured by being "put to the hot boots" in
Dublin Castle Dublin Castle () is a major Government of Ireland, Irish government complex, conference centre, and tourist attraction. It is located off Dame Street in central Dublin. It is a former motte-and-bailey castle and was chosen for its position at ...
, with the full knowledge and approval of the Queen, by Lord Justices Adam Loftus and
Henry Wallop Sir Henry Wallop (c. 1540 – 14 April 1599) was an English statesman. Biography Henry Wallop was the eldest son of Sir Oliver Wallop (d. 1566) of Farleigh Wallop in Hampshire. His younger brother William Wallop was thrice mayor of Southampto ...
, Archbishop O'Hurley was sentenced to death by a
drumhead court-martial A drumhead court-martial is a court-martial held in the field to render summary justice for offenses committed in action. The term is said to originate from drums used as improvised tables and drumheads as writing surfaces at fast-track mil ...
. His
death sentence Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for actual or supposed misconduct. The sentence ordering that an offender be punished in s ...
was officially for
high treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its d ...
, but it was in reality for refusing to take the
Oath of Supremacy The Oath of Supremacy required any person taking public or church office in the Kingdom of England, or in its subordinate Kingdom of Ireland, to swear allegiance to the monarch as Supreme Governor of the Church. Failure to do so was to be trea ...
, embrace the
Elizabethan religious settlement The Elizabethan Religious Settlement is the name given to the religious and political arrangements made for England during the reign of Elizabeth I (1558–1603). The settlement, implemented from 1559 to 1563, marked the end of the English Ref ...
, and accept the control over the Church by the State, which
Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudor. Her eventful reign, and its effect on history ...
and her officials enforced at the time by defining
Recusancy Recusancy (from ) was the state of those who remained loyal to the Catholic Church and refused to attend Church of England services after the English Reformation. The 1558 Recusancy Acts passed in the reign of Elizabeth I, and temporarily repea ...
and even unspoken mental dissent as traitorous. On the early morning of 19 or 20 June 1584, Archbishop O'Hurley was covertly taken outside the city walls of Dublin and
hanged Hanging is killing a person by suspending them from the neck with a noose or ligature strangulation, ligature. Hanging has been a standard method of capital punishment since the Middle Ages, and has been the primary execution method in numerou ...
from a noose woven from green willow branches, near the modern junction of Lower
Baggot Street Baggot Street () is a street in Dublin, Ireland. Location The street runs from Merrion Row (near St. Stephen's Green) to the northwestern end of Pembroke Road. It crosses the Grand Canal near Haddington Road. It is divided into two sections: ...
and Fitzwilliam Street in what is now
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. As soon as the news of his torture and execution spread, Archbishop O'Hurley was immediately revered as a
Martyr A martyr (, ''mártys'', 'witness' Word stem, stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an external party. In ...
throughout
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. After the successful fight for Catholic emancipation between 1778 and 1829 finally ended the religious persecution that had begun under King
Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...
, interest in Archbishop O'Hurley and the other
Irish Catholic Martyrs Irish Catholic Martyrs () were 24 Irish men and women who have been beatified or canonized for both a life of heroic virtue and for dying for their Catholic faith between the reign of King Henry VIII and Catholic Emancipation in 1829. The more ...
during the preceding centuries revived. Due to the wealth of surviving documentation, Archbishop O'Hurley was considered one the most promising causes for Roman Catholic Martyrdom during the successive Apostolic Processes held in Dublin between 1904 and 1930, after which the results were submitted to the
Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...
. On 27 September 1992, Archbishop Dermot O'Hurley was
beatified Beatification (from Latin , "blessed" and , "to make") is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a deceased person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in their name. ''Beati'' is the ...
by
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...
and remains one of the most celebrated of the 24 formally recognized
Irish Catholic Martyrs Irish Catholic Martyrs () were 24 Irish men and women who have been beatified or canonized for both a life of heroic virtue and for dying for their Catholic faith between the reign of King Henry VIII and Catholic Emancipation in 1829. The more ...
. His
feast day The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context does n ...
is June 20.


