Rev William John Burke remained in the Achill Mission until 1848. He was sent to nearby Ballycroy as curate of the parish.

The Lord Bishop of Tuam has licensed the Rev. William J. Burke, late Roman Catholic Priest, and Vicar General in the diocese of Killfanora. to the district curacy of Ballycroy, In the parish of Kilcommon. Mr. Burke, who has been for some time in the Priest’s Protection society, has latterly been assistant to the Rev. Edward Nangle at the Achill Missionary Settlement.

He remained as Curate of Ballycroy for several years.

Sources

Dublin Evening Packet and Correspondent 10 June 1848

Achill Mission

Set up by Rev Edward Nangle in 1831 in Dugort on land leased to him by the landlord of Achill, Richard O’Donnell. The Reverend’s main aim was to bring Christ and the Bible to the people of the Island. At the time there were a number of attempts to proselytisie people of rural Ireland especially in the West.  Dingle in Kerry and Achill were the two main areas as both places had suffered their share of poverty and disease, making them vulnerable and welcoming of any relief that came to them.

To read more see:

History Ireland

Dugort

Emily’s Father’s role in the mission

By the time Emily’s father arrived in 1845 the mission was well established;

At the time there was a need for relief from great poverty and education… By 1845 the Mission was thriving with the set up of schools, a church (St. Thomas’) a dispensary, orphan houses and training school. Footnote: Achill training school establishment situated at its Mweelin Settlement was originally formed to receive and train convert priests, but later was used to train scripture readers. Nangle has been instrumental in founding the Priest’s Protection Society, which aided converted priests…

Such a priest was Emily’s father. The Priests Protection Society was founded earlier that year to offer solace to convert clergymen like Rev. Burke. Converts known as Jumpers* were not tolerated by society in general at the time. Wherever he went in his native Galway he and his family were persecuted, which sometimes became physically violent. Now more than ever he and his family needed refuge as his wife was pregnant again. In October 1845 she gave birth to their son William Henry Emeris in Dublin.

In Dublin, the lady of tho Rev. William J. Burke of a son.

A month later in December 1845, Emily’s father arrived at the mission, he was made superintendent of the Reformed Priest Asylum. The country was in the grips of the famine and more and more people were availing of the charity provided by the missions.

Emily’s father was a great asset to the mission at the time. He was a fluent Irish speaker, putting him at an advantage to him to reach the wider community. He could also teach the Scriptures in English and Irish. Not only that he had an innate ability to preach and perhaps won many over through this. In later years when he did lecture tours of England he would draw audiences of hundreds. One newspaper article from 1868 reported that a crowd of 700 came to hear him speak. Like his daughter Emily he was fearless and would take his mission to the people, in the same 1868 lecture he told of bringing the Gospel to workers in the fields. The newspaper report below from 1846 tells of his early work as a missionary.

We have been informed by competent authority that upwards of forty individuals renounced Popery, on the same day in the Missionary Church the Island of Achill, under the ministry the Rev. Edward Nangle, and the Rev. W. J. Burke, the later of whom was formerly a priest of the Church of Rome and connected with the Priest’s Protection Society of Ireland.

 Rev William John Burke remained on Achill till 1848, when he was transferred to nearby Ballycroy. Although he lived on the island a relatively short time, this connection was the reason that Emily came to make Achill her home over half a century later.

*Jumper springs from the Irish word iompaigh which translates as turn around – in this context it means to turn around from one religion to another. This knowledge was shared with my by local historian. John Twin McNamara. For the rest of his life Emily’s father was known as The Jumper Burke.

Special thanks;

John Twin McNamara, Achill historian who kind shared his knowledge with me.

Sources

Achill Missionary Herald May 1845

http://www.historyireland.com/18th-19th-century-history/edward-nangle-the-achill-island-mission/

Moffitt, Miriam. Soupers & Jumpers: The Protestant Missions in Connemara, 1848-1937. Dublin: Nonsuch, 2008. P 11

06 November 1845 – Clare Journal, and Ennis Advertiser – Ennis, Clare

Belfast News-Letter 11 November 1845

Downpatrick Recorder 09 May 1846

McDonald, Theresa. Achill Island. Tullamore: I.A.S, 1997.P 143

The Reporter, June 20. P7

10 June 1848 – Dublin Evening Packet and Correspondent – Dublin, Dublin

Emily’s father Rev. William John Burke, fled Galway city after a second upsurge of violence against him and his family. After leaving Galway court house a mob stoned him again following him to his lodgings in Eyre Square, and practically in the front door of the lodging house. One member of the mob told his landlady that if she were to keep him in her home it would be on her own head if any damage was done to the property. He took refuge in the Sheriff’s prison, again requiring the protection of the law. It was from the prison that he wrote of his ordeal to the Achill Missionary Herald, telling of the violence against him and his family. He was released without charge by the courts but was far from a free man.

As it was not safe to return to his native Galway so he and his family made their way to Achill to take refuge at the Church Mission in Dugort.

Achill Missionary Herald May 1845

Sources

Achill Missionary Herald May 1845

http://www.historyireland.com/18th-19th-century-history/edward-nangle-the-achill-island-mission/

On hearing from all witnesses it was clear to the judge, Baron Lefroy, that the evidence against Rev Burke was weak. It was clear that it all steamed from the hate campaign against William John Burke for changing his religion. The witnesses were local people, who bore a grudge against him and would go to lengths to see his downfall. It came out in the court that the apothecary rented land from a one of the men, who reported the ‘felony’ to the police.

According to the apothecary “There was a report that something unfair had taken place, and I believe there was a with on the part of the people to have the matter investigated.” He said a lot more besides that could have carried a fate worse than transportation if the authorities had decided to investigate it. But they did not even consider it even if the press reported upon it in a callous manner.

His representative rested his case: “Now, my lord, that [the apothecary did not take an oath to keep the birth a secret] being the case I respectfully call upon your lordship to direct an acquittal. there has been no oath, much less evidence, of its having been tendered.”

According to the judge” As the prisoner did not actually tender the oath after producing the book, the offense, in law, cannot be sustained, and I must direct a verdict of acquittal”

The jury returned a verdict of “not guilty.”

Even though he walked away from the Assizes acquitted of his crime he was far from freeman. The story reached a wider audience and was reported on nationally and in England too. The press made a sensation of the case and some of the headlines printed about it are best not mentioned.

Rev Burke and his family had no choice but to leave his hometown and take refuge in the church missions, one of these was at Dugort on Achill Island where he and his family arrived following year.

The Rev. William J. Burke, an ex-priest of the Church of Rome, and for some months under the care of the Priests’ Protection Society for Ireland, has entered on the important duties of his appointment in the church at Achill Island.

Rev Burke did not live on Achill for long but it was enough to create the link that would draw his daughter Emily there six decades later…

Sources

 Freeman’s Journal 03 August 1844. p3

20 December 1845 – Dublin Evening Packet and Correspondent – Dublin