Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Holmes, William Anthony
HOLMES, WILLIAM ANTHONY, D.D. (1782–1843), chancellor of Cashel and rector of Templemore, in the same diocese, son of Joseph Holmes, was born in Drogheda, co. Louth, in 1782. He entered Trinity College, Dublin, 7 Jan. 1799; was elected a scholar in 1801; graduated B.A. 1803, and B.D. and D.D. 1834. Having taken holy orders, he became incumbent of Holywood, co. Down, in 1810. While there he took an important share in establishing the Mendicity Institution of Belfast. In 1818 he was promoted to the rectory of Ballyroan in the diocese of Leighlin; for some years he was preacher of Cashel Cathedral, and in 1822 became rector of Hore Abbey in the diocese of Cashel. On 22 May 1832 he was collated to the chancellorship of Cashel, and in 1837 to the rectory of Templemore. Archdeacon Cotton has described him as ‘an eloquent preacher, and a person of active mind and literary habits.’ He was twice married, and left issue. He died at Templemore, 30 Dec. 1843, and was buried in St. John the Baptist's churchyard, Cashel. Besides sermons and contributions to periodicals, Holmes was author of: 1. ‘A Plan for a Mendicity Institution,’ Belfast, circa 1818. 2. ‘Hints to the Proprietors of Loan Funds,’ Belfast, circa 1818. 3. ‘Statistical Account of the Parish of Holywood, County and Diocese of Down’ (printed in Mason's ‘Parochial Survey of Ireland,’ iii. 183–219), Dublin, 1819. 4. ‘The Time of the End; being a series of Lectures on Prophetical Chronology,’ London, 1833. 5. ‘The Heavy Blow and Great Discouragement of Protestantism: Correspondence between Lord Viscount Melbourne and the Bishop of Exeter; also between Lord Brougham and the Rev. Dr. Holmes,’ London, 1838. 6. ‘The Queen's Declaration against Popery, and the Coronation Oath discussed,’ London, 1843.
[Todd's Cat. of Dublin Graduates, p. 280; Ewart's Handbook of the United Diocese of Down and Connor and Dromore, p. 50; Cotton's Fasti Ecclesiæ Hibernicæ, i. 47; Blacker's Contributions towards a proposed Bibliotheca Hibernica, No. v., in the Irish Ecclesiastical Gazette, March 1876, xviii. 77.]