Drogheda
An Historical Town
One of the oldest and most historical towns in Ireland, Drogheda is known as the 'Gateway to the Boyne Valley' although its literal meaning in Irish is 'Bridge on the Ford'. The first charter granted to Drogheda was by King Henry II to the Norman Lord, Hugh de Lacy in 1186 although the history of the townland extends much further back into folklore with the arrival of the Celts to Ireland. King John bestowed the 'Star and Crescent', coat of arms to Drogheda in the year 1210. The port town is linked with many mythical legends and important historical events that have shaped Ireland today, such as: the arrival of St. Patrick, Poynings Law, The siege of Phelim O'Neill, The surrender of the Irish Chieftains, the siege of Oliver Cromwell, the Battle of the Boyne and Saint Oliver Plunkett.
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St. Oliver in Drogheda
Drogheda, known for generations as the 'City of the Churches' was the largest and most important centre of St. Oliver's Archdiocese of Armagh. Protected by an extensive wall, it played a significant role in the trade and commerce of the period and St. Oliver wrote: "The city I speak of, by the way, is Pontana, in English Drogheda, in Irish Dreat. It is about five hours journey from Dublin and is the finest city in Ireland after Dublin."
Barely twenty years before St. Oliver's return in 1670 as the Archbishop of Armagh, Cromwell and his roundheads had carried out their cruel deeds in Drogheda and throughout the country. Given the choice, Catholics had chosen by an overwhelming majority to relinquish their land, property and positions, rather than to turn their back on the ancient faith, handed down to them by their forefathers. After Cromwell's death, with the Restoration of the monarchy and King Charles II on the throne, the tactic of divide and conquer was initiated, to try and cause a split amongst the Catholics of Ireland, when a remonstrance or declaration of loyalty to the King was proposed. In order to promote this agenda amongst Catholics, sympathetic priests of the Remonstrance were allowed to reopen chapels during the 1660's in some of the leading centres in Ireland. Drogheda was included in this list and by the time of St. Oliver's return, several such chapels were in existence, although priests more loyal to the Pope had by this time, taken charge of such chapels. Within eighteen months of his return, Archbishop Oliver wrote of the very fine, ornate chapels in Drogheda of the orders of Capuchins, Franciscans and Jesuits and of a poorer chapel of the Augustinian community. So for a period, Catholic worship was tolerated again, provided it was kept to a rather low profile and did not annoy or antagonise in any way the Government or the leading citizens or churchmen of the reform religions. Across the rest of the province however, the mass-rock was in vogue as none of the land was under Catholic control and so churches were disallowed. Despite this difficulty, it proved to be St. Oliver's opportunity for doing good and he sprang into action during this short lull in the administration of the laws of oppression against Catholics. Indeed looking at his achievements, it is difficult to comprehend how one man could have achieved so much good in such a short period of time, triumphed over so many of life's problems, while at the same time endured so many of life's trials and tribulations.