Richard Creagh facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Styles of Richard Creagh
Reference style	The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Grace or Archbishop

Richard Creagh was an important Irish Catholic leader in the 1500s. He was the Archbishop of Armagh and the top Catholic leader in all of Ireland. He was born in Limerick in the early 1500s and sadly died in the Tower of London around 1586.

Richard's Early Life and Calling

Richard Creagh came from a family of merchants in Limerick City. His family had lived there for many years. Richard first followed in his family's footsteps and became a merchant, traveling often to Spain.

One day, he had a very close call with a shipwreck. This experience made him decide to dedicate his life to God. He went away to study for several years to become a priest. When he returned to Ireland, he taught at a school in Limerick for a while.

Richard was offered important positions as the Bishop of Limerick and the Archbishop of Cashel, but he humbly turned them down. However, David Wolfe, a special representative of the Pope, insisted that Richard become the Archbishop of Armagh when the position became open. Richard was consecrated (officially made) Archbishop in Rome and returned to Ireland in 1564.

Challenges as Archbishop

When Richard Creagh became Archbishop, Seán Mac Cuinn Ó Néill, also known as "Shane the Proud," was the most powerful Irish clan leader in Ulster. From the very beginning, Shane O'Neill and Archbishop Creagh did not get along.

Shane O'Neill strongly disliked the English Crown. However, Archbishop Creagh believed in being loyal to the Queen of England in all matters that were not about religion. He often preached about this loyalty inside Armagh Cathedral, even when Shane O'Neill was present. In response, Shane O'Neill burned down the Cathedral.

Archbishop Creagh then took a serious step: he removed Shane O'Neill from the Church. He also told all priests not to forgive Shane O'Neill for his actions, especially for burning the Cathedral and harming a priest. Shane O'Neill reacted by threatening the Archbishop's life. He publicly stated that he hated Archbishop Creagh more than anyone else, except for Queen Elizabeth I, whom he hated even more.

Imprisonment and Death

Despite his loyalty to the Queen in non-religious matters, Archbishop Creagh was arrested by the English. He managed to escape twice, but he was caught again. In 1567, he was sent to the Tower of London and remained there until he died.

During his questioning by the English Privy Council (a group of royal advisors), it was clear that he disliked Shane O'Neill and was loyal to the Queen in civil matters. However, he firmly refused to give up his Catholic faith or accept that the Church should be controlled by the government. Because he was so popular across Ireland, and because he wouldn't change his religious beliefs, the Council considered this a serious crime against the government. They refused to set him free.

Some people believed that Archbishop Creagh was poisoned in prison, and this idea was widely spread at the time of his death. The main person suspected was Robert Poley, a well-known secret agent who was also imprisoned in the Tower during Creagh's last years. Poley visited Creagh several times. The suspicion against Poley was mostly because of his bad reputation, not because of clear proof.

Peter Creagh: A Family Connection

Richard Creagh's grand-nephew, Peter Creagh, also became an important church leader. He was the Bishop of Cork and Cloyne from 1676 to 1693. He was put in prison for two years because of false accusations during a time called the Popish Plot, but he was found innocent in 1682.

In 1686, he moved to lead the Catholic Church in Tuam. After a major political change in 1688, Bishop Creagh followed King James II into exile in Europe. In 1693, Bishop Creagh was appointed Archbishop of Dublin. However, he couldn't return to Ireland to lead his church, which was still not allowed by the government. He became a helper Bishop in Strasbourg, where he passed away in July 1705.

Richard Creagh's Writings

Richard Creagh wrote several important works:

• De Linguâ Hibernicâ: This was a book about the Irish language. Some parts of it are still kept in the library at Trinity College Dublin.
• An Ecclesiastical History: This was a history of the Church. A part of this work was owned by a doctor named Thomas Arthur.
• A Catechism in Irish: A book of religious teachings in the Irish language, written in 1560.
• Account, in Latin, of his escape from the Tower of London, 1565. This story can be found in a collection called Spicilegium Ossoriense, volume 1, page 40.
• De Controversiis Fidei: A work about religious disagreements.
• Topographia Hiberniæ: A book describing the geography of Ireland.
• Vitæ Sanctorum Hiberniæ: A book about the lives of Irish saints.

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