Bobby O’Brien. The presence and impact of Bishop John Bale in the Diocese of Ossory by History Hub

'The presence and impact of Bishop John Bale in the Diocese of Ossory' by Bobby O’Brien (NUI Galway).

At the age of 57 John Bale was appointed to the bishopric of Ossory a post that had been empty for two years. From his landing in Dublin in February 1553 his appointment caused controversy, not only in the capital but within his own constituency. This paper will begin with Bale in England, his background and his first exile, which will give a context to his teachings and the controversial debates he courted in Ossory. In less than a year from his consecration to the bishopric of Ossory, Bale was leaving Ireland. The use of The Vocacyon of Johan Bale and Steven Ellis’s article John Bale, Bishop of Ossory, 1552-3 throughout will give an insight, admittedly one written for a London audience, to the state of religion in a see beyond the Pale and the conflict of a bishop with his flock. Bale’s relationships with both the clergy in Ossory and with Archbishop Browne will be examined, as will the role of preaching in a mid-sixteenth century diocese. By looking closely at these areas it will show if the Vocacyon was a true representation of the process of religious reform in the Diocese of Ossory.

The 6th Annual Tudor & Stuart Ireland Interdisciplinary Conference took place at NUI Galway in August, 2016. The conference was generously supported by: an NUI Galway President's Award for Research Excellence (awarded to Prof. Steven Ellis); the Moore Institute, NUI Galway; the Discipline of History, NUI Galway and the Society for Renaissance Studies.

As in previous years the majority of papers were recorded for podcasting by https://soundcloud.com/real-smart-media in association with www.historyhub.ie. There are now more than 140 podcasts from previous Tudor and Stuart Ireland conferences freely available. To access this archive go to www.historyhub.ie/podcasts or visit tudorstuartireland.com