The Murder of Rev. Hegarty

©The Murder of Reverend Peter Hegarty

Memorial along the "Green Road" in the Oughterlin Hills.

In the early 1700s the Diocese of Raphoe was a perilous place for Catholic clergy. The Penal Laws, were severely enforced and the diocese was without a Catholic Bishop from 1661-1725. The last Bishop, Rev. John O'Culenan, was taken (1643) to a riverbank by soldiers and offered a choice of death by drowning or at the hands of the soldiers. He rendered his fate to the soldiers in the hope that he could reason with them for 'quarter' but was about to be 'piked' when his life was saved by Colonel James Askin who came upon the scene and rebuked the soldiers. The Bishop then spent four years in Derry Jail instead.
At the compulsory registration of Priests, held in Raphoe in 1704, no 'Popish' Priest presented for the Parish of Killygarvan.
At that time the Parish was being served by clergy from the Parish of Fahan on the other side of Loughswilly and, in 1715, Rev. Tomas Catmaoil (Caulfield / Campbell) was the ministering Priest.

Rev. James Gallagher was secretly consecrated Bishop of Raphoe in 1725 and in 1730 he sacked Thomas Caulfield as a Priest and appointed Rev. Peter Hegarty in his place. However, Caulfield continued his ministry, leaving the congregation split. The Protestant people of the surrounding district were in sympathy with Caulfield because they considered that he was being badly treated and, then in some quarters, Caulfield became known as 'Tomas Buidhe' (yellow / orange Thomas, a derogatory term). Catholic Church discipline could not be enforced because of the Penal Laws which had a bounty of £50 (fifty pounds) on the head of a Bishop and £5 pounds on that of an unregistered Priest but the Bishop came to the area, dressed as a 'gentleman farmer' and disguised as a Friar, to try and persuade the people away from Caulfield.

A 'Report on the state of Popery' (1731) in the parish, lists one Mass-house (cabin) and one Priest. It also relates that, a reputed Friar, James Gallagher has been trying to pervert some Protestant parishioners to the Popish religion and although an application was made to the Magistrates to have him taken, his whereabouts were unknown.

Exactly where the three clergy resided during this period is difficult to determine. As the congregation was split, it would hardly be appropriate for a visiting 'Friar' to reside with either of the other two. It is said that one of them resided in a hut at 'Meenashillagh' near Barney (Toye) Friel's in the Meenasona area. Being a 'hut' suggests that it would just be a temporary hide and perhaps occupied by the 'visiting Friar'? In the Tithe records 1833 Meenasona is recorded as "Priestown", but the "Priest's house" was on the Legland side of the river and this would have been, most likely, where Rev. Hegarty was residing. There is no indication of where Caulfield resided during this time.

The Bishop's disguise came to an end when he decided to hold 'Confirmation' for the children and preach a sermon on Sunday 1st. March 1734. It is said that this ceremony was held in the "Parish Church of Killygarvan, on the left bank of the Swilly" but this is by no means certain. Regardless of venue, it was a risky venture because of the possible consequences should he be discovered by the military.

On that March Sunday, the length of the Bishop's sermon would indicate that he was not in any hurry. It was delivered totally in Irish, related to the Sacrament of Penance (Confession) and was both intensive and exhaustive. It was, at length, directed at the congregation and centered on how they should prepare for and make a proper confession with the consequences of 'eternal damnation' for non compliance. Then nearing the end of the sermon he advised the congregration to be satisfied that they confess to a proper person; "there is no way better for cleansing your conscience than by confessing to an authorised priest, with contrition of heart and a real sorrow for your sins and making due satisfaction by asking yourself have you gone to an approved confessor, have you gone to one full of zeal, piety & prudence". This last piece of his sermon has been taken as his reference to the Caulfield affair.

After the ceremony, the bearer of an invitation of hospitality to the Bishop alerted him that he should not go and so he chose to stay instead with Rev. Hegarty, at "Beann-na-nGallach" (Bin-yalla). On that night, the Bishop, concerned for his safety wished to leave at midnight but was persuaded by Hegarty not to go. Then at some time after that, he secretly saddled his horse and headed off towards Rathmullan. Later that night / early morning, the house was surrounded by a Company of Yeomen from Milford demanding the Bishop but when he was not there they took the Priest with them. It is considered that he was taken by way of the "Green road" towards their Barracks. On the morning of 2nd March 1734 as the procession of Yeomen went through Glenalla towards Milford it was attacked by stone throwing "Papists". In the melee, the Priest, who was bound hand and foot, was shot dead by the Yeomen.

The occurrence was reported in an official communication as follows :
"4th. March 1734, the Bishop of Raphoe, Nicholas Foster aquainted the Duke of Dorset, this morning, in the great room, that the Popish bishop, having removed a quiet inoffensive priest (Thomas Caulfield) and put a turbulent fellow (Peter O’Hegarty) in his place, Dr. Rogers has issued a warrant for apprehending him. As they were carrying him to the county jail, guarded by several Protestants, some of them gentlemen, a great body of Papists attacked them, wounded severall and arrested (rescued) the priest".

Killygarvan Graveyard, showing wall-stead of the former Parish Church

On the roadside near Milford "Father Hegarty's rock" was said to mark the spot where the Priest was killed but his final burial place remains unknown.

Bishop Gallagher escaped and eventually went into hiding in the Bogs of Allen, Co. Kildare. He was never back in Raphoe but his sermons are preserved.

Prior to 1796, Yeomen were a paramilitary force of volunteers drawn mostly from Plantation land owners. They were also known as "Redcoats" by the colour of their jackets.

After this tragedy the congregation at Oughterlin disowned Thomas Caulfield and in the course of that year, 1734, the Parish of Killygarvan was joined with the neighbouring Parish of Tullyferne. A new Parish Priest, Rev. Peter Gallagher was appointed.