Boetius Egan
Encyclopedia
Boetius Egan was a Roman Catholic Archbishop of Tuam
in County Galway
, Ireland
.
. His family was reduced in position and means, and British penal laws made it then difficult for an Irish Catholic to receive Catholic education at home. At some point, he went to France to be trained as a priest. He attended the College of Bordeaux
, there, which had been founded by Irish exiles and endowed by queen Anne
in the seventeenth century.
After his ordination Egan returned to Ireland and served as a priest until he was appointed Bishop of Achonry in 1785. Two years later he was appopinted Archbishop of Tuam
. Accustomed during his whole life in Ireland to the barest toleration of his religion, he welcomed the Catholic Relief Act of 1793, and hastened to express his gratitude to king George III
. When Maynooth College was founded in 1795, he became one of its trustees.
One of his last public acts was to sign an address to the Irish viceroy
, Lord Camden, condemning the revolutionary associations then in Ireland. In this address he described George III as "the best of kings" and the Irish Parliament as "our enlightened legislature".
Archbishop of Tuam
The Archbishop of Tuam is an archiepiscopal title which takes its name after the town of Tuam in County Galway, Ireland. The title was used by the Church of Ireland until 1839, and is still in use by the Roman Catholic Church.-History:...
in County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
Biography
Egan was born near Tuam, Ireland, 1734, to a family owning large estates in the County GalwayCounty Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
. His family was reduced in position and means, and British penal laws made it then difficult for an Irish Catholic to receive Catholic education at home. At some point, he went to France to be trained as a priest. He attended the College of Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
, there, which had been founded by Irish exiles and endowed by queen Anne
Anne of Austria
Anne of Austria was Queen consort of France and Navarre, regent for her son, Louis XIV of France, and a Spanish Infanta by birth...
in the seventeenth century.
After his ordination Egan returned to Ireland and served as a priest until he was appointed Bishop of Achonry in 1785. Two years later he was appopinted Archbishop of Tuam
Archbishop of Tuam
The Archbishop of Tuam is an archiepiscopal title which takes its name after the town of Tuam in County Galway, Ireland. The title was used by the Church of Ireland until 1839, and is still in use by the Roman Catholic Church.-History:...
. Accustomed during his whole life in Ireland to the barest toleration of his religion, he welcomed the Catholic Relief Act of 1793, and hastened to express his gratitude to king George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
. When Maynooth College was founded in 1795, he became one of its trustees.
One of his last public acts was to sign an address to the Irish viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
, Lord Camden, condemning the revolutionary associations then in Ireland. In this address he described George III as "the best of kings" and the Irish Parliament as "our enlightened legislature".