Early life

O'Hurley was born into the
Gaelic nobility of Ireland 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. It is one of three groups of Irish nobility, the others bei ...
, either in or near
Emly Emly or Emlybeg () is a village in County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is a civil parish in the historical Barony (Ireland), barony of Clanwilliam (County Tipperary), Clanwilliam. It is also an Ecclesiastical parish in the Roman ...
,
County Tipperary County Tipperary () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. The county is named after the town of Tipperary (tow ...
, around the year 1530. His father, William, was the
O'Hurley O'Hurley is a surname, and may refer to: * Dermot O'Hurley (c. 1530–1584), Irish Roman Catholic archbishop of Cashel. * John O'Hurley (born 1954), American actor, voice actor, and television personality. * Raymond O'Hurley (1909–1970), Canadia ...
clan A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, a clan may claim descent from a founding member or apical ancestor who serves as a symbol of the clan's unity. Many societie ...
's
Chief of the Name The Chief of the Name, or in older English usage Captain of his Nation, is the recognised head of a family or clan ( Irish and Scottish Gaelic: ''fine'') in Ireland and Scotland. Ireland There are instances where Norman lords of the time like ...
and
Bailiff A bailiff is a manager, overseer or custodian – a legal officer to whom some degree of authority or jurisdiction is given. There are different kinds, and their offices and scope of duties vary. Another official sometimes referred to as a '' ...
of Emly, with duties similar to a
Tacksman A tacksman (, meaning "supporting man"; most common Scots spelling: ''takisman'') was a landholder of intermediate legal and social status in Scottish Highland society. Tenant and landlord Although a tacksman generally paid a yearly rent for th ...
, for James FitzGerald, 14th Earl of Desmond. Dermot's mother was Honora Ni Brien, a descendant of the
O'Brien dynasty The O'Brien dynasty (; ; genitive ''Uí Bhriain'' ) was an Irish Clan and noble house of Munster, founded in the 10th century by Brian Boru of the Dál gCais (Dalcassians). After becoming King of Munster, through conquest he established hims ...
of
Thomond Thomond ( Classical Irish: ; Modern Irish: ), also known as the Kingdom of Limerick, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Clare and County Limerick, as well as parts of County Tipperary around Nena ...
. Both sides of the Archbishop's family claimed descent from the royal
derbhfine The derbfine ( ; , from 'real' + 'group of persons of the same family or kindred', thus literally 'true kin'electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language s.vderbḟine/ref>) was a term for patrilineal groups and power structures defined in the fi ...
of the
Dál gCais The Dalcassians ( ) are a Gaels, Gaelic Irish clan, generally accepted by contemporary scholarship as being a branch of the Déisi Muman, that became very powerful in Ireland during the 10th century. Their genealogies claimed descent from Tál ...
, one of the most powerful
Irish clan Irish clans are traditional kinship groups sharing a common surname and heritage and existing in a lineage-based society, originating prior to the 17th century. A clan (or in Irish, plural ) included the chief and his patrilineal relatives; howe ...
s in the history of
Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
or of
Gaelic Ireland Gaelic Ireland () was the Gaelic political and social order, and associated culture, that existed in Ireland from the late Prehistory of Ireland, prehistoric era until the 17th century. It comprised the whole island before Anglo-Norman invasi ...
. The future Archbishop had one sister named Honora Ni Hurley. The "William óg Hurley of Lickadoon" listed among the Desmond rebels to be pardoned is believed to have been the Archbishop's brother. He also had much younger brother named Andrew O'Hurley, whom, as of 1642, was over 80 years old, blind, paralyzed, and living in
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
. Through his brother Andrew, the Archbishop also had a nephew named John.''The Irish Martyrs'', (Patrick J. Corish and Benignus Millet, eds.) Four Courts Press, Dublin. (2005) p. 66 The future Archbishop is believed to have received a
Classical Christian education The classical education movement or renewal advocates for a return to a traditional European education based on the liberal arts (including the natural sciences), the Western canons of classical literature, the fine arts, and the history of W ...
rooted in the
Trivium The trivium is the lower division of the seven liberal arts and comprises grammar, logic, and rhetoric. The trivium is implicit in ("On the Marriage of Philology and Mercury") by Martianus Capella, but the term was not used until the Carolin ...
at the
Catholic school Catholic schools are Parochial school, parochial pre-primary, primary and secondary educational institutions administered in association with the Catholic Church. , the Catholic Church operates the world's largest parochial schools, religious, no ...
overseen by his kinsman, Bishop Thomas O'Hurley, to whom he may have been given in
fosterage Fosterage, the practice of a family bringing up a child not their own, differs from adoption in that the child's parents, not the foster-parents, remain the acknowledged parents. In many modern western societies foster care can be organised by ...
, at the cathedral and monastery founded by Saint
Ailbe of Emly Saint Ailbe ( ; ), usually known in English as St Elvis (British/ Welsh), Eilfyw or Eilfw, was regarded as the chief 'pre-Patrician' saint of Ireland (although his death was recorded in the early 6th-century). He was a bishop and later saint. L ...
. The O'Hurley family later moved to Lickadoon Castle, Ballyneety,
County Limerick County Limerick () is a western Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Reg ...
, where O'Hurley was educated by tutors and then sent to
Flemish Brabant Flemish Brabant ( ; ) is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on (clockwise from the North) the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Hainaut and East Flanders. Flemish Brabant also ...
to continue his education at the University of Leuven. In 1551 he graduated with a
Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA or AM) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Those admitted to the degree have ...
degree, then a
doctorate of Law A Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) is a doctoral degree in legal studies. The abbreviation LL.D. stands for ''Legum Doctor'', with the double “L” in the abbreviation referring to the early practice in the University of Cambridge to teach both canon law ...
and was appointed a professor of philosophy in one of that university's greater colleges, where he remained for 15 years and acquired a high reputation as a Renaissance humanist for his commentaries on
Aristotle Aristotle (; 384–322 BC) was an Ancient Greek philosophy, Ancient Greek philosopher and polymath. His writings cover a broad range of subjects spanning the natural sciences, philosophy, linguistics, economics, politics, psychology, a ...
. According to Richard Verstegen,Millet 1983, p. 14. in 1574 O'Hurley was appointed a professor of
canon Canon or Canons may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Canon (fiction), the material accepted as officially written by an author or an ascribed author * Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture ** Western canon, th ...
and secular law in the
Faculty of Law A faculty is a division within a university or college comprising one subject area or a group of related subject areas, possibly also delimited by level (e.g. undergraduate). In North America, academic divisions are sometimes titled colleges, sc ...
of
Reims University The University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne (; URCA), also known simply as the University of Reims, is a public university based in Reims, France. In addition to the main campus in Reims, the university has several campuses located throughout t ...
by Cardinal Louis de Guise, at which he spent 4 years. According to historian Benignus Millet, who investigated O'Hurley's life in multiple European archives of the period, "The relevant registers and other records of Rheims University disappeared during the French Revolution. A thorough search at the Archives Départmentales in Châlons-sur-Marne in Sept. 1981 confirmed that these documents were lost and that the surviving documentation concerns bursaries and properties." After moving to Rome around 1568, O'Hurley advised the Papacy to support a possible invasion of Ireland by
Habsburg Spain Habsburg Spain refers to Spain and the Hispanic Monarchy (political entity), Hispanic Monarchy, also known as the Rex Catholicissimus, Catholic Monarchy, in the period from 1516 to 1700 when it was ruled by kings from the House of Habsburg. In t ...
to end the
religious persecution Religious persecution is the systematic oppression of an individual or a group of individuals as a response to their religion, religious beliefs or affiliations or their irreligion, lack thereof. The tendency of societies or groups within socie ...
of
Irish Catholics Irish Catholics () are an ethnoreligious group native to Ireland, defined by their adherence to Catholic Christianity and their shared Irish ethnic, linguistic, and cultural heritage.The term distinguishes Catholics of Irish descent, particul ...
. In 1581, O'Hurley also acted as interpreter for Richard Eustace, the brother and official representative in Rome of the
Old English Old English ( or , or ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages. It developed from the languages brought to Great Britain by Anglo-S ...
Second Desmond Rebellion The Second Desmond Rebellion (1579–1583) was the more widespread and bloody of the two Desmond Rebellions in Ireland launched by the FitzGerald Dynasty of County Desmond, Desmond in Munster against English rule. The second rebellion began in ...
leader Viscount Baltinglass.Dermot O'Hurley
Dictionary of Irish Biography The ''Dictionary of Irish Biography'' (DIB) is a biographical dictionary of notable Irish people and people not born in the country who had notable careers in Ireland, including both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. History The ...
.
Although it was later claimed by Lord Justices Adam Loftus and
Henry Wallop Sir Henry Wallop (c. 1540 – 14 April 1599) was an English statesman. Biography Henry Wallop was the eldest son of Sir Oliver Wallop (d. 1566) of Farleigh Wallop in Hampshire. His younger brother William Wallop was thrice mayor of Southampto ...
in their letters to Sir
Francis Walsingham Sir Francis Walsingham ( – 6 April 1590) was principal secretary to Queen Elizabeth I of England from 20 December 1573 until his death and is popularly remembered as her " spymaster". Born to a well-connected family of gentry, Wa ...
that Archbishop O'Hurley had been employed by the
Roman Inquisition The Roman Inquisition, formally , was a system of partisan tribunals developed by the Holy See of the Catholic Church, during the second half of the 16th century, responsible for prosecuting individuals accused of a wide array of crimes according ...
, this is not sustainable by other evidence.Corish and Millet 2005, pp. 67-68. According to Benignus Millet, "A diligent search made in May 1982, at my request, by the archivist, Innocenzo Marianni, O.S.B., failed to discover there any record showing that he had been employed by the Holy Office. Moreover, O'Hurley's name does not occur among those who were on the pay rolls of the Roman curia or the Papal household. It would seem, therefore, that he was privately employed, in the service of one of the cardinals. He may also have taught, perhaps for a brief period, in one of the colleges or seminaries established in Rome since the
Council of Trent The Council of Trent (), held between 1545 and 1563 in Trent (or Trento), now in northern Italy, was the 19th ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. Prompted by the Protestant Reformation at the time, it has been described as the "most ...
, though no evidence of this has emerged." Furthermore, a 33-line work of
praise poetry A panegyric ( or ) is a formal public speech or written verse, delivered in high praise of a person or thing. The original panegyrics were speeches delivered at public events in ancient Athens. Etymology The word originated as a compound of - 'a ...
in
Renaissance Latin Renaissance Latin is a name given to the distinctive form of Literary Latin style developed during the European Renaissance of the fourteenth to fifteenth centuries, particularly by the Renaissance humanism movement. This style of Latin is reg ...
, which was composed to celebrate Dermot O'Hurley's subsequent promotion to the Episcopate, confirms that he had always been merely a theology professor. At the absolute most, O'Hurley may have sometimes been asked by the Roman Inquisition to advise them about both secular and Canon law.


