Trial, Torture and Execution of Archbishop O'Hurley.

CHAPTER XV. **

The Trial, Tortures, and Execution of Archbishop O’Hurley - Papal Commission preparatory to his Canonization - Father Betagh’s Schools - Old Irish Records - Old Wooden Houses - Cook Street in ‘98 - Cook Street Tavern-The “Black Dog.”** **

In the last chapter I mentioned the story of the martyrdom and burial of Archbishop O’Hurley. It would not be possible for me within the space at my disposal in this volume to go into the many interesting facts in connection with his life and times. He was born in the parish of Knocklea, in the county Limerick, in 1519**. **There being no schools or colleges at home, he had to go to the Continent to receive the necessary education to fit him for the sacred ministry.

After his ordination he was appointed Professor at Louvain. Whilst he was at Rome the See of Cashel became vacant, and he was appointed Archbishop by GREGORY XIII., his consecration taking place on the 27th November, 1581. After a few months preparation he proceeded to Ireland. It is recorded that he appeared to have a presentiment of his sufferings, of the death, and crown of martyrdom.

Bishop O’Hurley had in those penal days to travel in disguise. He sent his papers, etc., to Waterford by a Wexford sailing merchant. Accompanied by his devoted chaplain, Father Dillon, he travelled by many secret routes to avoid the spies and human bloodhounds then dogging the footsteps of persons coming into Ireland, but more especially from abroad. He landed at Skerries, from whence he proceeded to Waterford.

Here a surprise awaited him. The merchant’s ship to Waterford had been seized by pirates. The Papal Bulls, letters, etc., were seized, and were produced in evidence against him later at Dublin Castle. At Waterford Father Dillon was recognised, captured, and cast into prison, but Dr. O’Hurley managed to evade the spy. He got on to Slane, thence to Carrick-on-Suir, where he was welcomed by the Earl of Ormond at his castle.

The Government authorities in Dublin in the meantime learning that the Archbishop had been at Slane had the Baron of that place summoned to Dublin to account for the presence of the stranger, and intimated that strong action would be taken unless he delivered up his guest to them. This noble Baron proceeded forthwith to Carrick, and seized the Archbishop, who was at once put in chains, and led off to Kilkenny.

After a few days he was brought to Dublin. His sufferings on the road were intense. Every indignity and hardship possible were inflicted upon him. Arriving in the city he was taken at once to the Castle, and brought before Loftus, the English pervert, who was at that time Protestant Archbishop of Dublin, and Sir Henry Wallop, for examination. Being asked if he was a priest he answered yes, and added moreover he was an Archbishop.

After his examination he was closely confined in one of the dungeons in the Birmingham Tower, and kept in chains till the Holy Thursday of the following year. After a series of examinations no crime was discovered against him, and as he could not be transferred to England, Sir Henry Wallop determined to subject the Archbishop to torture called the “Boots,” in the hope that if he could not extort a confession from him he might force him to abjure his faith. Of this torture the historian Stanihurst writes:-

“In the Castle Yard, before the officials of the Government, the executioner placed the Archbishop’s feet and calves in tin boots filled with oil. They then fastened his feet in wooden shackles or stocks, and placed fire under them. The boiling oil so penetrated the feet and legs that morsels of skin and flesh fell off and left the bones bare.

During all his agony the Archbishop gave not a cry, his only expression being ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy upon me.’ No torture could wring any confession from him. At last, exhausted, he lay on the ground. The head executioner feared he had exceeded his orders, and had him carefully removed back to prison, where he was visited by a member of the Jesuit Order, Father McMorris, who gave relief to the Archbishop, so much so that at the end of a fortnight he was enabled to sit up in bed.”

The two worthies I have already mentioned1 Loftus and Wallop, were about to quit office in the Castle, and Sir John Perrot was to rule instead. He was to receive the Sword of State on Sunday the Feast of the Holy Trinity. They, thinking that influence from the Ormondes would prevail and save Dr. O’Hurley, determined to vent their hatred against the Archbishop. In order to deprive him of any such chance, he was tried by courtmartial and condemned to death.

Archbishop Loftus tells the story in his official report to Sir F. Walshingham, 7th March, *1583, *from which the following is an extract:- “We thought it meet, according to our direction, to proceed with him by courtmartial, and for our farewell, two days before we delivered over the sword, being the 19th June, we gave warrant to the KNIGHT MARSHAL, in his Majesty’s name, to do execution on him (O’Hurley), which accordingly was performed, and thereby the realm well rid of a most pestilent member, who was in an assured expectation of some means to be wrought for his enlargement, if he might have found that favour to have had his time prolonged to the end of our Government.

