Fr Patrick Lavelle : the rise and fall of an Irish nationalist, 1825-1886
This is a study of Father Patrick Lavelle, one of the most radical members of the post- Famine Irish Catholic Church. Lavelle, who came from a comfortable tenant-farming background in Mayo, pursued his clerical studies in Maynooth and from an early stage displayed an aggressive and uncompromising manner. His confrontations with John Miley at the Irish College, Paris; Bishop Thomas Plunket in Partry, Cardinal Paul Cullen, John O'Connor Power and others gained him a reputation as a pugnacious and zealous opponent. However, the more gentler side of his nature was revealed when he met Sir Arthur Guinness in Cong in the 1870s.While Lavelle is commonly regarded as a tenacious radical, it is often overlooked that he laboured relentlessly for his poor, oppressed parishioners of Partry against the twin dangers of Evangelicalism and famine. His pastoral duties were similar to those of other clerics in the west of Ireland and highlight the importance of the priest in the survival of their congregations. Lavelle's fame is normally associated with the Fenian movement, in which he defended the right of Irish people to rebel against tyrannical government. This policy brought him into conflict with Paul Cullen who continuously
Moran, Gerard Patrick Joseph
Philosophy
Fr Patrick Lavelle : the rise and fall of an Irish nationalist, 1825-1886. This is a study of Father Patrick Lavelle, one of the most radical members of the post- Famine Irish Catholic Church. Lavelle, who came from a comfortable tenant-farming background in Mayo, pursued his clerical studies in Maynooth and from an early stage displayed an aggressive and uncompromising manner. His confrontations with John Miley at the Irish College, Paris; Bishop Thomas Plunket in Partry, Cardinal Paul Cullen, John O'Connor Power and others gained him a reputation as a pugnacious and zealous opponent. However, the more gentler side of his nature was revealed when he met Sir Arthur Guinness in Cong in the 1870s.While Lavelle is commonly regarded as a tenacious radical, it is often overlooked that he laboured relentlessly for his poor, oppressed parishioners of Partry against the twin dangers of Evangelicalism and famine. His pastoral duties were similar to those of other clerics in the west of Ireland and highlight the importance of the priest in the survival of their congregations. Lavelle's fame is normally associated with the Fenian movement, in which he defended the right of Irish people to rebel against tyrannical government. This policy brought him into conflict with Paul Cullen who continuously
rise_fall irish nationalist study father radical member post famine irish catholic_church come comfortable tenant farming background pursue clerical study early_stage display aggressive uncompromising manner confrontation john irish college paris bishop thomas cardinal paul john power others gain reputation zealous opponent however side nature reveal meet sir commonly regard radical often_overlook labour poor parishioner twin danger evangelicalism famine pastoral duty similar cleric west ireland highlight_importance priest survival congregation fame normally associate movement defend right irish people rebel government policy bring conflict paul continuously