Plunket, Oliver
Plunket, Oliver
Archbishop of Armagh, Ireland; martyr; born Loughcrew, County Meath, Ireland, 1629; died London, England, 1681. Of an illustrious family, he was educated privately at Dublin, and at the Irish College in Rome. Ordained in 1654, he taught in the College of the Propaganda, 1657-1669. Appointed Archbishop of Armagh, he was consecrated at Ghent, 1669. During his episcopacy he convened a national council, 1670, a provincial synod, 1678, defended the rights of his see against Dublin, and promoted Catholic education. During the renewed persecmion of the Irish Church, Plunket was arrested, 1679, and imprisoned in Dublin Castle. His trial was held in London in order to secure his conviction, and there he was hanged and quartered. Beatified 1920; canonized 1975 Feast, 11 July .
Fuente: New Catholic Dictionary
Plunket, Oliver
an Irish Roman Catholic prelate, was born in 1629 at the castle of Rathmore, county of Meath, of a good Irish family. He completed his studies at Rome, was a professor of theology in that city, and finally elevated to the twofold dignity of archbishop of Armagh and primate of Ireland (1669). His zeal having aroused against him the suspicions of the Protestants, he fell a victim to the violent reaction of Toryism which took place in 1681. Accused of conspiracy against the court, he was arrested, carried to London, and sentenced to death by a fanatical jury. In vain four successive governors of Ireland testified to his loyalty; the court did not even await the arrival of his witnesses, and his means of defense could be produced in London only three days after his execution, which took place July 1, 1681, at Tyburn. He left a Collection of Episcopal Circulars and Pastoral Letters (Lond. 1686, 2 vols. 4to). See Bp. Burnet, Hist. of his Own Times, 2, 279. (J. H.W.)