Fugitive archbishop

Though still a
layman In religious organizations, the laity () — individually a layperson, layman or laywoman — consists of all members who are not part of the clergy, usually including any non-ordained members of religious orders, e.g. a nun or a lay brother. ...
, Dermot O'Hurley was recommended to
Pope Gregory XIII Pope Gregory XIII (, , born Ugo Boncompagni; 7 January 1502 – 10 April 1585) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 May 1572 to his death in April 1585. He is best known for commissioning and being the namesake ...
for the next
Archbishop of Cashel The Archbishop of Cashel () was an archiepiscopal title which took its name after the town of Cashel, County Tipperary in Ireland. Following the Reformation, there had been parallel apostolic successions to the title: one in the Catholic Church ...
by Cardinal
Nicolas de Pellevé Nicolas de Pellevé (18 October 1518 – 24 March 1594) was a French archbishop and Cardinal. He was a major figure of the Catholic League. Early life Nicolas de Pellevé, the second son of Charles de Pellevé, Sieur de Jouy and Hélène d ...
, the unofficial but ''de facto'' Cardinal Protector of the
Catholic Church in Ireland The Catholic Church in Ireland, or Irish Catholic Church, is part of the worldwide Catholic Church in communion with the Holy See. With 3.5 million members (in the Republic of Ireland), it is the largest Christian church in Ireland. In ...
and
in Scotland IN, In or in may refer to: Dans * India (country code IN) * Indiana, United States (postal code IN) * Ingolstadt, Germany (license plate code IN) * In, Russia, a town in the Jewish Autonomous Oblast Businesses and organizations * Independen ...
, during a consistory meeting on 11 September 1581. He was first ordained and consecrated in Rome by the exiled Welsh Catholic
Bishop of St Asaph The Bishop of St Asaph heads the Church in Wales diocese of St Asaph. The diocese covers the counties of Conwy county borough, Conwy and Flintshire, Wrexham county borough, the eastern part of Merioneth in Gwynedd and part of northern Powys. The ...
,
Thomas Goldwell Thomas Goldwell C. R. (15013 April 1585) was an English Catholic clergyman, Bishop of Saint Asaph, the last of those Catholic bishops who had refused to accept the English Reformation. Life Thomas Goldwell was the son of William Goldwell of Gr ...
, and set out on his mission in 1583. In 1570
Pope Pius V Pope Pius V, OP (; 17 January 1504 – 1 May 1572), born Antonio Ghislieri (and from 1518 called Michele Ghislieri), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 7 January 1566 to his death, in May 1572. He was an ...
had excommunicated Queen
Elizabeth I of England Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudor. Her eventful reign, and its effect on history ...
for
heresy Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, particularly the accepted beliefs or religious law of a religious organization. A heretic is a proponent of heresy. Heresy in Heresy in Christian ...
, continuing the
Caesaropapism Caesaropapism is the idea of combining the social and political power of secular government with religious power, or of making secular authority superior to the spiritual authority of the Church, especially concerning the connection of the Chu ...
of her father's religious policy, and for the
religious persecution Religious persecution is the systematic oppression of an individual or a group of individuals as a response to their religion, religious beliefs or affiliations or their irreligion, lack thereof. The tendency of societies or groups within socie ...
of the Catholics under her rule in the
papal bull A papal bull is a type of public decree, letters patent, or charter issued by the pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the leaden Seal (emblem), seal (''bulla (seal), bulla'') traditionally appended to authenticate it. History Papal ...
''
Regnans in Excelsis ''Regnans in Excelsis'' ("Reigning on High") is a papal bull that Pope Pius V issued on 25 February 1570. It excommunicated Queen Elizabeth I of England, referring to her as "the pretended Queen of England and the servant of crime," declared h ...
''. This had led to the
Second Desmond Rebellion The Second Desmond Rebellion (1579–1583) was the more widespread and bloody of the two Desmond Rebellions in Ireland launched by the FitzGerald Dynasty of County Desmond, Desmond in Munster against English rule. The second rebellion began in ...
in 1579–83, which was still in progress when O'Hurley was required to travel back to his native Ireland. Through their elaborate
espionage Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering, as a subfield of the intelligence field, is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information ( intelligence). A person who commits espionage on a mission-specific contract is called an ...
system, the Queen's Court in London and her officials in
Dublin Castle Dublin Castle () is a major Government of Ireland, Irish government complex, conference centre, and tourist attraction. It is located off Dame Street in central Dublin. It is a former motte-and-bailey castle and was chosen for its position at ...
had immediate knowledge of Dermot O'Hurley's appointment to the See of Cashel, and Sir
Francis Walsingham Sir Francis Walsingham ( – 6 April 1590) was principal secretary to Queen Elizabeth I of England from 20 December 1573 until his death and is popularly remembered as her " spymaster". Born to a well-connected family of gentry, Wa ...
's spies and
priest hunter A priest hunter was a person who, acting on behalf of the English and later British government, spied on or captured Catholic priests during Penal Times. Priest hunters were effectively bounty hunters. Some were volunteers, experienced soldiers ...
s were soon following his trail. O'Hurley's voyage was fraught with danger because of the state of war between the Pope and the Queen of England, but he accepted the risks involved and arranged for a sea captain from
Drogheda Drogheda ( , ; , meaning "bridge at the ford") is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, north of Dublin. It is located on the Dublin–Belfast corridor on the east coast of Ireland, mostly in County Louth ...
to smuggle him from the French port of
Le Croisic Le Croisic (; ; ) is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department, western France. It is part of the urban area of Saint-Nazaire. History In the autumn of 1583, while the Catholic Church in Ireland was illegal and underground, Archbishop Der ...
into
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
. Archbishop O'Hurley disembarked upon Holmpatrick Strand in what is now
Skerries, County Dublin Skerries () is a coastal town in Fingal, in the north of County Dublin, Ireland. Skerries was historically a fishing port and later a centre of hand embroidery. These industries declined in the early 20th century, however, and it became both a ...
in the autumn of 1583 and was met by a priest named John Dillon, who accompanied him to
Drogheda Drogheda ( , ; , meaning "bridge at the ford") is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, north of Dublin. It is located on the Dublin–Belfast corridor on the east coast of Ireland, mostly in County Louth ...
, where they lodged in a
hostelry A pub (short for public house) is in several countries a drinking establishment licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term first appeared in England in the late 17th century, to differentiate private ho ...
.Corish and Millet 2005, p. 69 Archbishop O'Hurley's letters, which had been sent via a different ship, were intercepted by
English privateers English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...
, who handed the letters over to the Lord Justices in Dublin. After being advised by a resident of Drogheda that Lord Justices Loftus and Wallop already knew their location, O'Hurley and Dillon decided to leave for
Slane Castle Slane Castle () is located in the village of Slane, within the Boyne Valley of County Meath, Ireland. The castle has been the family seat of the Conyngham family since it was built in the late 18th century, on land first purchased in 1703 by ...
, where they were concealed by Thomas Fleming, 10th Baron Slane, at one point inside a
priest hole A priest hole is a hiding place for a priest built in England or Wales during the period when Catholics were persecuted by law. Following the accession of Queen Elizabeth I to the throne in 1558, there were several Catholic plots designed to remo ...
. Archbishop O'Hurley also covertly travelled from Slane Castle to
