Wednesday 20th June is the memorial of the Irish Martyrs.
In 1992 Pope John Paul II proclaimed a representative group from Ireland as martyrs and beatified them. The martyrs were put to death for remaining loyal to the Catholic faith between the years 1579 and 1654.
Here is the list of the 17 Irish Martyrs:
Bishop Patrick O’Healy and Father Cornelius O’Rourke, Franciscans: tortured and hanged at Kilmallock 22nd August 1579.
The Wexford Martyrs: Matthew Lambert and sailors – Robert Tyler, Edward Cheevers and Patrick Cavanagh: died in Wexford 1581.
Bishop Dermot O’Hurley: tortured and hanged at Hoggen Green (now College Green), Dublin, 20th June 1584.
Margaret Ball: lay woman, died in prison 1584.
Fr. Maurice Kenraghty (or MacEnraghty): priest, hanged at Clonmel on 20th April 1585.
Dominic Collins: Jesuit brother, hanged in Youghal 1602.
Bishop Conor O’Devany and Father Patrick O’Loughran: Franciscans, hanged 6th February 1612.
Francis Taylor of Swords, lay man, Lord Mayor of Dublin: died in prison 1621.
Father Peter Higgins, Dominican, Prior of Naas: hanged at Hoggen Green, Dublin 23rd March 1642.
Bishop Terence Albert O’Brien, Dominican: hanged and beheaded at Gallow’s Green, Limerick 30th October 1651.
John Kearney, Franciscan, hanged 11th March 1653.
William Tirry, Augustinian, hanged 2nd May 1654.