School: An Clochar, Béal an Átha Móir (roll number 13614)

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   “One of the most famous of the Irish priests that lived in the early part of the 19th century was...”

   

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   those were founded on holy Scripture, (are) but Dr. Greggs failed badly to prove that any of them were based on Scripture. Dr. Greggs said, that he had one of the ablest champions in the Catholic Church to contend with. Fr. Tom displayed such a profound knowledge of the Scriptures that he astonished the audience and made mince meat (so to speak) of the arguments of his opponent whose subterfuge silly allegations and brazen effrontery were his outstanding qualifications.

   Fr. Tom received a wonderful ovation from the public on leaving the Rotunda at the termination of the controversy; wild cheering and singing amongst the crowds, that surged around the Rotunda. A public meeting was held a few days afterwards at Cornmarket, Dublin to raise funds to make a suitable presentation to their fearless and indomitable champion of the Catholic Church. The meeting was one of the largest as well as one of the most representative ever held in Cornmarket. Every parish in Ireland contributed something to this presentation.

   Poor Father Tom was not long to survive his great victory over one of Trinity College's leading Theologians. These treacherous bigots felt their defeat keenly that with diabolical ingenuity they planned the death of their opponent. For this purpose they bribed Fr Tom's maid who put poison into his food resulting in his death. A sort of trial followed, at which Fr. Tom's opponents were present but needless to state, no conviction was obtained, the bigotted juryman of those dark days saw to that with the result that this miscreant female was acquitted.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Alice Mulvihill

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   13

   Address

   Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim

   Informant

   J. L. Mullvihill

   Occupation

   Shopkeeper

   Address

   Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim