Hickey, Antony

Hickey, Antony (d. 1641), Franciscan, theologian and writer, appears to have been a member of the Hickey family of Co. Clare, who traditionally served as doctors to the O'Brien lords of Thomond. He entered the Franciscans and on 1 November 1607 he was one of the first five novices to be received at the Irish Franciscan college of St Anthony at Louvain. He then went on to become professor of philosophy and theology at Louvain. Around 1616 he went to teach philosophy at Aachen and later theology at Cologne. In 1619 he moved to Rome to work on a number of publications, including an edition of the works of Duns Scotus, apparently under the patronage of the king of Spain. He was one of the witnesses interviewed by the apostolic datary regarding the suitability of Hugh O'Reilly (qv) prior to the latter's provision to the bishopric of Kilmore in 1625. In 1639 he was appointed a definitor general, a member of the executive of the order. Among his published works were Nitela Franciscanae religionis, published in Lyons in 1627, in which he defended the principles of the order of St Francis. His work filled three volumes of the twelve volume edition of the works of John Duns Scotus, published in Lyons in 1639. Friar Hickey died on 26 June 1641 after a fall at St Isidore's College in Rome, and was buried in the college. There is a fresco of Hickey on the wall of the aula of St Isidore's.