Edward Maginn
Encyclopedia
Edward Maginn was an Irish Roman Catholic priest, an advocate of Catholic Emancipation
, and supporter of Daniel O'Connell
in the Repeal movement. He became coadjutor bishop
of Derry.
, and later by Thomas MacColgan, at Buncrana, Donegal
, and entered the Irish College, Paris, in 1818.
He was ordained in 1825 at Derry, and was soon appointed curate of Moville
, where he remained till 1829, becoming known as a preacher. He opposed the efforts made by the Episcopalian
s body to proselytize his flock, and took a prominent part in a public controversy held at Derry concerning Catholic doctrines, a report of which was published later in book form (Dublin, 1828).
In 1829 he became parish priest of Fahan
, and applied himself to the suppression of agrarian secret societies, while appealing to the Government to protect the peasantry against the abuse of power by the local non-Catholic magistrates. He endeavoured to heal the breach between the young Irelanders and O'Connell. He accepted the "national school" system, and by his protests prevented the withdrawal of the schools from clerical control. He repudiated the Queen's Colleges, and helped to bring about their condemnation at Rome. He was an advocate the establishment of a Catholic university, which, however, he did not live to see.
On 18 January 1846, he was consecrated titular Bishop of Orthosia, and coadjutor to Dr. John McLaughlin of Derry. Seized with typhus fever on 14 January 1849, he died three days later in St. Columb's College
and was buried at Buncrana, Donegal.
Maginn was an important factor in the rehabilitation of the Catholic Church in Ulster after Emancipation. His letters on land and the Poor Law administration, together with his evidence before the Devon Commission (Report published at Dublin, 1847), contain valuable information on the social condition of Ireland in the first half of the nineteenth century. The conduct of government officials during the Irish Famine of 1847-49 inspired him with an abhorrence of English misrule. A series of letters was in reply to Lord Stanley
, who in the House of Lords, 23 November 1847, had accused the Irish Catholic clergy of using the confessional to encourage lawlessness and crime ("Refutation of Lord Stanley's Calumnies against the Catholic Clergy of Ireland", reprint, Dublin, 1850).
Catholic Emancipation
Catholic emancipation or Catholic relief was a process in Great Britain and Ireland in the late 18th century and early 19th century which involved reducing and removing many of the restrictions on Roman Catholics which had been introduced by the Act of Uniformity, the Test Acts and the penal laws...
, and supporter of Daniel O'Connell
Daniel O'Connell
Daniel O'Connell Daniel O'Connell Daniel O'Connell (6 August 1775 – 15 May 1847; often referred to as The Liberator, or The Emancipator, was an Irish political leader in the first half of the 19th century...
in the Repeal movement. He became coadjutor bishop
Coadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
of Derry.
Life
He was the son of Patrick Maginn, a farmer, and his wife, Mary Slevin. He was educated by his uncle, parish priest of MonaghanMonaghan
Monaghan is the county town of County Monaghan in Ireland. Its population at the 2006 census stood at 7,811 . The town is located on the main road, the N2 road, from Dublin north to both Derry and Letterkenny.-Toponym:...
, and later by Thomas MacColgan, at Buncrana, Donegal
Donegal
Donegal or Donegal Town is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. Its name, which was historically written in English as Dunnagall or Dunagall, translates from Irish as "stronghold of the foreigners" ....
, and entered the Irish College, Paris, in 1818.
He was ordained in 1825 at Derry, and was soon appointed curate of Moville
Moville
Moville is a town and coastal resort on the Inishowen Peninsula of County Donegal, close to the northern tip of Ireland.-Location:...
, where he remained till 1829, becoming known as a preacher. He opposed the efforts made by the Episcopalian
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
s body to proselytize his flock, and took a prominent part in a public controversy held at Derry concerning Catholic doctrines, a report of which was published later in book form (Dublin, 1828).
In 1829 he became parish priest of Fahan
Fahan
Fahan is a district of Inishowen, in County Donegal, located five kilometres south of Buncrana. In Irish, Fahan is named after its patron saint, St...
, and applied himself to the suppression of agrarian secret societies, while appealing to the Government to protect the peasantry against the abuse of power by the local non-Catholic magistrates. He endeavoured to heal the breach between the young Irelanders and O'Connell. He accepted the "national school" system, and by his protests prevented the withdrawal of the schools from clerical control. He repudiated the Queen's Colleges, and helped to bring about their condemnation at Rome. He was an advocate the establishment of a Catholic university, which, however, he did not live to see.
On 18 January 1846, he was consecrated titular Bishop of Orthosia, and coadjutor to Dr. John McLaughlin of Derry. Seized with typhus fever on 14 January 1849, he died three days later in St. Columb's College
St. Columb's College
St. Columb's College is a Roman Catholic boys' grammar school in Derry, Northern Ireland and, since 2008, a specialist school in Mathematics and Computing...
and was buried at Buncrana, Donegal.
Maginn was an important factor in the rehabilitation of the Catholic Church in Ulster after Emancipation. His letters on land and the Poor Law administration, together with his evidence before the Devon Commission (Report published at Dublin, 1847), contain valuable information on the social condition of Ireland in the first half of the nineteenth century. The conduct of government officials during the Irish Famine of 1847-49 inspired him with an abhorrence of English misrule. A series of letters was in reply to Lord Stanley
Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby
Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, KG, PC was an English statesman, three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and to date the longest serving leader of the Conservative Party. He was known before 1834 as Edward Stanley, and from 1834 to 1851 as Lord Stanley...
, who in the House of Lords, 23 November 1847, had accused the Irish Catholic clergy of using the confessional to encourage lawlessness and crime ("Refutation of Lord Stanley's Calumnies against the Catholic Clergy of Ireland", reprint, Dublin, 1850).