Item 2226 - Fr James Walshe SJ

Born: 31 August 1617, Dublin City, County Dublin
Entered: 16 May 1639, Tournai, Belgium - Belgicae Province (BELG)
Ordained: 05 April 1645, Douai, France
Died: 04 June 1650, County Waterford - described as a Martyr of Charity

Parents John and Isabelle (Esmay) Browne.
Studied Grammar and Humanities 6 years, Philosophy 2 years under Jesuits (Have Cavell was his Prof)
Admitted to Soc by Fr Nugent (Provincial of Ireland) 1636
1639 At Theology in Belgium 15 May 1639
1642 At Lille Repeats
1645 Ordained and in 3rd year Theology at Douai
1649 Not in Catalogue

◆ Fr Edmund Hogan SJ “Catalogica Chronologica” :
1649 In Waterford ; “Valde ingeniosus et animi valde candidi”. Mercure Verdier, Visitor to the Irish Mission, in his Report to the General on the Irish Mission 1641-1650, describes him as being aged 33, of good abilities, perfect candour, and a lover of religious discipline.
1650 He died a "Martyr of Charity’, attending the plague-stricken in Waterford, where the pestilence was raging. (Oliver, Stonyhurst MSS). His fellow labourer, George Dillon survived him but two months.
“Of great holiness, learning and ability; converted many heretics to the faith; was very dear to the citizens of Waterford” (Father Yong and Foley’s Collectanea)

◆ Fr Francis Finegan SJ :
Son of John and Ismaele née Browne
Had studied Humanities with the Jesuits in Dublin, and then Philosophy with Henry MacCavell before Ent 16 May 1639 Tournai
1641-1646 After First Vows he completed his Philosophy at Lille and then was sent to Douai for Theology where he was Ordained 05 April 1645
1646 Sent to Ireland and Waterford where he was teaching. Mercure Verdier, in his 1649 Report to the General described him as a man of exemplary religious observance. He died at Waterford 04 June 1650, a martyr of charity in the service of the plague-stricken

◆ George Oliver Towards Illustrating the Biography of the Scotch, English and Irish Members SJ
WALSH, JAMES, was living at Waterford in 1649. Pere Verdier describes him as being 33 years of age, of good abilities, of perfect candour, and a lover of Religious Discipline. On the 3rd of June, 1659, this Apostolic Father fell a victim of charity in attending persons infected with the plague, when pestilence ravaged that City.