The Prior of Oronsay was the

Religious Superior In a hierarchy or tree structure of any kind, a superior is an individual or position at a higher level in the hierarchy than another (a "subordinate" or "inferior"), and thus closer to the apex. General A superior generally has the power t ...

Oronsay Priory Oronsay Priory was a monastery of canons regular on the island of Oronsay, Colonsay, Oronsay, Inner Hebrides, Argyll, off the coast of Scotland. It was in existence by 1353 under the patronage of John of Islay, Lord of the Isles. It was dedicat ...

, a community of

canons regular The Canons Regular of St. Augustine are Catholic priests who live in community under a rule ( and κανών, ''kanon'', in Greek) and are generally organised into Religious order (Catholic), religious orders, differing from both Secular clergy, ...

on the island of

Oronsay, Inner Hebrides Oronsay (), also sometimes spelt and pronounced ''Oransay'' by the local community, is a small tidal island south of Colonsay in the Scottish Inner Hebrides with an area of . The island rises to a height of at Beinn Orasaigh and is linked ...

, off the coast of Scotland. It was in existence by 1353, perhaps founded by

John of Islay, Lord of the Isles John of Islay (or John MacDonald) ( or ) (died 1386) was the lord of the Isles (1336–1386) and chief of Clan Donald. In 1336, he styled himself ''Dominus Insularum'' ('Lord of the Isles'), although this was not the first ever recorded instan ...

. It is probable that most of the priors have not come down to us by name. The last known prior was Robert Lamont, elected in 1555. After the

Scottish Reformation The Scottish Reformation was the process whereby Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland broke away from the Catholic Church, and established the Protestant Church of Scotland. It forms part of the wider European 16th-century Protestant Reformation. Fr ...

in 1560, the lands and property of the priory was given ''

in commendam In canon law, commenda (or ''in commendam'') was a form of transferring an ecclesiastical benefice ''in trust'' to the ''custody'' of a patron. The phrase ''in commendam'' was originally applied to the provisional occupation of an ecclesiastica ...

'' to Maol Choluim MacDubhthaich ("Malcolm MacDuffie"), at which time it would appear that the community ceased to exist. The property was later given to the

Bishop of the Isles The Bishop of the Isles or Bishop of Sodor was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of the Isles (or Sodor), one of Scotland's thirteen medieval bishoprics. The bishopric, encompassing both the Hebrides and Mann, probably traces its origins as ...

by King

James VI of Scotland James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until ...

upon his ascendency to the throne in 1583.

List of priors and commendators

List of known priors

* ???, fl. 1353 * Martin, x 1362 * Maurice de Oronsay, 1362-1382 x 1396 * Domhnall MacMhuirich, 1397-1426 * Dúghall MacEain (Dugall McKane), 1426-1472 * Dúghall MacDomhnaill (Donaldi), 1472 * Domhnall "Macyroull", 1499 * Domhnall MacPháil, 1538 * Domhnall MacDubhtaich (Donald MacDuffie or MacFee), 1538-1554 * Eoin MacMhuirich, 1554-1558 * Robert Lamont, 1555

List of known commendators

* Maol Choluim MacDubhthaich (Malcolm MacDuffie or Macilfie), 1561-1583

References

* Cowan, Ian B. & Easson, David E., ''Medieval Religious Houses: Scotland With an Appendix on the Houses in the Isle of Man'', Second edition, (London, 1976), p. 94 * Watt, D. E. R. & Shead, N. F. (eds.), ''The Heads of Religious Houses in Scotland from the 12th to the 16th Centuries'', The Scottish Records Society, New Series, Volume 24, (Edinburgh, 2001), pp. 165–7 {{Scottish Church Oronsay Oronsay Oronsay

List of priors and commendators

List of known priors

List of known commendators

See also

References