Cavan Cavan ( ; ) is the county town of County Cavan in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town lies in Ulster, near the border with County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. The town is bypassed by the main N3 road (Ireland), N3 road that links Dublin ( ...
to visit with some fellow priests whom he had known while living in
Catholic Europe The Catholic Church in Europe is part of the worldwide Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See in Rome, including represented Eastern Catholic Catholic missions, missions. Demographically, Catholics are the largest religious group in ...
. At the time, Cavan town and
County Cavan County Cavan ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is part of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Cavan and is based on the hi ...
was the territory of the
Clan A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, a clan may claim descent from a founding member or apical ancestor who serves as a symbol of the clan's unity. Many societie ...
O'Reilly O'Reilly () is a common Irish surname. The O'Reillys were historically the kings of East Bréifne in what is today County Cavan. The clan were part of the Connachta's Uí Briúin Bréifne kindred and were closely related to the Ó Ruairc ( ...
. Soon after his return, O'Hurley was recognised during a visit to
Slane Castle Slane Castle () is located in the village of Slane, within the Boyne Valley of County Meath, Ireland. The castle has been the family seat of the Conyngham family since it was built in the late 18th century, on land first purchased in 1703 by ...
by the Baron's first cousin,
Lord Chief Justice The Lord or Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales is the head of the judiciary of England and Wales and the president of the courts of England and Wales. Until 2005 the lord chief justice was the second-most senior judge of the English a ...
Sir Robert Dillon. According to
Philip O'Sullivan Beare Philip O'Sullivan Beare (, –1636) was a military officer descended from the Gaelic nobility of Ireland, who became more famous as a writer. He fled to Habsburg Spain during the time of Tyrone's Rebellion, when the Irish clans and Gaelic Irelan ...
, "A grave question was started at dinner, in the presence of the squint-eyed Robert Dillon, one of the Queen's judges. The heretics, giving each his own opinion, freely proceeded to such extreme folly, that Dermot, who was present, and long kept silent lest he should betray himself, could not any longer stand their rashness, and so, to the great astonishment of all, he easily refuted the silly doctrines of the heretics, with an air of authority, and great eloquence and learning. Hereupon Dillon was led to surmise that this was some distinguished person who might greatly obstruct heresy."Beare, Philip O'Sullivan. "Dermot O'Hurley, Archbishop of Cashel, the most unconquerable and illustrious Martyr"
''Chapters towards a History of Ireland in the reign of Elizabeth'' Chapter 19
Once his suspicions were aroused, Sir Robert Dillon made inquiries, eventually uncovered the real identity of his cousin's houseguest. According to an anonymously written
Elizabethan era The Elizabethan era is the epoch in the Tudor period of the history of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history. The Roman symbol of Britannia (a female ...
manuscript preserved in the
Bodleian Library The Bodleian Library () is the main research library of the University of Oxford. Founded in 1602 by Sir Thomas Bodley, it is one of the oldest libraries in Europe. With over 13 million printed items, it is the second-largest library in ...
and first published by ''
Analecta Hibernica ''Analecta Hibernica'' is the official academic journal of the Irish Manuscripts Commission, carrying reports on the commission's work and publishing shorter manuscripts. It was established in 1930 and is edited by James Kelly. References * *Anal ...
'' in 1930, "After illondeparted the house, he wrote a letter to the Lord of Slane advising him to lay hands upon the stranger who was lodging in his house, lest the State might hardly judge of his residence there & bring him to account for the same. The Lord of Slane was exceedingly angry at the receipt of this letter & thought with nhimself that it were a great point of discourtesy & contrary to the privileges of hospitality to apprehend a stranger who, never was in his house before, & thereupon did forbear to trouble and soon after went away."McNeil 1930, p. 126. After learning of Baron Slane's feelings touching the matter, Sir Robert Dillon immediately informed
Dublin Castle Dublin Castle () is a major Government of Ireland, Irish government complex, conference centre, and tourist attraction. It is located off Dame Street in central Dublin. It is a former motte-and-bailey castle and was chosen for its position at ...
. Baron Slane was immediately summoned by Lord Justices Adam Loftus and Sir
Henry Wallop Sir Henry Wallop (c. 1540 – 14 April 1599) was an English statesman. Biography Henry Wallop was the eldest son of Sir Oliver Wallop (d. 1566) of Farleigh Wallop in Hampshire. His younger brother William Wallop was thrice mayor of Southampto ...
. According to the Bodleian Library account, "
hey Hey, HEY, or Hey! may refer to: Music * Hey (band), a Polish rock band Albums * ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014 * ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980 * ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the ...
examined he Lord of Slaneupon all the points aforesaid who answered that he knew him neither to be priest nor bishop, and if Sir Robert Dillon knew him to be so dangerous a member that it was rather his fault (being a Privy Councillor) not to lay hands upon him. To be short no excuse could avail. But either the Lord of Slane must search and find the Bishop or else lie for the cause himself: the cause standing so his Lordship made choice to search for him & there upon a warrant was given unto him for the apprehension of the Bishop, & all subjects commanded to aid him therein (if need required). Then the Lord of Slane, being sore grieved in his heart to be employed on such a service, began his journey towards the parts of
Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
." Meanwhile, the Archbishop had already left
Slane Castle Slane Castle () is located in the village of Slane, within the Boyne Valley of County Meath, Ireland. The castle has been the family seat of the Conyngham family since it was built in the late 18th century, on land first purchased in 1703 by ...
and was staying with
Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond and 3rd Earl of Ossory PC (Ire) (;  – 1614), was an influential courtier in London at the court of Elizabeth I. He was Lord Treasurer of Ireland from 1559 to his death. He fought for the crown in th ...
, a Protestant, referred to as "Black Thomas" () (lit. "Thomas the Black", fig. "Thomas the
Puritan The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to rid the Church of England of what they considered to be Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should b ...
"), who was then the
Lord Treasurer of Ireland The Lord High Treasurer of Ireland was the head of the Exchequer of Ireland, and chief financial officer of the Kingdom of Ireland. The designation ''High'' was added in 1695. After the Acts of Union 1800 created the United Kingdom of Great Brit ...
. As his nickname suggests, the Earl was a Protestant and had played a role in ending the
Second Desmond Rebellion The Second Desmond Rebellion (1579–1583) was the more widespread and bloody of the two Desmond Rebellions in Ireland launched by the FitzGerald Dynasty of County Desmond, Desmond in Munster against English rule. The second rebellion began in ...
through
scorched earth A scorched-earth policy is a military strategy of destroying everything that allows an enemy military force to be able to fight a war, including the deprivation and destruction of water, food, humans, animals, plants and any kind of tools and i ...
and
total war Total war is a type of warfare that includes any and all (including civilian-associated) resources and infrastructure as legitimate military targets, mobilises all of the resources of society to fight the war, and gives priority to warfare ov ...
that triggered a State-imposed famine, which killed an estimated third of
Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
's population. At the same time, however, the Earl's entire family, his
Old English Old English ( or , or ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages. It developed from the languages brought to Great Britain by Anglo-S ...
tenants, and all the
