Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/M'Cabe, Edward
M'CABE, EDWARD (1816–1885), cardinal, and Roman catholic archbishop of Dublin, born at Dublin in 1816, was the son of poor parents. He was educated at a small local school and afterwards at Father Doyle's school on the quays. Passing through Maynooth he was ordained in 1839, was for some time curate at Clontarf, and thence transferred to the cathedral parish of Dublin. Dr. Murray and his successor in the archbishopric, Paul Cullen [q. v.], recognised his organising talent; he became a canon, and in 1854 refused a nomination to the bishopric of Graham's Town, South Africa. In 1856 he became, by Cullen's appointment, parish priest of St. Nicholas Without, where he built a new church and schools, and was also vicar-general of the diocese. His health gave way under the strain of his work, and in 1865 he was removed to the parish of Kingstown. Here he built a new church (at Monkswell) and opened a local hospital. In 1872 he drew up the address of the catholics of the diocese of Dublin in answer to the remarks of William Nicholas Keogh [q. v.], the judge, in the celebrated Galway election question. Cardinal Cullen becoming infirm, M'Cabe was on 25 July 1877 consecrated bishop of Gadara in partibus as his assistant, and after Cullen's death M'Cabe was on 23 March 1879 approved by the pope as archbishop of Dublin. He at once issued a circular calling attention to the position of Irish Roman catholics with regard to university education (Times, 1 April 1879). He was enthroned on 4 May (ib. 5 May 1879). On 12 March 1882 he was created a cardinal. M'Cabe had lived all his life in a town and had little sympathy with the Land League. In his charges he continually denounced agrarian outrage, and strongly disapproved the ‘no rent’ manifesto (cf. his charge of 12 March 1882). His life was once threatened, and he was unpopular with certain of the Irish leaders. He was supported, however, by the pope and carried on Cullen's policy. He was a member of the senate of the Royal University of Ireland, and served in 1881 on the Mansion House committee in Dublin for the relief of the prevalent distress. He died at his house in Eblana Avenue, Kingstown, on 11 Feb. 1885, and was buried at Glasnevin.
[Times, 12 and 18 Feb. 1885; Freeman's Journal, 11 Feb. 1885; anonymous notice published in 1879.]