Nangle, Richard

Nangle, Richard (d. 1543), bishop of Clonfert, was a member of a family long established in Connacht. Educated by Augustinian friars (OESA), Nangle entered the order and ultimately became provincial. He persuaded Margaret Athy, wife of Stephen Lynch, who several times held the office of mayor of Galway, to fund the establishment of a friary at Galway. Work began in 1500 and was completed in 1506/8. Nangle was nominated to the see of Clonfert by Henry VIII in 1536, on the recommendation of Archbishop George Browne (qv) of Dublin, and was consecrated on 13 June 1537. He was opposed by the pope's nominee, Roland Burke (qv) (de Burgo), who was consecrated about the same time and had influential local connections that enabled him to have Nangle expelled from the diocese within a year. Nangle retreated to Dublin, where he acted as suffragan to Browne, who in February 1539 announced his intention of undertaking a countrywide mission, preaching where English was understood, accompanied by Nangle, who would preach in Irish. Curiously, in 1541 Nangle's rival, Roland Burke, having been permitted by the king to surrender his bulls and accept royal supremacy, was admitted to the temporalities of Clonfert on October 24. On 1 May 1542 Nangle, described merely as a professor of theology, was presented to the rectory of Ardrayne, in the diocese of Kilmacduagh, then vacant. He died shortly afterwards, before 24 February 1543.