Memorialising Emigré Dignity

We have an exciting programme for September 2025, building on genealogical and historical research partnerships and the resulting forthcoming publication (see 3 sample pages above). The establishment of the Franciscan College of St. Anthony of Padua, in Louvain/Leuven, Spanish Flanders (Belgium now) in 1607 coincided with the Flight of the Earls, although the foundation stone was laid a decade later in 1617. At the time, it was the first Irish Franciscan College on the Continent, and became a principal repository of Gaelic history and culture, with indeed, the first Gaelic language printing press abroad.

Having visited this Irish College in Leuven/Louvain back in 2007, now secularised since 1984, one of our Clan members, Amb. Francis M. O’Donnell (Frank), noticed the absence of any permanent memorial to the many scholars, soldiers, and other emigrés buried there. With friends after a later visit in 2017, it was agreed something should be done, and a conference was to ensue, with a plaque, and it was thought to dovetail all of that with an O’Donnell Clan gathering in Donegal, which our late Vincent O’Donnell was considering in consultation, but however the Covid-19 Pandemic struck.

Instead, back in September/October 2020, a Zoom session was held, and as it turned out, it became the first webinar of the Irish College in Leuven (ICL), with its CEO David Grant whose collaboration in this was crucial, and an array of distinguished speakers, including Rev. Professor Mícheál MacCraith, OFM; historian and scholar Dr. Katharine Simms, FRIA; Mag. Douglas Graf O’Donell von Tyrconnell, Professor Johan Verberckmoes, KU Leuven; Baron Bernard Snoy et d’Oppuers whose family had historically sheltered the Franciscans, during the French Revolution and who visited it with Frank again in 2017; and with all of whom Frank presented his own research, as he had done for the Clan Gathering in Donegal in 2013.

The theme proposed was "Memorialising Emigré Dignity", and its primary purpose was to draw attention to the great history of our exiles in the establishment and development of the Franciscan College of St. Anthony of Padua, the Irish College as it is now, secularised. The continuing pandemic intervened with our plans for a publication of the proceedings, but this is now coming to fruition. The latest version of the planned booklet which has been prepared with David Grant in close cooperation with the authors and Frank. Although ICL will eventually post this digitally on their website, ICL however do not publish hard-copy materials. Instead, the O'Donnell Clan Association's  Council have agreed at Frank’s invitation, for ODCA to engage in partnership with the Genealogical Society of Ireland, the Clans of Ireland, and Eneclann Ltd whose logos will appear with those who sponsored the webinar at the time. This is evolving into a joint funding and promotion exercise and we are aiming for a suitable hard-copy launch in September 2025, with selected scholars and an Irish Harp recital offered by our fellow Council member, Dr. Mary Louise O’Donnell.

There are no less than 65 Irish family names represented amongst the 86 Irish buried, out of a total of 117 persons known to have been buried in the Irish College. Of these, the largest cohort is of the O'Donnells, and attributable to their role since the Flight of the Earls in 1607. Seven O’Donnells are buried there, followed by Fleming, McCarthy, MacDonnell, Ward, with three each and Burke, Duffy, FitzGerald, Lynch, O'Clery, O'Doherty, O'Molloy, O'Neill, and O'Reilly, et al. Another 75 Irish family names feature amongst those otherwise associated, bringing the totals to 130 different family/clan names represented among the 250 persons associated with the College. In the words of the late Fr. Canice Mooney, OFM:

“Is there any other similar plot of ground inside Ireland or outside that can boast the mortal remains of such an illustrious company of Irish soldiers and scholars?”

Some of these are amongst Ireland’s most famous scholars, such as Luke Wadding, Micheal O Cleirigh, Flaithri O Maolchonaire, John Colgan, Aodh Mac Aingil, etc.  There is still a need to place a suitable permanent memorial in place, and I believe this will ensue in due course after we launch this publication. 

In May 2025, Frank received a letter from the office of the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins stating that he  "looks forward to seeing the finished booklet and would be delighted if you could send a copy to Áras an Uachtaráin upon its completion".  He also extends his "very best wishes for the success of the booklet".

The prospect of a launch has also prompted one of our contributing authors, Prof. Rev. Micheál MacCraith, OFM, now the Guardian of St. Isidore's Irish College in Rome, to have a launch there as well, given this year is its 400th anniversary.              

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