Colman O'Shaughnessy
Encyclopedia
Colman O'Shaughnessy, O.P.
(died 2 September 1748) was an Irish
Roman Catholic
clergyman who served as Bishop of Ossory
from 1736 until his death in 1748.
He was the eldest son of Cormac, second son of Dermott Ó Seachnasaigh
. He was educated at Athenry
College, after which he became an army officer. When he left his military career, he joined the Dominican Order
. He made his ecclesiastical studies in Louvain
, and he completed them before 1706. After serving on the Irish Mission for years, with great zeal and success, he was elected Provincial
of the Dominican Order
on 30 April 1726. Almost ten years later, he was appointed Bishop of Ossory
by a papal brief
on 5 October 1736.
When his uncle, William O'Shaughnessy
, died in 1744, he became the Chief of the Name and commenced a lawsuit
in the Court of Common Pleas
to recover the ancient O'Shaughnessy
estates at Gort
in County Galway
, Ireland
. The property had been taken from Roger O'Shaughnessy
by King William III
in 1690, and given to Thomas Prendergast in 1697. Despite a protracted court case, which lasted beyond the life of the bishop, it was finally ruled in favour of the Prendergasts, the penal laws against Catholics tending to defeat the rights of the O'Shaughnessies.
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
(died 2 September 1748) was an Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
clergyman who served as Bishop of Ossory
Bishop of Ossory
The Bishop of Ossory is an episcopal title which takes its name after the ancient of Kingdom of Ossory in the Province of Leinster, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishoprics.-History:The diocese of Ossory...
from 1736 until his death in 1748.
He was the eldest son of Cormac, second son of Dermott Ó Seachnasaigh
Dermott Ó Seachnasaigh
Sir Dermott Ó Seachnasaigh, Chief of the Name, died 1673.Ó Seachnasaigh was married to Joan, daughter of Lord Barrymore and had sons Roger and Cormac. A copy of his will survives.-References:...
. He was educated at Athenry
Athenry
Athenry is a town in County Galway, Ireland. It lies east of Galway city, and one of the attractions of the town is its medieval castle. The town is also well-known by virtue of the song "The Fields of Athenry".-History:...
College, after which he became an army officer. When he left his military career, he joined the Dominican Order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
. He made his ecclesiastical studies in Louvain
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
, and he completed them before 1706. After serving on the Irish Mission for years, with great zeal and success, he was elected Provincial
Provincial superior
A Provincial Superior is a major superior of a religious order acting under the order's Superior General and exercising a general supervision over all the members of that order in a territorial division of the order called a province--similar to but not to be confused with an ecclesiastical...
of the Dominican Order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
on 30 April 1726. Almost ten years later, he was appointed Bishop of Ossory
Bishop of Ossory
The Bishop of Ossory is an episcopal title which takes its name after the ancient of Kingdom of Ossory in the Province of Leinster, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishoprics.-History:The diocese of Ossory...
by a papal brief
Papal brief
The Papal Brief is a formal document emanating from the Pope, in a somewhat simpler and more modern form than a Papal Bull.-History:The introduction of briefs, which occurred at the beginning of the pontificate of Pope Eugenius IV , was clearly prompted for the same desire for greater simplicity...
on 5 October 1736.
When his uncle, William O'Shaughnessy
William O'Shaughnessy
-Early life:William O'Shaughnessy was a member of the Uí Seachnasaigh of Cenél Áeda na hEchtge in south County Galway. His father was The Ó Seachnasaigh, Roger O'Shaughnessy, while his mother was Helen O'Brien, daughter of Conor mac Donogh O'Brien, a son of Donogh O'Brien, 4th Earl of Thomond...
, died in 1744, he became the Chief of the Name and commenced a lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
in the Court of Common Pleas
Court of Common Pleas (Ireland)
The Court of Common Pleas was one of the senior courts of common law in Ireland. It was a mirror image of the equivalent court in England...
to recover the ancient O'Shaughnessy
O'Shaughnessy
Ó Seachnasaigh, O'Shaughnessy, collectively Uí Sheachnasaigh, clan name Cinél nAedha na hEchtghe, is a family surname of Irish origin.The name is found primarily in County Galway and County Limerick...
estates at Gort
Gort
Gort is a town in south County Galway in the west of Ireland. An Gort is the official Irish name for the town, as defined by the Placenames Commission. In spoken Irish, however, the town is known by its traditional name Gort Inse Guaire. It lies just north of the border with County Clare on the...
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...
. The property had been taken from Roger O'Shaughnessy
Roger O'Shaughnessy
Roger O'Shaughnessy, The O'Shaughnessy , was a Captain in the Irish army of James II of England. He was present at the Battle of the Boyne, dying ten days after...
by King William III
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
in 1690, and given to Thomas Prendergast in 1697. Despite a protracted court case, which lasted beyond the life of the bishop, it was finally ruled in favour of the Prendergasts, the penal laws against Catholics tending to defeat the rights of the O'Shaughnessies.