This occurred on 25th June, 1581, the Friday preceding the installation of Perrot. The Archbishop was drawn on a hurdle through the Castle garden. He was taken away from the Castle without any noise. Only two townsmen met him as he was on his way to the place of execution. These and a friend of his also accompanied him. The martyr was hanged in St. Stephen’s Green, then outside the city. The Green was then an osiery, and in order to prolong his agony his three executioners hanged him with a rope made of twigs.

The site of the scaffold was, according to tradition, where Fitzwilliam Street crosses Baggot Street, where executions took place up to a comparatively late date. This place was known as Gallows Road in 1756. Mr. William Fitzsimons, the friend who had accompanied the Archbishop, had the remains of the martyr enclosed in a coffin (it having been thrown into a trench made under the gallows), and reinterred them, when the shades of night had fallen, in the old burial ground of St. Kevin’s, in Camden Row, near the Meath Hospital.

For many years afterwards the pious people of Dublin made pilgrimages to his grave, but persecutions setting in, those who knew the secret died out, and after a lapse of time the grave of the martyr was forgotten, but it will yet be rediscovered (as was that of St. Francis at Assisi, which was unknown for a period of 150 years), when it will be justly venerated, as it was in the days of old, by the people of Dublin.

The following interesting reference to the Martyr Bishop is made in Burke’s History of the Irish Lord Chancellors, published in 1879:**- **“The bones of Archbishop O’Hurley were interred in St. Kevin’s Churchyard, Dublin. Multitudes of pilgrims have for three centuries thronged to his tomb, which the fancy, perhaps the superstition, of the people clothed with many legends. One is, that on dark and tempestuous nights, the spectre of the murdered Archbishop, arrayed in mourning and gory vestments, is to be seen reading the Canon of the Mass by sickly lights, on a phantom altar raised over his grave, but when he comes to the raising of the Host, the lights are out, and the altar is gone.”

Before passing away from this now neglected and somewhat unknown graveyard, let me add a few items of more than ordinary interest. In 1784** **the celebrated Jesuit, Father Austin, was interred here, and we may presume it was near to the grave of Archbishop O’Hurley, as the position of his grave was then probably known.

We next find a Jesuit Father doing justice to the memory of the Archbishop, when the late Rev. Denis Murphy left on record the documents and recalled the many incidents connected with his martyrdom, in his most valuable volume, entitled “Our Martyrs.” Following up this noble work, we see also the late Rev. Father Conmee, S.J., at Rome, he being selected as the bearer of the work of the Commission which had deliberated in Dublin, the prayer of which was that the name of Archbishop O’Hurley be placed upon the roll of Ireland’s martyr saints.

This Commission, appointed by his Holiness Pope Pius X. on 6th August, 1906, sat in Dublin, under the presidency of his Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Walsh, investigating the names and claims of those who suffered martyrdom for the Faith in Ireland in centuries gone by. Amongst those from Dublin whose names, I modestly presume, have been inscribed on the glorious martyrology roll is that of the Most Rev. Dermod O’Hurley, Archbishop of Cashel.

Returning once more to the Cook Street area, we come to Rosemary Lane. This place had a variety of names. In 1403** **it is styled in a lease as “Lovestokes Lane,” which was subsequently changed into “Longstick Lane” and “Woodstock Lane.”

In the seventeenth century it was known as now “Rosemary Lane.” We learn from Gilbert that on the western side of Rosemary Lane was a large building used for a considerable period as a Roman Catholic chapel of the parishes of SS. Michael and John, which in the reign of CHARLES I. was placed under the care of Father Coyle, who was succeeded in 1628 by Father Brangan.

A Government report states that ” There is one Mass-house in St. Michael’s parish, which stands at the back side of Mr. George Taylor’s house; it is partly within the walls; the Recusants of that parish, and of the parishes adjoining, resort thither commonly; the priest that saith Mass there, and is commonly called the priest of the parish, is named Patrick Brangan. The parishioners of St. John’s Parish that are Recusants (adds the report) frequent the above-named Mass-house, and have the same man for their priest.”

Attached to this church were many worthy priests, but pre-eminent amongst them was the Rev. Dr. Betagh, a native of Kells, County Meath, whose parents placed him at a very early age under the care of Father Austin, S.J. In 1755 he was sent to the University of Pont-a-Mouson, in Lorraine, joined the novitiate, and in due time received priesthood. Returning to Ireland in 1769, he received his degree of a professed Father in 1773, and made his solemn profession in the hand of Father John Ward, the last Superior of the Irish Mission before its dissolution.

