Áed Ua hOissín (Hugh O'Hession), first Archbishop of Tuam, died 1161.
Contents |
Ua hOissín was one of four bishops granted pallia at the Synod of Kells in 1152 by the papal legate Cardinal Archbishop Giovanni Paparoni [1].
He came from a family with some church connections: Aed Ua Oisin was also the name of a coarb of Iarlaith of Tuam (abbot of Jarlath's Monastery) in the late 11th century – this abbot is said to have died in 1085.[2] He was preceded and succeeded as chief Bishop of Connacht by members of the prominent ecclesiastical family of Ó Dubhthaigh.
Ua Oisin was closely connected with Kings Toirdelbach Ua Conchobair, and with Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair, Kings of Connaught and High Kings of Ireland. He is associated, as Abbot of Tuam (and therefore prior to his accession), with a spectacular High Cross in Tuam[3], which honours King Toirdelbach.[notes 1] The High Cross [4] [1] is enscribed with the message "A prayer for O'Ossin; for the Abbot; by whom it was made". He is probably one of the few 12th century Irishmen whose image survives on a monument.[notes 2] See Petrie [5][2]
In 1134 as Abbot of Tuam the Annals of Innisfallen record that he was sent by Toirdelbach with Muireadhach Ua Dubhthaigh then Bishop to make peace with Munster.[3]. Ua Oisin also was associated with Bishop Muiredach Ua Dubthaig in protests to Ua Dubthaig regarding the arrest of Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair, Toirdelbach's son, in the early 1140s.[6]
His investiture in 1152 was the culmination of a long negotiation by St Malachy of Armagh to secure reform of the Irish Church and settle the appointment of metropolitans by the Pope Eugenius III. St Malachy died in 1148 on his mission to secure the palia - in the arms of St Bernard of Clairvaux.[notes 3]. The legate Giovanni Paparoni was twice refused passage to Ireland by King Stephen of England. Aubrey Gwynn concludes that Ua Oisin was not a Bishop immediately prior to his investiture as the first Archbishop of Tuam and of Connacht. Rather he was one of the five candidate bishops mentioned at Drogheda, and received his pallium as Archbishop later at Mellifont/Kells on Palm Sunday.
In 1156 after King Toirdelbach's death he was prevented from joining a Synod called by the Ua Mael Sechlainn Kings of Mide by representatives of the king. A Synod of Connaught clergy was held in Roscommon instead.
| “ | There was a convocation of all the clergie in Ireland at Breyuick Teige. The bisshopps of Connaught with the archbishop, hugh o’Nosyn (Hugh Hession) took their jorny to come thither & as they wer passing towards clonvicknose with 2 cowarbs of St Queran in theire company, and as they were comeing to the joysts or wodden bridge over the Syenn at Clonvicknos called Curr Clwanam, they were mett by the Rebell Carpreach the swift and his Kearne, whoe killed two laymen, and robbed the clergie, and did not suffer them to goe neer the said convocation, for another cause he had himself.[2] | ” |
Hession died in 1161 and was succeeded by Cadla Ua Dubthaig. Hession was considered sufficiently deserving to be buried in a magnificent marble tomb that survived until the mid 16th century.[7] A new street has recently been named in his honour in Tuam.
Ó hOisín/Hession is a surname native to County Galway. Other notables of the surname include:
| Preceded by New creation |
Archbishop of Tuam 1152–1161 |
Succeeded by Cadla Ua Dubthaig |
