Legacy of amazing Longford priest continues to fascinate and inspire Europeans

The President of the European Parliament has paid tribute to a Longford priest who made one of the most significant archaeological discoveries in the ancient city of Rome.

Father Joseph Mullooly O.P. (1812–1880) was an Irish Dominican priest from Lehery, near Lanesboro, whose life combined faith, scholarship, and courage.

After joining the Dominican Order in Rome, he became Prior of the Basilica of San Clemente, where in 1857 he began excavations that revealed a 4th-century Christian basilica and, beneath it, a Roman-era house and a Mithraic temple.

These discoveries, described in his book Saint Clement, Pope and Martyr, and His Basilica in Rome (1869), remain among the most important windows into the layered history of Rome.

Fr Mullooly was also renowned for defending San Clemente during the revolutionary turmoil of 1848, when he placed it under Irish protection, and for welcoming visitors such as Princess Alice, daughter of Queen Victoria, who marvelled at the “three churches – one under the other.”

He died in 1880 and was later laid to rest at San Clemente, leaving a legacy as a pioneering archaeologist and a proud Irishman whose work continues to inspire pilgrims and scholars alike.

President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola wrote to the family of Fr Joseph Mullooly paying tribute to him on the occasion of a European Union commemoration in the Basilica of San Clemente.

Over 100 people from the Lanesboro area travelled to Rome for the commemoration which was led by The European Ambassador to the Holy See Mr Martin Selmayr.

MEP Metsola wrote that the rich story of Europe is written by a long list of seemingly ordinary people who accomplished extraordinary things, and Fr Joseph Mullooly is certainly one such person.

“A pioneering archaeologist, a devout Christian and a far-sighted conservationist who risked his life to safeguard the Basilica of San Clemente, Mullooly’s lifelong efforts to uncover our shared history and preserve it for future generations are a gift not just to Rome, but to all of Europe.

“From the early days of the Roman Empire to the Treaty of Rome in 1957 that laid the foundations of what would become the European Union, Rome has played a pivotal role in Europe’s journey.

“Fr Joseph Mullooly’s profound archaeological discoveries in the foundations of San Clemente add another chapter to the story of the Eternal City.

Today, thanks to Fr Mullooly’s research in the late 19th century, anyone can travel back in time through medieval, early Christian and ancient Rome simply by descending the three levels below San Clemente.

“Visitors from around the world can explore the Basilica’s stunning artworks, Romanesque architecture and archaeological remains.

"And pilgrims can say a prayer at the tomb of Saint Cyril, discovered by Fr Mullooly in 1863, and today forming part of Rome’s extensive network of sacred sites that extend from St. Peter’s Basilica to Santa Maria in Trastevere.

“As President of the European Parliament, I am glad that my fellow member of this House, Ciaran Mullooly, is celebrating his ancestor Fr Joseph Mullooly and his accomplishments.

"The European Parliament prides itself on welcoming cultural identity and history into the heart of our institution through exhibitions, art displays, book talks and more.

"The Parliament also regularly brings together people of all faiths through our inter-religious dialogue.

“In short, the spirit of Fr Joseph Mullooly’s work is alive and well in this House, and I hope that Mullooly’s legacy, still present in sites across Rome like San Clemente, continues to fascinate and inspire Europeans for many more years to come.”

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