Letter from Bishop Bernard Coyne to Fr. Michael O'Flanagan, 5 June 1918 Letters 1916-1923 Bishop Bernard Coyne

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Fr Michael O'Flanagan (1876–1942) was a Catholic priest and well-known nationalist. He was elected vice president of Sinn Féin in 1917. O'Flanagan's Bishop has written to him to complain that he has had reports of him attending public meetings regarding the East Cavan by campaign at Cootehill, Ballyjamesduff, and Bailieboro. Ballyjamesduff is the location of what became known as Fr O'Flanagans 'Suppressed Speech' as it was completely censored.

 O'Flanagan Private Collection https://letters1916.ie/item/6716 English Bishop Bernard Coyne 1918-06-05 Bishop's House, Culliss, Co. Cavan Fr Michael O'Flanagan Sligo Male 1926 The Rising Tide (1917-1919)

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 St. Mary'sSligo 5th June, 1918 Dear Fr. O'Flanagan I have been informed, on unquestionableauthority, that you attended a public meeting at Cootehill on the19th May, a public meeting at Ballyjamesduff on the 26th May, anda public meeting at Bailieboro' on the 2nd June, without havingobtained in any instance the permission of the parish priest ofthe place. This, as you know, was a direct violation of theMaynooth Statute (page 121, No. 397), and meant in your case anipso facto suspension, as you have already been informed in myletters of 25th January 1917 abd 24th October 1917. Lest,however, there should be any further doubt about the matter, I herebywithdraw from you the ordinary facilities of the diocese, includingthe permission to say Mass. This grave, deliberate, and public violation ofecclesiastical discipline is serious enough in itself. But itbecomes much more serious when considered in connection with whatappears to be your studied contempt and disregard of my repeatedwarnings and repremands. As you seem to have assumed throughoutan attitude of defiance and conumacity, I have no hope that youwill show any signs or give any proofs of amandement which wouldjustify the restoration of any diocesan facilities in the future. I am,Yours faithfully, Bishop's House, Culliss, Co. Cavan Letter from Bishop Bernard Coyne to Fr. Michael O'Flanagan, 5 June 1918 Sligo Letter from Bishop Bernard Coyne to Fr. Michael O'Flanagan, 5 June 1918 Bishop Bernard Coyne Letter from Bishop Bernard Coyne to Fr. Michael O'Flanagan 20 April 1917Letter from Fr. Michael O'Flanagan to Bishop Bernard Coyne, 21 April 1917Letter from Bishop Bernard Coyne to Fr. Michael O'Flanagan, 11 September 1917Letter from Bishop Bernard Coyne to Fr. Michael O'Flanagan, 5 June 1918 Fr Michael O'Flanagan Letter from Bishop Bernard Coyne to Fr. Michael O'Flanagan 20 April 1917Letter from Fr. Michael O'Flanagan to Bishop Bernard Coyne, 21 April 1917Letter from Bishop Bernard Coyne to Fr. Michael O'Flanagan, 11 September 1917Letter from Fr. Michael Flanagan to Canon Doorley, 9 December 1916Letter from Patrick Finegan to Fr Michael O'Flanagan, 29 April 1918Letter from Bishop Bernard Coyne to Fr. Michael O'Flanagan, 5 June 1918Letter from Father Michael O'Flanagan to Canon Timlin, 6 September 1918Letter from Fr Michael O'Flanagan to Canon Timlin, 27 September 1918Letter from Fr Maher to Fr Michael O'Flanagan, 15 October 1918Letter from TP Gilmartin to Fr Michael O'Flanagan, 19 October 1918Letter from Fr Michael O'Flanagan to Bishop Michael Fogarty, Bishop of Killaloe, 22 October 1918