Richard Archdekin, Jesuit, Educator and Missioner to Ireland, Is Born in Louvain

Richard Archdeacon, alias Richard McGillacuddy (1619–1690), was an Irish Jesuit who wrote Catholic works in both English and Irish. He was born 16 March 1619 in Kilkenny City, County Kilkenny

He entered the Society of Jesus at Mechlin on 28 September 1642. He was in due time enrolled among the professed fathers of the order. He was teaching humanities in 1650, he studied under the Jesuits at Antwerp and Lille, and he arrived at the Professed House at Antwerp 26 March 1653.

For six years, he taught humanities and was professor of philosophy, moral theology, and Holy Scripture for a long period, chiefly at Louvain and Antwerp. His death occurred in Antwerp on 31 August 1693

• Entered: 20 September 1642, Mechelen, Belgium - Flanders Province (FLAN)
• Ordained: 28 March 1648, Louvain, Belgium
• Final Vows: 09 December 1657

Richard Archdeacon, a historical figure whose legacy is intertwined with Irish history during a tumultuous period. While specific details about his life and deeds might not be widely documented in general historical texts, individuals like him, bearing aliases or involved in multiple spheres of societal, military, or political life, were not uncommon in 17th-century Ireland. This period was marked by significant upheaval, including the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, the restoration of the monarchy in England, and the subsequent changes in land ownership and political power dynamics in Ireland.

Given the time frame of his life, Richard Archdeacon/McGillacuddy would have lived through the Irish Confederate Wars (1641–1653), a complex series of conflicts that involved English, Scottish, and Irish forces, and the subsequent Cromwellian campaign in Ireland (1649–1653). These events drastically altered the social, political, and religious landscape of Ireland, leading to the dispossession of many Irish Catholic landowners and the solidification of English Protestant rule.

The alias “McGillacuddy” suggests a connection to the McGillycuddy of the Reeks, a clan known for their lands in the region of the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks in County Kerry, Ireland. The McGillycuddys were part of the Gaelic nobility of Ireland, with a lineage and heritage deeply rooted in the area’s history. They were known as leaders and warriors, playing significant roles in their localities’ social and political life.

Persons like Richard Archdeacon, carrying such an alias, might have been involved in the political and military struggles of the era, navigating the complexities of allegiance and survival in a time when identity, land, and power were in constant flux. However, without more specific information, it’s challenging to provide detailed insights into his actions or significance.

The period of Richard Archdeacon’s life was critical in shaping modern Ireland, with legacies of the conflicts of the 17th century still evident in the cultural, political, and religious landscapes of the island. Individuals from this era, especially those involved in the resistance against Cromwellian and subsequent English rule, are often remembered in historical accounts and family histories for their roles in trying to defend their way of life and resist the changes imposed upon Ireland during these turbulent times.

He died on 31 August 1693, College of Antwerp, Belgium -