{"id":353,"date":"2023-06-06T16:35:14","date_gmt":"2023-06-06T16:35:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/okeefeclan.org\/2020\/?page_id=353"},"modified":"2023-06-22T17:17:02","modified_gmt":"2023-06-22T17:17:02","slug":"bishop","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/okeefeclan.org\/2020\/bishop\/","title":{"rendered":"Bishop"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Surname<\/a> | Coat of Arms<\/a> | Kings<\/a> | Castles<\/a> | Gathering<\/a> | Articles<\/a> | Notables<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bishop Cornelius O\u2019Keeffe (1664-1737)<\/strong>
By Daniel O’Keeffe<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cornelius O\u2019Keeffe was born in Drumkine in West Limerick to Denis O\u2019Keeffe and Honora Daly. Denis the bishop\u2019s father was turned out from a large estate at Dunpeter, Gleann an Phriacane (Glenville) on the River Bride East Co. Cork by Oliver Cromwell\u2019s land confiscations. Denis was descended from the O\u2019Keeffe Chieftains of Fermoy. According to Windelle Denis was the 3rd son of Daniel O\u2019Keeffe of Ballymaquirk. But Fr. Eoghan O\u2019Keeffe(genealogist) gives his family tree as descending from the Rathcormac-Glenville O\u2019Keeffes\u2019. After his eviction Denis had many hardships trying to find a farm. He settled down with 6 sons on 30-acre farm at Dunkine, Newcastlewest. Honora Daly \u2013 the bishop\u2019s mother was from a well Cork family. Cornelius was born in 1664. After acquiring a good knowledge of the classics, he proceeded to France and entered the Irish College, Bordeaux, to study for the priesthood. There is still among the papers of the Cathedral of Nantes a certificate that he received Tonsure at the hands of the Archbishop of Bordeaux in March 1686. He completed his studies at the Irish College Toulouse, where he graduated with Doctor of Divinity, but the date of his ordination has not been recorded. \u201cConchubhar according to Fr Eoghan, was no ordinary junior to-day for there was not sprung from the race of the O\u2019Keeffes\u2019 for a long time a more learned member than this Conchubhar who, is at Rochelle presently (i.e. in 1709) an exemplary priest and a Doctor of Divinity. May God protect him and bring him safe to his native land\u201d. A few years after he was promoted to a more responsible position in Nantes, for on the 10th September, 1710 he was presented to the Bishop and Chapter of that diocese as having been nominated to the parish of St. Simlien noted for its magnificent church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He came to Cork city in 1714, as he was appointed Vicar \u2013 General, and devoted all his time labouring in the city for the benefit of the afflicted people and winning golden opinions from all classes for his zeal and attention to duty. In 1720, Cornelius, was appointed bishop of Limerick. According to Linehan in his history of Limerick \u2018 Limerick did not have a bishop since the departure of Dr. Moloney to France in the late 1680s\u2019. The Irish Parliament passed an Act that all \u201cPopish\u201d archbishops, bishops, vicars-generals, religious of every kind to depart from the Kingdom. under threat that any who remained behind should be put in prison and kept there until they be transported beyond the seas. Dr. Moloney died in France in 1702 according to Linehane. The bishops of Munster decided to appoint Dr. O\u2019Keeffe to the \u201cstormy\u201d post. . Cornelius was consecrated by the bishop of Cork Dr. Doncha McCarthy a much-persecuted man who concealed his Episcopal rank, lest he should fall into the hands of the priest hunters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. O\u2019Keeffe took possession of his new See about the middle of 1720 and secretly announced his arrival to the priests in charge. For the next 17 years until his death in 1737 he laboured zealously. \u201cHe died on the 4th May 1737, and was interred in St. John\u2019s Churchyard, but there is no trace of his tomb\u201d Linehan: History of Limerick. St. John\u2019s church \u2013 which exist today lies just inside the old city wall and was confiscated by the Protestants during the Reformation. During his term of office according to Archdeacon Begley \u201c he was in a sea of troubles from the authorities on the one side and false brethren the other. In times of turmoil discipline tends to break down\u201d. The Limerick Leader Feb 1950 stated \u201cthat during his period as bishop he lived the secret life of a proscribed man, and yet managed to run his diocese and minister to his flock\u201d In 1726 the Irish Parliament passed a law that any priest who dared to marry a Catholic and a Protestant was guilty of a crime punishable by death. According to Begley \u201cthat very year a victim was found in Limerick to vindicate the law in the name of Rev Timothy Ryan, who was committed to prison by Mayor Pierse for such a crime, and in the routine of legal machinery was found guilty by a Protestant jury and in due course was executed at Gallows Green.