Gaysa, the Spoiled Priest: A Treatise Concerning the Irish Family and Its Historical Relationship with the Catholic Church

By Dennis McIntyre

The most recent offering from author and historian, Dennis McIntyre is concerned with an aspect of Irish social history that relates to aspirants for the priesthood who, for various reasons, were never ordained as Catholic priests. In the vernacular, they were known as 'spoiled priests', 'priesteens' or, 'sagarts'.
This treatise delves deep into the matter of how religion, priests and the Catholic Church infiltrated and wove itself into the very fabric of Irish society and Irish life. It relates the almost unbelievably sad story of the pathetic, fictitious, Gaysa (the principal character in this narrative and a spoilt priest) and the repercussions that his rejection had, for his life and the lives of those around him.
It is a book that is rich in social history and will be of interest to anyone curious about just how Ireland and Irish society, dominated by the Catholic Church, developed in the way that it did.
Dennis McIntyre is an author who really believes that we study history in order to learn from it: for the benefit of ours and future generations as well as for greater human betterment. Hence, while the author does not hold back in his pointed criticisms, the reader will not fail to see the purpose of his polemic:

"There was and is little wrong with the church that Our Lord, Jesus left to us. It has stood and will continue to stand the test of time. There was and is no cause for anyone to throw out the baby with the bathwater."

As if to reinforce that view, he concludes, magnanimously, with ‘an apology to all the good priests!’

Dennis McIntyre is an author, historian, tour guide, broadcaster and former teacher. Originally from Sligo, he has lived in the Clontarf area of Dublin for a number of years, where he has established a reputation as a local historian, arising out of publications such as The Meadow of the Bull: A History of Clontarf ("You will probably find a well-worn copy of this book in every household in Clontarf!") and 'Bram Stoker and the Irishness of Dracula' – a book that brings it all back home as far as the world’s most enduring vampire story is concerned.
He has also written books that trace the trajectory of events that culminated in Ireland’s quest for independence ('Irish Nationalism, Irish Republicanism and the 1916 Easter Rising') while 'The Principal Brathadóir' not just lifts the lid but also stirs the pot on the inner workings of the Irish educational system.
In addition to his writing, Dennis McIntyre also serves as founder and director of Dublin North Bay Tourism and the Stoker Dracula Gothic Organisation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Manuscript Publisher
• Release date: Jan 9, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463418659

Dennis McIntyre

Dennis McIntyre is an author, historian, tour guide, broadcaster and former teacher. Originally from Sligo, he has lived in the Clontarf area of Dublin for a number of years where he has established a reputation as a local historian, arising out of publications such as 'The Meadow of the Bull: A History of Clontarf' ("You will probably find a well-worn copy of this book in every household in Clontarf!") and 'Bram Stoker and the Irishness of Dracula', a book that brings it all back home as far as the world's most enduring vampire story is concerned.He has also written books that trace the trajectory of events that culminated in Ireland's quest for independence ('Irish Nationalism, Irish Republicanism and the 1916 Easter Rising') while 'The Principal Brathadóir' not just lifts the lid but also stirs the pot on the inner workings of the Irish educational system.His most recent book, 'Gaysa, the Spoiled Priest', delves deep to the very kernel of how religion, priests and the Catholic Church infiltrated and wove itself into the very fabric of Irish society and Irish life. The story is seen through the prism of Gaysa, a fictitious character but, an example of many for whom rejection for the priesthood had repercussions on his life and the lives of those around him.In addition to his writing, Dennis McIntyre also serves as founder and director of Dublin North Bay Tourism and the Stoker Dracula Gothic Organisation.

Book preview

Foreword

This book details how the priesthood and the Catholic Church penetrated into and caused so much anguish to family life, the welfare of the community and society in general in Ireland. The whole scenario is chillingly upsetting and, quite frightening, as the narrative depicts the way that the authoritarian and dictatorial manner in which the Church coldly held a Sword of Damocles over the people, ruined many lives.

The afflicted and lamentable priesteen, Gaysa (the creation of the author), had other problems, besides being afflicted with the stigma of being a priesthood reject and became imprisoned in, and shackled by, the balls and chains of the evil, jealous, hate-fulled addict he became, as he slid downhill from his perch as the chosen one, to the status of a semi-mad alcoholic.

This makes stark and sobering reading.

E.B.F.

Introduction

Any account of social Ireland over the years (indeed centuries) must chronicle the tremendous position of power and the honoured social status enjoyed by the Catholic priest in Irish society. A largely uneducated, peasant people held the clergy in awe, viewing them, as some still do – as a caste apart, belonging to a rank above, beyond and superior to any other occupation, profession or calling on this earth. It is fair to make the observation that many, even most of that same clergy, rejoiced in such status and esteem and, as temples of mother church, acted as if their power and authority was limitless. They lived in their own stratosphere.

But Irish social history must also recall and record the phenomenon of the spoiled priest, a species all of its own. It is with this genus that this treatise is concerned. The term ‘spoiled priest’, ‘priesteen’ and ‘sagart’ are commonly used in Ireland to describe aspirants for the sacrament of Holy Orders who, for various reasons, were never ordained Catholic priests. Some weren’t priestly material or, simply had no vocation or ‘calling’. Others were rejected by seminary chiefs, or just didn’t have the courage and wherewithal to take the commitment vows involved. Many did not have a sufficient educational standard or, overall, didn’t cut the mustard.

But, all too often, time proved that it was pietistic, religiously saturated parents (especially mothers) who ‘had the vocation’ for their son in the first place. Encouraging gestures from such mothers became suggestive pushes which, in turn, crystallised into persuasive and decisive shoves … to have a priest in the family.

Some of the priesteens went on to acquire good positions in life, such as teaching – a profession traditionally speckled with former Christian Brothers. Many became successful businessmen, married happily and raised families. Others, however, never overcame their failure and carried the feeling of deep shame, being scorned and rejected and letting their families down for the rest of their often tortured and haunted lives.

Instead of seeking help, in the form of counselling or such, many succumbed to alcoholism, became insane or even resorted to suicide. Others tried to gain revenge by leaving the church altogether and besmirch and slander it whenever possible.

With the stigma of being a sagart, like a noose around his neck, Gaysa, the main subject matter in this discourse, took the boat to England. There his fate saw him doomed to a life far removed from the priestly one he – or maybe more so, The Mother – envisaged.

Prologue

Scout, who operated in Gaysa’s circles in England for years, always kept Brian, Gaysa’s younger brother, informed and updated as to the state of play regarding Gaysa. Brian had met Scout when he himself worked in London seasonally. They became and remained close friends and kept in regular contact. Over the years, little surprised Brian about Gaysa, whose lifestyle led to his ongoing deterioration, mentally and physically. However, Scout’s latest report was alarming, if not unexpected and it prompted Brian to have another close look at Gaysa when the opportunity arose. That opportunity came sooner than Brian expected, when Gaysa came to Ireland from London, as part of a group bringing a body home for burial. At the airport, Brian’s sighting of Gaysa was the proverbial eyeful and he began to recall events over the years …

Chapter One

The family were born and nurtured into life in a very typical Irish rural home, on the family farm in the religiously drenched, sanctimonious Ireland of the 1950s and 1960s. It was a big family, as families in those days tended to be, consisting of children numbering between ten and twenty. In the home and dominating the kitchen-cum-living room were the paraffin oil-fuelled lamp, burning red in front