When the suppression of his ever-beloved Society took place he attached himself to his former teachers, Fathers Austin, Mulcaile, and Fullham. With them for years he assisted the secular clergy, and acted as curate, and succeeded the Rev. Father Field as P.P. Here in the old chapel of Rosemary Lane, on the site of the present Franciscan Church, his preaching, teaching, and administrations sustained the Faith.

In addition to the Seminary in Saul’s Court, off Fishamble Street, where the sons of the more respectable classes intended for the priesthood, like the Most Rev. Dr. Murray, Dr. Yore, and numbers of others were educated, and from which they were sent on to Stoneyhurst College - amongst the lay pupils may be named O’Keeffe, the celebrated actor - Dr. Betagh established in Schoolhouse Lane, then in Skinner’s Row, next in Hoye’s Court, and finally in Smock Alley (now Essex Street, West), evening, day, and Sunday schools, the last remaining still in existence.

Dr. Blake thus writes of Father Betagh “Look at the man who at the age of 73 would sit down in a cold, damp cellar every night to hear the lessons of these children, and contrive to clothe 40 of the most destitute of them every year at his own expense.”

The old chapel in Rosemary Lane was falling into a ruinous state. Towards the end of 1810 was laid the foundation-stone of the new Church of SS. Michael and John in Exchange Street, which was partially opened on Christmas Day, 1813. We glean from Bishop Donnelly’s booklet the following interesting facts:-

“The church was run up principally by the volunteer work of Dublin tradesmen, who worked at the church in their aftertime, In 1818 a bell (at present in use) was set up in the belfry, the first in any Catholic church since the Reformation. As this was against the Penal Laws, Alderman Carleton, of Castle Street, instituted legal proceedings to silence the bell, but the clergy of the church were defended by DANIEL O’CONNELL, and the prosecution, at the suggestion of the Attorney-General, was withdrawn.”

After a successful mission of nearly 50 years Dr. Betagh died on the 16th February, 1811.** **The following record appears in the *Hibernian Magazine. *for February, 1811:- “At his residence, 80 Cook Street, died on Saturday night, February 16th, about twelve o’clock, in the 74th year of his age, the Rev. Dr. Betagh, V. G.”

His funeral took place on the following Tuesday, and was attended by over 20,000 persons. His remains were interred in the Jesuits’ vaults in Old St. Michan’s, Church Street. About 1822 they were removed to the vault of his own church, SS Michael and John, under the High Altar. A monument executed by Turnerelli was first placed in Rosemary Lane Chapel after his demise. In October 1815, it was re-erected in the new church, Lower Exchange Street, where it is to be seen to-day.

Fathers Austin and Betagh had their school in a most appropriately named place-viz., Schoolhouse Lane, off Cook Street. If we wander down that narrow passage from High Street to Cook Street we will notice that its width is only about nine feet. We in so doing will scarcely realise the fact that in this laneway were at one time kept some of the most important records in connection with Ireland’s chequered history.

Early in the 18th century the Government authorities awakened to their responsibility for preserving the country’s records, and in order to achieve that object the Irish House of Lords, on the 30th November, 1739, appointed a Committee to “inspect the records of Ireland, and report in what manner same are now kept.”

The Committee reported that they visited the various places in which the records were housed. They gave a detailed description of each place inspected by them. Those details I hope to examine in some future paper. The portion of the report which calls for attention just now deals with the place situated within the Cook Street area, which was as follows:-

“The King’s Bench Office is in Schoolhouse Lane, one of the narrowest in the City of Dublin. The Clerk informed the Lords Committee that about two years ago a fire broke out very near the office, which gave them great alarm, and there is now an old cage workhouse within so small a distance as to make its situation very dangerous. In this office are kept outlawries and attainders, those particularly of Papists, on account of the rebellions of 1643** **and 1688. If these should be burned, the Lords Committee fear that the Protestant possessors would at best be exposed to vexatious law suits to defend and establish their titles to many forfeited estates.

“The Prothonotary of the Common Pleas has his office in Winetavern Street. An old cage workhouse, now an ale house, joins it at one side, and the beams of the house on the other are lodged in the walls of the office. At the back there is a yard of about 10 feet square, entirely surrounded by houses, in any of which, or the office itself, if a fire should break out, it would be scarce possible to use proper means to preserve either houses or records.”

Near to this place in Cook Street was the residence of Sir James Carroll, King’s Remembrancer to James I., and Mayor of Dublin in 1612**, 1615, and 1634. **We also glean from Gilbert that a century later it was the residence of another Mayor of the city, Sir Anthony King, an eccentric brazer, who was Lord Mayor in 1778, and was knighted while Sheriff for capturing a felon (escaping from Newgate), whom he pursued through the subterranean and noisome recesses of the Poddle River.

