Skip to content

We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.

Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.

Help Now >

Heber MacMahon

Free World Class Education
FREE Catholic Classes

( Also EMER or EVER).

Bishop of Clogher, Ireland, and patriotic leader, born at Farney, County Monaghan, 1600; executed at Enniskillen in 1650; son of Turlogh MacMahon and his wife Eva O'Neill, and nephew of Sir Patrick MacArt MacMahon. His family, having become impoverished by a bill of attainder confiscating the land of those who had struggled for Ireland's liberty, withdrew to Killybegs, and Heber received his early education in the Franciscan convent at Donegal, some twenty miles away. He went to the Irish College at Douai in 1617 and later to Louvain, where he studied under Hugh MacCaghwell, was ordained in 1625, after which he returned to the Diocese of Clogher. He laboured there for some years with great zeal and fruit among his flock who had been despoiled of their lands, robbed of their churches, and forced to worship secretly in the mountains, and soon he was appointed vicar-general. On 10 Feb., 1642, he was nominated to the See of Down and Connor and was present at the Synod of Kells in that year. Before his consecration, however, he was transferred to Clogher, 2 June, 1643. When the struggle for freedom began in 1641 he became a steadfast adherent of Owen Roe O'Neill , and energetically supported the papal envoys, Scarampi in 1643 and Rinuccini in 1645, in opposition to Ormonde and the majority of the Supreme Council of the Irish, whom he believed to be sacrificing the interests of religion for the sake of peace. In 1647 the opponents of Rinuccini endeavoured to get rid of MacMahon by sending him on a mission to France, which, however, he refused to accept. In April, 1648, he condemned the truce with Inchiquin as inimical to the Catholics of Ireland. Finding his efforts fruitless he withdrew with Owen Roe O'Neill to Ulster, whereupon they were proclaimed traitors to Ireland by the Supreme Council. In 1649 he was captured by Sir Phelim O'Neill and imprisoned, but escaped shortly afterwards. In October, 1649, Ormonde and Owen Roe O'Neill made peace, the better to resist the Cromwellian invasion. In March, 1650, MacMahon was chosen to lead the Ulster forces, O'Neill having died some months earlier. Encouraged by some early successes he risked a serious conflict with the English army under Sir Charles Coote at Scariffhollis, County Donegal, on 21 June, 1650, was defeated and captured two days later near Omagh, and though promised quarter was shortly afterwards put to death by Coote, despite the efforts made by Major-general King, governor of Enniskillen, to obtain a commutation of the death sentence. His head was stuck on a spike at Enniskillen Castle and his trunk buried by some Catholics on Devenish Island, with the permission of Governor King.

Light Your Free Payer Candle for a departed loved one

What is Palm Sunday?

Live on March 20, 2024 @ 10am PDT

We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.

Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.

Help Now >

Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.

Lent logo
Saint of the Day logo
Deacon Keith Fournier Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you. Help Now >

Catholic Online Logo

Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.

Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.