Coming from what has been called "the Catholic Clerical Aristocracy of the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin" Father James Maher had several nephews who were ordained priests, two sisters and at least 18 nieces who were professed nuns, one of his nephews was Cardinal Cullen and his grand-nephew was Cardinal Moran of Australia.,(in theory I suppose there should not be very many descendants of this celibate family ?). During the Great Famine 1845-1850 various evangelising groups attempted to convert Ireland to Protestantism by distributing food, soup, clothes and bribes of all kinds. Father Maher became a leader in the fight for Ireland's soul. According to P.J.Kavanagh "Maher became a first-class pest, endlessly composing fierce pamphlets in his study at Saint Patrick's College Carlow". This he was to continue to do for the remainder of his long life. Debating with the Protestant clergy in letters to various newspapers, fighting against Landlords and their system, condemning gambling, drunkenness and secret societies such as the Free Masons, the Whitefeet and the Blackfeet. He became involved in numerous elections and court cases. One famous case ( involving Thomas H. Watson and Captain S.Vignoles), was that of Patrick Pacey, who was encouraged by Maher to commit perjury. Pacey was later transported to Australia for so doing. Father Maher died in 1874. In the 1930s his remains were dug up by the firm of undertakers Purcell's of Tullow Street to be re-interred in a new grave on the grounds of St. Clare's Church in Graiguecullen. His body was found to be in a perfect state of preservation (one of the signs of a Saint ?). His coffin was cut up by Pat Purcell and carved into little crosses and were distributed among the faithful. One of the crosses hangs on my wall as I write !. Michael Purcell 2010. Extract from "The Letters of Father James Maher". He was born at Donore, in the county Carlow, on the 24th of May, 1793. Very soon after, his parents, who were in comfortable circumstances, removed to Kilrush, in the county Kildare, where they were no sooner settled than they were exposed to all the anxieties and annoy ances of the troubled period of 1798. Martial Law being proclaimed, there was no protection for the Catholic farmers against the lawless bands of the military and yeomanry, who, under the pretence of searching for arms or for rebels, scoured the open country, and not unfre- quently surrounding, at night, the houses of the most peaceable families, not only carried away as booty whatever pleased their fancy, but moreover too often sub jected the inmates to the grossest indignities and insults. Father Maher retained in after times a lively remem brance of this trying period. It was little more than an amusing variety for him in his childish years, that the whole family was obliged to consult for safety bypassing night after night in a sand pit, situated on the farm not far from the dwelling-house, and even in advanced years he used to relate with the liveliest interest the many practical cautions and corrections which he then received, lest by his noisy frolics he might happen to betray to some passer-by the place of concealment, and thus imperil the lives of the whole party. His parents were remarkable for their solid practical piety, and above all for their boundless charity. His father, Mr. Patrick Maher, indeed met with his death whilst performing one of his ordinary charitable deeds. In February, 1808, as he travelled on horseback to the fair of Kilcullen, he overtook a poor aged neighbour, who was pursuing the same journey on foot but was com pletely broken down by the fatigue of the road. Mr. Maher, as was his custom, offered to help the poor man, by giving him a seat on the horse behind the saddle, and rode the horse into the ditch that thus it might be more convenient for him to mount. The poor weary man however, being rather awkward in his movements, the horse began to plunge, and Mr. Maher was thrown with violence on the road. From the injuries which he sus tained, he went to heaven, to receive the reward of his charity, on the 7th of March following. Mrs. Maher, whose maiden name was Catherine Moore, was a native of Paulstown, in the county Kilkenny, and she was full of the ardour of true piety, and of that devoted zeal for which the faithful of Kilkenny have been at all times so remarkable. No wonder that she should find it difficult during the troubled days of I/9&, to restrain her indignation on witnessing the insults which were constantly offered to everything most sacred, and the outrages to which the most peaceable families around her were subjected. On one occasion her son-in-law, Mr. Hugh Cullen, of Prospect, (the father of His Eminence Cardinal Cullen), was made prisoner in his own house on a charge of affording shelter and assistance to the rebels, when they were assembled a little time before at the adjoining Rath of Mullaghmast. What made this charge the more offensive, it was brought by a wounded yeoman, whom Mr. Cullen, after a skirmish near the Rath, had found in a dying state, and bringing him to his house had nursed with the greatest care, till he was perfectly restored to health. As the assizes were then proceeding at Naas, Mr. Cullen was placed in a chaise, and conducted thither under a military escort to stand his trial. The route lay close to Kilrush House, and all the family were assembled on the roadside in the hope that the escort and prisoner might halt for a time to partake of refreshments, which were prepared for them. As this was not allowed, Mrs. Maher boldly mounted the step of the chaise, and handing the prisoner a bottle of wine said in a loud voice, " Cheer up, my son, God will soon send you back victorious to us." One of the soldiers pushed her back with the flat of his sword, saying roughly at the same time, " He will soon be brought back a corpse to you," and raised his sword to strike her again, but the officer cried out, " Don t touch that brave little woman," and ordered the guard to march on with their prisoner. Father Maher received his early education at the Quakers School at Ballytore,and during this time lived in the house of his brother-in-law, at Prospect. Among the incidents of his school-life he used often to relate how, after school hours, the Protestant and Catholic boys were accustomed daily to engage in combat, with varying fortunes, and how one Protestant lad named William Hoystead, who was from the neighbourhood of Kilrush, invariably took part with the Catholic boys, alleging as his reason, that it was a duty of friendship to join his neighbour, James Maher. In 1808 James Maher entered Carlow College to study for the prieshood, and he pursued his studies there for eight years.