O'Carolan, John, 1598-1653, Jesuit priest

Person

O'Carolan, John, 1598-1653, Jesuit priest

• O'Kerolan
• Kerolano
• Carolanus
• Carolan
• Kerolan

1598-10 March 1653

Born: 1598, County Meath
Entered: 17 November 1624, St Andrea, Rome, Italy - Romanae Province (ROM) / Paris, France (FRA) - Franciae Pronince
Ordained: - pre Entry
Final Vows: 09 April 1650
Died: 10 March 1653, County Galway - described as "Martyr"

Alias O’Kerolan

1625 Was at Paris novitiate
1650 Studied at Douai and taught Humanities

◆ Fr Edmund Hogan SJ “Catalogica Chronologica” :
Studied Humanities and Philosophy as a secular priest, and did a year of private study in Theology.
Taught Humanities for sixteen years (HIB Catalogue 1550 - ARSI)
Hunted by Cromwell’s soldiers (1652-1656), he died from starvation and exposure in the woods. A pious lady risked her life to rescue him, she had him brought to her house, but it was too late.
1649 Teaching in Galway. A worthy man of pious and joyous temper (cf Foley’s Collectanea)

◆ Fr Francis Finegan SJ :
Already a priest on Ent 17 November 1624 Rome
Sent to Paris for Noviceship, after First Vows he stayed in Paris for two years Theology at St Louis College - as his previous Priestly studies only composed Rhetoric and Philosophy.
1629 Sent to Ireland and the Dublin Residence, though worked mostly in Meath
1649 Sent to Galway to teach
According to the Visitor Fr Mercure Verdier, he spent many years teaching but there was no record of where. Verdier also reported that he was of ancient Irish stock, a cheerful, a good man and that he had strongly supported the “Censures” of the Nuncio both within the community and in his sermons. At the time of Verdier's visitation, he had not yet made his final religious profession although he was over twenty-five years a Jesuit. He seems to have received some harsh treatment from the Mission Superior, William Malone who had threatened to expel him from the Society for his defence of the censures at a meeting of Theologians. Following Verdier’s Report to Rome, Malone was ordered by the General to admit John to his final vows without more delay, 9 April, 1650.
After the fall of Galway he escaped arrest, but he suffered a lot from hunger and exposure, but in the end he found refuge with a charitable family and died in Galway 10 March 1653

◆ James B Stephenson SJ Menologies 1973
Father John Carolan SJ 1598-1653
In Ireland at a date unrecorded, died Fr John Carolan, having been hunted to death by the Cromwellians.

He was born in Meath in 1598, and having made his studies joined the Society as a priest on November 17th 1642. He was a good Latin and Irish scholar and taught Humanities in the Irish Jesuit Colleges for 16 years.

In 1649 he was stationed in Galway, being then 51 years of age. He was fiercely and relentlessly pursued by the Cromwellian soldiers, who would doubtless have conferred on him the martyrs crown, had the succeeded in capturing him. He may indeed be said to have won the palm of martyrdom, for he finally succumbed to the fury of his persecutors, and he died of exhaustion and hunger, a true confessor of the Faith, some time between the years 1652 and 1656.

◆ George Oliver Towards Illustrating the Biography of the Scotch, English and Irish Members SJ
CAROLAN, JOHN. In 1649, he was living at Galway, aet. 64, of which period he had passed twenty-four years in the Society; but was in Priest’s orders before his admission. The good old man was literally hunted to death by the Cromwellian Myrmidons between he years 1652 and 1656. Though not actually taken by his inveterate and savage pursuers, he died of exhaustion and hunger

IE IJA