Thomas D Folan (1810–1874) was an Irish local leader who served as

King of the Claddagh The King of the Claddagh was the leader of the Claddagh community in Galway city as well as at sea who was charged with being the arbiter in any disputes. A new king was chosen on St. John's Day, 23 June. It is now an honorary role. Mayors and ...

Biography

Folan was a Dominican priest, and a native of

Galway City Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...

. He was the Prior of St Mary's Dominican Priory, Galway City. He was previously Prior of

San Clemente, Rome The Basilica of Saint Clement ( it, Basilica di San Clemente al Laterano) is a Latin Catholic minor basilica dedicated to Pope Clement I located in Rome, Italy. Archaeologically speaking, the structure is a three-tiered complex of buildings: (1) ...

, and succeeded Joseph Mullooly as Prior in November 1857. He was born in Rahoon, Galway in 1810 and was the son of James Folan and Honoria Costello. He studied at Perugia (1827–9) where he received minor orders, at Lucca (1829–31) where he was made subdeacon, and at San Clemente (1831–3), receiving diaconate and priesthood at the Lateran (1832), and at the Minerva (1833–4) where he graduated S.T.L. before returning to Ireland in Oct. 1834. Res. Galway, 1834–49, where he was prior from 1841 to 1847 and for some months in 1849. He served as prior of Dublin (1849–52), of Galway (1852–7) and of S. Clemente for one year (1857–8). He was a resident of Galway from 1858 until death, being prior again, 1865–73. He died outside Galway on 28 June 1874, but was buried in the Dominican vault at the Claddagh. His Italian diary, notebook, passports and official appointments are in the provincial archives at Tallaght.

King of the Claddagh

He was the earliest King of the Claddagh known by name. He had held the post for many years. In September 1851, he interceded in a dispute between Claddagh fishermen and the Galway Port Authorities, to prevent civil unrest as food was being exported from Galway Docks, according to the Galway Mercury Newspaper.'A Town Tormented by the Sea : Galway, 1790–1914'. John Cunningham, Geography Publications, Dublin, 2004 The ''Galway Vindicator'' of 12 May 1887 stated:

"The King of the Claddagh has passed away. The late Very Rev. Fr. Folan, who, having made many valiant efforts to advance the interests of the poor fishermen, was, for many years before his lamentable death, regularly elected as King. We may say the royal position was elective and not hereditary."

He is remembered by a stained glass window in St Marys Church,

Claddagh Claddagh () is an area close to the centre of Galway city, where the River Corrib meets Galway Bay. It was formerly a fishing village, just outside the old city walls. It is just across the river from the Spanish Arch, which was the location of ...

, Galway. He was succeeded as King of the Claddagh by Padge King, within whose family the title rested for many years, and without annual elections.

References

* ''Where the River Corrib Flows'', Maurice Semple,

Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a city in the West of Ireland, in the province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay, and is the sixth most populous city ...

, 1989. * ''Down by the Claddagh'', Peadar O'Dowd,

, 1993. * ''Galway – A Maritime Tradition:Ships, boats and people'', Brendan O'Donnell, Galway, 2001. * ''Coffin Ship: The Wreck of the Brig St. John'', William Henry, 2009. . * ''The Life of the Very Rev. Thomas N. Burke, O.P.'', illiam J. Fitzpatrick, F.S.A 1885.

External links

* http://www.galwayindependent.com/making-waves/making-waves/me-and-the-sea-%11-mike-lynskey/ {{DEFAULTSORT:Folan, Thomas Christian clergy from County Galway 1887 deaths 1810 births Irish Dominicans 19th-century Irish Roman Catholic priests