Irish clan Irish clans are traditional kinship groups sharing a common surname and heritage and existing in a lineage-based society, originating prior to the 17th century. A clan (or in Irish, plural ) included the chief and his patrilineal relatives; howe ...
s subject to his leadership were Catholic
Recusant Recusancy (from ) was the state of those who remained loyal to the Catholic Church and refused to attend Church of England services after the English Reformation. The 1558 Recusancy Acts passed in the reign of Elizabeth I, and temporarily repea ...
s, who were covertly being allowed
religious toleration Religious tolerance or religious toleration may signify "no more than forbearance and the permission given by the adherents of a dominant religion for other religions to exist, even though the latter are looked on with disapproval as inferior, ...
. Meanwhile, Loftus, Wallop, and many other officials in
Dublin Castle Dublin Castle () is a major Government of Ireland, Irish government complex, conference centre, and tourist attraction. It is located off Dame Street in central Dublin. It is a former motte-and-bailey castle and was chosen for its position at ...
, greatly envied the Earl's favour with the Queen and kept him accordingly under constant surveillance in the hopes of implicating him in illegally tolerating Catholicism or in anything else that they might construe as
high treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its d ...
. Despite the extremely high risk, however, the Earl of Ormond seems to have agreed to conceal and protect Archbishop Dermot O'Hurley, as long as he avoided matters other than his religious ministry and remained within the confines of
County Tipperary County Tipperary () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. The county is named after the town of Tipperary (tow ...
. While a guest at the Earl's still extant Elizabethan Manor House at
Carrick-on-Suir Carrick-on-Suir () is a town in County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It lies on both banks of the River Suir. The part on the north bank of the Suir lies in the Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish of "Carrick", in the historical B ...
, the Archbishop wrote a letter to
Miler Magrath The Most Rev. Miler Magrath (also ''Miler McGrath'' or ''Myler McGrath'', ; – 14 November 1622) was a senior-ranking Irish prelate born in the Gaelic of Fermanagh in Ulster, the northern province in Ireland. He came from a family of heredit ...
, the former
Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...
Friar A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders in the Catholic Church. There are also friars outside of the Catholic Church, such as within the Anglican Communion. The term, first used in the 12th or 13th century, distinguishes the mendi ...
who had become the Protestant
Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland (, ; , ) is a Christian church in Ireland, and an autonomy, autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the Christianity in Ireland, second-largest Christian church on the ...
's Archbishop of Cashel. In the letter, Archbishop O'Hurley both requested a meeting and suggested nonviolent mutual
religious toleration Religious tolerance or religious toleration may signify "no more than forbearance and the permission given by the adherents of a dominant religion for other religions to exist, even though the latter are looked on with disapproval as inferior, ...
of one another's competing apostolates. The Earl of Ormond, to whom O'Hurley had assigned the delivery, did not trust Magrath and secretly kept the letter, which still survives at the
Bodleian Library The Bodleian Library () is the main research library of the University of Oxford. Founded in 1602 by Sir Thomas Bodley, it is one of the oldest libraries in Europe. With over 13 million printed items, it is the second-largest library in ...
at
Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...
(MS Carte 55, fol. 546). Immediately after making a
pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a travel, journey to a holy place, which can lead to a personal transformation, after which the pilgrim returns to their daily life. A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) w ...
to
Holy Cross Abbey Holy Cross Abbey ''(Mainistir na Croise Naofa)'' was a Cistercian monastery in Holycross near Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland, situated on the River Suir. It takes its name from a relic of the True Cross or Holy Rood. History A supposed f ...
near
Thurles Thurles (; ''Durlas Éile'') is a town in County Tipperary, Ireland. It is located in the civil parish of the same name in the barony of Eliogarty and in the ecclesiastical parish of Thurles. The cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Arch ...
in September 1583, Archbishop O'Hurley was met at Ormonde Castle by Baron Slane. The Baron explained the imminent danger to both himself and his family. The Bodleian Library account gives the Archbishop's exact reply as follows, "My good Lord, rather than your Honour should take any harm or lose the least part of anything which you do esteem in this world for me or in my default, I would not rest until I came in person to your Lordship with the simplest boy that followeth your Lordship & am now ready to sacrifice my life to discharge your Lordship of any danger that may befall you on my behalf." During their journey to
Dublin Castle Dublin Castle () is a major Government of Ireland, Irish government complex, conference centre, and tourist attraction. It is located off Dame Street in central Dublin. It is a former motte-and-bailey castle and was chosen for its position at ...
together, the conversation between the Archbishop and the Baron turned to the recent conversion to
Anglicanism Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...
by Peter Power, the Roman Catholic
Bishop of Ferns The Bishop of Ferns () is an episcopal title which takes its name after the village of Ferns in County Wexford, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishopr ...
. Archbishop O'Hurley commented about his former colleague, "Many who are lions before the battle are timid stags when the hour of trial comes. Lest this prove true of me, I daily pray to our good Lord for strength; for 'let him that thinketh himself to stand look lest he fall.'"Conyngham, p. 66 The unwritten laws governing hospitality were considered sacred among the
Gaelic nobility of Ireland 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. It is one of three groups of Irish nobility, the others bei ...
and were just as important to
Gaelicised Gaelicisation, or Gaelicization, is the act or process of making something Gaels, Gaelic or gaining characteristics of the ''Gaels'', a sub-branch of Celticisation. The Gaels are an ethno-linguistic group, traditionally viewed as having spread fro ...
Hiberno-Normans Norman Irish or Hiberno-Normans (; ) is a modern term for the descendants of Norman settlers who arrived during the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century. Most came from England and Wales. They are distinguished from the nativ ...
like the Earl of Ormond and the Baron Slane. The Earl is alleged to have felt insulted by the arrest of a guest in his house who was under his protection. Irish émigré chronicler
Philip O'Sullivan Beare Philip O'Sullivan Beare (, –1636) was a military officer descended from the Gaelic nobility of Ireland, who became more famous as a writer. He fled to Habsburg Spain during the time of Tyrone's Rebellion, when the Irish clans and Gaelic Irelan ...
considered the Archbishop's arrest to be so heinous of an insult under the traditional
code of conduct A code of conduct is a set of rules outlining the social norm, norms, rules, and responsibilities or proper practices of an individual party or an organization. Companies' codes of conduct A company code of conduct is a set of rules which is comm ...
that the Earl should have raised the clans subject to him and taken up arms against Baron Slane and the Lord Justices. Even though the Earl chose not to take up arms, O'Sullivan Beare does credit him with doing everything he possibly could to save Archbishop O'Hurley from the executioners. Other more recent historians, however, believe that the Earl of Ormond may secretly have colluded with Baron Slane and played just as central of a role in arranging the Archbishop's arrest. The Bodleian Library manuscript, for example, alleges that the critical conversation at Ormonde Castle between Archbishop O'Hurley and the Baron Slane took place in the Earl of Ormonde's presence.