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bishops O\u2019Keeffes\u2019 friends made ardent attempts to bring him back to Cork city after Dr. McCarthy, Tititular bishop died in 1726. A petition signed by three priest on behalf of the priests and the people , was forwarded to the proper quarter. It stated that Dr. O\u2019Keeffe should be transferred from Limerick to Cork, for he alone seemed to be able to deal with the sad state of affairs in their diocese. Indeed they added, it would be a mercy to take him from Limerick where he has gloriously endured so many great severities for the Faith. On the 8th of September a letter written by a Signor Quinci, who appears to have been attached to one of the London Embassies, and to have acted as an intermediary between Ireland, Brussels and Rome. In his communication he discusses the situation in Cork, which he thought \u201c could be best dealt with by the translation of Dr. O\u2019Keeffe from Limerick, where his enemies do not give him a moments rest. ——-In Cork he is well known whereas in Limerick, on the contrary the Protestants are resolved to exile him under Penal Laws to which resolution, for shame, certain priest have taken the Abjuration Oath, give assistance, because of his discipline, ————–He finds himself in a constant state of martyrdom being surrounded by dangers and difficulties on every side\u201d. The letter although highly coloured in his favour did not succeed in securing his appointment to the vacant See. According to Grove White, Bishop Cornelius went to France in the Spring of 1734. He stayed over 12 months, visiting the various places of his education and where he administered. He set-up three Burses while in Paris, “the bishop received a considerable sum of money from some unexpected source , and for a thanks offering he founded on the 8th of September of 1734 three burses in the Irish College for the education of students descended from the O’Keeffes\u2019 of Gleannn Phriacane (Glenville) to be nominated by the Bishop of Limerick or Cork” . O’Murcahda, (1965), – The Family Names of Co. Cork, had an interesting piece re the burses. “Arthur O’Keeffe styling of the Dromagh O\u2019Keeffes\u2019, practised as a counsellor at law at Lincoln Inn London. Arthur filed his lineage and was accompanied by a deed which founded the O’Keeffe Bursarships in the College of Lombard, Paris in 1734, endowed the Bishop Cornelius O’Keeffe – Bishop of Limerick” .As a side note, Arthur was buried in Westminister Abbey.. One could assume from this that Arthur O\u2019Keeffe of Dromagh Castle, gave the considerable amount of money to the Bishop. No sooner was Bishop Cornelius dead when a row started up between the Diocese of Limerick and Cork regarding the bursaries – Begley. Limerick claimed that it was meant for O\u2019Keeffes\u2019 from Limerick and Cork Clergy thought otherwise. As it worked out Limerick won the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bishop Cornelius O\u2019Keeffe Chalice was reported by Day in 1899 (Cork Historical & Archaeological Journal). . It is inscribed \u201cCornelius O\u2019Keeffe, Episcopus Limericensis me fieri fecit, anno domini 1735\u201d According To Day the Bishop\u2019s Chalice was made in Ireland, but was not marked because the gold smith involved did not want to tempt British providence. With the 1735 chalice is a paten and an ancient altar stone \u2013 Day. John Archdeacon Begley PP V.G. M.R.I.A. on his a paper on the Dioceses of Limerick from 1691 to the present , claimed the chalice was possibly brought back from France by Dr O\u2019Keeffe on his last visit their, just before he died \u201cit much resembles other French chalices of the same period\u201d The Chalice, Altar stone and Paten is presently held by Robin Harold Barry, who resides in England. The bishop\u2019s will according to Begley(1938) \u2013 The Diocese of Limerick from 1691 to the Present Time, ordered that \u201cmy own proper ornaments —————–be given to executors and to be kept by them until they find proper persons among my relations and to be distributed as occasion shall offer and they think worthy of them and no other.\u201d The chalice descended, according Day, from the Harold family of Limerick. The Harolds were powerful in Limerick and were good friends of the bishop and must have been passed over to that family by the executors of the bishops will. The executors were Dean Pierce Creagh, John Leahy and Daniel O\u2019Keeffe. The Harolds remained Catholic throughout the penal laws, right through to the 20th century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was according to Begley \u201cgenerally accepted that Dr. O\u2019Keeffe came into the Diocese with few friends at a most disturbed period, and had to run the outlaw\u2019s bold career with a price on his body if not on his head. He began his mission organizing the priests and holding up before them high ideals of the spiritual life, encouraging them by his own example. He was continually doing good, moving from parish to parish with grat caution. He was a great man sent by God to lead his flock through the desert\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Surname | Coat of Arms | Kings | Castles | Gathering | Articles | Notables Bishop Cornelius O\u2019Keeffe (1664-1737)By Daniel O’Keeffe Cornelius O\u2019Keeffe was born in Drumkine in West Limerick to Denis O\u2019Keeffe and Honora Daly. Denis the bishop\u2019s father was turned out from a large estate at Dunpeter, Gleann an Phriacane (Glenville) on the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-353","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/okeefeclan.org\/2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/353","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/okeefeclan.org\/2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/okeefeclan.org\/2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/okeefeclan.org\/2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/okeefeclan.org\/2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=353"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/okeefeclan.org\/2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/353\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":790,"href":"https:\/\/okeefeclan.org\/2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/353\/revisions\/790"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/okeefeclan.org\/2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=353"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}