Patrick O'Hely was an Irish Franciscan priest and the underground Bishop of Mayo during the late 16th century. Born in the mid-1540s, he was a highly educated scholar who studied in Rome and Spain before teaching at the Sorbonne in Paris. He returned to Ireland in 1579 to serve the Catholic community during a period of intense religious persecution under Elizabethan rule. Following his arrest in Limerick, he was subjected to severe torture before being executed in Kilmallock, becoming the first Irish bishop to be put to death after the break with Rome.
Life and education
A native of the Creevelea Abbey region, O'Hely demonstrated significant intellectual talent, leading to advanced studies in Rome and Spain. He became a member of the Province of Cartagena and mastered several languages, including Catalan. His academic reputation was such that he participated in public theological debates at the Sorbonne. In 1575, Pope Gregory XIII appointed him to the bishopric of Mayo, authorizing him to assist neighboring dioceses where no bishop was available.
Martyrdom
After landing in Ireland in 1579, O'Hely and his companion, Friar Conn Ó Ruairc, were captured near Limerick. Refusing to take the Oath of Supremacy or renounce his faith, the bishop was subjected to brutal torture, including the use of the rack and iron spikes. He was eventually hanged outside the gates of Kilmallock. His body remained suspended for two weeks, during which time it was targeted by local military forces.
Veneration
The Catholic Church recognizes O'Hely as a blessed. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1992 alongside Conn Ó Ruairc and fifteen other Irish Catholic martyrs. His death and sacrifice are commemorated annually on June 20.