Imprisonment and torture

On 8 October 1583 Archbishop O'Hurley was handed over by Baron Slane to Lord Justices Wallop and Loftus and imprisoned in
Dublin Castle Dublin Castle () is a major Government of Ireland, Irish government complex, conference centre, and tourist attraction. It is located off Dame Street in central Dublin. It is a former motte-and-bailey castle and was chosen for its position at ...
. Despite his cooperation, Baron Slane was ordered to remain in Dublin as a prisoner of Archbishop Adam Loftus at the
Manor of St. Sepulchre The Manor of St. Sepulchre (also known as the Archbishop's Liberty) was one of several manors, or liberties, that existed in Dublin, Ireland since the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in the 12th century. They were townlands united to the city, but ...
, "until the case was further examined."McNeil 1930, pp. 126-127. Under orders from both Loftus and Wallop, Edward Waterhouse, a senior member of the Irish Privy Council, conducted a series of interrogations of the Archbishop between 8 and 20 October 1583. The Archbishop admitted that he had been asked by the Cardinal Protector of Ireland to deliver sealed letters to the Rebel Earl and the other leaders of the
Second Desmond Rebellion The Second Desmond Rebellion (1579–1583) was the more widespread and bloody of the two Desmond Rebellions in Ireland launched by the FitzGerald Dynasty of County Desmond, Desmond in Munster against English rule. The second rebellion began in ...
. O'Hurley explained, however, that he had chosen to leave those letters in France, as, "he would not meddle", in matters other than his religious mission, which, as he repeated insisted, was purely a peaceful one. Finding these results unsatisfactory, Loftus and Wallop wrote to Sir
Francis Walsingham Sir Francis Walsingham ( – 6 April 1590) was principal secretary to Queen Elizabeth I of England from 20 December 1573 until his death and is popularly remembered as her " spymaster". Born to a well-connected family of gentry, Wa ...
on 20 October 1583, seeking further instructions. In his response, Walsingham ordered both Justices to use, "torture or any other severe manner of proceeding" against the Archbishop, "to gain his knowledge of all foreign practices against Her Majesty's States." In response, Loftus and Wallop wrote back upon 10 December that they lacked the necessary instruments of torture and recommended instead that Archbishop O'Hurley be transferred to the
Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamle ...
. Instead, Walsingham ordered them to extract information from O'Hurley, "not only of any practice or disturbance pretended against the Land in particular, but also of any foreign conspiracy against Her Majesty in England or any other part of her dominions". Loftus and Wallop were ordered to try gentle persuasion at first, but if that failed, to "put him to the torture... which was to toast his feet against the fire with hot boots." According to
Philip O'Sullivan Beare Philip O'Sullivan Beare (, –1636) was a military officer descended from the Gaelic nobility of Ireland, who became more famous as a writer. He fled to Habsburg Spain during the time of Tyrone's Rebellion, when the Irish clans and Gaelic Irelan ...
, "First he was brought before Adam, the Chancellor, and Henry, the Treasurer, and civilly and kindly invited to follow the tenets of the heretics, and promised large rewards on condition of abjuring his sacred character; relinquishing the office received from the Pope, and (O villainy!) entering upon the Archbishopric under the Queen's authority. He told them that he was bound and resolved never to desert the Church, Faith, or Vicar of Christ Jesus for any consideration. Then the Chancellor and Treasurer endeavoured to deceive him by cunning arguments, straining every nerve to establish the truth of their falsehoods. Dermot, not relishing this, especially as he was not allowed to reply to their nonsense, bade them, stupid and ignorant men (such was his high spirit), not to offer ridiculous and false doctrines to him, an Archbishop, and Doctor of celebrated academies. Then the heretics, filled with anger, exclaimed: 'If we cannot convince you by argument, we will make you quit this your false law and embrace our religion, or feel our power.'" On 7 March 1584, Archbishop O'Hurley was accordingly subjected to the boiling boot by Edward Waterhouse. His bare feet were imprisoned in iron boots, filled with oil and water, that were slowly heated over a fire until the water boiled away both skin and flesh left the Archbishop's bones partially exposed. To everyone's shock, Archbishop O'Hurley refused to embrace
Protestantism Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
, "confess" to any political offenses, or "cooperate" with framing Baron Slane or the Earl of Ormond, whom Adam Loftus and Henry Wallop hated and envied, for high treason against the Queen. Instead, Archbishop O'Hurley was heard to repeatedly cry out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy upon me"! After the torture was finally ceased on fear that the executioner, Edward Waterhouse, might be punished for accidentally killing the Archbishop without orders, O'Hurley was returned to his cell inside
Dublin Castle Dublin Castle () is a major Government of Ireland, Irish government complex, conference centre, and tourist attraction. It is located off Dame Street in central Dublin. It is a former motte-and-bailey castle and was chosen for its position at ...
and received medical treatment from a fellow priest named Fr. Charles MacMorris. When the Archbishop had recovered enough to sit up and to limp a little, the Queen's officials sent visitors into Dublin Castle, including Thomas Jones, the Anglican Bishop of Meath, offering O'Hurley a high position within the
Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland (, ; , ) is a Christian church in Ireland, and an autonomy, autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the Christianity in Ireland, second-largest Christian church on the ...
hierarchy in return for taking the
Oath of Supremacy The Oath of Supremacy required any person taking public or church office in the Kingdom of England, or in its subordinate Kingdom of Ireland, to swear allegiance to the monarch as Supreme Governor of the Church. Failure to do so was to be trea ...
. Even his only sister, Honora Ni Hurley, according to David Rothe "was induced to go in and tempt him to apostatise and she urgently besought him to yield; but he, frowning on her, ordered her to fall at his knees and humbly beg pardon of God and absolution for so grave a crime against God, so hurtful to her own soul, and so abhorred by her brother." According to Fr.
Charles Patrick Meehan Charles Patrick Meehan (12 July 1812 – 14 March 1890) was an Irish Catholic priest, historian and editor. Life Meehan was born at 141 Great Britain Street, Dublin, on 12 July 1812. He received his early education at Ballymahon, County Lon ...
, "The charge on which he was arrested was alleged treason committed in foreign parts; and the Irish crown-lawyers, taking this into consideration, and doubting whether he could be found guilty, the law not stretching in this particular so far as it did in England, resolved, as he had neither land or goods, that he should be executed by
martial law Martial law is the replacement of civilian government by military rule and the suspension of civilian legal processes for military powers. Martial law can continue for a specified amount of time, or indefinitely, and standard civil liberties ...
rather than by an ordinary trial."
Charles Patrick Meehan Charles Patrick Meehan (12 July 1812 – 14 March 1890) was an Irish Catholic priest, historian and editor. Life Meehan was born at 141 Great Britain Street, Dublin, on 12 July 1812. He received his early education at Ballymahon, County Lon ...
(1870), ''The Rise and Fall of the Irish Franciscan Monasteries'', page 197.
According to surviving correspondence between
Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
and
Whitehall Whitehall is a road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London, England. The road forms the first part of the A roads in Zone 3 of the Great Britain numbering scheme, A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea, London, Chelsea. It ...
,
Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudor. Her eventful reign, and its effect on history ...
was reluctant to dispense with a fair trial under
English Law English law is the common law list of national legal systems, legal system of England and Wales, comprising mainly English criminal law, criminal law and Civil law (common law), civil law, each branch having its own Courts of England and Wales, ...
and authorize the Lord Justices to "take a shorter way with him by martiall law", but her mind was changed by Sir
Francis Walsingham Sir Francis Walsingham ( – 6 April 1590) was principal secretary to Queen Elizabeth I of England from 20 December 1573 until his death and is popularly remembered as her " spymaster". Born to a well-connected family of gentry, Wa ...
at the urging of Loftus and Wallop, who alleged that a public trial would allow the Archbishop to make an "impudent and clamorous denial" of the charges against him. Loftus and Wallop also feared that a public
trial by jury A jury trial, or trial by jury, is a legal proceeding in which a jury makes a decision or findings of fact. It is distinguished from a bench trial, in which a judge or panel of judges makes all decisions. Jury trials are increasingly used ...
might result in an acquittal for "treasons committed in foreign parts against Her Majesty" owing to the lack of evidence that a crime had been committed and to the widespread Catholic sympathies among the Old English population of
the Pale The Pale ( Irish: ''An Pháil'') or the English Pale (' or ') was the part of Ireland directly under the control of the English government in the Late Middle Ages. It had been reduced by the late 15th century to an area along the east coast s ...
. According to Fr. Meehan, "Foreseeing what his fate would be if arraigned before such a tribunal, twenty-four burgesses of Dublin, availing themselves of a statute passed in the reign of
Edward IV Edward IV (28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 to 3 October 1470, then again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. He was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars in England ...
, memorialized to have him delivered to them on
bail Bail is a set of pre-trial restrictions that are imposed on a suspect to ensure that they will not hamper the judicial process. Court bail may be offered to secure the conditional release of a defendant with the promise to appear in court when ...
, in order that he might have the benefit of
common law Common law (also known as judicial precedent, judge-made law, or case law) is the body of law primarily developed through judicial decisions rather than statutes. Although common law may incorporate certain statutes, it is largely based on prece ...
, to which, as a civilian, he was fully entitled. But their application was refused..." On 28 April 1584, a direct order was sent from Walsingham on behalf of the Queen, expressly forbidding the further use of torture, while also adding that it was the Queen's pleasure that Archbishop O'Hurley, "being so notorious and ill a Subject", should be executed.


