CHURCH OF IRELAND RECTOR
DURING THE FAMINE.
Dr. Edward Stopford
was appointed Rector of Kells and archdeacon of Meath in 1844.
He was a man who had a great social conscience.
When the famine was at its height he often spent eight hours a day
helping with relief (according to “The Story of Kells” by Leo Judge).
Many beggars came to his door offering “to sell their faith for
money”. He did not approve of
this and also condemned the efforts made by some denominations to convert
starving paupers to produce last minute death- bed reconversions.
He was a very independent minded man who later incurred the anger of
Father Mc Evoy, the Catholic parish priest, when he sent people around selling
bibles. He was one of the few
clergy- men to discuss the disestablishment act with Gladstone (not because he
favoured the idea, but because he realised it was inevitable and it was better
to discuss the proposed legislation with the British Prime Minister than allow
him a free hand to do so as he liked). His
daughter was Alice Stopford Green the well known historian who supported the Aud
gun – running in 1913 pleaded for mercy for Roger Casement and was appointed
to the free State Senate by congress in 1912.