The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #11606   Message #1109085
Posted By: ard mhacha
04-Feb-04 - 09:44 AM
Thread Name: Lyr ADD/Origins: The Bard of Armagh
Subject: RE: Lyr. Add: The Bard of Armagh
Tim, You may have mmost of this information on Bishop Donnelly, [The Bard of Armagh].
From the Dromore Historical Annual, "Dr Donnelly was born near Cookstown in County Tyrone, circa 1649. He was ordaind by Oliver Plunkett in 1673 in Dundalk.
In the register of 1704 Dr Donnelly is recorded as, Parish Priest of that part of Newry that lies in Conty Armagh. His residence is as Corrimallagh which is situated at the foot of Slieve Gullion mountain.
He was arrested on information by spies at Lathbriget in the house of Rev John McParlan Forkhill on 14th Sept 1706.
He was acquitted on the 13 of May 1707. Tradition associates Dr Donnelly with the ballad "The Bard of Armagh".
He died in 1716 in his native Diocese and was interred in Desertcreat near Cookstown".
His grave is covered by a large flatstone, I visited th Cemetry many years ago on a field trip with the Armagh Historical Society.
Oliver Plunkett the ArchBishop of Armagh who ordained Bishop Donnelly wasn`t so fortunate as Dr Donnelly, as he was hang drawn and quartered at Tyburn.