Martyrdom

Upon learning that the Earl of Ormonde, by whose influence and power they feared Dermot O'Hurley's life would be saved, was coming to
Dublin Castle Dublin Castle () is a major Government of Ireland, Irish government complex, conference centre, and tourist attraction. It is located off Dame Street in central Dublin. It is a former motte-and-bailey castle and was chosen for its position at ...
to congratulate new
Lord Deputy The Lord Deputy was the representative of the monarch and head of the Irish executive (government), executive under English rule, during the Lordship of Ireland and then the Kingdom of Ireland. He deputised prior to 1523 for the Viceroy of Ireland ...
Sir
John Perrot Sir John Perrot (7 November 1528 – 3 November 1592) was a member of the Welsh gentry who served as Lord Deputy of Ireland under Queen Elizabeth I of England during the Tudor conquest of Ireland. It was formerly speculated that he was an ille ...
, Loftus and Wallop decided to put the Archbishop to death as soon as possible. On 19 June 1584, Loftus and Wallop, with Perrot's permission, tried the Archbishop before a
drumhead court-martial A drumhead court-martial is a court-martial held in the field to render summary justice for offenses committed in action. The term is said to originate from drums used as improvised tables and drumheads as writing surfaces at fast-track mil ...
, where the
Papal Bull A papal bull is a type of public decree, letters patent, or charter issued by the pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the leaden Seal (emblem), seal (''bulla (seal), bulla'') traditionally appended to authenticate it. History Papal ...
documenting his consecration to the Episcopate, his letters of introduction, and other documents were presented as evidence against him. Loftus and Wallop then issued a
death warrant An execution warrant (also called a death warrant or a black warrant) is a writ that authorizes the execution of a condemned person. United States In the United States, either a judicial or executive official designated by law issues an ...
to the Knight Marshal, with orders to, "do execution", upon Archbishop Dermot O'Hurley. In the early morning of 19, or 20, June 1584, O'Hurley was taken out of the Bermingham Tower in Dublin Castle at dawn. Despite efforts at both silence and secrecy, the Archbishop's fellow Catholic prisoners took notice and called out that O'Hurley was innocent.Conyngham, p. 70. Power, the former
Bishop of Ferns The Bishop of Ferns () is an episcopal title which takes its name after the village of Ferns in County Wexford, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishopr ...
, who, after learning of O'Hurley's constancy, had returned to Catholicism and once again had again been imprisoned, too, "called out aloud that he rather deserved that fate for the scandal he had formerly given, but that Hurley was an innocent and holy man. Upon which the jailer severely flogged him and the others, and so reduced them to silence." As Lord Justice
Henry Wallop Sir Henry Wallop (c. 1540 – 14 April 1599) was an English statesman. Biography Henry Wallop was the eldest son of Sir Oliver Wallop (d. 1566) of Farleigh Wallop in Hampshire. His younger brother William Wallop was thrice mayor of Southampto ...
and three or four guards went before him, the Archbishop was drawn on a hurdle through the Garden Gate, or Postern Gate, in the city walls of Dublin to be hanged in a
willow Willows, also called sallows and osiers, of the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 350 species (plus numerous hybrids) of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions. Most species are known ...
forest, either in
St Stephen's Green St Stephen's Green () is a garden square and public park located in the city centre of Dublin, Ireland. The current landscape of the park was designed by William Sheppard. It was officially re-opened to the public on Tuesday, 27 July 1880 by ...
Nolan 2012, p. 59 or at
Hoggen Green College Green () is a three-sided plaza in the centre of Dublin, Ireland. On its northern side is the Bank of Ireland building, which until 1800 was Ireland's Parliament House. To its east stands Trinity College Dublin. To its south stands a se ...
.McNeil 1930, pp. 127-128. The usual location of the gallows in
Elizabethan era The Elizabethan era is the epoch in the Tudor period of the history of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history. The Roman symbol of Britannia (a female ...
Dublin was at the modern junction of Lower
Baggot Street Baggot Street () is a street in Dublin, Ireland. Location The street runs from Merrion Row (near St. Stephen's Green) to the northwestern end of Pembroke Road. It crosses the Grand Canal near Haddington Road. It is divided into two sections: ...
(), formerly called "Gallows Road", and Fitzwilliam Street and between Fitzwilliam Street and Pembroke Street. The execution party was taken by surprise by the arrival of a group of Dublin city worthies, who had come to Hoggen Green to shoot an archery match and wager upon the results. According to the Bodleian Library account, upon seeing the archery match, "The Bishop greatly rejoiced, & being upon the ladder, called to them to draw near & then desired the warders which were about him guarding him with their halberds for God's sake to respite his life until he did utter a few words in the presence of those honest men, whom it pleased God to send to witness his innocent death, which request being granted, he stood upon the ladder & with great humility & patience uttered these few words following." In his speech from the gallows ladder, the Archbishop proclaimed, After "so desiring them to join with him in prayer recommending his soul to God",McNeil 1930, p. 128. and "forgiving his torturers with all his heart", Archbishop Dermot O'Hurley was turned off the ladder and hanged, allegedly from a noose woven out of willow branches in order to further prolong his sufferings by causing a slow death from strangulation. Afterwards, like other Elizabethan era execution victims in Dublin, Archbishop O'Hurley was cast into a mass grave located in a nearby field. His body was secretly exhumed, placed in a wooden urn by London-born
Recusant Recusancy (from ) was the state of those who remained loyal to the Catholic Church and refused to attend Church of England services after the English Reformation. The 1558 Recusancy Acts passed in the reign of Elizabeth I, and temporarily repea ...
William Fitzsimon, and reburied under cover of darkness in consecrated ground at St. Kevin's Church, Camden Row, Dublin. The clothing the Archbishop wore on the day of his death were secretly preserved by the Recusants of Dublin as relics of his martyrdom. Many miracles are also said to have been wrought at his gravesite, which has remained a site of Christian pilgrimage ever since.Nolan 2012, p. 60