150 ago a considerable section of what we term the outer portion of Cook Street area was transformed into the condition we see it in to-day. In Corn Market we see the Bull Ring and Newgate Prison. In the latter was confined the Most Rev. Archbishop Oliver Plunkett. He was confined in this jail from December, 1679, till October, 1680, when he was removed to London to be “tried.” He was arraigned at the King’s Bench on the 8th June, 1681, and, being found guilty, was executed at Tyburn on the 1st** **July, 1681.

When John Wesley visited Ireland in 1747 he preached to the prisoners in Newgate. Speaking of one of his visits to the jail, he says:-

“I preached in Newgate, at two, in the Common Hall, the jailor refusing us the room where we used to preach; but that is not the worst. I am afraid Our Lord refuses his blessing to this place; all the seed seems to fall to the wayside. I see no fruit of our labours.”

In 1767, the jail getting into a bad condition and not large enough for the prisoners usually confined there, steps were at last taken for the erection of a new jail, which was built on the north side of the city, and was known as the New Prison in Green Street, which was opened in September. 1780. This building was supposed to be an improvement on Newgate, but after a short period it became as bad, if not worse, and the Green Street Prison was closed over forty years ago. In connection with Corn Market and its prison the following memoranda, extracted from Austin Cooper’s “Manuscript History of the County of Dublin,” by William Domville Handcock, is somewhat interesting:-

“1782, August 6th - Passing through Cook Street I perceived that the low wooden houses on the west side of St. Audeon’s Arch had been pulled down last January. They are now building on the site of them.

“1782, August 8th - Passing under Newgate (Newgate, the old city prison, was built in a square form and had a tower at each angle, with a gateway between, through which the traffic and other communication was carried, and was the only entrance to and from the city on the west.) (Corn Market) I observed that they had just begun to pull it down. I paid many visits since which enabled one to make the following observations:-

Mr. Harris, in his ’ History of Dublin,’ tells us it consisted of four towers, and upon being repaired at the time of the usurpation the two towers next the city were thrown down. In this particular I must differ with him, as by the annexed sketch, which I took when it was pulling down, it plainly appears that there was but one tower taken down, which was that at the west corner, and by making a regular front on that side and carrying the wall in a direct line before the opposite tower a small apartment was gained at A, which latterly was the guard room, and the only entry. A few years ago the guard room was between the two towers at B.

About the year a footway was opened at the east side and carried through the south tower at C, which causes the ground floor to be let for a shop, being on a line with the adjoining houses, as it was cut off from the other parts, but immediately over the shop the cell for condemned felons was kept.

I was much surprised to find that the walls of so old and durable a building, which would ever resist the effects of time, were only four feet thick-a proof of its antiquity and good workmanship. In October, 1780, they began to pull it down, but stopped. For some time after it was used as a prison for female nocturnal strollers, who were taken up by the parish associations, then newly formed.

“1782, Oct. 7 - Passing through Thomas Street, I found they had in the course of the former week pulled down the range of old wooden houses at the corner of Mace Lane, generally called pest houses. There were five of them, and of but two storeys high. They have been in a ruinous and tottering state for some time past. The following are the remaining wooden houses in the city -Two in Corn Market, two in Back Lane, one in Patrick Street, one at Werburgh Street and Castle Street corner, two on Coal Quay, one at the corner of Trinity Street, one at the Old Crane, and one in Boot Lane. Total, 11.”

The story of ‘98 is interwoven with that of Cook Street. In one of the taverns in this street, known as the “Struggler,” were held the meetings of the United Irishmen. Many a time and oft was the figure of Lord Edward Fitzgerald seen when on his way to this place of meeting of the revolutionary conclave. In the adjoining street (Bridge Street) was the central place of the movement. It was here, by the seizure of the Directory at Oliver Bond’s house on the **12th March, 1798, **that the Government struck their deadly blow at the organisation of the United Irishmen.

Amongst its other attractions Cook Street in 1750** **had its cockpit, this being situated in one of the taverns, of which there were a number in the street, viz., “The Sign of the Harp,” “Old Robin Hood,” “The Sun,” “Baggot’s Tavern,” “The Ship Tavern,” and “The New Struggler,” which was run in opposition to the “Struggler” tavern already referred to.

Cook Street in the 18th century was the “hub” of the Catholic printers then in the city of Dublin, who “spread the light” in face of desperate odds and dangers. The following clause from one of the penal laws passed in the reign of James I. will more fully convey what I mean in this latter respect

“Stat. III., Jac., cap. V.”

