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Martyred 4th May 1642 MALACHY SHIELL, O.CIST., AND ANOTHER
(From Hartry’s Synopsis, p.278)
Robert Shiel was born in lveagh, Co.Down.
He joined the Cistercians,[1] and professed under the name Malachy.
He went to the monastery of St. Mary of Newry, then without a pastor.
He discharged his duty for 7 years with Br. Malachy O’Kea O. Cist. When he died, a secular priest, a relative, joined him.
The Scots[2] had almost depopulated Ulster and advanced to Newry, where the ruins of the monastery[3] are still visible.
F. Malachy laboured with his fellow priest, to encourage the Governor for the defence of the town and strong castle.
The enemy captured the town gate. Fr. Malachy and the priest urged the captain to defend the strong castle.
The fearful captain treacherously betrayed the castle. It's said he was promised quarter for himself, his soldiers, and the priests.
But as soon as the enemy got possession of the place, they seized the priests, threw them into prison, and that night they were condemned to death.
The following day, the feast of the Finding of the Cross,[4] in 1642, Fr. Malachy was hanged naked from the beams of a wooden bridge.
The bodies of the martyrs were thrown into the river that flowed by.
They were found on the bank and buried by the Catholics in clean winding-sheet. (a shroud)
But that night the soldiers stripped the bodies, leaving them naked above ground.
They were later buried in the cemetery of the monastery.
When Br. Malachy was being led to his execution, he burst into a laugh and when asked why, he replied ‘I rejoice at the things that were said to me : we shall go into the house of the Lord!’
While engaged in joyous prayer, he received the prize of martyrdom.
O’Mellan says Rory O’Shiel, a monk of the Order of St. Bernard, and a priest, was executed, and thrown from the bridge of Newry.’[5]
A letter[6] of Monroe, May 15th, 1642, to Leslie. 'We entered into examination of the townsmen if all were papists and the indifferent being severed from the bad, whereof sixty with two priests were shot and hanged.’[7]
Colonel Henry O’Neill:
‘Newry was surrendered upon the first summons by a fresh-water Governor upon mercy, which proved so merciless that a great many of the clergy and laity were hanged, killed, and drowned.
[1] Thumphalia, p. 283
[2] Monroe came to Ireland in April, 1642 with 2500 Scotch. Leslie came in August. Scotch troops in Ulster amounted to 10000 men.
[3] Founded for Cistercians about 1150 by Maurice Macloughlin, King of Ireland. See Triumphalia, Introd. Xiv. No trace remains.
[4] May 4th
[5] Irish MS., in library of the RI. Academy, 23. H.7
[6] Aphor. Disc., iii. 196
[7] Appendix to Aphor. Disc., i. 421
Please pray for final perseverance for all of us!
May the martyrs of old inspire us all.
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By Manus Mac Meanmain(From Hartry’s Synopsis, p.278)
Robert Shiel was born in lveagh, Co.Down.
He joined the Cistercians,[1] and professed under the name Malachy.
He went to the monastery of St. Mary of Newry, then without a pastor.
He discharged his duty for 7 years with Br. Malachy O’Kea O. Cist. When he died, a secular priest, a relative, joined him.
The Scots[2] had almost depopulated Ulster and advanced to Newry, where the ruins of the monastery[3] are still visible.
F. Malachy laboured with his fellow priest, to encourage the Governor for the defence of the town and strong castle.
The enemy captured the town gate. Fr. Malachy and the priest urged the captain to defend the strong castle.
The fearful captain treacherously betrayed the castle. It's said he was promised quarter for himself, his soldiers, and the priests.
But as soon as the enemy got possession of the place, they seized the priests, threw them into prison, and that night they were condemned to death.
The following day, the feast of the Finding of the Cross,[4] in 1642, Fr. Malachy was hanged naked from the beams of a wooden bridge.
The bodies of the martyrs were thrown into the river that flowed by.
They were found on the bank and buried by the Catholics in clean winding-sheet. (a shroud)
But that night the soldiers stripped the bodies, leaving them naked above ground.
They were later buried in the cemetery of the monastery.
When Br. Malachy was being led to his execution, he burst into a laugh and when asked why, he replied ‘I rejoice at the things that were said to me : we shall go into the house of the Lord!’
While engaged in joyous prayer, he received the prize of martyrdom.
O’Mellan says Rory O’Shiel, a monk of the Order of St. Bernard, and a priest, was executed, and thrown from the bridge of Newry.’[5]
A letter[6] of Monroe, May 15th, 1642, to Leslie. 'We entered into examination of the townsmen if all were papists and the indifferent being severed from the bad, whereof sixty with two priests were shot and hanged.’[7]
Colonel Henry O’Neill:
‘Newry was surrendered upon the first summons by a fresh-water Governor upon mercy, which proved so merciless that a great many of the clergy and laity were hanged, killed, and drowned.
[1] Thumphalia, p. 283
[2] Monroe came to Ireland in April, 1642 with 2500 Scotch. Leslie came in August. Scotch troops in Ulster amounted to 10000 men.
[3] Founded for Cistercians about 1150 by Maurice Macloughlin, King of Ireland. See Triumphalia, Introd. Xiv. No trace remains.
[4] May 4th
[5] Irish MS., in library of the RI. Academy, 23. H.7
[6] Aphor. Disc., iii. 196
[7] Appendix to Aphor. Disc., i. 421
Please pray for final perseverance for all of us!
May the martyrs of old inspire us all.