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Martyred August 1580. LAURENCE O’MOORE, OLIVER PLUNKETT, AND WILLIAM WALSH
LAURENCE O’MOORE was descended from a very ancient and respectable family in Ireland.
He was a priest remarkable for holiness of life, as Sander testifies. 1
When the Spanish General San Jose surrendered the castle of Smerwick, (2) in the western part of Co. Kerry, to Lord Grey, who was the Deputy, the conditions were that the garrison should be allowed to march out with their arms, ammunition, and other property.
But the treacherous heretics did not think themselves bound either by their oath or by the laws that are held sacred even by barbarous nations.
The Spaniards, nine hundred in number, were made to give up their arms, and all but ten and the cowardly commander either cast into the sea or slain in cold blood.
O’Moore and two Irishmen of noble birth, Oliver Plunkett and William Walsh, were taken there also.
These the Deputy required to be handed over to him.
He strove to induce them to abjure the Catholic faith and to embrace Protestantism; and when they refused, and said that with God’s grace they would continue even till death to profess the Catholic faith, he sent them to a blacksmith’s forge and had their limbs broken to pieces with a hammer.
This butchery lasted for twenty-four hours.
During all that time these noblemen displayed extraordinary courage, having been strengthened with the sacraments, which they had received from Father Laurence.
All three expired almost at the same moment, their last words being:
‘Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.’
They were put to death August 1580.
The State Papers confirm fully the above narrative:
This day was executed an Englishman who served Dr. Saunders, one Plunkett, and an Irish priest. Theire armes and legges were broken, and hanged upon a gallowes upon the wall of the fort.’(3) Sander was the Papal Legate, who died soon after in the woods at Aherlow, raving in a phrenesy.’(4) Plunkett, the writer says, was born near Drogheda.
See also Holing, Rothe, O’Sullevan, Copinger, Henriquez, Molanus, Hartry, and Porter.
1 See Spic. Ossor., i. 88
2 See Hennessy’s Raleigh in Ireland, p. 10. The castle was called Dún an Óir.
3 Ibid., p.211. Letter of Sir R, Bingham to Walsingham.
4 See the Introduction to Sander’s Anglican Schism, p.20
Please pray for final perseverance for all of us!
May the martyrs of old inspire us all.
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By Manus Mac MeanmainLAURENCE O’MOORE was descended from a very ancient and respectable family in Ireland.
He was a priest remarkable for holiness of life, as Sander testifies. 1
When the Spanish General San Jose surrendered the castle of Smerwick, (2) in the western part of Co. Kerry, to Lord Grey, who was the Deputy, the conditions were that the garrison should be allowed to march out with their arms, ammunition, and other property.
But the treacherous heretics did not think themselves bound either by their oath or by the laws that are held sacred even by barbarous nations.
The Spaniards, nine hundred in number, were made to give up their arms, and all but ten and the cowardly commander either cast into the sea or slain in cold blood.
O’Moore and two Irishmen of noble birth, Oliver Plunkett and William Walsh, were taken there also.
These the Deputy required to be handed over to him.
He strove to induce them to abjure the Catholic faith and to embrace Protestantism; and when they refused, and said that with God’s grace they would continue even till death to profess the Catholic faith, he sent them to a blacksmith’s forge and had their limbs broken to pieces with a hammer.
This butchery lasted for twenty-four hours.
During all that time these noblemen displayed extraordinary courage, having been strengthened with the sacraments, which they had received from Father Laurence.
All three expired almost at the same moment, their last words being:
‘Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.’
They were put to death August 1580.
The State Papers confirm fully the above narrative:
This day was executed an Englishman who served Dr. Saunders, one Plunkett, and an Irish priest. Theire armes and legges were broken, and hanged upon a gallowes upon the wall of the fort.’(3) Sander was the Papal Legate, who died soon after in the woods at Aherlow, raving in a phrenesy.’(4) Plunkett, the writer says, was born near Drogheda.
See also Holing, Rothe, O’Sullevan, Copinger, Henriquez, Molanus, Hartry, and Porter.
1 See Spic. Ossor., i. 88
2 See Hennessy’s Raleigh in Ireland, p. 10. The castle was called Dún an Óir.
3 Ibid., p.211. Letter of Sir R, Bingham to Walsingham.
4 See the Introduction to Sander’s Anglican Schism, p.20
Please pray for final perseverance for all of us!
May the martyrs of old inspire us all.