Patrick O'Loughran

Who was Patrick O'Loughran?

Patrick O'Loughran was a priest of the archdiocese of Armagh and an Irish Catholic Martyr.

Born in County Tyrone, Father O'Loughran administed the sacraments to exiled Irish noblemen who had fled to Belgium. He returned to Ireland in June 1611 and was arrested by agents of the Protestant English regime who were occupying the country. Under interrogation, O'Loughran admitted that he had given sacraments to the exiled noblemen, and that he had assisted the Irish bishop, Blessed Conor O'Devany. Upon his confession he was committed to a dungeon and in January 1612, he and Bishop O'Devany were condemned to death. On the day of execution the bishop asked to die last so that he could provide Father O'Loughran moral support in his moments before death, but the request was refused. Father O'Loughran replied: "Aid me by your prayers with God, by whose help I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor anything else, will separate me from the love of Christ or from my companionship with you." Bishop O'Devany knelt to pray for O'Loughran before they were both drawn and quartered.