Edmund MacGauran (Irish: Émonn Mác Shamhradháin; also anglicised Magauran, Mac Gauran, McGovern; c. 1548 – 23 June 1593)[1] was the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh, Ireland from 1587 to 1593 and Bishop of Ardagh from 1581 to 1587.

Edmund MacGauran (his Gaelic name was Émonn Mác Shamhradháin) was a member of the McGovern clan, who were the rulers in the Middle Ages of the tuath of Teallach n-Eachach in Breifne (now Tullyhaw, County Cavan, Ireland).

[5] When he completed his secular education, Edmund followed the well-beaten path to Europe and joined a seminary to study for the priesthood, probably in Spain as he had Spanish friends and visited there regularly.

Pope Gregory XIII later proved this by entrusting Bishop Magauran with a special mission to the Ulster Gaelic chiefs, when he was to attempt to obtain their support for the Geraldine war or Desmond Rebellions (1579–83), which was then raging in Munster.

Claudio Acquaviva, the Superior-General of the Jesuits in Rome on 31 September, stating- "We have had a visit from an Irish Bishop, who has been some time in Scotland, and with Fathers Hay and Gordon.

The number of Catholics increases rapidly every day, and the Irish Bishop assures me that during the short time he remained in Scotland, he administered the sacrament of confirmation to at least ten thousand persons.

On entering Italy he first went on a pilgrimage to the Marian Shrine at Loreto, Marche on foot to fulfill a double vow he made when saved from capture at sea.

It is mostly famous as the seat of the Basilica della Santa Casa, a popular Catholic pilgrimage site and it was the foremost Marian Shrine in Europe at that time.

The reason Bishop Magauran gave for this pilgrimage to Loreto was that his escape from Drake's search happened on the eve of the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who had warned one of his companions in a dream.

However Bishop Magauran was on the spot in Rome and although still a young man of about 39, he seemed an ideal candidate to lead the Counter-Reformation in Ireland, in part because of his efforts in the Desmond Rebellion and also because of his leadership of the Irish exiles in Scotland and Spain.

Demum R. D. Edmundum transferendum, nobilem Hybernum, Belmeren (sic) diocesis, de legitime matrimonio procreatum, aetatis annorum 40, et virum denique idoneum dixit regimini dictae Metropolitanae ecclesiae, et eius instaurationi, et gratum Episcopis ac Principibus ejusdem provincise, a quibus ad hanc S. Sedem mossus est, et eundem fidei professionem emisisse, et processum formatum, et a Rmis.

Father Jeronimo Dias preached and was heard by the secular nobles and men of quality, as well as various religious orders, many of whom ate that day in our dining hall with three bishops present."

[19] In his eagerness to restore Catholicism as the official religion in Ireland, Archbishop MacGauran travelled to Spain and Portugal, seeking financial and military assistance for another uprising.

On 28 June 1591 Magauran was in Madrid where he wrote the following letter (in Gaelic, which is translated here) to a Mr. Mody asking him to convey a message to Captain Oliver Eustace who was with the Spanish Army in Brussels- "Edmund Magawran, Primate of Armagh, to Capt.

Eustace and tell him that I am very thankful for such business as he hath written to me, and albeit much hindrances have happened to him and to many others of our country by means of Englishmen, yet I hope in God it will not be long before they be free from the said nation.

Sir George Bingham wrote to his brother Richard from Ballymote on 3 January 1593 as follows- "James O'Crean came lately out of the north from Hugh Roe O'Donnell, where as he saith, he saw seven bishops.

More meetings were held with the local chiefs and on 4 April 1593, Archbishop Magauran wrote to King Philip's councillor in charge of British matters, Juan de Idiáquez y Olazábal, to inform him that all the Gaelic lords promised to support a Spanish invasion, amongst whom were O'Donnell, the Bourkes and O'Rourke.

[22] On 7 April Hugh Roe O'Donnell followed up with another letter to King Philip confirming it was a good idea to invade as it would cost little and would divert the English from Spanish Flanders.

On 11 April 1593, Patrick M'Arte Moyle M'Mahon gave evidence at Monaghan "of the assemblies sworn by M'Gawran, the titular Primate, to help the Spaniards, who would arrive before mid-May, 1593".

A further letter dated 8 May from Enniskillen Castle requested an army of up to 10,000 men by 8 September and was signed by Edmund Magauran, Hugh Maguire, Brian Ogge O'Rourke, six northern bishops and others.

On 19 June 1593, Moris O'Skanlon upon examination declared-"that about Thursday was seven night" [7 June 1593], "Sir Hugh Maguire, Cormock M'Barron Henry Oge, Alexander M'Donnell Oge, Shane Evarry, brother to Maguire, and the supposed Primate called Edmond M'Gawran, met upon a hill in Slight Art's country [Part of Sir Turlough O'Neill's country bounding upon Fermanagh], where the said Edmond held a book, whereupon the said parties took their oath; but what it was this examinate knoweth not, but by hearsay, for that he stood sixty yards off, and as he heard it was that they should faithfully join together in all their doings and actions.

The cause of his knowledge is that he was then present and saw every of them take the book from the pretended Primate and put it towards their heads, and heard the report as before; and for a further testimony he saith, that he sent the Seneschal of Monaghan word by his own messenger the same evening that he should be well upon his keeping, for that he feared they would come to prey his country".

On 15 June 1593, the Lord Deputy and Council were in Dundalk where they examined the aforesaid Patrick M'Arte Moyle M'Mahon who informed them that- "Bishop M'Gawran's promise of forces out of Spain.

On 23 June (New Style 3 July) 1593[24][25] (The Vigil of St. John or Bonfire Night), Archbishop Edmund MacGauran was killed in Skeanavart townland in the Parish of Kilmacumsy, Barony of Frenchpark, County Roscommon, whilst accompanying Hugh Maguire on his raid into Connacht.

When the Governor saw that he had not an equal number of men with them, he returned back, he himself and all his people having escaped scathless from that conflict, except only William Clifford, a distinguished gentleman, and five or six horsemen, who were slain on that occasion.

The Primate going to Maguire who was already at war and a man of warlike propensities, had no difficulty in persuading him to continue the struggle on the faith of his Catholic Majesty's assurances, and reliance on his sending assistance.

Subsequently O'Rourke and Maguire resolving to punish, not only the English Protestants, but also those Irish Catholics who aided them, laid waste O'Ferrall's country of Annaly in Meath.

[27]On 28 June 1593 Sir Richard Bingham wrote to Burghley stating – "the killing of the arch-traitor M'Gawran, a venomous person, who hath chiefly contrived all these mischief".

Bingham's fuller report to the Privy Council on the same date states- "M'Guire was on horseback; and all their principal men and himself escaped so narrowly, and the very next unto him, round about him, were stricken down; amongst whom his ghostly father, the Titulary Primate Mac Gauran, lost his life, a man of more worth in respect of the villany and combinations which he hath wrought with the ill Irishry than the overthrow of divers hundreds of the other Beggars; and so generally is his death lamented as if the same were their utter overthrow.

And, assuredly (right honorable), he was the only stirrer and combiner of their mischiefs towards in Ulster (and the primer of M'Guire to come forward in their two journeys, making the Irishry full of belief that they should have the aid this summer of Spaniards) and another champion of the Pope's, like Doctor Allen, the notable traitor; but, God be thanked, he hath left his dead carcase on the Maugherie, only the said Rebels carried his head away with them, that they might universally bemoan him at home".And again, on 30 June, the Lord Deputy and Council informed the Privy Council- "the traitorous titulary Bishop Magawran, with seven or eight of the Maguires, slain in the Maghery."