(From Holing’s Compendium[1] and Bruodin’s Propugnaculum, p. 437)

BROTHER TADHG O’DALY, a native of Kinvarra, and a monk of the Order of St. Francis, was seized by the heretics in the monastery of Askeaton, because he wore the habit of his Order and made open profession of the Catholic faith. 

He was led, as if he were a robber or a traitor, to Limerick, sixteen miles off.

There he was stripped of his habit and cast into prison by order of Drury, the President of the province.[2]

After nine weeks, during which time he gave proofs of his attachment to the faith and of his constancy, he was brought to trial, many crimes being laid to his charge. 

But persevering in the confession of the Catholic faith, he was condemned to death by the verdict of twelve men, heretics and schismatics, because he would not admit that the Queen was Head of the Church. 

To all the promises and threats held out to him by the heretics, he replied with a smile, that no one on account of bodily torments or even death itself should separate himself from the friendship of God.

‘I care not,’ he used to say, ‘how you treat this mortal body of mine; the Almighty God has given you no power to injure my soul.’ 

Again he was thrown into prison. 

There he was often visited by pious Catholics and by a certain holy priest, who obtained access to him in the dress of a layman; from him he obtained absolution of all his sins and received the Blessed Eucharist.

The heretics took him out of the prison, and binding his hands behind his back, had him tied to a horse’s tail and dragged through the streets. 

But he showing not sorrow but delight, repeated aloud with great devotion the hymn Te Deum laudamus.’ 

On the way to the place of execution, he besought his friends who accompanied him, to obtain from the heretics that he should be allowed to wear his religious habit at the time of his death. 

These laughed at the request; but they granted it after a way, and ordered that the habit should be hung up too on the beam by the side of his body. 

After he had hung for a short time, he was taken down half-alive. 

Many of those who were standing by expressly stated that the martyr’s head when cut off uttered these words distinctly:   ‘Lord, show me thy ways.’ 

The fact is attested by F. John good, S.J., who was then in Limerick in his Theatre of Protestant and Catholic Religion. 

And so this brave soldier of Christ earned the palm of martyrdom on January 1st, 1579.

O’Sullevan says another Franciscan, whose name, however, he does not mention, was put to death with him.[3]1

See also Gonzaga, Holing, Rothe, O’Sullevan, Molanus,Ward, Wadding, O’Daly, and Hueber.

[1] In Spic. Ossor., i.92
[2] Drury, of whom mention has been made already at p.102
[3] Decas Patr., fol.. 165 b.

Please pray for final perseverance for all of us!
May the martyrs of old inspire us all.