The Irish standard., 1898-03-19
A PATRIOTIC YOUNG PRIEST WHO
DIED FOR IRELAND.
The VICTIM OF ORANGE PERSECUTION.
HIS NAME IS NOT WELL KNOWN TO
HIS COUNTRYMEN.
THE HANGING OF FIR. JAMES COIGlEY.
THE SCENE on TIE SCAFFOLD WAS
AWFUL AND TRYING.

Fathers John and Michael Murphy,
Father Philip Roche and other brave
patriot-priests led their people right
we'll lover many noble town and
many field of dead" when Wexford's
peasants were driven to Instruction in
1898. But neither of the Wexford
priests had been member of the So
ciety of United Irshmen; as matter of
| historical fact, there were very few
| Catholic clergymen in Ireland who,
| however they may have sympathized
| with the movement and it's objects,
actually joined the ranks of the organ
f! ization and pledged themselves to ac-
lively aid in carrying out the program
Of Tone and Fitzgerald, McNevin and
Oliver Bond. Father James Coiglcy
was an exception to the rule. He had
been in the condolences of the leaders
|
fatal journey which ended on the gal
lows near Maidstone; and, though he
| was hanged on insufficient and tainted
evidence, 1t may fairly be taken for
granted that the brutal English crowd
who looked callously on while the brave
priest swung from their scaffold on
Penenden Heath saw the death of per-
sistent and determined enemy of the
and fortunes of our country. Father
Coigley died for the cause of Irish free
dom as truly as did Father John Muir
ply or Father Philip Roche, and his
all who are reviving and celebrating
the memories of '98, says the Dublin
Weekly Freeman.
Some doubt exists as to the place Of
Father Coigley's birth; but though his
name is closely associated with the
county of Louth there is reason to be-
lieve that he was native Of the city of
Belfast. His last thoughts, at all events,
were with the people of that city. AS
the spirit of '9S is nowhere more active
than among the Nationalist Of the
Northern capital, it may be well to re-
mind them that one of the latest wishes
expressed by the martyr was desire
that a simple stone bearing his name
| should be erected to his memory in the
city which he loved, and of whose peo-
pie he wrote in terms of sincere indeed
enthusiastic, admiration while waiting
for death at the hands of an English
hangman. Surely 1898 will not be al
lowed to pass away without seeing this
modest wish complied with
During his tenure of the office of
Catholic chaplain at Dundalk prison
Father Coigley seems to have been
specially singled out as the victim of
Orange persecution and insult Secure
In the favor and protection of the gov
eminent, the members of the newly
created Orange society lost no reason
able opportunity Of fulfilling that sec
ton of their amiable VOW which babe
them wade knee deep in Papist blood"
a Catholic priest was a fair quarry for
these beasts of prey, and we may we'll
suppose that the tortures and persccu-
lions to which Father Coigley and his
family were subjected had much to do
with his action in identifying himself
with the men whose broad, tolerant
and statesmanlke policy was freedom
and equal rights for all lrshmen who
lived on Irish soil. At all events, we
can feel assured of one thing-Father
Ccigley was United Irishman.
Lord Clcncurry was one of the priest S
closest and best friends, and he main
tains that Father Coigley's fatal mis-
sion to France, which was interrupted
forever at Margate, was not connected
with the politics Of the period. The
peer, in his personal recolections,"
states that the prosecutions of the all
powerful Orange body in Dundall1 forced
his friend to accept an offer of a pro-
fessorship at the famous Catholic Uni
versity of Douai, where so many young
!rlshmen found the education denied at
home during the penal days. and that
he was on his way to France on such
peaceable mission bent, when he was
arrested, tried. convicted and hanged.
In view Of events which certainly occur
red, this theory however, can hardly
be accepted in full. Lord Holland
agrees with Lord Cloncurry to great
extent. and between them they frame a
charge of incredible meanness and
treachery against Arthur OConnor
which hardly TALES with the character
and career of that eccentric but daring
United Irishman. Their story is that
the connection between the Munster
organizer and the Dundalk priest was
purely accidental; that the latter, being
in dire distress. consented to travel
Francewards as the formers secretary:
that when the arrests were effected at
Margate the priest voluntarily offered to
sacrifice himself that O'Cornor and the