The Irish standard., 1897-07-03
THE ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH
ASsassinated by the English on
False Testimony.
MARTYR OF THE PENAL DAYS.
Hanged, Beheaded, Disemboweled
and CHARTERED.

I'll.
!! Oliver Plunkett, Archbishop Of Ar
magh, was born at Loughcrew, County
of Meath, in 1929, says the Irish World.
From an early age he evinced a desire tn
devote himself to the sacred ministry.
and his education was lntrusted to hia
relative. DR.. Patrick Plunkett of Du-
lin, Armagh and Meath until he was 16.
when he preceded to Rome, and, In
1916, entered the Irish College, where he
remained eight years. In 1854 he was
ordained for the Irish ministry, but tho
state OF the country rendered his return
impossible, and he continued to reside
In Rome. where he occupied the chair
OF Professor of Theology in the College
DE Propaganda Eide for twelve years.
In July. 1899, upon the death of Arch
bishop O'Reilly of Armagh. DIR. Plum.
kett was promoted to the vacant see.
He hastencd TO his new charge, and, In
November, was cnnsccrated at Ghent. Il
being supposed that his conservation
would be less likely to bring him into
trouble with the Government In Ireland
than If done in Rome. In less than two
months after his arrival in Ireland he
held two synods and two ordinations.
and administered confirmation to over
ten thousand people. So great was his
zeal, so forgctful was he of his personal
1nI,n t<, ~
the religious ignorance that long perse-
| cution had engcndered, and the want of
pastors had fostered, he all the time re-
| sided in mud cabin at Ballybarrack,
, County l4outh. From this humble abode
he sailed forth to administer the sacra-
ments, and to Visit the various parishes
In his diocese. Writing in December,
| 1873 he said he had confirmed 4S,G55
persons In the previous four years. DR..
| Plunketts charity and zeal even brought
admiration from liberal Protestants.
| but despite his candor and his recogni-
| tiOn of the laws, he was soon to he i'm
molated to the spirit of fanaticism and
treason. The Puritans and fanatics OF
England had subvert the monarchy and
to exclude james vi. from the throne.
Having failed in this, they resolved to
force the Catholics of ireland into an
other rebellion. 80 as to enrich them
selves by fresh confiscato The infa-
nous Ormond. who had been succeed
ed by Lord Berkeley, was, In 1877.
restored. About this time the persecu-
tion began to rage again. and DIR. Punk
EFT and the other bishops of Ireland,
were Obliged to fly to the woods and
mountains to seek refuge. In 1878
fresh edicts were issued, and bishops
and priests were sought for more rig
Orously than ever. The Infamous cone
spirucy against the lives of Catholics
was set on foot this year in England and
Or1nond, although his private letters
show he was well aware Of the falseness
Of the story, fostcrcd the delusion, and
issued fresh edicts against the Catholics;
all bishops and priests were ordered to
leave the kingdom; all cllapcls, or mass
houses. as they were called, were closed
or pulled down. In November, 1919, DR..
Plunkett left his place of concealment,
and came to Dublin to assist, In the last
moments, his relative, the aged Bishop
of Meath. Ten days later Dec. 6) he
was arrested In the city of Dublin, by q
body OF militia, and was committed a
prisoner to Dublin Castle. For six
months he was kept prisoner, as he on
his trial declared: Il was a prisoner six
months. only for my religion, and there
was not a word of treason spoken against
mo for SO many years" 1t was not till
June, 1850, that the witnesses had fully
matured their plans. Armed with COM
mandatory letters from the English
court, they now returned to ireland, as
sured of success. Among the many pre-
cautions was an order that no Catholic
should be a member of the jury. Or
ders had been transmitted to lreland,p
said the primate on his trial, that ]
should be tried In Ireland, and that no
Catholic should be on the Jury; and 80
It was in both the Grand Jury and the
other Jury; yet there, when came to my
trial, after l was arraigned, not one ap-
| peared" The trial was ordered to take
place at Dundalk. the scene of the re-
puted reasonable crimes. DR.. Plunkett.
writing on the 25th of July, 1880, gives
| the following proceedings of the trial:
"The friar, MacMoyer, presented petit
ton that the trial should not be held in
Dundalk where he was too we'll known,
but this Ormond refused. On the 2Sd
and oath Of July l was presented for
trial. A long process was read, but on
the oath MacMoyer did not appear to
confirm his dispositions and hear my de-
fense. l had thirty-two witnesses pre-