Legacy

On 20 June 1584, the same day as O'Hurley's execution, the Archbishop's torturer, Edward Waterhouse, was Knighting sword, dubbed knight by Sir John Perrot inside Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, officially because Waterhouse, "dispended yearly more than a thousand marks." As word of his execution spread, Archbishop O'Hurley was immediately revered as a martyr throughout
Catholic Europe The Catholic Church in Europe is part of the worldwide Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See in Rome, including represented Eastern Catholic Catholic missions, missions. Demographically, Catholics are the largest religious group in ...
. The ongoing religious persecution that led to his martyrdom also became highly significant as the primary cause of the Nine Years' War (Ireland), Nine Years War, which formally began when Chief of the Name, Irish clan chief Hugh Roe O'Donnell, Red Hugh O'Donnell expelled English High Sheriff of Donegal Humphrey Willis, but not before Red Hugh listed his reasons for taking up arms against the House of Tudor and alluded to the recent torture and executions of Archbishop O'Hurley and Bishop Patrick O'Hely. According to
Philip O'Sullivan Beare Philip O'Sullivan Beare (, –1636) was a military officer descended from the Gaelic nobility of Ireland, who became more famous as a writer. He fled to Habsburg Spain during the time of Tyrone's Rebellion, when the Irish clans and Gaelic Irelan ...
, "Being surrounded there [Willis] surrendered to Roe by whom he was dismissed in safety with an injunction to remember his words, that the Queen and her officers were dealing unjustly with the Irish; that the Catholic religion was contaminated by impiety; that holy bishops and priests were inhumanely and barbarously tortured; that Catholic noblemen were cruelly imprisoned and ruined; that wrong was deemed right; that he himself had been treacherously and perfidiously kidnapped; and that for these reasons he would neither give tribute or allegiance to the English." Several accounts of his life and death were printed and reached a wide audience. Exiled English Recusant poet Richard Verstegan wrote a detailed
Renaissance Latin Renaissance Latin is a name given to the distinctive form of Literary Latin style developed during the European Renaissance of the fourteenth to fifteenth centuries, particularly by the Renaissance humanism movement. This style of Latin is reg ...
account of Archbishop O'Hurley's martyrdom in the volume ''Theatrum crudelitatum Hæreticorum nostri temporis'' ("Theatre of the Cruelties of the Heretics of our Time"), which was published at Antwerp, in the Spanish Netherlands in 1587. Historian J.J. Meagher has written of Verstegan, "He enhanced his account with an engraving which was a composite representation of the three Irish Catholic Martyrs, Irish martyrs, Dermot O'Hurley, Patrick O'Healy, and Conn O'Rourke. The printed word helped considerably to propagate and preserve the reputation of martyrdom. There were at least eight editions of Verstegan's ''Theatrum'' up to 1607, and these contributed in no small way to maintaining the ''fama martyrii'' overseas. Moreover, John Bridgewater, an English priest, reprinted word for word Verstegan's account of the martyrdom in 1588." Detailed accounts of Archbishop O'Hurley's life and death were also written and published by
Philip O'Sullivan Beare Philip O'Sullivan Beare (, –1636) was a military officer descended from the Gaelic nobility of Ireland, who became more famous as a writer. He fled to Habsburg Spain during the time of Tyrone's Rebellion, when the Irish clans and Gaelic Irelan ...
, David Rothe, Luke Wadding, Richard Stanihurst, Anthony Bruodin, John Lynch (Gratianus Lucius), John Lynch, John Coppinger, and John Mullin. Archbishop Adam Loftus, through his daughter Anne Loftus, who married Henry Colley (died 1584), Sir Henry Colley, was the ancestor of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, who was baptized in 1767 by a
Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland (, ; , ) is a Christian church in Ireland, and an autonomy, autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the Christianity in Ireland, second-largest Christian church on the ...
Anglican clergyman, clergyman at St. Kevin's Church, Camden Row, Dublin, St. Kevin's Church in Camden Row. It was ultimately the Duke of Wellington who, as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1829, forced the passage of the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 granting Catholic emancipation in the United Kingdom through Parliament and persuaded a reluctant George IV to grudgingly grant the bill Royal Assent. Sir
Henry Wallop Sir Henry Wallop (c. 1540 – 14 April 1599) was an English statesman. Biography Henry Wallop was the eldest son of Sir Oliver Wallop (d. 1566) of Farleigh Wallop in Hampshire. His younger brother William Wallop was thrice mayor of Southampto ...
, on the other hand, is the ancestor of every subsequent Earl of Portsmouth. Also following Catholic emancipation in 1829, interest in Archbishop O'Hurley was rekindled by the republication of Bishop David Rothe's ''Analecta Sancta'' and
Philip O'Sullivan Beare Philip O'Sullivan Beare (, –1636) was a military officer descended from the Gaelic nobility of Ireland, who became more famous as a writer. He fled to Habsburg Spain during the time of Tyrone's Rebellion, when the Irish clans and Gaelic Irelan ...
's ''Historiae Catholicae Iberniae Compendium''. According to J.J. Meagher, "The reawakened reputation of martyrdom was further strengthened in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries by the historical works and critical editions of manuscripts published by Patrick F. Moran and others." In 1904, the hierarchy of the
Catholic Church in Ireland The Catholic Church in Ireland, or Irish Catholic Church, is part of the worldwide Catholic Church in communion with the Holy See. With 3.5 million members (in the Republic of Ireland), it is the largest Christian church in Ireland. In ...
began an investigation into Archbishop O'Hurley's life and death, as well as those of the other
Irish Catholic Martyrs Irish Catholic Martyrs () were 24 Irish men and women who have been beatified or canonized for both a life of heroic virtue and for dying for their Catholic faith between the reign of King Henry VIII and Catholic Emancipation in 1829. The more ...
. One of the most valuable resources was found to be the documents and letters written by the men, like Wallop and Loftus, who tortured and executed him and which had been examined in the Public Record Office in London. In response, Archbishop O'Hurley, whose life and martyrdom had been found to be one of the most meticulously documented and was therefore seen as one of the most promising Causes for Roman Catholic Sainthood, was declared a Servant of God. In the 12 February 1915 Apostolic decree ''In Hibernia, heroum nutrice'', Pope Benedict XV formally authorized the introduction of Archbishop O'Hurley's Beatification and canonization process prior to 1983, Cause for Roman Catholic Sainthood. During a further Apostolic Process held at Dublin between 1917 and 1930, the evidence surrounding 260 alleged cases for martyrdom were further investigated, after which the findings were again submitted to the Holy See. On 27 September 1992, O'Hurley was
beatified Beatification (from Latin , "blessed" and , "to make") is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a deceased person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in their name. ''Beati'' is the ...
by
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...
, alongside 16 other Irish martyrs. Following his Beatification, a memorial plaque was installed by the Dublin City Council at St Kevin's Churchyard, at the insistence of local activist James O'Doherty.


Folklore

* According to Burke's 1879 ''History of the Irish Lord Chancellors'', "Multitudes of pilgrims for three centuries flocked to his tomb, which the fancy, perhaps the superstition, of the people clothed with many legends." In local Irish folklore, ghost stories about passersby on dark and stormy nights seeing Archbishop Dermot O'Hurley offering the Tridentine Mass in black Requiem vestments upon a makeshift altar over his grave in St. Kevin's churchyard are commonly told. It is said, when the Archbishop reaches the moment of Transubstantiation and the Raising of the Blessed Sacrament, Host, that both O'Hurley and the altar disappear and only darkness remains.Nolan 2012, pp. 55-60


In popular culture

* The Recusant poet Richard Rowlands, Richard Verstegan composed an
Elizabethan English Early Modern English (sometimes abbreviated EModEFor example, or EMnE) or Early New English (ENE) is the stage of the English language from the beginning of the Tudor period to the English Interregnum (England), Interregnum and Stuart Restor ...
elegy about the Archbishop's martyrdom, entitled "Slane's Treason; or The Fall of the Baron of Slane." The poem was set to music by celebrated Richard Cruise, the official harpist to the Earl of Ormond, and became widely popular, both among Hiberno-English-speaking Recusants throughout
The Pale The Pale ( Irish: ''An Pháil'') or the English Pale (' or ') was the part of Ireland directly under the control of the English government in the Late Middle Ages. It had been reduced by the late 15th century to an area along the east coast s ...
and even among the
Irish clan Irish clans are traditional kinship groups sharing a common surname and heritage and existing in a lineage-based society, originating prior to the 17th century. A clan (or in Irish, plural ) included the chief and his patrilineal relatives; howe ...
s throughout
Gaelic Ireland Gaelic Ireland () was the Gaelic political and social order, and associated culture, that existed in Ireland from the late Prehistory of Ireland, prehistoric era until the 17th century. It comprised the whole island before Anglo-Norman invasi ...
.


See also

* Margaret Ball * Oliver Plunkett * Francis Taylor (martyr)


References


Sources

* * * * * * * * *


Periodicals

* Millet, Benignus (1983) "The Ordination of Dermot O'Hurley, 1581", ''Collectanea Hibernica'', pp. 12–21. * "Out of Romish Collections of Annals of Ireland", by Charles McNeil, "Rawlinson Manuscripts (Class B)", ''
Analecta Hibernica ''Analecta Hibernica'' is the official academic journal of the Irish Manuscripts Commission, carrying reports on the commission's work and publishing shorter manuscripts. It was established in 1930 and is edited by James Kelly. References * *Anal ...
'', March 1930, pp. 125–128.


External links


Dermot O'Hurley
Dictionary of Irish Biography The ''Dictionary of Irish Biography'' (DIB) is a biographical dictionary of notable Irish people and people not born in the country who had notable careers in Ireland, including both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. History The ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ohurley, Dermot 1530s births 1584 deaths 16th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in Ireland 16th-century Roman Catholic martyrs 16th-century venerated Christians 24 Irish Catholic Martyrs Academic staff of the Old University of Leuven Beatifications by Pope John Paul II Christian clergy from County Tipperary Counter-Reformation Executed people from County Tipperary Executed writers Gaels Irish beatified people Irish ghosts Irish Roman Catholic writers Irish torture victims Martyred Roman Catholic bishops Old University of Leuven alumni People educated by school in County Tipperary People executed by the Kingdom of Ireland by hanging People executed for treason against Ireland People executed under Elizabeth I as Queen of Ireland People from Emly People of Elizabethan Ireland People of the Second Desmond Rebellion Reims University (1548–1793) Renaissance humanists Roman Catholic archbishops of Cashel Post-Reformation Roman Catholic bishops in Ireland