Biography
Joseph MacRory was born in Ballygawley, County Tyrone, as one of the ten children of Francis MacRory, a farmer, and his wife, Rose Montague. He studied at St. Patrick's College, Armagh, and St. Patrick's College in Maynooth. He was ordained to the priesthood on 13 September 1885 and served as the first president of St. Patrick's Academy, Dungannon from 1886 to 1887. MacRory taught Scripture and Modern Theology at St Mary's College, Oscott in England until 1889, when he was appointed Professor of Scripture and Oriental Languages at his alma mater of Maynooth College. In 1906, he co-founded the Irish Theological Quarterly. In 1912 he was made Vice President of Maynooth.
MacRory was appointed Bishop of Down and Connor by Pope Benedict XV on 9 August 1915, and received his episcopal consecration on 14 November from Cardinal Michael Logue. He chose as his episcopal motto Fortis in Fide ("Strong in Faith"). During his tenure, his life was threatened repeatedly due to the turbulent atmosphere in Belfast. From 1917 to 1918 he was a member of the Irish Convention.
On 22 June 1928 MacRory was promoted to Archbishop of Armagh and thus Primate of All Ireland, in succession to Patrick O'Donnell, and in the consistory of 16 December 1929, Pope Pius XI created him Cardinal Priest of San Giovanni a Porta Latina.
MacRory was the papal legate at the 1933 laying of the foundation stone of Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, in England, and one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 1939 papal conclave, which selected Pope Pius XII.
MacRory was a strenuous opponent of social injustice, National Socialism, Protestantism and the Partition of Ireland. It was MacRory who suggested to Eoin O'Duffy that he raise an Irish Brigade to aid Generalissimo Franco during the Spanish Civil War. In 1940, he voiced strong objections to conscription in the North.
MacRory was a supporter of the Gaelic League, and Errigal Ciaran, one of the most famous GAA clubs in Ireland, play at Cardinal MacRory Park, Dunmoyle, which was built in 1956 in his honour.
After a brief illness, Cardinal MacRory died at the age of 84 from a heart attack at Ara Coeli, the residence in Armagh. He was interred in St Patrick's Cathedral Cemetery, Armagh.
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