Theophilus MacCartan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Theophilus MacCartan (1700–1778) was Roman Catholic Bishop of Down and Connor from 10 September 1760 until his death on 16 December 1778.[1]
MacCartan was a scion of a long established family McCartan in the wider Barony of Kinelarty, one of the seven baronies in County Down. It is the most central and contains the towns of Ballynahinch, Saintfield, Downpatrick, Clough, Dundrum, Newcastle and Castlewellan.[2]
His early life and education took place against the Penal Laws's backdrop, so firm details are scarce. But a generally respected source, writing at the end of the nineteenth century, asserts that the future bishop was born in Aughnagon near Mayobridge around 1700.[3]
He was ordained priest at Ballykinlar by Bishop John Armstrong (1727–1739) and, as was often the case in the eighteenth century, was sent to study theology after ordination: in his case at the Sorbonne.[4] It is believed that sometime around 1737 he was appointed parish priest of Loughinisland and erected the first church there.[5]
