Rev. Thomas Connellan.

A "staunch upholder of Protestant truth", Tomas Connellan (left) was born ca. 1855 at Geevagh, Co. Sligo. (Helen Maher in "Roscommon Authors" (Roscommon: 1978) states that he is "strongly associated with Co. Roscommon"). After what he later described as a most unhappy period of his life, he was ordained a Roman Catholic priest for the diocese of Elphin on 20th June 1880. Ministering in Strokestown, Sligo, Roscommon and finally Athlone, on 20th September 1887 he disappeared, leaving his clothes in a boat on the Shannon. This led to the belief that he had drowned and his "death" attracted great attention and some remarkable obituary notices appeared in the Roscommon Messenger and other newspapers. The Athlone Town Board of Guardians and other official bodies all adjourned as a mark of respect and the diocese wrote a very sympathetic and flattering letter to his father.

Meanwhile Connellan had fled to London where he met the Rev. H. W. Webb Peploe, Vicar of St. Paul's in Onslow Square and wrote pamphlets justifying his actions. "An Irish priest to his late flock" ran to 55,000 copies in numerous editions (see below). He returned to Ireland as an Anglican and founded "The Connellan Mission" at 51b Dawson Street, Dublin, from where he edited "The Catholic" magazine (founded 1892) assisted by his brother Joseph. He used this monthly publication to criticise his former church!

The Rev. Thomas Connellan's Dawson Street bookstore, full as it was of Protestant literature, is mentioned in Chapter 8 of James Joyce's 'Ulysses' - "... Mr Bloom turned at Gray's confectioner's window of unbought tarts and passed the reverend Thomas Connellan's bookstore. WHY I LEFT THE CHURCH OF ROME? * BIRDS' NEST. Women run him...".

* Is this another of Connellan's book titles or merely a Joycean whim?

The list of Thomas Connellan's writings below is extracted from "Roscommon Authors" and from "Hear the Other Side" 12th. edition (1908) (below right). We welcome additions!

Rev. T. Connellan to his dearly beloved brethren, the Roman Catholics of the Diocese of Elphin. Dublin & London. 1889.

An Irish Priest to his late flock. Dublin 1889. (a variant title to the above pamphlet?).

Lettera di un ex-prete cattolio romano alla sua fregia. Firenze 1889 (another variant?).

Hear the other side. Dublin 1889. (ran to at least 12 editions. In illustrated and un-illustrated forms).

Old Paths. Dublin. 1890. (Second edition 1901). (articles previously published in "The Christian Irishman").

Landmarks, etc. A criticism of Roman Catholic doctrines. Dublin 1893.

Scenes from Clerical Life. (no details).

From Bondage to Liberty. (no details).

The Eucharist: Being six lectures delivered in the Metropolitan Hall, Dublin, in reply to a course of sermons by Rev. Robert Kane, S. J. Dublin? 1902.

The Papacy. (no details).

The Confessional. (no details).

Look: An Index to the Douay Testament. (no details).

Educational Endowment of Rome in Ireland. Dublin. 1908.

We welcome more information and material for this author. If you can help, please contact us.

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