Brian Boru, Charles and James

On this day in 1014, at the Battle of Clontarf, just outside Dublin, the great high king of Ireland, Brian Boru, died in battle against the Vikings – a Good Friday that year, alas. The Irish won – which is why it’s still called Ireland, and not Daneland, and with better music as a result – but at great cost, with many killed on both sides. Brian and his soldiers had just about annihilated the Viking coalition, when a band of them retreating stumbled on the King’s tent, overcame his bodyguard, and slew the elderly Irish warrior-king, who lives on in memory

They say that everyone named ‘O’Brien’ – Son of Brien – is in some way descended from Boru, which would include close to half of Ireland, I would guess. My own paternal grandmother was an O’Brien, from lovely Donegal, who grew up speaking Gaelic, and I recall with fondness her Irish lilt.

Anon, here is a fine rendition of Brian Boru’s March by the Chieftains, to rouse your fightin’ Irish spirits:

This is also the day that Charles II – aptly, the feast of Saint George, patron of Britain – was crowned king of England, Scotland and, yes, Ireland, in 1661. He was the son of Charles I, put to death by Oliver Cromwell in 1649, who ruled the Isles with an iron fist until his own death in 1658. When Charles II was put on the throne after returning from exile, memory of whose Cromwell’s destructive Protectorate was soon obliterated, with Charles’ reign predated to 1649, as though he had seamlessly succeeded his father.

Charles was drawn to Catholicism, and wanted to give freedom to Catholics, but was blocked by the now-regnant Parliament. He is court was known for its jollity and joie de vivre after the glumness of Cromwell’s iconoclastic Calvinism. Charles himself was a popular king, known as the ‘Merry Monarch’ – perhaps a bit too merry, with his indeterminate number of illegitimate children, and no legitimate heirs. It is said he converted on his deathbed, hopefully with a good Confession.

Charles was succeeded by his older brother, James II, the last ‘real’ king of England, a Catholic, who tried to restore the Faith. But ‘twas too late, and in the inaptly named ‘Glorious Revolution’ of William and Mary in 1688, both monarchy and the Faith mostly came to an end in England, left as but vestiges of their former glory. The tide was against them, and when he finally abdicated, on his way to exile in France, James in a symbolic gesture threw the Great Seal of England into the depths of the sewage-polluted Thames, whence it had to be retrieved by a couple of unfortunate chaps.

I don’t think most of us are looking forward to the woke reign of ‘Charles III’, and we might hope he either defers to his son William, or Elizabeth lives longer than medical science might predict. Whatever one says of the monarchy, the Faith certainly never dies, and we may hope that somewhere, in Ireland, Scotland and England, its fires are still burning, ready to be fanned into flame, in God’s good time, before Christ’s return. Then we will see a true glorious revolution, when all things will be made new.

Carney’s Amoral Majority

After five defections – euphemistically described as ‘crossing the floor’ – and three by-elections, Mark Carney and his Liberals how have their coveted majority. One wonders what bowls of pottage were offered in back-room deals. In the archaic monarchical system that is the Dominion of Canada, this majority allows the newly-minted Prime Minister to rule[…]Continue reading→

Saint Kateri , Canada’s Protectress

This was the title given to Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, by Pope Benedict XVI, when he canonized her on October 28th, 2012, along with six others, in Saint Peter’ Square (she had been beatified by Pope John Paul II back in 1980). With Saint Joseph as our protector, along with the Canadian martyrs, we seem to[…]Continue reading→

A Closed, Unsustainable, Descending Loop

As a follow-up to my thoughts on Payette’s payout, here be a stark image of where are here in Canada. As the graph shows in, well, graphic terms, since 2025, the public sector has contributed to 95.5% of economic growth. The private sector – which funds the public sector, or is supposed to – has[…]Continue reading→

A Tale of Two Benedicts

A grace-filled Holy Week to all our readers! As we await and prepare for the Resurrection about to dawn upon us, we might keep in mind two Benedicts: Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, requiescat in pace, elected on this day in 2005; and today’s commemoration of the mystic pilgrim, Benedict Joseph Labre, who died on this[…]Continue reading→

My Name is Bernadette

April 16th is a propitious day, for besides the anniversary of Father de Valk’s death, who founded Catholic Insight in its print form decades ago, and the commemoration of the ‘two Benedicts’, mentioned in accompanying posts, today we also recall Saint Bernadette Soubirous, the young visionary to whom the Virgin Mary appeared numerous times at[…]Continue reading→

Presidential Pardon of Weronika Krawczyk

As a good news, follow-up to our story from Poland, of the persecution of Weronika Krawczyk for her pro-life views, we heard that she has been granted a presidential pardon. One might still wonder why one needs a presidential pardon for simply holding the long-held belief that the child within the womb is a child,[…]Continue reading→

Saint Lydwina of Schiedam and Suffering Joyfully

Saint Lydwina of Schiedam (1380 – 1433) was one of the countless and glorious ‘victim souls’ in the history of the Church, those whose lives are filled with suffering, often of an unimaginable intensity, but who suffer joyfully. She was a fifteen-year old Dutch girl, out skating one day, when she fell and broke one[…]Continue reading→

The Glorious Martyrdoms of Martin and Maximus

As we enter into Eastertide, we recall on this 13th of April Pope Saint Martin I (+655), one of the noblest, if most tragic, of the successors of Saint Peter. Born in Umbria, Italy, he was of noble lineage, with great intelligence combined with charity and love of the poor and the Church. While still[…]Continue reading→

Pope Leo and a Rosary for Peace

Pope Leo XIV has asked Catholics across the world to join him in a Rosary for peace today, at 18:00 Rome time (6 pm), which would be noon from where I write (EST). If you are able, whether at that time or another, and in whatever way you pray, to join in intercession with the[…]Continue reading→

Payette’s Payout

I was glancing through some headlines, and noticed a mention of Julie Payette – engineer and astronaut and sometime the Queen’s representative in Canada – which brought back vague memories. She was appointed Governor-General by Justin Trudeau in 2017. Ms. Payette resigned in 2021, amidst claims that she created a ‘toxic work environment’, with allegations[…]Continue reading→