pag. 528-9).

Before the close of 1517, Dr. O'Murrily was duly proclaimed in
consistory Bishop of Ross. He governed the see, however, for little more
than one year, and had for his successor a Spaniard named _Bonaventura_,
of whom it is recorded that he founded a monastery in the small island
of Dursey, which lies at the head of the peninsula between Bantry and
Kenmare--(O'Sullivan. _Hist. Cath._, pag. 238). This monastery and its
adjoining church of St. Michael shared the fate of most of the monuments
of our ancient faith during the persecution of Elizabeth, and in 1602
was levelled to the ground.

Of the immediately succeeding Bishops we know little more than the mere
names. Herrera tels us that an Augustinian friar, by name Herphardus,
was promoted to an Irish see in the consistory of 21st February, 1530.
By an error of the consistorial copyist, that see is styled _Sodorensis
in Hibernia_. Elsius and some modern writers supposed the true reading
to be _Ossoriensis_; but this arbitrary substitution is irreconcilable
with the history of the see of Ossory; and it seems much more probable
that the true reading of the consistorial record would be _Sedes
Rossensis in Hibernia_.

The next Bishop that we find is Dermit M'Domnuil, styled in the
consistorial acts _Dermitius Macarius_, who was appointed about 1540,
and died in 1553. He was succeeded by Maurice O'Fihely (or Phelim), a
Franciscan friar, and professor of Theology. The following is the
consistorial entry: "Die 22^o Januarii 1554 providit Sanctitas Sua
Ecclesiae Rossensi in Hibernia vacanti per obitum Dermitii Macarii de
persona D. Mauritii O'Fihely ord. FF. Min. et Theologiae professoris".
Early in 1559 this bishop, too, passed to his eternal reward, and his
successor's appointment is thus registered in the same consistorial
acts: "Die 15 Martii 1559, referente Reverendissimo Dno. Cardinale
Pacheco fuit provisum Ecclesiae Rossensi in Hibernia per obitum bon.
mem. Mauritii O'Phihil (O'Fihely) pastoris solatio destitutae de persona
R. D. Mauritii Hea, presbyteri Hiberni".

Dr. O'Hea for less than two years ruled the diocese of Ross, and in the
consistory of 17th December, 1561, Dr. Thomas O'Herlihy was appointed to
the vacant see: "Die 17^o Decembris 1561, referente Cardinale Morono Sua
Sanctitas providit ecclesiae Rossensi in Hibernia per obitum bon. mem.
Mauritii O'Hea extra Romanam curiam defucti, vacanti, de persona D.
Thomae O'Hierlahii presbyteri de nobili