The Irish priest historian.
Begley. Limerick.
Cogan. Meath.
Corrigan. Ossory.
Swords. Achonry.
D’Alton. Tuam.
Maguire. Raphoe.
These are the names of some distinguished Irish priest historians from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. These men did two things in particular; they made a major contribution to the study of Irish history, particularly in their own diocese. They also gave a recognition and a respect to Irish secular priests in the intellectual circles of those centuries.
The Irish priest historian had three particular characteristics; 1. As a historian he was generally self-taught. 2. Through his own initiative he acquired the ability to access the sources for his research and 3. He was a working priest in a parish and remained faithful to that work for his entire lifetime. His interest in history was, therefore, personal, local and a hobby, for want of a better word. Commenting on this, the following was said of William Cogan, the Meath historian:
“Fr. Cogan was a committed amateur historian. He was well read and largely self-taught. He began writing articles for the Tablet in 1856 and went on to write what his biographer, the scholar Alfred P. Smyth, has described as “the first complete post-Reformation history of an Irish Catholic diocese”.
Fr. Anthony Cogan never strayed too far from his native diocese, except to make brief trips to Liverpool where he preached to the Irish that were in exile. His priestly life involved ministering in rural parishes in and around Navan. At the time of his death, Cogan was the Diocesan Archivist.
His three volume diocesan history was a massive undertaking. The great strength of the work is that Cogan made great use of an extensive archive, which included manuscript materials from the early 17th century.”
Commenting on the work of John Begley, the Limerick diocesan historian, Jeremiah Newman, then Bishop of Limerick, said; “His own Preface (namely Begley’s) to the first volume gives at least some idea of the pains which he took to consult every source available to him, particularly in Dublin and London, because this history is not only an ecclesiastical but also a civil one of the Diocese of Limerick.
A feature of all three volumes is that they are based on manuscript material and in some places oral tradition. Naturally, the author’s personal interpretation of his material also plays a prominent part overall. This inevitably means that some of the views expressed and conclusions reached are open to question by other historians. But then revisionism is the order of the day in our time.”
These two commentators also remark on the fact that the manuscript material collected by both Cogan and Begley was lost over time and both commented that this should not have happened. Of Cogan’s papers it was said: “Cogan encouraged the bishops of Ireland to preserve the chronicles of their dioceses for future generations. Sadly, the archive that he established in Meath does not survive. In 1909 Bishop Gaughran ordered that virtually the entire diocesan archive be burned.” Newman said; “The late Monsignor Michael Moloney, once said to me that it was a great pity that the transcripts and notes made by the Archdeacon Begley during the preparation of his books do not seem to have survived him. If they did and are ever found, they could serve as a most valuable set of references for any future studies on the history of the Diocese.” Their warning is important for us. It challenges us to ensure that all the material which Brendan has collected should now be stored in a proper archive for future generations to consult.
This evening we add the name Hoban. Killala to this list of illustrious Irish priest historians.
Brendan ticks all the boxes and characteristics of the group which I have described. While he studied under the distinguished Irish historian, the late Cardinal Tomas O’Fiaich, Brendan is largely self-taught as a historian. Through his own initiative and ingenuity, he achieved a unique command of the sources for the history of this diocese. Indeed, in all his works, his footnotes are as rich a source of information as the pages of the text itself. Thirdly, of course, he continues to work as a parish priest in this diocese.
The folklore of my native county, Limerick, in the nineteenth and early twentieth century held that the three signs of respectability in a rural family were a priest in the house, a pump for water in the yard and a bull in the field. The priority given to the priest in the house often meant that the brains in the family was encouraged to go to Maynooth and become a priest. And many did. This resulted in the creation of a highly intelligent and well educated group of priests in every diocese, men whose education and intellectual standing was equal to that of any other group in society. They were the leaders in local Archaeological Societies. They were great pamphleteers and many Irish diocesan libraries still have collections of the works of the priest writers of the diocese. These men earned for the Catholic Church in Ireland at that time a position of deep respect in the eyes of educated people.
Brendan has done an enormous service to the Diocese of Killala. Warts and all, he has told its story. But perhaps, the equally important contribution which he makes is to the intellectual standing in which he is held in our country. At a time when the secular state is flexing its muscle more than ever before, when the Church still reels from recent scandals and tries to adjust to a new role in Irish society, when priests are no longer held in the same regard as in the past, Brendan flies the flag for a Church which is still capable of contributing to debate in the public forum, which is deeply committed to pastoral care and which is open to looking at its own life, as well as challenging its leadership.
Brendan’s contribution to debate and to intellectual life is enormous. During the past twenty one years he has written sixteen books. Together, they run to a staggering 4971 pages of written text. Add to this his weekly column in The Western People, his weekly program, Faith Alive, on Mid-west radio, the fact that he was also the first Editor of our diocesan paper, The Vineyard and you will get some idea of his prodigious output. You may not always agree with what he says but all of us respect the fact that he has the courage to say it. Personally, I have no idea where he gets the time and the energy to do all that he does.
I must share with you an unfounded fear which I had. His first historical work in my time, his biography of Charles Bourke, received the title “A Melancholy Truth”. His second, on O’Finan as Bishop of Killala, is entitled “Turbulent Diocese”. His third, on the lives of fifty priests of the diocese, carries the title; “Trouble and Strife.” When he told me that he was working on the bishops of the diocese, a cold shudder ran down my spine; what will he call this one? I needn’t have worried. He gave it the title, “Tracing the Stem” the stem coming from the Italian word for a bishop’s coat of arms. And he continued his benign approach in the title of the volume we are launching this evening – Telling the Story.
Just one final recommendation; if you are thinking of bringing this book with you on holidays abroad; remember, we are in high season for extra luggage.!!
Brendan, thank you. Thank you for this book, which is Volume 3 of your history of this Diocese. Thank you for the service which you have given to recording and telling the story of our diocese. Thank you for your service to the Church.
My friends. It gives me great pleasure to launch Telling the Story.