The Priest Hunter
John Mullowney was born in the parish of Ballintubber in or around 1690. He was well known in the local area for his love of alcohol and for stealing horses. Stealing horses was a very serious crime in those days and when he was caught a judge sentenced him to death by hanging in Castlebar.
Ballintubber Abbey
Courtesy of www.ballintubberabbey.ie
Courtesy of www.ballintubberabbey.ie
However, the authorities recognized that the personality traits which landed him in trouble in the first place could be put to use for them instead. His life was spared on condition he became a priest hunter. This was during the time of the Penal Laws when it was illegal to practice the Catholic faith in Ireland.
John Mullowney soon earned himself the reputation as the most successful priest hunter in the West of Ireland. He was nicely rewarded for his efforts - an Archbishop or Bishop was worth £100, a priest £20 and a monk £10. He also earned himself the nickname 'Seán na Sagart' or 'John of the priests'.
Legend has it that Mullowney would stoop to any depth in order to bag himself a priest. On one occassion, he pretended to be terribly ill and begged his sister to fetch a priest so that he could repent for all of his sins before he died. The priest arrived and began to say prayers by Mullowney's bedside. It wasn't long before the priest catcher sprang from his 'deathbed' and stabbed the cleric through the heart with a dagger he had hidden in the blankets.
Seán na Sagart Tree
This tree grew on the graveof Seán na Sagart in Ballintubber Abbey.
Courtesy of www.ballintubberabbey.ieSeán na Sagart Tree
Courtesy of www.ballintubberabbey.ie
Courtesy of www.ballintubberabbey.ie
Seán na Sagart Tree
This tree grew on the graveof Seán na Sagart in Ballintubber Abbey.
Courtesy of www.ballintubberabbey.ieMullrowney finally got his comeuppance. Attending a funeral he noticed a young woman near the graveside. As he approached her he realised that in fact it was a young priest disguised as a woman. The priest ran and Mullrowney chased him. Eventually, Mullrowney caught up with the priest and in the tussle that followed Mullrowney was stabbed with his own dagger and died.
Seán na Sagart was buried in the graveyard at Ballintubber Abbey. He was so despised some local people dug up his body and threw it in a lake. However, a local priest ordered them to find the body and bury it once more.