Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
A History of the Franciscan Order in Ireland (Author: Donagh Mooney)
Subsection 14
Buttevant
The convent of Buttevant, or Kilnamulla, as it is called in Irish, was founded by Lord Viscount de Barry.52 How long since I do not know. The church, which still stands is large. It is roofed with pieces of wood, shaped like tiles, and contains the burial places of many of the nobility. The buildings though ample in size, were not well proportioned. Of its records, which must have contained many entries worthy of note, I have no information. At present two friars live in the town, who assist at funerals. They dare not take up their residence at the convent, because Lord John de Barry, who
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holds it from the king, is bound by the heretics, under a heavy fine, to prevent them from occupying it. He is a Catholic, and well disposed towards us, so far as it is possible for him. Buttevant is on the high way from Cork to Limerick. It is about equally distant from both. It was formerly a large town, but is now much decayed. About half-ways farther towards Limerick and within the limits of the district attached to the convent of that city, is Killmallock. Here two martyrs of our Order, the Most Rev. Lord and Father Brother Patrick O'Healy, Bishop of Mayo, and Brother O'Rourke, of the illustrious family of the Princes of Brefny, entered upon a glorious fight for the Faith, and bore away the palm of victory. Gonzaga speaks of them in his work on the rise and progress of the Seraphic Institute. A relation of their martyrdom is also given in the fourth book of the French Chronicles of the Order. I will pass on at present, as I intend to write a detailed account of their lives when I have collected the necessary information. They suffered in 1578, under William Drury, Viceroy of Ireland.