Bishop Thomas Lewis O’Beirne and his church-building
\nprogramme in the diocese of Meath 1798-1823

The first quarter of the nineteenth century was a time of great change and
\nuncertainty in Ireland. The rebellion of 1798 was followed in 1801 by the Act of Union,
\nwhich brought about legislative and ecclesiastical union from Britain. If the Church of
\nIreland was ever to make a success of its mission in-Ireland, it was in these early years of
\nthe nineteenth century. On the eve of this opportunity Thomas Lewis O’Beime, an Irish
\nconvert and former Roman Catholic seminarian, was translated from the diocese of
\nOssory to Hie see of Meath. Availing of compensation monies, ecclesiastic bursaries and
\ngifts or loans from the trustees of the Board of First Fruits, the bishop began twenty-five
\nyears of infrastructural change and pastoral reform on a scale not seen in any diocese in
\nthe history of the reformed church.
\nThis study has not one, but two main concerns. The first is to set out, for the first
\ntime, a full as possible account of the infrastructural changes instituted and maintained by
\nBishop O’Beime during his time in the diocese of Meath. The second is to record by
\narchitectural inventory, what remains of the churches built or rebuilt during his
\nepiscopate. The latter is particularly pressing, as already, a number of those buildings no
\nlonger dress the landscape and several others, due to their current dilapidated state, will
\nsoon disappear.
\nIn order to gain an understanding of this spate of church building and reform, it is
\nfirst necessary to investigate the bishop himself, his background, career, views, political
\nand religious associates. Hence, O’Beime is the subject of the first chapter. To fully
\nappreciate the scale of O’Beime’s work in Meath and provide some historical context, the
\nsecond chapter sets out the extent of the diocese and provides an overview of its history.
\nThis includes land distributions made at the time of the dissolutions, the resulting
\narrangement of parish patronage and tithe impropriations and the role of some of
\nO’Beime’s episcopal predecessors. Chapters three and four concentrate on the
\ninfrastructural changes brought about by O’Beime. Chapter five examines the
\ncontribution of parish patrons, tithe impropriators, congregations and parishioners at
\nlarge.

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