Whoever imports prints, buys, or sells any Popish books written in English, forfeits forty shillings for every book.

The first Popish printer was but a poor man; his name was Henry Lord. From his house, known as the Angel and Bible, in 1750**, **were issued a number of tracts and booklets in favour of Catholic Emancipation. He also published in 1755 Charles O’Connor’s, “Case of the Roman Catholics.” Patrick Byrn was another printer who did good work. He commenced in 1766, and was located at the corner of Keyser’s Lane. He published “Henry VIII.’s Defence of the Seven Sacraments,” the title-page of which volume I give.

These printers, I believe, were the first in the penal days to issue “Popish” books with their names on the title-pages. In later years John Grace had his printing-office at 70** **Cook Street, whence he sent forth volumes which can bear comparison with the work of the Dublin printers of to-day.

The Corn Market in days gone by was one of the most important localities in the city, most of the principal city merchants having their residences close by. At the western end of Keyser’s Lane, at the beginning of the seventeenth century, was the building, afterwards known as the New Hall, which was later used as a meat market.

This market was closed in 1790. Its site is now occupied by the houses on the eastern side of Upper Bridge Street. The Corn Market of the city was removed to Thomas Street in 1727. One of the interesting associations is that of Browne’s Castle, which stood close to Cook Street, between Wormwood Gate and Newgate.

It was named Browne’s Castle from its proprietor, Richard Browne, who was Mayor for the years 1614, 1615, and 1620. He kept his Mayoralty in this building, in the back room of which the proscribed priests used to celebrate Mass privately in the reign of James I. This castle was afterwards converted into an inn known as the “Black Dog,” from the sign of a Talbot or hound. Barton, the owner of the inn, was committed by the Irish House of Lords in 1661, for saying to some of his customers that “the Earl of Drogheda was a cheating knave, and he thought all the Lords of Ireland were no better.”

In the early portion of the eighteenth century the “Black Dog” was used as the Marshalsea Prison of the Sheriff of the City of Dublin. In 1783** **Sir James Fitzpatrick, M.D., wrote:-

“The ‘Black Dog’ in the City of Dublin is in an unwholesome situation in New Hall Market, surrounded with every exhalation necessary to promote putrefaction.” His description of the abuses which he saw is appalling. The “Black Dog” continued in use till 1796.** **When the erection of the Sheriffs Prison in Green Street (now the Police Barracks) was completed, it was closed.

In concluding our rambles around the Cook Street area, we must not forget Napper Tandy, who, in his early years, carried on the business of an Ironmonger at 21** Cornmarket. In consequence of the re-numbering of the houses it is somewhat difficult to locate 21 **positively, but I am of opinion it would be about where Mr. Doyle’s provision store now stands.

Lord Edward Fitzgerald, when on his keeping, lay for some days at the house next door, No. 22, then owned by a draper named Gleeson. All sides of this neighbourhood are full of historical associations which are worth revival. In concluding my simple papers, which I have presumed to call “Historical Associations of Cook Street,” let me say, in the words of Montaigne: “I have here made a nosegay of culled flowers, and have brought nothing of my own but the string that ties them.”

AN “OLD RESIDENT’S” RECOLLECTIONS.

A lady writes to us *[Evening Telegraph] *as follows in regard. to our article of last Saturday on “The Historical Associations of Cook Street,” by Mr. James Collins **

TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVENING TELEGRAPH. **

DEAR SIR** - In **reference to your remark in Saturday’s *Telegraph, *I beg to state I remember having played amongst the ruins of the Seminary referred to. It stood between Pembroke Court and the entrance to Labour Yard - at that time Saul’s Court, at present Lord Edward Street.

I would like to remind you of an old graveyard in John’s Lane, Fishamble Street. I remember when very young having been shown a certain grave in the centre, and told by a very old woman that the remains of the Rev. Father Murray were interred there. She also told me he died a martyr in the penal days.

How true this statement is I cannot certify, but a visit to it may bring other items of interest under the notice of others who are interested. Entrance at any time by first hall door in John’s Lane. I also remember Dr. Betagh’s School in Smock Alley, having been taught my first lessons there, and transferred to Essex Street, where they are at present. The old school was held in a lane between 5 and 6 Smock Alley, now Essex Street.

At present one of the teachers transferred from Smock Alley School is teaching in the present school, Miss Tiernan by name. An old woman, at present living in High Street, opposite Keogh’s, would be able to give you some better information about Fishamble Street and Saul’s Court, name, Mrs. Burgess, High Street. At present there is a very old and true bust of Dr. Betagh for sale in a Church Street broker’s shop. Trusting you will pardon my remarks.

AN OLD RESIDENT.

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