1869 - Death of Francis Blake, Cregg Castle

With a regret, in which a very extensive circle, throughout this county sympathise most sincerely, we record the death after a brief illness, of Francis Blake, Esq., J.P., Cregg Castle, on Saturday morning, comforted and fortified by all the last sacraments of the Catholic Church, of which he was, during a lengthened life, an edifying and uncompromising member. The deceased was a type and a model of a Catholic gentleman, in the truest and highest sense of the term. -Genial and affable in his manner to all classes, he was unyielding and firm whenever the maintenance of principle - political or religious- required inflexibility of purpose and action. With the innate politeness and lofty bearing which bespeak the well-bred and polished man of the world, he combined a steadfast adherence to his own convictions, and a tolerance of the views and opinions of those even with whom he differed, which won for him the respect and esteem of all who were capable of appreciating integrity, honesty and worth of character. If evidence was required to show the position held by deceased, in the god will of the aristocracy and gentry of his native county, we could point, without hesitancy to the almost unprecedented array of equipages, occupied by their owners, that followed his remains to the grave.

But, we prefer to refer to his private life, which was characterized, in a singular degree, by munificent but unostentatious kindness to his numerous tenantry and to the suffering poor. His delight was to live amongst his tenantry, to listen to their tales of grief, and to alleviate, if he could not entirely remove their wants. As a magistrate, he tempered justice with mercy, and adjusted differences with due regard to the feelings of the peasantry without prejudice to the merits of their case. His private charities were expended on a most bountiful scale, giving largely without over-rigidly criticising or nicely scrutinising the claims of the recipients of his benevolence.

The funeral took place on Thursday. To say it was almost the largest we have witnessed in our day, would only give a very inadequate idea of the reality. Every day during the interval from Saturday, Masses were celebrated in the private chapel of the house; and on Thursday morning at 8 o'clock, the Holy Sacrifice was offered up by the Most Rev Dr. McEvilly - the Lord Bishop of Galway, and by a large number of clergymen who attended from distant parts to pay their tribute of respect to the deceased. About 11 o'clock, the remains were borne to the parish church, where all was prepared for the solemn High Mass, de requiem. First in order in the procession, nearly 500 of his tenants, moved by the great door of the Castle, in line of three deep, wearing, each a linen scarf and hatband, evidencing by their sorrowful air and deportment, their deep sense of the loss they had sustained in the death of a kind friend and landlord. With difficulty were they restrained from manifesting irritated temper because they were not allowed to bear his remains on their shoulders to the church as the last mark of their grief and respect. This unusually large number, did not represent the immense population on his property, as the heads of families only, arrayed in white, formed this part of the funeral.

After the wreck caused by the great famine and emigration, and the desolation which marks other parts of the country, now turned into sheep walks, here was evidence, conclusive of the fostering and kind care, with which the lamented deceased, cherished and upheld the poor upon his estates. Next, came the long long line of priests, chanting the "Miserere" and suitable psalms. Then came the hearse with the remains, and mourning carriages, occupied by the immediate members and relatives of the family. After followed, the carriages and vehicles of all descriptions. The whole procesion, including a vast crowd from all the adjacent country, which thronged and lined the road, covered the entire way, from the Castle to the public church - a space of nearly two miles in length. At the church door the remains were ushered in by His Grace the Archbishop of Tuam, with his attendant chaplain and clergy. The solemn High Mass was celebrated by the Rev. James Magee, C.A., Tuam, assisted by the Rev. Richard MacHale, Professor, St. Jarlath's, and the Rev Timothy Keville, do. The Very Rev Ulick J. Bourke, President of St Jarlath's, officicated as master of ceremonies.

In the choir were - His Grace the Archbishop of Tuam; the Most Rev. the Lord Bishop of Galway; Rev Peter Waldron, P.P., Annadown; Very Rev. George Commins, P.P, V.G, Galway; Very Rev John O'Grady, P.P., Athenry; Rev. John J. Noone, P.P., Menla; Rev Peter Conway, P.P., Headford; Very Rev Thomas Folan, O.P., Galway; Rev. T. Taylor, O.P; Rev T Slattery, O.P.; Very Rev. Edward Jennings, O.S.A., Galway; Rev Martin Murphy, Carmelite Convent, Loughrea; Rev. James Commins, P.P, Castlegar; Rev. Patrick Duggan, P.P., Cummer; Rev Edward Thomas, C.C., Tuam; Rev. James Stephens, C.C., do; Rev. John McGough, P.P., Lackagh; Rev. P. MacNamara, P.P., Donaghpatrick; Rev. William Joyce, C.C., Belclare; Rev. John Dooley, R.C.A., Galway; Rev. P. Fitzgerald, C.C., Abbeyknockmoy; Rev. John Geraghty, P.P., Oranmore; Rev. Thomas Haddigan, P.P., Abbeyknockmoy; Rev. Peter Dooley, C.A., Galway; Rev. Redmond McDonagh, C.C., do; Rev John Burke, O.S.F., Galway; Rev Daniel Goode, C.C., Rev John Charles, C.C., Rev James Henry, C.C, Rev Michael Joyce, C.C., Rev Patrick Walsh, C.C., Rev. James Henelly, C.C., Headford.

After Mass the obsequial ceremonies were performed by His Grace, assisted by the clergy, in the order prescribed by the ritual of the church. In asking the prayers of the vast congregation for the repose of the soul of the deceased, His Grace, after a few appropriate words in English, addressed the people, at considerable length, in the vernacular tongue, in explanation of the solemn rites they attended on the occasion, during which he paid a just tribute to the virtues of the deceased. The coffin was then borne to the family vault adjacent to the church, where the final prayers were recited by His Grace and the clergy. We have rarely witnessed a scene more solemn and imposing. It was a tribute paid by the Church, and by society in its every grade, from far and near, to worth, which all appreciated, and the sterling qualities which marked the long and honoured career of a truly respectable Catholic gentleman. -May he rest in peace.
Tuam Herald, Saturday March 13, 1869