Henry Piers converted to Catholicism in his late 20s, after "conversing with many of the Romish church" according to a family memoir (which also claimed he did so "against the advice of his wife").
He subsequently travelled on the Continent for some 8 years and on his return converted a number of his children, one of whom, Thomas Piers, was said to have become a Franciscan friar.
[3] He also wrote a book describing his travels,[4] the manuscript of which eventually came to Sir James Ware, whose sister married into the Piers family.
The manuscript was recently rediscovered and has proved an important source of information on the Irish laity in Europe during the time of the Nine Years' War.
Henry Piers was buried in a tomb in the now-ruined chapel of Templecross, which stands at the gates to Tristernagh demesne.